The Christian Faith
This section of the website provides more extended teaching on larger content areas, such as the Creed and the Sacraments. It begins with Introduction·to the Christian Faith. More content will be added in due course.
The section entitled Short Talks comprises stand-alone talks and articles on different aspects of the Christian Faith, including the teaching of Jesus, the seasons of the Church’s Year and Feasts and Festivals.·
The parish church: Outside
Today we are going to talk about the parish churches of England. Most of our churches are old. When you come across a new church, as you often do in a town, it usually means that a new parish has been carved out of an old one. The new church is known as the daughter church of the old parish church which you will find in the neighbourhood. There are examples of this all over the country.
The parish church: Inside
Last week we were talking chiefly about the outside of a church. Today we are going to talk about some of the things we find inside it.
Most churches are divided into three parts: the nave, the chancel and the sanctuary.
The altar and sanctuary
You’ll remember that a church is divided into three main parts: the nave, the chancel and the sanctuary. The word sanctuary comes from the Latin sanctus, which means holy. The sanctuary, the holy place, is so named because it contains the altar where the Eucharist, the chief Christian act of worship, is offered to God. That is why the main altar, or High Altar, as it is called, is the most important part of a church and every church is so built as to lead our eyes to it.