What Are Pews Used For?

Some pews have cushions and others consist only of solid wood.

A pew is a bench seat used for congregation members of a church or for a church choir. Although some churches have permanent pews, some have movable seats lined up in the same manner in which pews are placed in church. Pews are commonly used in Western Christian churches, such as in the Catholic Church.

History

The only person who sat in the early church was the presider over the worship service. Although, some early churches had a low stone shelf that ran along the building walls for those who were too weak or ill. Otherwise, those who were healthy enough stood during worship. Pews became common after the Protestant Reformation. In many churches, worshippers were seated based on their social rank, with the highest-ranking in society seated close to the pulpit and the lowest-ranking farthest from the pulpit. Some were forced to stand in the back of the church.

Construction

Pews are normally made of wood and have a bench seat and a back. Some are constructed with footrests or cushions, but more conservative churches do not have either. The pews normally face the altar in the church and there are paths between the rows to allow for procession. Pews may have kneelers to allow congregants to kneel in the church. Pews often have slots on the back of the seat to hold hymnals, prayer books, liturgical books or the Bible.

Worship and Rituals

During the 13th century, Christians started to kneel during Mass and as the practice became more common, kneelers on the back of the pew were often introduced. During worship, the congregation often sits during the readings. The use of church pews expanded because of their practicality. Churches often focus on promoting participation of the congregants and believe that making church rituals visible for everyone promotes community and equality. This is part of the reason for inconsistency in the design of the pews. In some chapels, for example, rows of pews face each other for chanting and prayer.

Transition

Depending on the congregation, some churches have reverted to having congregants stand during worship. Some congregations do this because of prayers taken from the Bible, especially in Chronicles II, which states that the Israelites stood when sacrifices were made on the altar (II Chronicles 5:12; II Chronicles 7:6). This transition largely depends on the religion and the leaders of the church or diocese.

References

• American Catholic: A Tour of the Catholic Church
• Antique Church Furnishings: Pews -- A Disjointed History