He cited Paul's instructions to them about alcohol in 1 Timothy 3:2-4 and 3:8-10, and commented: "We note how much is required of us. From 1838 to 1845, Father Mathew, the Irish apostle of temperance, administered an abstinence pledge to some three to four million of his countrymen, though his efforts had little permanent effect there, and then starting in 1849 to more than 500,000 Americans, chiefly his fellow Irish Catholics, who formed local temperance societies but whose influence was limited. And This is Where Things Get Weird. The fasting rules of the Orthodox Church forbid the consumption of wine (and by extension, all alcoholic beverages) on most fast days throughout the year. Drinking in Ancient Societies; History and Culture of Drinks in the Ancient Near East. .section-logged-out .promo-block-content {margin-bottom:0px !important} Albert E. Lombard, Committee on Publication for Southern California. For example, the Wesleyan Methodists (since founded 1843, some fifty years after Wesley's death) required "unfermented wine".[175]. Compare the summary in Raymond, pp. [114], The medieval monks, renowned as the finest creators of beer and wine,[115] were allotted about five liters of beer per day, and were allowed to drink beer (but not wine) during fasts. He saw nothing intrinsically evil in wine. Is it okay for Christians to drink alcohol? - CARM.ORG [259] In 1990, the Salvation Army re-affirms: "It would be inconsistent for any Salvationist to drink while at the same time seeking to help others to give it up. [116][117] This was justified by the Church. [220][221], In addition to lexical and historical differences,[206][222] moderationism holds that prohibitionism errs by confusing the Christian virtues of temperance and moderation with abstinence and prohibition and by locating the evil in the object that is abused rather than in the heart and deeds of the abuser. These patterns may be explained by the diversity of views that people from different religious traditions hold about the morality of alcohol. Church rules against drinking entertainments are found in the Council of Laodicea (363):[99], However, Basil the Great (died 379) repudiated the views of some dualistic heretics who abhorred marriage, rejected wine, and called God's creation "polluted"[100] and who substituted water for wine in the Eucharist. Can Christians Drink Alcohol? 3 Reasons a Christian Can Drink ", Christians should make a public statement against drunkenness because of the negative consequences it can have on individuals, families, and society as a whole. (Lev 23:13), As the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile (starting in 537 BC) and the events of the Old Testament drew to a close, wine was "a common beverage for all classes and ages, including the very young; an important source of nourishment; a prominent part in the festivities of the people; a widely appreciated medicine; an essential provision and the wine that the vineyards produced was a valued commodity in ancient times, both for local consumption and for its value in trade or any fortress; and an important commodity," and it served as "a necessary element in the life of the Hebrews. Yet alcohol remains a prominent part of the Christian religion, from the Gospel account of Jesus turning water into wine, to present-day European monks who support themselves by brewing beer, to the use of wine in some contemporary communion services. [189], The Quakers (Religious Society of Friends) came to be a strong influence for the temperance cause. The only method our documents know about raising the alcoholic level is to augment the sugar content of grapes by drying them in the sun before they are processed for fermentation. "[263], Prohibitionists such as Stephen Reynolds[264][265][266] and Jack Van Impe[267] hold that the Bible forbids partaking of alcohol altogether, with some arguing that the alleged medicinal use of wine in 1 Timothy 5:23 is a reference to unfermented grape juice. When you understand the principles , I believe the Holy Spirit will help your conscience make the appropriate application of these principles in your life. Christian Science - Religions Wiki [70], After the conquest of Palestine by Alexander the Great, the Hellenistic custom of diluting wine had taken hold such that the author of 2 Maccabees speaks of diluted wine as "a more pleasant drink" and of both undiluted wine and unmixed water as "harmful" or "distasteful. For instance, two-thirds of white mainline Protestants (66%) say theyve had alcohol in the past month, compared with roughly half of black Protestants (48%) and white evangelical Protestants (45%). You've accessed 1 piece of freeSentinelcontent. Vintage wines were found in