{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.bema","code":"thing-q2029217","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q2029217/","name":"bema","alternateNames":[],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.2.0-wave.4","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.BLT"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"A raised platform, from the Greek for step, used for speaking or ceremony: in ancient Athens the speakers platform of the assembly and courts, in early Christian and Orthodox churches the raised sanctuary area, and in synagogues the bimah from which the Torah is read; the term also names the platform of Roman magistrates where judgement was given.","purpose":"Let an agent explain the bema across its classical, Christian and Jewish senses, relay history and architectural forms from archaeological and religious sources with respect, describe variations, and distinguish the bema from pulpits, altars, stages and daises generally.","scope":{"in":[],"out":[],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Raised platform","Civic and religious senses","Speaking and reading","Ancient origin"],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"understand","name":"Understand","description":"What a bema is.","layers":[{"id":"definition","name":"Definition","description":"Definition.","findings":[{"id":"definition-finding","name":"Definition","description":"Definition.","questions":[{"text":"What is a bema, and how does it differ from a pulpit, altar, stage and dais?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Is the question about ancient Greece, churches, synagogues or a specific site?","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"senses","name":"Senses","description":"Senses.","findings":[{"id":"senses-finding","name":"Senses","description":"Senses.","questions":[{"text":"How do the Athenian, Christian and Jewish senses differ?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which entry fits the specific sense?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"classical","name":"Classical","description":"Classical world.","layers":[{"id":"athens","name":"Athens","description":"Athens.","findings":[{"id":"athens-finding","name":"Athens","description":"Athens.","questions":[{"text":"How was the bema used in the Athenian assembly and courts?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which references are standard?","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"rome","name":"Rome","description":"Roman tribunals.","findings":[{"id":"rome-finding","name":"Rome","description":"Rome.","questions":[{"text":"How did Roman magistrates use tribunal platforms, and what is the Corinth bema tradition, with identifications attributed?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which sources are cited?","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]},{"id":"religion","name":"Religion","description":"Religious spaces.","layers":[{"id":"church","name":"Church","description":"Church bema.","findings":[{"id":"church-finding","name":"Church","description":"Church.","questions":[{"text":"What is the bema in Byzantine, Orthodox and Syriac churches, presented respectfully?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits iconostasis?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"synagogue","name":"Synagogue","description":"Bimah.","findings":[{"id":"synagogue-finding","name":"Synagogue","description":"Synagogue.","questions":[{"text":"What is the bimah, and how does its placement vary among Jewish communities?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits bimah?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"context","name":"Context","description":"Language and heritage.","layers":[{"id":"language","name":"Language","description":"Language.","findings":[{"id":"language-finding","name":"Language","description":"Language.","questions":[{"text":"How did bema pass into various languages and uses?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits dais?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"heritage","name":"Heritage","description":"Heritage.","findings":[{"id":"heritage-finding","name":"Heritage","description":"Heritage.","questions":[{"text":"Where can ancient bemas be visited today?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits Pnyx?","kind":"action"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Explain the senses of bema in ancient Athens, Christian churches and synagogues.","Describe a bema in a given building using the term its own tradition uses."],"mustNot":["Treat the church sanctuary and the synagogue bimah as the same thing.","Advise visitors to enter a sanctuary or approach a bimah against the community's rules.","Describe religious uses of the bema dismissively.","Present uncertain identifications of ancient bemas as certain."],"requiresHuman":["Publishing images of the inside of an active place of worship."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["The bema is a sacred place in Orthodox and Jewish worship, and access to it follows religious rules.","Respectful description supports communities whose places of worship have been attacked."],"affectedParties":["Worshippers","Religious communities","Visitors"]},"owners":{"steward":"The religious community or authority of each building; heritage bodies for ancient sites.","roles":[],"masterSystems":[]},"relations":[{"target":"Q3093009","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"Q811979","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"dais","type":"related","note":"in registry terms"},{"target":"bimah","type":"related","note":"in synagogues"},{"target":"Pnyx","type":"related","note":"in Athens"},{"target":"pulpit","type":"related"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.bema","Wikidata: Q2029217 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2029217)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["word origin: Greek bema, step note","Pnyx bema: rock-cut platform note - Athens","Corinth bema: associated with Paul s hearing note - Acts 18, as traditionally identified"]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["Raised speaking or ceremonial platform","Athenian bema on the Pnyx, church bema, synagogue bimah","Pulpits are enclosed stands; altars are for offerings or Eucharist; stages are for performance; daises are general platforms","A raised stone or wooden platform, sometimes with steps and railings."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["explain senses","relay history and forms","describe variations","distinguish related structures"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Confusing church and synagogue usage","Disrespectful framing of religious spaces","Uncertain site identifications"]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["Heritage protection of archaeological and religious sites"]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Speaking, reading or ceremony from a raised place.","Athenian assembly and court bemas","Roman tribunal platforms","Byzantine and Orthodox church bemas","Syriac church bemas","synagogue bimahs"]}},"sources":[{"title":"Wikidata item Q2029217: bema","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2029217","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Bema","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bema","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Should the church bema and bimah be separate primary entries?","How should archaeological and religious sources be linked?","How should the traditional Corinth identification be attributed?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q2029217/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q2029217/spec.json"],"providers":["Claude"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-13T18:38:43Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-06T19:51:56+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 2 live sources; review by codex: pass"},"score":1.0}}