The origins of the Christian Altar
Take a careful look at this picture of Prince of Peace Church's Altar. Notice how it stands away from the front wall of the church; is separated from the congregation by both a step and a railing; and the pastor’s seat is to the left. Would you also agree that it gives the impression of a table?

The concept of “Altar” was — of course — well known to the Jewish community at the time of the New Testament. It was where religious ceremonies took place and where animals were sacrificed. The Christian altar had a totally different origin, for when you look at the Christian Altar, you are actually looking at the Table of the Last Supper. Consider how this came to be.

In the earliest church, there was a semi-circle of chairs (at one end of a room) where the elders of the congregation sat during meeting. The center chair was reserved for the “Bishop,” a title used differently today, for then “Bishop” was the pastor of the congregation. Initially the early church had no altar, though often the congregation was separated from the elders by at least a step, or occasionally a low railing.

When it was time to celebrate communion, a table was brought in and set up before the elders. The congregation would come forward to eat the elements in a truly “table” setting meant to reproduce the table of the Last Supper. At the end of the communion, the table was removed, but in time, the Table of the Last Supper was left in place at the front of the church.

As the traditions of the Christian Church developed, the Table was regarded as ever more sacred, and probably the older connotation of the altar as the place to conduct all religious ceremony was added. Because it was such a sacred place, a box (a reliquary) was often put under the table to contain special items, such as relics of the saints or other objects held as especially holy. (Looking at the picture of our altar, the central “box” — though not used as such — is still part of the shape.)

As its importance in church architecture evolved, the Christian Altar was moved toward the end of the church to set it apart even more sharply. The chairs of the elders were placed to one side in deference to the Altar. Ultimately the Altar became the front wall in many churches, and only the seat of the Bishop remained to one side. Artists, moved by their devotion to the altar, created ever more beautiful and ornate settings to surround it.

As reverence for the Altar continued to increase, a screen was placed before it, to separate it from the congregation. In the Eastern Churches, the Altar was regarded as so sacred that it was felt inappropriate for it to be seen at all by the congregation except on special occasions.

As Christians we certainly do honor the altar, but from time to time we should remember that the origin of our Christian Altar was never intended to set people apart from God. Instead it was meant to reproduce the Table of the Last Supper, when our Lord sat at table WITH the Disciples — people who were just as human as we are.