In short, this book is for young adults, from a young adult. Enjoy!
Stuck Between a Bock and a Hard Place
I like to write down the questions and comments I get when I tell people I study the “theology of alcohol.” Here are a few of my favorites:
• Is the wine in the Bible really wine, or is it unfermented grape juice?
• I read a blog once that said people who drink are going to hell. That’s true, right?
• Don’t Christians believe that alcohol is the “devil’s liquid”? My pastor reminded me before I came to college not to fall into the temptation of sin.
• Aren’t Catholics hypocrites since they party hard and then go to church the next day?
• Jesus made water into wine and was called a drunkard so … that means I can drink, right?
Admit it, you probably opened this book with some of the same questions. We all bring to the table (or to the bar) a number of opinions about alcohol. It is even likely that our respective understandings of Christianity differ as much as our opinions on alcohol. We are a diverse crowd, like the people who gather at a party. Therefore, it may be helpful from the beginning to explain what I will and will not address. Let us create a roadmap for our journey ahead.
Let’s start by looking to the past. Many people have talked about alcohol throughout the course of history. The topic is always popular because of the effect that the liquid has on our body. Scholars in practically every field of academia have written articles and books to tackle some of the questions that I listed above. Their opinions range from defenses of drunkenness to proclamations of abstinence, from “Carpe diem!” to “You’re living in sin!” The average person who reads these articles or hears these sermons is stuck between a bock and a hard place.1 We ask ourselves, “What is the ‘right’ thing to do? Is it ‘wrong’ to drink? What should I do?”
Like most ethical decisions regarding “hot-button issues,” it’s hard to determine what is “right” and what is “wrong” when we are surrounded by the opposing voices of society, religion, family, and friends.
So where do we go from here?
The goal of this book is to examine moral aspects of alcohol within Christianity without talking about the subject in the way one might expect. I am purposely avoiding the question: “Is it right or wrong to drink alcohol?” Students of philosophy quickly realize that ethical questions such as “Is it right or wrong to do x, y, or z” rarely have a black or white answer. The philosophy textbooks and bestsellers that prescribe such principles teach us that decisions are right if they fit a certain set of criteria, or wrong if they fit another. Does this simplistic approach to life sound familiar?
Instead of falling prey to such an unrealistic view of the world, I invite you into a gray area that exists between the definitive areas of black and white. This gray area, like a barstool, is uncomfortable at first. But, in the small nuances — the slight swivel, the ripped leather, the creaky metal, and the chipped wood — we experience a feeling of familiarity. This seat, like each one of us, has a history. Viewed from the outside, it might just look like another imperfect stool. But it somehow makes sense within the bar in which it stands.2
Let me be clear (for all of you philosophy buffs): I am not making a relativistic claim that there is no such thing as a wrong action. Nor am I saying there is one definite, universal way for people to drink. Rather, I’m inviting you to avoid making a snap judgment. I invite you to step out from the comfort of your opinions and enter into the world. It is here, in the world, where we find that most decisions made on a daily basis exist in this gray area. Each decision is shaded with nuance and detail. Countless variables come into play, and it is up to us to recognize them.
But don’t take it from me. Take it from Jesus.
Jesus concluded an abstract teaching to the Pharisees with the explicit command to “go and learn what this means” (Mt 9:13). He knew that sermons, speeches, and lectures were not enough to instill change in his audience; one must go out into the world and learn from experience.
Jesus was one of many teachers who encouraged his followers to live in the gray area and challenge traditions with experience. He did this by asking good questions instead of simply providing answers. Reflect on the following questions that Jesus posed to his followers:
• “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?” (Luke 5:23)
• “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3)
• “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” (Matthew 9:15)
• “For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?” (Matthew 16:26)
• “Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored?” (Luke 14:34)
• “For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves?” (Luke 22:27)
Jesus was often misunderstood because his questions seemed like riddles. They didn’t have simple “right” or “wrong” answers, which caused confusion and frustration. Listeners were uncomfortable because the answers to the questions drew upon common experiences and were dependent on their own consciences. Why would Jesus trust our individual capacity to make decisions?
Well, he believed, like many teachers believe, that, in the long run, answering questions, rather than listening to answers, can have a deeper influence on the ways we think and act. True personal change happens when we make the decision to change.
Our mindsets and worldviews may change when we reflect upon the right questions (that is, if we are open to them).
These changes can take place in one of two ways: learning from others or learning from our mistakes. Hopefully this book can prevent some of you from making mistakes. Or maybe you have already made some mistakes. In either case, I hope that this book will pose the right questions to help you reflect upon your past actions to help you prepare for future situations.
I will structure this book around five major questions that I’ve drawn from the experiences of young adults. Each question should help you think about your experience with alcohol:
1. Who drinks with you?
2. What do you drink?
3. When do you drink?
4. Why do you drink?
5. How can you change the way you drink?
I have filled each chapter with theological reflections, comical examples, further questions, helpful analogies, references to ancient philosophy, and stories from my own life. For your convenience, here are the theological reflections that I will propose:
• Who drinks with you? 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 your drinking experience? A List of Practical Exercises to Find Fulfillment
As you dive into the sections to follow, I invite you to use this book like a roadmap, not as a philosophical treatise. Highlight roads that you have driven. Dream about future destinations. Go on an adventure! Because there is nothing abstract about the questions we are about to answer. They are simple and straightforward but frequently