Where does the name “Pulpit” come from?

Where does the name “Pulpit” come from?

For those unfamiliar with the church, a pulpit is a very important piece of furniture. Almost every church has one and uses it regularly during services and masses. To define it simply, a pulpit is a raised platform in a church where a preacher delivers the Gospel or sermon.

The pulpit has a long history in religious context. Traditionally, the pulpit is the stand for preachers and speakers in a church. Most Christian churches actually have two of these stands at the front of the church. As viewed by the congregation, the pulpit is the stand located on the left. The stand on the right, as viewed by the congregation is known as the lectern.

Typically the Gospel is read at the pulpit, giving the right side of the church the nickname of “the gospel side”. The lectern is where scripture, excluding the gospel, is read. Prayer is usually led and announcements are made from the lectern as well. It is often called “the epistle side” since the epistle lesson is usually read from the lectern.

The pulpit derives its name from the Latin word pulpitum. In Latin, pulpitum means scaffold or platform. The origin of the word pulpit clearly splits as it has little to do with modern-day scaffolding and relates closely to platform.

For many Protestant churches, the pulpit is often seen as the most important piece of furniture in the church. It is usually centrally located in relation to the congregation and is raised to note its importance.

In the eighteenth century, triple-decker pulpits were introduced. The purpose of the three levels was to display the importance of the readings. For example, announcements were read from the lowest level of the pulpit, the middle was reserved for the gospel, and the highest level as where the sermon was delivered.

Despite the location of the pulpit, it is undeniable that is has long history of prominence in the church. The raised platform and stand provides the preacher or speaker with a distinguished area to deliver the gospel or their sermon.

To learn more about pulpits, contact Imperial Woodworks, Inc. or call us at 800-234-6624. Additionally, you can request a free catalog online.

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