Alcoholics at the Table

Many evangelicals are re-thinking the conventions of how we have done worship together over the past century -- especially in light of our growing admission that evangelicalism has, in many ways, done violence to the sacred traditions of the church.  In some cases, we have thrown the proverbial baby out with the bathwater, deferring to our "enlightened" modernist ways of thinking while often demeaning ancient faith practices as antiquated, and symptoms of the "spirit of religion" (meant in a negative way).

Among the many worship components under review is how Holy Communion is celebrated.  Were we evangelicals wrong for banning alcoholic wine from the Eucharistic meal?  How our switching to grape juice finally caught up with us, betrayed us, and/or excluded us from a blessing and significance that we've been blind to?

And what about the alcoholics among us?  Wouldn't we be causing scores of people in recovery to "stumble" if we were to switch back and offer wine at the Lord's table, especially since recovery therapists tell us that "even one sip" of alcohol can send a recovering alcoholic back into their dependency?  Should we truly equate Eucharistic wine with meat offered to idols as both having the potential to causing weaker brothers and sisters to sin?  Are we overly empowering modern psychology here, and forcing orthodox tradition to submit?

So then, what wisdom can any of you non-evangelical priests, deacons, pastors, and clergy practitioners offer to we reforming evangelicals who are not exactly sure how to navigate these particular waters of reform? I am, of course, wanting to hear from any of you who use wine for Holy Communion who have something helpful to contribute to this important topic.

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Photo credit: © José Luis Gutiérrez, iStockphoto.com

Comments

[FDR]

Chris, great topics as usual.

I think it should be approached in two ways: 1) What is NORMATIVE and 2) How do you pastorally deal w/ ABNORMALITIES.

For it is not just the issue of alcoholism. Celiacs, those who are allergic to wheat, are a growing demographic it seems. How do you administer communion to one who is allergic to bread?

I would say that bread and wine is normative for Christian communion.

I would also point out that I beleive their has been a change in alcohol counseling in the last couple years, where they are getting away from the abstinence ("not one drop!") model towards a moderation model.

The miniscule amount that one gets in communinion (diluted w/ water twice as it is, and administered in a spoon smaller then a teaspoon) would be a stretch to say that it could set an alcohilic off.

[FDR]

Arrrggg....this got posted before I finished or cked my spelling!

I was going to finish by saying that I know several recovering alcoholics who are also frequent communicants. It doesn't seem to be a problem....

[michelle]

FDR,

I am a former alcoholic/drug addict of 22 years and have been clean now for 16 years. For the most part our addictions are all or none. There is no such thing as moderation! And yes, Communion could set us off because it is just that one taste of it as a reminder of how good we thought it was.

So, I say that as Christians we should be careful as to not cause our brother/sister to stumble.

[Ed]

Hi

What about the possibility of non-alcoholic wine? Fre is a good alternative to either alcohol wine and grape juice. Although it says there is no alcohol there is less than 1% by volume.

Ed

[Chris Monroe]

FDR, Michelle, & Ed --

Thanks to each of you for helping to get this topic off and running. Ed, I've seen non-alcoholic wine used for Holy Communion, and for many groups this is THE answer to the dilemma they're feeling. FDR, I'd be interested in hearing more about how psychology's view on alcoholism might be changing.

Blessings