The Development of Church Furniture

Temples have changed little since their creation by ancient cultures. As holy grounds for devotees, tradition dictates that such spaces adhere to the strict standards set by those before (or by their deities). However, this hasn't stopped modern-day faithful from altering their temple furniture to suit their religious needs.

The Christian faiths, in particular, have some of the most curious-looking furniture for their churches. Rich wooden fixtures serve as pews, benches, confession booths, altars, and so on. Such a tradition can be traced back to Jesus' origins as the son of a carpenter. While most Christian churches tend to have embellishments here and there, the furniture used remains wooden and very simple in construction.

Wooden furniture provides just enough comfort for the devout to sit on, yet are purposefully left without cushioning. This is to invite the faithful to experience the simplicity and hardship that the church often preaches about, as well as to prevent celebrants from easily falling asleep. Benches are used instead of individual chairs since the communal sitting arrangement instills a sense of community. They may appear like nothing more than just rows of wooden benches, but church furniture provide comfortable spaces from which devotees can readily celebrate Mass without trouble.