When I was growing up, few topics were as hot as this one: should Christians drink alcoholic beverages? For the most part, the circles I ran in simply said no. When pressed on the issue, answers as to why were far from satisfactory. Some tried to argue that, if we understand history and Biblical languages, we would see that no God-fearing person in Scripture actually drank, but only appeared to as a result of translation errors (an easily dismissed idea with even the smallest amount of research).

Many other arguments, of varying quality, were also put forward.

In my later teens, I began to do a little research of my own. With little effort, I discovered that Christians throughout history had been using alcohol socially and medicinally for centuries. While they always cautioned against excess and abuse, many Christian communities were world leaders in the production of wine and beer. So where did this idea come from?

What I soon learned was that this admonition to abstaining from alcohol was born in the early 19th century, stemming from the increasing abuse of alcoholism in the larger culture. Almost exclusively a Protestant prohibition, growing alongside the increasingly influential "holiness" movement, this "rule" became entrenched in what it meant to be a Christian (again, for those in the Protestant tradition).

Sadly, this pattern has been reflected in many instances in the North American Protestant tradition. In an attempt to correct an excess or abuse of a given freedom, the church decides to remove the freedom altogether. This impulse is understandable, especially given the rise of individualism in our culture. It is a pastoral nightmare to see the inevitable conflicts arise as some are counseled to abstain, while others are not. Therefore, it is easier to remove the freedom altogether, for everyone.

To that end, I believe that with a careful study of Scripture and a willingness to navigate the complex and difficult path of responsible freedom, we will see that not only will we discover greater liberty in Christ, but those outside the church will better see the true freedom that comes with Christ- not simply the freedom to drink, but the freedom that comes with the grace and accountability of being a part of His loving Body, the church.

Some might argue that I am simply making an excuse for my own desire to drink alcohol, that my arguments are biased towards my own ends. The truth is that I do not, nor have I ever, consumed an alcoholic beverage. This does not make me better than those who do, nor does it reflect that I believe the consumption is wrong. Rather, it was and is a personal choice based less on the morality of drinking and more on the reality of my specific calling and context.

I believe that this issue is reflective of a deeper pattern of control and fear that too often governs the Body of Christ, seeking to maintain order through power and rules rather than through grace, accountability and love.

Learn more about this author, Jamie Arpin-Ricci.
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