the tomb of King Scorpion in Hierakonpolis. Wine makes not drunkenness; but intemperance produces it. Jews were a wine-drinking culture well before the foundation of Rome. [64], The fermentation process started within six to twelve hours after pressing, and the must was usually left in the collection vat for a few days to allow the initial, "tumultuous" stage of fermentation to pass. Throughout the first 1,800 years of Church history Christians generally consumed alcoholic beverages as a common part of everyday life and used "the fruit of the vine" [1] in their central Eucharist or Lord's Supper. Strong drink is unquestionably an evil, and evil cannot be used temperately: its slightest use is abuse ; hence the only temperance is total abstinence. (The survey did not include enough Mormon or Muslim respondents to analyze separately, but both of these religious groups teach their followers to abstain from alcohol.). It can be answered that, as a class, Christian Scientists abstain from the use of alcoholic beverages and spirituous liquors. White mainline Protestants (21%) also are more likely than these two latter groups to binge drink (12% for each). LifeWay Research has released the findings of a new survey that found that 59 percent never drink at all. It is not a sin to have a drink. [152] Wesley, beyond many in his era, deplored distilled beverages such as brandy and whisky when they were used non-medicinally, and he said the many distillers who sold indiscriminately to anyone were nothing more than poisoners and murderers accursed by God. ", Raymond, p. 24: "The numerous allusions to the vine and wine in the Old Testament furnish an admirable basis for the study of its estimation among the people at large. [47][223] The Bible never uses the word 'wine' of communion. Every sort of sinful appetite or carnal desire is based upon this false belief of intelligence separate from God, but such a belief is utterly without foundation in Truth. George Shaw Cook CURRENT advocacy of moderate drinking as a satisfactory substitute for total abstinence may have raised the question, "What is the attitude of Christian Scientists on this subject?" It can be answered that, as a class, Christian Scientists abstain from the use of alcoholic beverages and spirituous liquors. [244][245], In the Seventh-day Adventist Church, members must also abide by a health code that includes not drinking alcohol or consuming any other recreational drugs. These Christians believe that abstaining from alcohol is the best, possibly the only, solution to this societal problem. Christianity | University of St Andrews ", Seesemann, p. 162: "Wine is specifically mentioned as an integral part of the passover meal no earlier than, Raymond, p. 80: "All the wines used in basic religious services in Palestine were fermented. They taught that two types of wine should be distinguished: wine causing joyousness and that causing gluttony (intoxicating and non-intoxicating). [249][250], Most Laestadian-based congregations ("Finnish Lutherans"), such as the First Apostolic Lutheran Church, dominated by Finns in Michigan and Minnesota, are ambivalently against alcoholic consumption, as the Church has roots as a temperance movement in Finland. [68] One might expect about 10% of any given cellar of wine to have been ruined completely, but vinegar was also created intentionally for dipping bread[69] among other uses. ", Tertullian (died 220) insisted clergy must be sober in church, citing the biblical non-drinking precedent: "the Lord said to Aaron: 'Wine and spirituous liquor shall ye not drink, thou and thy son after thee, whenever ye shall enter the tabernacle, or ascend unto the sacrificial altar; and ye shall not die.' It may also be said, perhaps, that there are worse things than the moderate use of intoxicants, and that may also be true; but it does not change the fact that the indulgence of either of these appetites is not consistent with progress in the study and demonstration of Christian Science. [121] Even so, he believes that abstinence is the best path for those who have a gift from God allowing them to restrain their bodily appetites. Is it okay for a Christian to drink alcohol? : r/Christianity - Reddit [4][5][6][7] However, the alcoholic content of ancient alcoholic beverages was significantly lower than that of modern alcoholic beverages. Yet the temperate sentiments of the Methodists were shared only by a few others, until the publication of a tract by eminent physician and patriot Benjamin Rush, who argued against the use of "ardent spirits" (i.e., distilled alcohol), introduced the notion of addiction, and prescribed abstinence as the only cure. 11:21-22: "One was hungry, and the other was