So, brother Skala brought up a good point in another thread and I thought that I'd bring it up here. Why on earth do Protestant churches today have altars? The alter was used in the Temple. Do you see a temple? I sure don't.
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Why on earth do Protestant churches today have altars?
The alter was used in the Temple. Do you see a temple? I sure don't.
I'm not going to argue for having an altar in Protestant churches (I'm with hedrick here), but I did want to point out that this statement is not entirely accurate. Yes, there was an altar in the temple, but it's not the only place we find God pleasing altars. There were also altars where there were no temples, and in John's Revelation, we find altars in heaven.
That is a huge generalisation, and also incorrect.
There are somethings that must be noted;
- Some protestant denominations advocate the inclusion of an altar in the church, eg High Anglicans.
- Some proestant denominations are apostate
- Many protestants have a table at the front of their building that serves several purposes, eg holding the communion elements, the flowers, etc.
Many Southern Baptist (even Reformed) have altars in the Church. There's a sermon Paul Washer was preaching and some woman came to the front of the church to cry on the altar and Elder Paul told her, "Don't touch the altar of God."
That is really disappointing seeing how even parts of the Reformed crowd have these.
What is the problem with alters? I guess I never paid attention. It seems like there are bigger problems in Christianity today than alters (assuming alters are a problem to begin with, which I fail to see).
There are bigger problems and there are other threads about those bigger problems.
I see this to be a big problem. Unless you are making sacrifices, I don't see why an altar should be used. When did Christians start putting these in their churches?
Alright. On what do you suggest the communion bread and wine be presented? What if we were to call it a table instead of an alter; would it be okay then? This seems to be more a matter of semantics than anything else.
I kind of agree. To me an "altar" is a piece of religious furniture that looks like a table. Unless people treat it like some kind of holy of holies, I could care less what it's called.
Reformed Baptist 1689 said:Let's be clear on what an alter actually is! An altar is a place of offering sacrifice and the name signifies the purpose. If you place the communion elements upon an alter you are performing "the mass" and resacrificing Christ - rightly or wrongly that is the issue many reformed folk have an 'alter'
if people in a church think of an altar as being a place of sacrifice, then there is a problem. If they think of it as a fancy table, then they're isn't one.
If they think of it as a fancy table then why don't they call it 'a fancy table' rather then an 'altar'? Better yet why have a fancy table, not a plain and simple one, if any at all?
Most of the words for these kinds of things are passed via traditions, not definitions. If my grandfather called it an "alter", I might also, even if I don't know what "altar" means.
Reformed Baptist 1689 said:But is the moto of the reformed, 'reformed, always reforming' shouldn't traditions be challenged by each new generation if we are true to our reformed heritage?
Not to mention the fact that all a christain has to do is read there bible and they will soon see what an alter is, and if they read Hebrews they will see who that alter now is.
I don't buy ignorence as an acceptable reason, sorry
Most of the words for these kinds of things are passed via traditions, not definitions. If my grandfather called it an "alter", I might also, even if I don't know what "altar" means.