Christian Views on Alcohol Consumption and Stigma
Christian teaching on alcohol consumption has historically distinguished between moderate use and drunkenness, with the latter consistently condemned across traditions. Paul's instruction to "be filled with the Spirit" rather than drunk with wine [3] establishes the biblical framework: the issue is not the substance itself but excess and loss of self-control. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown notes that the problem lies "not in the wine itself when used aright" but "in the excess as to it" [3].
Biblical and Patristic Foundations
Early Christian writers maintained this distinction while emphasizing temperance. Clement of Alexandria provided detailed instruction on proper drinking comportment, warning against "greedily grasping the cup" or draining it "at a draught" from "intemperance" [2]. These guidelines assumed wine consumption while regulating its manner. Origen defended Christian sobriety against pagan accusations, challenging critics to find evidence of drunkenness in apostolic writings and affirming that Paul's words were "those of soberness" [1].
The patristic consensus treated drunkenness as incompatible with Christian life. One early text exhorts believers to "avoid vain talk and obscene discourses, and jestings, drunkenness, lasciviousness, luxury" [5], listing intoxication alongside moral vices. Augustine's writings acknowledge that baptism "can serve the self-restrained and the covetous man, the sober and the drunken" [4]—recognizing that Christians may fall into drunkenness while affirming sobriety as the norm.
Confessional Standards and Practice
The Anglican Articles of Religion include a specific article "Against Gluttony and Drunkenness" [6], reflecting Reformation-era concern with temperance. Paul's vice lists consistently exclude drunkards from God's kingdom [8], and commentators note that "drunkenness has no place in the Christian life" [8], particularly when associated with pagan festivals and orgies.
Adam Clarke articulates the governing principle for disputed practices: "whether he eats or drinks of this or the other kind of aliments, or whatever else he may do, he must do it so as to bring glory to God" [7]. This maxim applies where Scripture gives no explicit command, placing the burden on conscience and witness rather than absolute prohibition. The historical Christian position thus permits moderate consumption while treating drunkenness as sin, though some traditions have adopted total abstinence as the safer course.
Sources
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. LXXVI.: And he produces a second illustration to our disadvantage, saying that "our teacher acts like a drunken man, who, entering a company of drunkards, should accuse those who are sober of being drunk." But let him show, say from the writings of Paul, that the apostle of Jesus gave way to drunkenness, and that his words were not those of soberness; or from the writings of John, that his thoughts do not breathe a spirit of temperance and of freedom from the intoxication of evil. No one, then, who is of sound mind, and teache”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. II.--ON DRINKING. (part 8): of the unseemliness of the sight): so that we are to drink without contortions of the face, not greedily grasping the cup, nor before drinking making the eyes roll with unseemly motion; nor from intemperance are we to drain the cup at a draught; nor besprinkle the chin, nor splash the garments while gulping down all the liquor at once,--our face all but filling the bowl, and drowned in it. For the gurgling occasioned by the drink rushing with violence, and by its being drawn in with a ”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 5:18: excess--worthless, ruinous, reckless prodigality. wherein--not in the wine itself when used aright (Ti1 5:23), but in the "excess" as to it. but be filled with the Spirit--The effect in inspiration was that the person was "filled" with an ecstatic exhilaration, like that caused by wine; hence the two are here connected (compare Act 2:13-18). Hence arose the abstinence from wine of many of the prophets, for example, John the Baptist, namely, in order to keep distinct before the world the ecstasy caused by the Spirit, from that caused by wine. So ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — CHAP. 30.--58. Another Julianus of Marcelliana(7) said: "If a man can serve two masters, God and mammon,(8) then baptism also can serve two, the Christian and the heretic."(9): 59. Truly, if it can serve the self-restrained and the covetous man, the sober and the drunken, the well-affectioned and the murderer. why should it not also serve the Christian and the heretic?--whom, indeed, it does not really serve; but it ministers to them, and is administered by them, for salvation to those who use it right, and for judgment to such as use i”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 7: Lactantius, Venantius, Asterius, Victorinus, Dionysius — AMORAL ADMONITION, THAT WE ARE TO ABSTAIN FROM VAIN TALKING, OBSCENE TALKING, JESTING, DRUNKENNESS, LASCIVIOUSNESS, AND LUXURY.: X. Now we exhort you, brethren and fellow-servants, to avoid vain talk and obscene discourses, and jestings, drunkenness, lasciviousness, luxury, unbounded passions, with foolish discourses, since we do not permit you so much as on the Lord's days, which are days of joy, to speak or act anything unseemly; for the Scripture somewhere says: "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto Him with trembling”
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), 5.Against Gluttony and Drunkenness.: 5.Against Gluttony and Drunkenness.”
- 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 10:31: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink - As no general rule can be laid down in reference to the above particulars, there is one maxim of which no Christian must lose sight - that whether he eats or drinks of this or the other kind of aliments, or whatever else he may do, he must do it so as to bring glory to God. This is a sufficient rule to regulate every man's conscience and practice in all indifferent things, where there are no express commands or prohibitions.”
- Galatians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Galatians 5:21: 5:21 Drunkenness has no place in the Christian life (see Luke 21:34; 1 Cor 11:20-22; Eph 5:18). • wild parties: Festivals in honor of pagan gods were often accompanied by drunken orgies (cp. 1 Pet 4:3). • other sins like these: This list is only representative of the vices of the sinful nature (cp. Mark 7:20-23; Rom 1:29-31; 1 Cor 6:9-10; Eph 5:3-5; Col 3:5-8; 1 Tim 1:9-10; 2 Tim 3:2-5; Jas 3:13-18; Rev 21:8). People living that sort of life are not living by the Spirit, and thereby demonstrate no relationship with God by faith. Such people will not inherit the”