drunken, , was filled to the full; this is the sense of the word in many places of Scripture. "[71], Alcoholic wine in the ancient world was significantly different than modern wines in that it had much lower alcohol content and was consumed after significant dilution with water (as attested by even other cultures surrounding Israel), thus rendering its alcoholic content negligible by modern standards. "[48] Jewish priests cannot bless a congregation after consuming alcohol. . [85][86], Under the rule of Rome, which had conquered Judea under Pompey (see Iudaea Province), the average adult male who was a citizen drank an estimated liter (about a quarter of a gallon, or a modern-day bottle and a thirdabout 35 oz.) [14][15][16] Christian views on alcohol come from what the Bible says about it, along with Jewish and Christian traditions. [7] The Gospel of John recorded the first miracle of Jesus: making copious amounts[33] of wine at the wedding feast at Cana. [155] They expanded their membership rule regarding alcohol to include other alcoholic beverages over the next century. ", "Global Survey of Evangelical Protestant Leaders", "Responding to Opportunities for 'Interim Eucharistic Sharing', "Theology and Practice of The Lord's Supper - Part I", "Introduction to Worship in the United Church of Christ", Christian Reformed Church in North America, "The Ecclesiastical Canons of the Same Holy Apostles", "Ask the Wise Man: Eucharistic Wine and an Alcoholic Priest; Hosts for the Gluten-allergic", "Revising the Practice of the Lord's Supper at Faith Presbyterian Church No. [208][209], On the first point, moderationists reflect the Hebrew mindset that all creation is good. Charles W. J. Tennant, District Manager of Committees on Publication for Great Britain and Ireland. Free for 30 days. Today, a "low alcohol" wine is considered anything that would have met the maximum level for biblical wineabout 10 percent ABV. [170][171][172][173], Consequently, alcohol itself became an evil in the eyes of many (but not all) abstainers and so had to be expunged from Christian practiceespecially from the holy rite of the Lord's Supper. 'Christians do whatever their priests tell them to do' . The Hebraic opinion of wine in the time before Christ was decidedly positive: wine is part of the world God created and is thus "necessarily inherently good,"[76] though excessive use is soundly condemned. She had never let herself drink much at all, not even "more than one little cup of wine, diluted according to her own temperate palate, which, out of courtesy, she would taste." True, it might be inconvenient, but it would seldom, if ever, be impossible. [46][47] St. Paul further instructs Christians regarding their duty toward immature Christians: "It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. December 25th, 1744. No, it is not a sin to drink alcohol . "Here is the third point: Israel, as did its neighbors, probably manufactured brandy, liqueurs and cordials by perfuming, flavoring, or sweetening its wines; and such products may too have fallen under the term 'sekar', but until the Hellenistic period there is no direct evidence that it distilled them to raise their alcoholic content. Lucio Milano. [234] Many abstentionists do not require abstinence from alcohol for membership in their churches, though they do often require it for leadership positions (as with many Baptist churches), while other abstentionist denominations require abstinence from alcohol for all their members, both clergy and laypersons (as with the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches).[25][233][235][236]. [Lev. Some denominational statements required "unfermented wine" for the Lord's Supper. [246][247] North American Adventist health study recruitments from 2001-2007 found that 93.4% of Adventists abstained from drinking alcohol, 98.9% were non-smokers, and only 54% ate meat. Do not accuse that which is the workmanship of God, but accuse the madness of a fellow mortal. Christianity played a large role in the U.S. temperance movement. . That compares with roughly six-in-ten (62%) among people who attend worship services less often or not at all. Religiously affiliated Americans also differ from adults who say they dont have a religion, a category that includes agnostics, atheists and those who describe their religion as nothing in particular., Among U.S. Christians, for example, Catholics are more likely than Protestants to say theyve consumed alcohol in the past 30 days (60% vs. 51%). Some reasons commonly given for voluntary abstention are: Additionally, abstentionists argue that while drinking may have been more acceptable in ancient times (for instance, using wine to purify polluted drinking