The Significance of the Features and Furnishings of a Christian Place of Worship

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The Significance of the Features and Furnishings of a Christian Place of Worship

Different Christian churches have different features and furnishings

inside of them. These differences in the churches show that churches

place different emphasis on what they believe in. The features and

furnishings in a church help people to worship.

There are objects in catholic churches which would not be found in non

catholic churches and there are objects found in non catholic churches

which have objects which catholic churches don’t have.

In a Catholic church most of the features and furnishings are meant to

aid people’s worship of God and Jesus. A church is meant to create an

atmosphere of awe and a sense of respect towards God and what he

represents.

When entering a church the main focus is usually on the alter. An

alter is found in Roman Catholic Church, they are linked to sacrifice.

It is used to re-enact the sacrifice of Jesus during the mass. Unlike

other religions Catholics believe Jesus’s death is the most important

point. This is important to strengthen a person’s belief that God sent

his only son to die for us which is one of the central beliefs of the

Roman Catholic religion.

This contrasts with the communion table which focus’s instead on the

last supper, non Catholics believe that Jesus’s life and resurrection

is more important than Jesus’s death. It reminds people of the last

supper and gives the community an opportunity to share together when

taking the Holy Eucharist, this is when people take the bread and wine

which is the body and blood of Christ.

The host, the blessed bread, is kept in a Tabernacle. A tabernacle is

used in Roman Catholic churches to hold the host as hosts are not

thrown away because it is the body of Christ. This shows the real

presence. It is also a focus for people praying, it aides their

worship.

In a Roman Catholic Church a sanctuary light is lit when hosts are

present in the Tabernacle.

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