Anything that relates to religion or religious activity is expected to be Holy/Sacred. There is no middle path in it, but in reality, that is not the case. Life experiences has always been challenged by various situations that offend or questions the sacredness of God, Church, and Worship. Thus, reflection revolves around, "God in dirty places in the midst of ‘drunkards’ the so-called dirty people."
De(O)ffending the Sacredness
Alcohol drinkers may have various reasons to drink, could be emotions, situations, party, win/lose, culture, society, status, pleasure, work and so on. This is deemed a sin and makes the alcoholic person unworthy of the kingdom of God. Quoting verses 1 Corinthians 6:10; Galatians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 5:11 which teaches not to associate with the drunkard. Based on verses like these, the church either gets offended by presence of the drunkard or believers defend the sacredness of church to exclude them.
The Drunkard, God's Delegates
Both the Old and New Testament teachings literally stood against alcoholism and drunkard. However, verse like Ecclesiastic 9:7 ‘Go, eat your bread with enjoyment and drink your wine with Merry heart….,’ gives respite. Biblically wine is used both in positive and negative terms depending on the context. But for Jews, drinking wine is a cultural practice. Most people drank fermented juice because of the absence of refrigeration.
In contradiction to our notions on alcohol, Jesus was referred to as, “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘look a glutton and a Drunkard, a Friend of tax collector and sinners!’” in Matthew 11:19. This shows that Jesus never felt bad identifying himself in the midst of dirty places with the so-called dirty people. Instead of avoiding them, like we do today, in order to protect or defend his Sacredness or Holiness, Jesus is seen, being a delegate or a representative of the drunkard and sinners (in the eyes of the people).
Dissolve Methyphobia
Methyphobia is Greek word that means, an irrational fear to drink alcohol or to the drunkard. The Christian community suffers from this Methyphobia. We do not want to identify ourselves with these drunkards or include them because we have fear to relate or fall into their practice or be branded by the society. Once a pastor was preaching a sermon referring to Matthew 15:17 & 18 “Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles.” Immediately a drunk person raised a question if that is the case, what’s wrong in drinking alcohol or chewing pan masalas? Pastor by quoting many verses preached getting intoxicated is against biblical teachings, and is sinful. But the argument is still alive so the congregation asked the drunk person to walk out. Methyphobia results in avoiding the alcoholic person forever. However, Jesus being a role model delegates the drunkard saying that they are loved by God. The only cure from Methyphobia can come when the church represents them and includes them.
The church is called to reach-out to such dirty places, to be a part and clean it. But the church is only willing to judge and exclude the drunk person. Rehabilitation from such habits has not been the church’s option. To overcome alcoholism is not to shun the person away but to embrace, rehabilitate and be inclusive. We also need to interact with persons addicted to alcohol and help them overcome and make them realize their responsibility towards health, economy, family and church. It is true that God never left anyone without opportunities to taste God’s grace. It is time to question, as a Church, are we reflecting the same? Let us not defend God’s Holiness by avoiding someone into the church rather demonstrate Holiness through our life in embracing people who are left-out or excluded.
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Author: Rev. M. Manoj
About the Author: Manoj is an ordained presbyter in the Diocese of Madras. He earned his Bachelor of Divinity from the United Theological College, Bangalore in 2016. He currently serves as the Presbyter in the Madavaram Pastorate, Andhra Pradesh. His interests are in theatre, music, effective-communication and creative writing.
Indeed to be holy is to set apart with vision and responsibility.
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