I Sat in a Pew and Become More Godlike
What’s up with pews? Does it matter what we sit in on a Sunday morning? Can I be at church and sit in a bar stool, movie theatre seat, cushy chair, sofa, etc? Does it matter what the material is, whether it’s wood, cloth, or plastic?
According to Wikipedia, the pew wasn’t even invented until the Protestant Reformation and the rise of the sermon.
Jesus and his disciples never sat in pews. However, since some think that uncomfortableness equals godliness and the human body is a bad thing, it seems that this becomes a way of self punishment. Do critics actually think they are more holy because they have sore backs and sore bums? Are they less holy if they have padded pews? And where is this in scripture, that sitting on hard wooden benches is a requirement in being a member of God’s army? Is it ok to sit on the ground?
Too many questions and so little answers.
- Christian Living , Humor , Ingrid , Legalism , Worship
July 20th, 2007 at 10:53 am
What about self-flagellation? How long till that makes a come back?
July 20th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Seats? Luxury! At least you have seats. Why, in our church we’re required to sit bare-bottomed on shards of broken glass.
/Monty Python
July 20th, 2007 at 11:08 am
I think the “critics” take issue with methods and environments more than pews. Honestly, I’ve never seen an article written with a pro-pew, anti-anything-else bent.
Where is this pro-pew argument of which you speak? Who are these unnamed “critics” and “some people?”
July 20th, 2007 at 11:12 am
Todd:
http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com/?p=483
July 20th, 2007 at 11:19 am
Ah, thank you.
July 20th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Aside from the SoL link, I remember a good many years ago (in a different town), there were some folks a bit bent out of shape that our church decided to use padded chairs instead of pews. We had chosen chairs instead of pews because we wanted the room to be multi-purpose, and pews pretty much ruled that out.
Remembering the discussion, it had nothing to do with what was being taught and everything from ‘being the most reverent’ (which somehow pews allow?) to ‘chairs isolate people instead of allowing families to be close’ (which was a stretch)…
July 20th, 2007 at 11:40 am
Does this even matter?
The real issue is that many are sitting on their brains.
July 20th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Can you confirm this Chris P?
Have you experienced this in your churches with pews?
I haven’t been in one for quite a while and when I have there really was not that much difference…
I mean same God, same message (with variance in style) and a few other aesthetic things…
So are you saying that this is what you do in your church?
Just looking for clarification. ; )
iggy
July 20th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
I sit in pew on Sunday. It’s padded, though. I think my Jesus points are not as high as the critics are. They are really suffering.
In all seriousness, I applaud Ingrid for things she does like adopting children. These are real issues and it’s also being real prolife. But pews versus cushy chairs? I think Jesus must be shaking his head in disgust that this is an issue for some critics.
July 20th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
The funny thing is that I go to a church with padded chairs and sometimes I really miss those pews. I used to have room to put my purse and Bible next to me, I could slide up next to my husband and he would put his arm around me, I could put some space next to the lady next to me who wore too much perfume, and I could take my shoes off since no one behind me could see my feet.
Now my purse is under the chair in front of me where I can’t reach my tictacs easily, my husband finds the backs of the chairs painful to rest his arm on and man those people next to me sit close - I keep banging elbows, not to mention that perfume, I also feel like I can’t take my shoes off because people would see!
So if I were to go back to a church with pews, would that be me-centered?
July 20th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
I hate pews with the back straight up at 90 degrees!
July 20th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
By the way, if the pews were not invented before the Reformation, then what did the Catholic laypeople sit in or on before then?
July 20th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
People stood in church. No pews. They had chairs for those who couldn’t stand.
July 20th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
Deborah, I think the main problem with what I read in your comment is your Tic-Tac addiction.
July 21st, 2007 at 5:51 am
Julie, lol, you should hear about my chapstick addiction!