Lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a
In pre-modern usage, the word lectern was used to refer specifically to the "reading desk or stand ... from which the Scripture lessons (lectiones) ... are chanted or read."[1] One 1905 dictionary states that "the term is properly applied only to the class mentioned [church book stands] as independent of the pulpit."[2] By the 1920s, however, the term was being used in a broader sense; for example, in reference to a memorial service in Carnegie Hall, it was stated that "the lectern from which the speakers talked was enveloped in black."[3]
Academic use
Lecterns used in academia—generally in seminar rooms and lecture theatres—may have certain features that common lecterns lack, based on the technological sophistication of the venue. These features usually include a microphone stand, audio-visual controls, sometimes even an integrated computer and recording system. Lecterns of this sort are generally attached or integrated into a large desk, as the amount of support material tends to be larger in academic contexts than in straightforward public talks.
Religious use
Christianity
In the Christian Church, the lectern is usually the stand on which the Bible or other texts rest and from which the "lessons" (scripture passages, often selected from a lectionary) are read during the service. The lessons may be read or chanted by a priest, deacon, minister, or layperson, depending upon the liturgical traditions of the community. The lectern is normally set in front of the pews, so that the reader or speaker faces the congregation.
Lecterns are often made of wood. They may be either fixed in place or portable. A lectern differs from a
In monastic churches and cathedrals, a separate lectern is commonly set in the centre of the
In the
Judaism
Because the Torah scrolls are generally large, the central feature of the bimah in a synagogue is a table large enough to hold an open Torah along with a tikkun or Chumash (reference books used to check the reading). In some synagogues, this table may resemble a large lectern. The Hebrew term for this article of furniture is amud (Hebrew: עמוד).[7]
In traditional
Traditional shtenders frequently incorporate a locker under the desktop where prayer books and study material may be locked when not in use, and many feature a footrest for comfort during extended study sessions or standing prayers. Some older synagogues have large collections of shtenders.
Political use
Lecterns are used in political debates on stage, as well as for political speeches. Notable instances of these lecterns include the several types of American Presidential lecterns, of which the most secure is the "Blue Goose", a bulletproof lectern used by the president of the United States, its smaller counterpart the Falcon,[10] and the series of lecterns used for statements outside 10 Downing Street.[11]
See also
References
- ^ Lectern, Chambers's Cyclopaedia, Vol. VI W. and R. Chambers, 1864; pp. 71-72.
- ^ D. C. Gilman, H. T. Peck and F. M. Colby (eds), Lectern, The New International Cyclopaedia, Vol. XII, Dodd, Mead and Co., 1905; p. 68.
- ^ Domestic News: New York, The Reform Advocate, Vol LV, No. 7, September 18, 1920; p. 181.
- ^ ISBN 1-84413-053-3
- ^ George Ferguson, Signs and Symbols in Christian Art, New York 1966
- ^ Parry et al. (1999), p. 27.
- ^ "Amud". jel.jewish-languages.org. Jewish English Lexicon.
- ^ Samuel C. Heilman, The People of the Book, University of Chicago Press, 1983, Transaction Publishers, 2009; see Chapter 1, page 3.
- ^ Hanoch Teller, Sunset, Feldheim Publishers, 1987; page 169.
- ^ Lee, Carol E. (2009-06-22). "The art of Obama's stagecraft". POLITICO. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
Bibliography
- Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. .
- Parry, Ken; Melling, David J.; Brady, Dimitri; Griffith, Sidney H.; Healey, John F., eds. (1999). The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity. Malden, MA.: Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 0-631-23203-6.
External links
Media related to Lecterns at Wikimedia Commons