water),[25][239] modern circumstances have changed the nature of a Christian's responsibility in this area. Christian attitudes towards the consumption of alcohol, Toggle Alcohol in Christian history and tradition subsection, Alcoholic content of beverages in the ancient world, Alcohol in Christian history and tradition, Sasson, Jack M. "The Blood of Grapes: Viticulture and Intoxication in the Hebrew Bible." He rejected their claims of wholesomeness for this poisonous herb. Christians and Social Drinking - Focus on the Family Adults who dont belong to any religion, meanwhile, are more likely (24%) than both Catholics (17%) and Protestants (15%) to have engaged in binge drinking in the past month. Some people who identify as Christian Scientists do not celebrate Christmas. It is not disputed whether the regular use of wine in the celebration of the Eucharist and in daily life were the virtually universal practice in Christianity for over 1,800 years; all written evidence shows that the Eucharist consisted of bread and wine, not grape juice. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to ouruse of cookies. Paul wrote, "Be careful, however, that . Opponents argue against drinking by citing the destructive effects of alcohol addiction, such as divorce, job loss, traffic accidents, break up of families, and destruction of the addict's health. [13], Alcoholic beverages appear in the Bible, both in usage and in poetic expression. ", In view of the foregoing unqualified statement by our Leader, it is difficult to see how those who are truly her followers could be persuaded to believe that there is any good reason why they should indulge themselves in the use of alcoholic beverages. [75][171][206][207] Moderationism holds that temperance (that is, moderation or self-control) in all of one's behavior, not abstinence, is the biblical norm. - Questions & Answers", Pr 20:1; Is 5:11f; Ho 5:2,5; Ro 13:13; Ep 5:18; 1 Ti 3:2-3, Ps 80:8-15; Is 5:1f; Mk 12:1; compare SS 2:15, "Alcohol consumption - Alcohol and society", "Protestant Transubstantiation - Part 1: Thesis; Biblical Witness", "Revising the Practice of the Lord's Supper at Faith Presbyterian Church No. The question of drinking NATHAN A. TALBOT The trouble is, for the Christian Scientist, it just isn't as simple as deciding whether or not to have an occasional drink. Alcohol is not, in and of itself, tainted by sin. Have Baptists watered down their objections to alcohol? He contrasted them against the dignified Nazarites and the priests who were forbidden the use of wine in the Jewish Temple. [60], The harvest time brought much joy and play,[61] as "[m]en, women and children took to the vineyard, often accompanied by the sound of music and song, from late August to September to bring in the grapes. And surely those who are seeking to identify themselves with the movement founded by our Leader should wish to be in harmony with her teaching. How should a Christian view alcoholics? - GotQuestions.org Can a Christian Drink Alcohol? - What Christians Want To Know .section-logged-out .col-12.col-sm-10.mb-2 {display:none} "[154], Early advocacy for abstentionism in Methodism arose in America. This increase in alcohol content is due to advances in science and . The church's leaders base this teaching on a revelation received by the prophet Joseph Smith called the Word of Wisdom. .section-logged-out .btn-secondary {color:#fff !important}. Proverbs 31:4-5 warns kings and rulers that they might "forget what is decreed, and pervert the rights of all the afflicted." The Bible does not prohibit the consumption of alcohol but leaves that choice up to the individual. "[168] The movement saw the passage of anti-drinking laws in several states and peaked in its political power in 1919 with the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which established prohibition as the law of the entire country but which was repealed in 1933 by the Twenty-first Amendment. ", "The Conflicted History of Alcohol in Western Civilization", "Alcohol: An inappropriate investment for Anglicanism", National Temperance Society and Publishing House, "Living in the Spirit: Be Not Drunk with Wine--Part 2", "Protestant Transubstantiation - Part 3: Historic Reformed & Baptist Testimony", The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Ge 27:28; 49:9-12; Dt 7:13; 11:14; 15:14; compare 33:28; Pr 3:9f; Jr 31:10-12; Ho 2:21-22; Jl 2:19,24; 3:18; Am 9:13f; compare 2Ki 18:31-32; 2Ch 32:28; Ne 5:11; 13:12, Ps 60:3; 75:8; Is 51:17-23; 63:6; Jr 13:12-14; 25:15-29; 49:12; 51:7; La 4:21f; Ezk 23:28-33; Na 1:9f; Hab 2:15f; Zc 12:2; Mt 20:22; 26:39, 42; Lk 22:42; Jn 18:11; Re 14:10; 16:19, Jg 9:13; Ps 4:7; 104:15; Ec 9:7; 10:19; Zc 9:17; 10:7, Mt 26:26-29; Mk 