Posted by Jeff Short on March 26, 2021 · Leave a Comment
The Wrath of Grapes: Drinking and the Church Divided by Andre S. Bustanoby
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Bustanoby’s books is a helpful contribution to studying the issue of wine from the Bible. He helps to clear up some of the myths and erroneous conclusions on both sides of this issue, which cloud many discussions of it. He presents a moderationist view and ably defends it as the scriptural view. He spends time on exegetical and lexical work with words used and the meaning of relevant biblical passages. He echoes the condemnation and warning from scripture concerning drunkenness or the abuse of alcohol. He ends with a few practical chapters on alcohol abuse and alcohol abusers. This felt a little beyond the scope of the book, but had some helpful information. That section particularly could use some updating.
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Posted by Jeff Short on March 11, 2021 · Leave a Comment
God Gave Wine: What the Bible Says About Alcohol by Kenneth L. Gentry Jr.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Gentry presents the moderationist view of alcohol in this book. He primarily restricts himself to the biblical data and interacts a good bit with opposing views. It is interesting where I have seen this debate lead people. If you’re truly engaged in a debate over the issue, you’re likely to talk about personal examples or history, the science of fermentation and pasteurization, the testimony of chemists, cultural practices of preservation in antiquity, a lot of quibbling over words, or even to the headquarters of Welch’s, and I do know at least one man who contacted them for help in settling these debates. I am surprised how quickly we leave the text of Scripture to have this debate out over a number of other issues.
Gentry does a good job of sticking to the Biblical data. He does address some common objections and common scripture passages used in favor of prohibitionism or abstentionism. It is a helpful book to think through the subject from the Bible.
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Posted by Jeff Short on December 30, 2020 · Leave a Comment
The Spirituality of Wine by Gisela Kreglinger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a fascinating book. Too many of us have giving too little thought and study about what the Bible says about wine. Regardless of what side of the issue of drinking wine you are on, it can’t be denied that wine is a prevalent theme in Scripture, which needs honest treatment. I disagreed with some of the theology and philosophy in this book, but the biblical passages treated in the book were handled fairly well. The historical and contemporary milieu of winemaking sections in the book were interesting and informative. The book really shines in the artful descriptions of vineyards and the connection between wine in the barrel and the soil of the place. Kreglinger dealt with the delicate balance between artful craft and the role of technology.
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