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The altar in the Jerusalem temple in Jesus' day was used for sacrifice. The word 'altar' actually means 'place of sacrifice'. Sacrifice was deemed necessary in the Jewish faith to obtain forgiveness for sins and to be justified before God (i.e. be 'OK' with).
Christians however, believe that Jesus died as the supreme sacrifice once and for all and so sacrifice of animals on an altar is unnecessary, and they put their faith in Jesus, and in what Jesus did, alone; Christians believe in Justification by faith in Him and not by what they can do to 'earn' favour with God.
The Holy Communion service in Christian churches (or the 'Lord's Supper', 'Eucharist' or 'mass' depending upon the Christian denomination) is a sacrament commanded by Jesus Himself, where we eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of Him. In The Bible story, Jesus told his disciples that the bread they eat represents His 'body' given freely for them on the Cross, and the wine represents His 'blood' again freely shed for them, and that, whenever we eat and drink (in other words, every day) we are to remember Him and what He did for us.
In the Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Churches and some other churches holding to the Catholic view, the table at which the bread and wine at the Communion Service is called the 'altar'because they believe that at each Communion service (Mass) there is a representation of the one Sacrifice of Jesus.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoRoman Catholic Answer: The altar in a church is used for the sacrificial meal called Holy Communion. Altars throughout the history of man and the Bible are used for Sacrifice starting with the altar that Abraham was going to sacrifice his son on in the book of Genesis. This is called a "type" of the sacrifice of the Son of God on our altars in the New Testament. Since the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross was a once for all, unrepeatable sacrifice. The sacrifice offered on the altars now is the re-presentation of that original and only sacrifice of Christ. It is as if you are actually present on Calvary witnessing the Crucifixion. Remember that God is eternal and so from His point of view, the creation of the world, Jesus dying on the cross, you sitting in front of your computer, and the end of the world, are all NOW to Him. As God doesn't change, there is no time to Him. At Mass you are not watching an act of Jesus being crucified again, you are actually witnessing the only sacrifice from God's point of view. It's sort of a difficult concept to get your mind around, but that is what the altar is for.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoAn altar is used for change. For when you go to the altar; that is where sins are layed and forgiveness is given. It is made of unhewed stone, or wood placed together for communication with our Creator, God .
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoThe altar signifies the presence of the Almighty. It is similar to the altar in the Holy bible.
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Where is the altar in a church building?
It is placed in the center because Christ himself is the altar the main emphasis in the church.AnswerMost churches have an altar (or 'communion table' ) at the east end of the church. Some modern churches have them at the centre but this is an exception rather than the rule.
What is the side table used for in the Catholic church?
You may be referring to a low altar, one or two of them being toward the sides of the church outside the sanctuary, or area around the main altar? These were (and in some churches still are) also used for offering the Mass. These days, most churches only use the main altar for Mass, and the old side altars may be used as places of prayer or to reserve the Blessed Sacrament. If you meant a small table near the main altar, it is likely the credence table, used to hold the gifts of wine and bread before they are consecrated during Mass. Hope this helps!
What do you call the communion table in a church?
In Catholic Churches (and some other denominations) they call it the 'altar'. However, the term 'altar' suggests a sacrifice, as per the altar at the Temple in Jerusalem. in the Catholic Church, they believe that the sacrifice of Jesus is reenacted at each mass (communion service) , and therefore, for the, the term 'altar' is appropriate. The protestant churches, however, tend to follow scripture more and regard Jesus's sacrifice as a once-for-all sacrifice, as per Paul's teaching. Therefore they tend to call it simply the Communion Table or even the Lord's Table.
In which religious buildings would an altar be found?
Altars can be found in some traditional Christian churches.
Do all Christian denominations have an altar?
No, not all. Some Baptist churches do not have an altar, for example.
Are church are made on any specific direction or not?
Yes. Some churches are constructed so the altar faces east. The churches that do this include Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox.
Does an altar have a piece of bone from a saint in it?
It is possible for an altar to have a relic, such as a piece of bone from a saint, depending on the religious tradition. Relics hold spiritual significance for many followers and are used as objects of veneration and devotion.
Another name for altar server or altar boy?
Some people refer to them as "Acolytes" but this is incorrect as an acolyte is an ordained ministry that one receives before being ordained a deacon. The correct name is altar server.
Do protestants have an altar in their church?
Yes and no. The table of worship focus is called either an altar or a communion table. Some sanctuaries have both. "Altar" originally meant a place for sacrifice. While important, for Protestants the hope of the resurrection takes precedence, and Christ's ongoing presence is symbolized by Holy Communion, or the Eucharist.
What do some altars in Catholic Churches contain as a reminder of the legacy of the early Church?
In the days when the Church was being persecuted, the early Christians held Mass in the catacombs of Rome, using the tomb of a martyr as an altar. It used to be a requirement that the main altar in every Catholic Church have an altar stone into which was sealed a first class relic of a saint, usually a martyr. In recent years this requirement has been abandoned but many older churches still have them.
Why have an altar?
We are currently studying the altar in our Suday School class.. We must repair the altar of God in our homes and churches. We seek stuff instead of God in so many churches. Only the hungry will be filled.
What are some 5 letter words with the letter t in the middle used in a religious ceremony?
The word is altar. It is a table used for a religious ceremony.
