John Anthony Dunne

What does the Bible say about alcohol? Evangelical Christianity has a complicated relationship with alcohol. For years, many believers have welcomed it as a gift from God, while others have rejected it as a definite, Spirit-quenching sin. But what does the Bible actually say about alcohol and its use? Alcohol is a pervasive theme throughout the Bible. In The Mountains Shall Drip Sweet Wine, John Anthony Dunne offers an exhaustive exploration of the references to alcohol and its related imagery within the Old and New Testaments. His biblical-theological approach allows for the nuance of the genres and historical periods of the Bible to shed light on how we are to approach the topic. In his thorough account, Dunne argue that the symbolism of wine and other fermented drinks in the Bible is multifaceted and complex--as a good vintage itself would be. We must be attuned to the various ways in which biblical authors deploy this motif, dripping with theological symbolism, when they speak of creation, covenant, kingdom, wise decision-making, and more. The Bible's kingdom-oriented imagery communicates a call for wisdom in the everyday life of the Christian disciple with an overarching vision that what Christians think about alcohol, regardless of position, has significant impact on community life.

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul writes that his Gentile audience should not illegitimately appropriate Jewish customs, especially circumcision. As a way to understand why Paul deems circumcision in this context to be so egregious, being a matter of apostasy rather than simply an adiaphoron, John Anthony Dunne argues that the themes of suffering and persecution point to the coercive nature of the conflict in Galatia. What is at stake for Paul is allegiance to the crucified Christ. Due to the realities inaugurated by the Christ-event and the implications of participating in the Messiah's death and resurrection, suffering for the sake of the cross is to be endured instead of succumbing to the compulsion to be circumcised. Suffering persecution, rather than receiving circumcision, demarcates the true people of God who are set apart in Christ for future blessing and vindication.