Drinking Wine and Community
The Church and Postmodern Culture blog recently featured an article dealing with many of the themes I bring up on this blog concerning liturgy and community.
In his piece "The Liturgical Turn: Public Display of Worship" Eric Speece notes concerning wine and community:
Wine, in
this [sacramental] way, as a part of that same [Eucharistic] blessing, suggests both feast and
community. Wine must be shared. If hoarded and possessed as a commodity
it only leads to drunkenness, which is a misuse of the drink. However when properly shared, it brings
joy to all and gives the community a sense of transcendence.
This is a great approach to alcohol, as well as food and leisure. We are not made to be alone, but to share all in hospitality. In old stories even the hermits, when someone comes to their door, greet the travelers with hospitality and feasting (along with wisdom). We make the world sacred through the sharing of Christ’s work in anticipation of the Great Feast.
Featured throughout Speece’s discussion is the work of Gordon Lathrop in Holy Things: A Liturgical Theology. Read my review of that book here.
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Theologically this is a fine reflection. But perhaps the communitarian angle has overtaken common sense. Surely wine can be overindulged and abused “in community” as well as individually. I’ve often wondered if this was the case at Cana. I like the sacramental bent of your piece, but come now, most drunks prefer the company of other drunks. That’s why we have bars.
Pastor Mack,
I think you have a valid point. In my own thinking there is a difference between "bars" and "pubs" just like there is between community drinking and community drunkenness.
I think that the purpose of a meeting place has a lot to do with the intention of and purpose of drinking, eating, watching sports games, playing cards, etc.The communitarian angle must be viewed in a sacramental context, where all hospitality is a reflection of God’s economy: all in fullness and moderation.
This is the picture of communion that Paul gives us where none are empty or drunk but all are filled at the love feast.
Drunkenness occurs through individualism or gluttony.
These are good thoughts. I have not considered this angle before. But the idea that,
“Drunkenness occurs through individualism or gluttony.” I have seen many times. Thanks for this post.
Nan
I think one thing to remember is that drinking wine in the old testament was not only about community with each other, but with the earth and with God. The wine maker had an intimate relationship with the ground he farmed, the grapes he grew, and the people he worked with to produce the wine. So coming together to drink was a celebration of the work they had done and the blessing they had received from God. I have a hard time believing people today have the same thing in mind with ‘community drinking’ regardless of whether you call your drinking place a bar or a pub.
Another thing to note is that wine back then had about 1/3 the alcohol that our wine has today. Water was usually added to it to make the wine last longer.
I think when wine or beer is shared around a table at home or at a pub that if one is practicing eucharistic hospitality, as Eugene Peterson would describe it, then what the group is doing is "community drinking."
I applaud your connection of wine to the earth and celebration before God. This is something in communion that needs to be recaptured: the physical presence of Christ in this world.