14:22-25; Lk 22:17-20; 1 Co 10:16; 11:23-25, Pr 31:4-7; Mt 27:34,48; Mk 15:23,36; Lk 23:36; Jn 19:2830, Nu 6:2-4 (compare Jg 13:4-5; Am 2:11f); Jr 35, Mt 11:18f; Lk 7:33f; compare Mk 14:25; Lk 22:17f, "What is Judaism's take on alcohol consumption? The Jews emphasized joy in the goodness of creation rather than the virtue of temperance, which the Greek philosophers advocated. Ed. Half of U.S. adults (51%) who say they attend religious services at least once a month report drinking alcohol in the past 30 days, according to the survey. [42], Kings and priests in the Old Testament were forbidden to partake of wine at various times. . Initially the vast majority of the temperance movement had opposed only distilled alcohol,[169] which they saw as making drunkenness inexpensive and easy, and espoused moderation and temperance in the use of other alcoholic beverages. Are there any special dietary laws or rules against smoking or drinking Which view is correct? Fueled in part by the Second Great Awakening, which emphasized personal holiness and sometimes perfectionism, the temperance message changed to the outright elimination of alcohol. [161], Adam Clarke explained 1 Cor. Some abstentionists speak of alcohol as "corrupt[ing]" the body and as a substance that can "impair my judgment and further distract me from God's will for my life. As the Pilgrims set out for America, they brought a considerable amount of alcohol with them for the voyage (more than 28,617 liters = 7,560 gallons, or 4 litres/person/day),[144] and once settled, they served alcohol at "virtually all functions, including ordinations, funerals, and regular Sabbath meals. Though losing influence during the American Civil War, afterward the movement experienced its second wave, spearheaded by the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and it was so successful in achieving its goals that Catherine Booth, co-founder of the Salvation Army, could observe in 1879 that in America "almost every [Protestant] Christian minister has become an abstainer. [34] Jesus instituted the ritual of the Eucharist at the Last Supper during a Passover celebration,[35] he says that the "fruit of the vine"[36][37] is a "New Covenant in [his] blood,"[38] though Christians have differed on the implications of this statement (see Eucharistic theologies contrasted). [115] The Catholic Church continues to celebrate a number of early and medieval saints related to alcoholfor instance, St. Adrian, patron saint of beer; St. Amand, patron saint of brewers, barkeepers, and wine merchants; St. Martin, the so-called patron saint of wine; St. Vincent, patron saint of vintners. CURRENT [248] Studies have also shown that Adventist members are healthier and live longer. A Christian Science Perspective Freed from cynicism, alcohol use, and chronic illness Resentful of society, frequently sick, and living a wild lifestyle, a grad student began to yearn for a. However, the Bible looks at drunkenness in a very negative light. [140] In the Dordrecht Confession of Faith (1632), even the radical Anabaptists, who sought to expunge every trace of Roman Catholicism and to rely only on the Bible, also assumed wine was to be used,[141] and despite their reputation as killjoys,[142] the English Puritans were temperate partakers of "God's good gifts," including wine and ale.[143]. If a Christian choosees to consume alcohol, they should do so with moderation and self-control. Taking a strong stand against alcohol and its consequences is a tangible way that they can demonstrate their faith. For example, 91 of the 2014 Discipline of the Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection states:[165], We believe total abstinence from all intoxicating liquors as a beverage to be the duty of all Christians. Other Christians who do not believe in drinking alcohol should be given the same respect for their abstinence. Therefore man, expressing perfect Mind, reflects the attributes of this Mind, including satisfaction, contentment, completeness; hence there is no truth in the belief that man could have any unfulfilled desire. "[213], On the second point, Martin Luther employs a reductio ad absurdum to counter the idea that abuse should be met with disuse: "[W]e must not reject [or] condemn anything because it is abused [W]ine and women bring many a man to misery and make a fool of him (Ecclus. But, many disagree on the applications of these principles. Christian Science is a quasi-scientific and overtly religious belief system founded in 1866 by Mary Baker Eddy and her interpretation of the Bible. There was some concern if the only planned leisure activity involved drinking alcohol; however, many Christian students would . "[108], The virtue of