Did Christian men and women ever have to sit apart?

Answer 1

Sitting is something that did not happen in the Church of the Early Christians, which is represented today by the Orthodox Church. The practice of the Russian Orthodox Church today is that men stand on the right side of the church, women stand on the left side. So, they "stand apart," and not "sit apart." Althoug, in some so-called "Christian" sects, there may have been iinstances of men and women sitting apart.

While it is probably absolutely impossible for most people to understand in today's social climate, "going to church" was/is not seen in True Christianity as "an opportunity for families to be together," or "an opportunity for the family to pray together," or an opportunity to "sit down and relax." Families are rightfully "together," and "pray together," in the home. The Orthodox Church believes being in church is an opportunity to pray to and worship Almighty God, and that people should be in awe of, and show great respect for, God. Standing before those superior to us has been a traditional way to show respect for thousands of years; sitting before those superior to us is not respectful. In a society that has its members believe, "No one is superior to me," such simple things as this are difficult to understand. For the Orthodox, using church as an opportunity to be with the family, sit down and relax, or listen to contemporary music, is basically placing things other than God in the place of God.