“If alcohol is part of the cultural script of college students, how do we get them to think about the role of alcohol in their lives? Can we teach how to make their drinking experiences ‘more fulfilling and less empty’? With this in mind, Gundlach aims to engage students in a sustained conversation about why, when, what, and with whom they drink. Written in an engaging and accessible style, based on the experiences of students, and filled with practical suggestions, Barstool Theology demonstrates how bringing theology into our conversations regarding alcohol can help us find healthy — and truly virtuous ways — not only to enjoy alcohol, but also to celebrate and enjoy one another.”
— Paul J. Wadell, Professor of Theology and Religious Studies, St. Norbert College, author of Friendship and the Moral Life
“There are few things more Catholic than learning about the Faith while enjoying a drink with friends. In his book Barstool Theology: Crafting the Good Life, Trevor Gundlach tackles the tough questions about community, faith, and alcohol, leaving readers with a lot to ponder as they pour their favorite ale and pick up their favorite rosary!”
— Tommy Tighe, author of The Catholic Hipster Handbook
“Young people today are burned out on consumerism and mass production. They are hungry for tradition, meaning, craftsmanship, and a holistic connection to nature. And they enjoy a good drink, too! In this simultaneously lighthearted and serious-minded book, Trevor Gundlach addresses all these themes and more. Drawing from diverse sources, he shows us how Catholics have a long and venerable tradition of sanctified drinking, and he points the way to enjoying alcohol in a way that is simultaneously holy, virtuous, and a joyful. In a world that vacillates between the extremes of Puritanism and excess, we desperately need this message. Pour yourself a glass and enjoy this wonderful book!”
— Sam Guzman, author and founder of The Catholic Gentleman
“Ordinary practices in our everyday lives provide more than enough material to discern what we deem most important in life, and how those commitments shape our seemingly insignificant activities. Trevor Gundlach’s Barstool Theology: Crafting the Good Life is a delightful look at how we drink beer and will therefore be of immediate interest to those less inclined to read theological or philosophical reflections on the good life. Yet his playful inquiry actually invites readers to live more richly by examining how their practices, in this case drinking alcohol, reflect and ingrain their deeper beliefs in life. His book draws people into an encounter with Jesus, by explaining how faith in Christ transforms even the seemingly lowly craft of drinking beer.”
— William C. Mattison III, Wilsey Family Associate Professor, Department of Theology and Senior Advisor: Theological Formation, Alliance for Catholic Education, University of Notre Dame
Nihil Obstat
Msgr. Michael Heintz, Ph.D.
Censor Librorum
Except where noted, the Scripture citations used in this work are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible — Second Catholic Edition (Ignatius Edition), copyright © 1965, 1966, 2006 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Every reasonable effort has been made to determine copyright holders of excerpted materials and to secure permissions as needed. If any copyrighted materials have been inadvertently used in this work without proper credit being given in one form or another, please notify Our Sunday Visitor in writing so that future printings of this work may be corrected accordingly.
Copyright © 2019 by Trevor Gundlach
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All rights reserved. With the exception of short excerpts for critical reviews, no part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without permission from the publisher. For more information, visit: www.osv.com/permissions.
Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division
Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.
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Huntington, IN 46750
1-800-348-2440
ISBN: 978-1-68192-357-4 (Inventory No. T2046)
eISBN: 978-1-68192-358-1
LCCN: 2019939960
Cover and interior design: Lindsey Riesen
Cover and interior art: Molly Reynolds
Printed in the United States of America
For Dr. Shew,who taught me how to think
Contents
With Whom Do You Drink? A Theology of Friendship
What Do You Drink? A Theology of Art and Craft Beer
When Do You Drink? A Theology of the Seasons
Why Do You Drink? A Theology of Celebration
How Can You Transform the Way You Drink? A List of Practical Actions
This book is the product of conversations I’ve had with friends, college students, young adults, and that random dude at the bar, who are all trying to answer the question, “How should Catholic young adults talk about alcohol?”
I began to form my own answer as I lived and worked (as a graduate student who had taken the position of residence hall minister) in the basement of a freshman dorm at the University of Dayton, the last place most people would look for such answers. As I ministered to the four hundred residents, I learned that very few resources existed to help them ask good questions about alcohol. To fill this need, I devoted my entire ministry and graduate studies to research about and instruction regarding how to consume alcohol as a Catholic young adult. I have to admit that a good deal of my research was conducted with a beer in hand! It is good to become one with your research. Practice what you preach, right?
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