Christians and Alcohol: Prolegomena

Christians talk about alcohol a lot. Unfortunately, most of the conversation is stupid and, at times, sinful. Hence, I am going to take the next few days and address the primary issues swirling around Christians and alcohol.

In the recent weeks I have done a significant amount of reading on what others think about this topic and have engaged in introspection and self-evaluation concerning the matter of alcohol in my own Christian life. Therefore, I desire to prompt introspection and self-evaluation, not evaluation of others.

With that in mind, there will be times where I will quote some individuals who I think are wrong about certain areas of the issue and will argue against them. There are a lot of people spouting off on the internet right now about this topic. But from what I see they mostly fall into one of two camps:

1. The young alcohol consumer who is on the fringes of the emerging church looking to justify their imbibing of alcohol. They are skeptical of truth claims, but instead of throwing in as a true postmodern they seek to reason this topic to death with their modern counterparts (who are having none of it).
2. The individual directly affected by alcoholism in some capacity. They usually are honest with the data but when it comes to drawing a conclusion they walk off the mountain of evidence they compiled and stand somewhere else on the continuum.

Again, these are just the groups of people making noise. There are other views and I will address them briefly as well.

I hope this will be beneficial. I had qualms about taking on alcohol in Christian culture, but there is so much at stake here, throwing in on the conversation seems nearly imperative.

Perspectives on the Prosperity Gospel

Here are two videos that help with an understanding of the prosperity gospel. This corruption of the true gospel is alive and well in our backyard and is exploiting people in poor contexts across the world. Awareness of this false gospel should profoundly impact the Christian's missiological perspective. Take a look.

The Prosperity Gospel from The Global Conversation on Vimeo.

Tischendorf and Sinaiticus

In 1859 Constantin von Tischendorf visited, for the third time, St. Catherine's monastery in Sinai. His first trip to the monastic community in 1844 was slightly successful while his second, in 1853, was fruitless.

Tischendorf was Indiana Jones one hundred years before the Indiana Jones trilogy was set. He was on a quest to discover ancient manuscripts of the Greek Bible in hopes of compiling them according to the discipline known as textual criticism, a process initiated by Erasmus three hundred years earlier.

When Tischendorf arrived at St. Catherine's for the first time in 1844 he made a disheartening discovery: a large amount of parchment, considered rubbish, was in a waste-basket in queue to start fires. The "rubbish" was actually an early manuscript of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Tischendorf attempted to save the parchment, but tipped his hand and the monks, understanding that Tischendorf viewed these ancient documents as valuable, only allowed him to take a one third of the "rubbish."

Tischendorf did not return to St. Catherine's until 1853, seeking to complete the set he had begun collecting nine years earlier. But his trip was insuccessful.

Then on January 31, 1859, Tischendorf made a final visit to the monastic community by request of the Czar of Russia, Alexander II. Tischendorf arrived and, like his 1853 experience, found nothing. Then, after he resolved to leave the monastery, he made an incredible discovery. Tischendorf recorded his finding on February 4, 1859:

"On the afternoon of this day I was taking a walk with the steward of the convent in the neighbourhood, and as we returned, towards sunset, he begged me to take some refreshment with him in his cell. Scarcely had he entered the room, when, resuming our former subject of conversation, he said: "And I, too, have read a Septuagint"—i.e. a copy of the Greek translation made by the Seventy. And so saying, he took down from the corner of the room a bulky kind of volume, wrapped up in a red cloth, and laid it before me. I unrolled the cover, and discovered, to my great surprise, not only those very fragments which, fifteen years before, I had taken out of the basket, but also other parts of the Old Testament, the New Testament complete, and, in addition, the Epistle of Barnabas and a part of the Shepherd of Hermas."

This was what would become known as Codex Sinaiticus, arguably the most important Greek manuscript of the New Testament (not to mention parts of the Septuagint and Apostolic Fathers) to this day.

Tischendorf spent all night reading it for he thought that he held in his hands a great treasure. And he had found a great treasure indeed.

Storm Chaser

You know those jobs that when you were a kid you thought were sweet but never pursued because they just didn't seem viable?

Storm Chaser falls in that category for me.

Google Chrome

I like Google Chrome. Among many other perks, it's not gray.

Click through and watch this video on YouTube for an extra-special experience.

Branded

By resisting a brand, churches brand themselves. Here is an example from the belief statement on the website of Jacob's Well Church in Kansas City:

"The Apostles' Creed gives a summary of the doctrinal commitments of this community. However, we do not think the best way to know what we believe is to read it off a page. We believe the best way to determine what someone, or some group of people, believe is to watch them -- or better yet, join them and discover it from the inside. When we are handed a sheet of paper or click on a link with a list of statements, we believe that something vital is short-circuited. More than that, we become a brand: "Oh, you're 'that' kind of Christian/church." We are a brand culture. We don't want to be a brand church. We are a community of people seeking to follow Jesus in faith and freedom."

It doesn't take much of an imagination to figure out how this church--despite their objections to being branded--is branded.

Wallpapers

I made a wallpaper. I am sharing it with you.

Just click on the image, click "download", and then save the image...

Also check out the Don't Waste Your Life wallpapers. Those are cooler than mine.

This Week in Chapel

The Chapel services here at SBTS this week were particularly strong. I would highly recommend both of them.

Firstly, Dr. James Hamilton gives a stern warning concerning sexual sin in the life of the believer drawing from the transgression of David in 2 Samuel 11.

Secondly, Pastor David Prince discusses the importance of looking at the believer's role in the Christian community properly using 1 Peter 2 as his primary text.

As we say in Kentucky, both men cleared a spot and pitched a fit.

Acceptable Words and Meditations

The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

-Psalm 19:7-14

How does one ensure that the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart are pleasing to the Lord? By grounding himself in the Word of God.

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo

That's a real sentence. No joke. Wikipedia and William J. Rapaport say so. And I believe them.

Clear Off A Spot

Apparently a popular idiom in the South is "clear off a spot and pitch a fit," although I am unaware of what context such a thing would be said.

If you have some insight a comment would be greatly appreciated.

I Don't Watch the Show, But...

...the final segment of Community is worth a trip to Hulu to watch.