以下文章是由网上http://www.faithpresbyterian.org/about/sanctuary/抄来的
是美国一间长老教会的长老写的
本来想翻译成中文的，但是没什么时间...
About Our Sanctuary (圣所)
The Faith Presbyterian Church Sanctuary and the Reformed Tradition
The architecture and the interior arrangement of the church building are not that way by chance-- not by haphazard selection. There is more than aesthetics involved here—there is also tradition.
(教堂的室内设计摆设不单单为了美观而已，还有传统的承传)
In examining how reformed churches in general, and our own building in particular, are arranged, let us start with the assumption that the arrangement of the place for worship, as well as the form of the service or worship, makes a theological statement. Certainly not all building committees and not even all ministers are aware of this fact. Architects are often ignorant of the theological implications when designing a place of worship. Hence, the arrangement and décor of a house of worship may be sending out a message at odds with the theology and tradition which underlie the teaching, the preaching, and the Christian life of the congregation.
（崇拜的圣所的摆设要配合神学的教导、带出教导基督徒生活的信息）
In a church building, then, that has been planned in harmony with the reformed tradition, what is that theological statement? How, for example, does the room in which we worship here at Faith tell the informed observer what we believe? You may be able to come up with a statement that you like better, but the one that strikes me as the best that I have encountered, is this: “God speaks to His people in Word and sacrament,” or stated in another way, “Christ comes to His Church in Word and in sacrament”
（那么，一个圣所应该带出怎样的神学讯息呢？笔者认为应该是“基督接着道和圣礼对他的子民说话、与他的子民同在”）
The pulpit（讲台）, with the Holy Bible, symbolize the written and the spoken Word. The Pulpit is imposing—usually, but not necessarily centered, but even when not in the center, it is elevated and so placed that it symbolizes the dominance of God’s Word in our worship.
（讲台和圣经象征道的文字和言语、通常但不一定摆在中间，讲台要比较高，意表神的道是我们崇拜的重点）
The Lord’s table（圣餐桌）, symbol of Holy Communion, occupies a place of honor. Note, however, that it is not placed on a platform or other elevation. It is in the midst of the people and on their level, signifying that God’s presence in this sacrament is with the people. It is not an altar—there is no altar. “Christ comes to His Church in Word and in sacrament.”
（圣餐桌不应该放台上或高处，因为它象征神透过圣礼与人同席、圣餐桌不是祭坛，没有祭坛了，基督已经为我们上了祭坛献上自己，赎了我们的罪）
We have spoken of the pulpit, symbol of the written and of the spoken Word. We have discussed the placement of the table, symbol of the Lord’s Supper. We now come to the third and final piece of furniture essential to a place of reformed worship—the baptismal font（洗礼池）, symbol of the sacrament of baptism. It is true that this item, so important to the life and vitality of the congregation, is often given much less prominent placement than it deserves, and it behooves the Reformed Churches to see that the sacrament which it symbolized is not allowed to become less significant by relegating it to the status of an “incidental” service as an “afterthought.” After all, this is one of the two sacraments through which we have stated, “God speaks to his people.”
（洗礼池常常被教会忽略、当作是有必要才摆出来的）
These are, I think, the basic considerations that would be advanced in this kind of a presentation. There are others, though, of lesser importance, but I hope of some interest to those with an inquiring mind. The placement of the choir is one. In our tradition the choir is never in front facing the congregation. When it is so placed, it becomes either sort of an assistant to the minister in presenting God’s Word, or it comes under the heading of entertainment. Neither of course is acceptable! The choir is included in the congregation. This should be obvious when we consider the part the congregation has in a worship service—prayer and praise!
（诗班不能面向会众，这么做就变成 诗班乃为神证道、不然就变成娱乐会众的管道，两者都不行！诗班是会众的一部分，应该和会众一起颂赞）
In the Roman tradition and in many Protestant churches the altar（祭坛） is the center of attention, whether or not it is surmounted by a crucifix on the reredos. it is symbolic of sacrifice and the priestly office. In the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, here on the altar is God’s presence. The priest, as intermediary, speaks to God for the people, and to the people of God.
（祭坛就是主耶稣为人牺牲的象征，也代表神的同在，所以当设在正中间）
The altar rail（祭坛栏杆） symbolized the veil of the temple beyond which the people might not approach. Unlike our tenet that God is present throughout the congregation—that He comes to us through and in the sacrament—the tradition of the altar has the Holy Presence on the altar, only entering the people as dispensed by the priest.
（祭坛栏杆象征会幕、就是众人不能越过的圣殿，这和规正神学的原则：神与人同在不符）
I don’t feel qualified to speak of the Roman tradition, but I think that I have been fairly accurate in what I have said. I have tried to explain the symbolism of the altar only to point out the difference between the significance of the altar and the tradition that surrounds it, and that of the communion table in our tradition. Let me add that strictly speaking, the table should be, and should look like, a table. Further, there would be on the table only those things pertaining to the Lord’s Supper—in other words, this is not a place for candles, flowers, crosses, or collection plates.
（笔者重申 圣餐桌上要像个桌子，这能在桌上放和圣餐有关的物件、不是给你放蜡烛、鲜花、十字架、盘子的地方…）
(Note: This statement was written by Elder Bill Kuhn Sr., many years before his passing. It has been used in recent years in our Inquirer’s Class to provide some insight on the design of our sanctuary.)
有关归正教会的传统摆设还可参考以下网址：
http://www.shadysidelantern.com/sanctuary%20primer.htm
http://www.shadysidelantern.com/if_pulpits_could_talk.htm
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