[jb6]

One of the biggest problems with pews is that they separate the people, allowing the "rich or powerful" to have their own area away from the rest of the Church body. The people are one and must be one. The Church I go to is greek and has pews. I've prayed in many churches during my travels and I greatly prefer the no pews.

[Agrarian]

I don't know how much "rich and powerful" has to do with it, but you are absolutely right that standing in a pewless church, one feels no distance at all between oneself and one's neighbor, nor distance between oneself and the altar. I had never really thought about it until you put it that way, but this is unquestionably an aspect of that indescribable feeling of being in a full, pewless church.