 | The Reverend Doctor Cathy Northrup was born in Ft. Meade, MD, and was raised in a variety of places in the United State and Germany, as her father was in Counter Intelligence with the Army. She graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN, with a double major in English and Religion. She graduated from Georgetown Law Center in Washington, DC, and practiced law with the Federal Reserve Board for a number of years before attending Union Theological Seminaryin Richmond, VA. She graduated from Union, and served several churches in North and South Carolina, at the same time obtaining her Doctor of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, NJ. Dr. Northrup is currently the Pastor/Head of Staff of First Presbyterian Church, Wichita, KS. She is married and has two black Labrador dogs who were rescued from abusive situations. You can contact Dr. Northrup at cnorthrup@firstpresbywichita.org or by phone at (316) 263-0248, ext. 26. |
Religion
2007-03-01 11:38:00
Is having a few drinks sinful?
My husband drinks three beers before and with dinner, and sometimes wine also. I was raised to believe that using alcohol is not part of God's plan; but my husband says I am wrong, and that it is totally okay. Can you help me understand what God expects of us with regard to alcohol use?
I understand the Bible to not prohibit the use of alcohol for adults but to suggest some limits on its use. There are many Biblical stories in the Old and New Testament that refer to alcohol in a kind of matter-of-fact way; this suggests there isn’t really a morality or immorality associated with its moderate and healthy use. There are places in the Bible which explicitly say that people should not abuse alcohol by excess use and by getting drunk. Sometimes, certain people, as part of a set of particular vows, would choose not to use alcohol. Further, one might say that, if and when alcohol is a “stumbling block” to some, its use should be avoided. Today, we might add that some people are genetically more prone to alcoholism, so they should avoid its use.
It is important to note, however, that one of our two sacraments as Protestants is Holy Communion, or the Lord’s Supper. The elements of this sacrament are bread and wine, or, in the alternative, grape juice. Also, Jesus’ first sign in the gospel of John is to change water into wine! Paul even tells young Timothy to drink a bit for his stomach problems! Many other examples could be used here. With regard to the particular issue mentioned in the question, it sounds as if the husband’s use of alcohol is excessive. This may be less a moral issue and more an emotional and physical health issue. He may be using it out of habit, or out of physical addiction. He may as well be using it to “self-medicate,” that is, to numb some physical or emotional pain or avoid dealing with some issue. In any event, that his use is causing friction with his wife is certainly an issue. All this certainly should be explored by the couple together with a third party.