temperance passed from Greek philosophy into Christian ethics and became one of the four cardinal virtues under St. Ambrose[109] and St. For christians who think drinking alcohol is sinful or wrong - Reddit But now she willingly drank none at all. [132] With Calvin at Geneva, "Low taverns and drinking shops were abolished, and intemperance diminished. [15][171] Moreover, moderationists suggest that the prohibitionist and abstentionist positions denigrate God's creation and his good gifts and deny that it is not what goes into a man that makes him evil but what comes out (that is, what he says and does). Even the English denominational temperance societies refused to make abstention a requirement for membership, and their position remained moderationist in character. Yes, it is permissible for Christians to drink alcohol. It is not surprising that a reaction followed this swift success. It is interesting that this verse contrasts . In line with previous research, the youngest adults are the most likely to binge drink, with about three-in-ten respondents ages 18 to 29 (28%) saying theyve consumed alcohol in that quantity in the past 30 days. Certainly those students of Christian Science who have progressed in their study to the point where they are seeking membership in The Mother Church or in a branch church will not have overlooked the fact that Mrs. Eddy has written on page 454 of Science and Health, "It need not be added that the use of tobacco or intoxicating drinks is not in harmony with Christian Science." [9], In the mid-19th century, some Protestant Christians moved from a position of allowing moderate use of alcohol (sometimes called "'moderationism") to either deciding that not imbibing was wisest in the present circumstances ("abstentionism") or prohibiting all ordinary consumption of alcohol because it was believed to be a sin ("prohibitionism"). with contributions from Otto Block, with contributions from Odell Shepard, Orion C. Hopper, Jr., Bruce Brown, Raymond C. Knox, Zona Gale. [129] Zwingli reformed Zurich in many ways; in 1530 he reduced the closing time of taverns to 9 pm. [91][92] The Didache, an early Christian treatise which is generally accepted to be from the late 1st century, instructs Christians to give a portion of their wine in support of a true prophet or, if they have no prophet resident with them, to the poor. [62] The Feast of Booths was a prescribed holiday that immediately followed the harvest and pressing of the grapes. The hermit John of Egypt (died 395) said: "if there is any sharp wine I excommunicate it, but I drink the good. That may not be a surprise: Holy texts from the Christian New Testament to the Quran and the Hindu Dharmashastras warn against the dangers of excessive drinking and other potentially harmful vices. Many religious leaders, including the late Rev. Oscar R. Porter, Jr., Committee on Publication for the State of North Carolina. [110][111][112] Drunkenness, on the other hand, is considered a manifestation of gluttony, one of the seven deadly sins as compiled by Gregory the Great in the 6th century. Throughout the first 1,800 years of Church history, Christians generally consumed alcoholic beverages as a common part of everyday life and used "the fruit of the vine"[1] in their central ritethe Eucharist or Lord's Supper. "[147] This Old World attitude is likewise found among the early Methodists (Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, Adam Clarke,[148] Thomas Coke) and Baptists (John Gill and John Bunyan). The Curious Case of Christians and Alcohol - Medium [215][216] However, moderationists approve of voluntary abstinence in several cases, such as for a person who finds it too difficult to drink in moderation and for the benefit of the "weaker brother," who would err because of a stronger Christian exercising their liberty to drink. 3", "Position paper: Abstinence from Alcohol", The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, "Salvation Army's Position Statements: Alcohol and Drugs", "Living in the Spirit: Be Not Drunk with Wine--Part 3", "Myths and Facts about Alcohol Consumption and Jim Burns", "FIRST-PERSON: The case for alcohol abstinence", "Unity in Action: Building Up One Another Without Offending--Part 2", "The Commandments: Obey the Word of Wisdom", "Historic Stand for Temperance Principles and Acceptance of Donations Statement Impacts Social Change", "Adventist Health Study-2 | Adventist Health Study", "Finns in Michigan. "[78] Wine was also used ritualistically to close the Sabbath and to celebrate weddings, circumcisions, and Passover. Ephesians 5:18 says, "Do not be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.".

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