peterlumpkins.com

Wine In Antiquity: How The Ancients Viewed The Fruit Of The Grape

Thus far in our series on wine, we've really only made one important point contrary to our Brothers who insist that moderate consumption of alcoholic wine for pleasurable purposes is the only Biblically defensible position available; namely, that there exists a viable, scholarly understanding based on Scripture that calls for total abstention from intoxicating beverages--wine, in particular--for pleasurable purposes. The "temperance scholars", as I've called them, represents a sophisticated school including Biblical, Classics, Oriental, Linguistics, History, and other academic disciplines who championed the thesis that wine in antiquity was consumed... Read more →

2 Days Journey: What It Takes To Hear God

"The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 'Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words.' So I went down to the potter's house..." (Jeremiah 18.1-3a, ESV) “The word that came to Jeremiah…” The weeping Prophet offers to us a lesson about hearing the Almighty’s voice; a valued lesson he learned from years of experienced listening. To our hearts, know, Child of God, that good and good alone results in following one so connected to the Bible’s God. So what,... Read more →

Wine & The Bible: Time Out

Just a quick interim word between posts. While the discussion on this series has been minimal, the quality of the commenting has been superb, not to mention the heavy traffic. I am encouraged. This discussion has needed to take place, at least in my view, for quite sometime in the SBC community. And, it is no secret where I position myself on abstinence vs. moderation. Convictionally, I am--both in belief and behavior--abstinent from mind-altering drugs for pleasurable purposes. And, I think that position best suits the available evidences for everyone... Read more →

Wine, Abstinence and the Bible: Is There No Biblical Evidence?

The Imperial Bible-Dictionary was published in 1866 and edited by Patrick Fairbairn. The article on Wine and Strong Drink, found in volume two of the work (p.1095ff), was written by Dr. George C. M. Douglas, Professor of Hebrew, Free Church College, Glasgow, and Examiner in Mental Philosophy for graduation in Arts at the University of Glasgow. In that article, Professor Douglas makes this assessment of the formidable scholar, Dr. Frederic Richard Lees: “No writer with whom we are acquainted has devoted so much time and research to the subject as... Read more →

Professor G. W. Samson: An Historic Baptist View on Bible Wines

George Whitefield Samson was born September 29, 1819 at Harvard, Massachusetts. His father, Abisha Samson, was the sixth in descent from Abraham Samson, who came to Plymouth among the earliest Pilgrims; and his mother, Mehetable Kenrick, was the sixth in descent from one of the earliest Puritan settlers at Boston. Abisha Samson was converted in a Congregational church but, upon further examination of the Scriptures, was united with the First Baptist Church, Rhode Island. Studying for Christian ministry under William Williams, he was later licensed (1805) and ordained (1806) by... Read more →

Eliaphet Nott's First Shot: Wine in the Hebrew Bible

Eliphalet Nott, whom I introduced earlier in this series, offered in his major contribution to a theology of wine, an extended discussion on a Biblical understanding of wine. And, while Mr. Nott dealt with wine in both Old and New Testaments as well as what he dubbed "An Inquiry Extended to Profane Writers" (Lecture IV), we must be content to take in only sections, so to speak, in order to avoid information overload. A note about the documentation for this essay on Nott's theology of wine is surely in order.... Read more →

A Baptist's View of Wine: Laying a Foundation

Eliphalet Nott was born June 25, 1773 in Ashford, CT to a farming family. Not content to work by the sweat of his brow, the young Nott excelled in studies beyond anyone's wildest dreams. In 1795, he enrolled at Brown University (known then as Rhode Island College). He impressed the faculty so much on the entrance exam, he actually qualified for the B.A. degree. Due to policy strictures, he could not receive the honors, however. Working around the policy, the faculty prepared yet another exam which he passed. Consequently, the... Read more →

Wine, the Bible and Baptist Bloggers: Old Views in New Skins

Between now and the 2008 Southern Baptist Convention in June, I am assembling resources for a series I offer on an alternative view of alcoholic beverages. The view I propose is surely not unique to me. Admittedly, it may be the minority view among blogging Baptists. I want also to say that I offer this series not as a rallying point nor even less a point over which we must fuss and fight. I said elsewhere I honestly did not think I'd live long enough to see Southern Baptists arguing... Read more →

Joe Donahue: Youth Evangelist for a Hurting Generation

Those of you who often visit this site are probably aware that Joe Donahue is my son-in-law and husband of my eldest twin daughter, Kristy--not to mention the father of my very first and beautiful little granddaughter, Sofie. As unfortunate for him being my son-in-law some may see, I am honored our Lord put Joe in our family and into Kristy's life. For several years, Joe has been Student Pastor at Bethany Baptist Church in McDonough, Georgia. God used him and Kristy there in magnificent ways. Yet, Joe had been... Read more →

Robin Foster: On Political Expediency

Robin Foster, Pastor in Perkins, Oklahoma, blogger at From the Hill and one of four founding bloggers of SBC Today, perhaps the successor of the almost now defunct, SBC Outpost, has just put up an appropriate follow-up to the tragic fiasco that surfaced late last week. I express my thanksgiving to him, not because he fully agrees with me or my position. Indeed his post states such disagreement forthrightly. Rather, for the simple reason that he did not jump to devious conclusions as did our blogging colleague from Enid, Oklahoma,... Read more →

Spurgeon on Wine in the Lord's Supper: Take Two

Below is another letter by the deinfatigable Spurgeon (source same as prior post, p. 135): A question having been raised, in The Christian Commonwealth, as to the wine used at the communion services at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Mr. Spurgeon wrote to the Editor as follows: Westwood, June 20, 1887. Dear Sir, We use Frank Wright’s unfermented wine at the Tabernacle, and have never used any other unfermented wine. I am given to understand that some of the so-called unfermented wine has in it a considerable amount of alcohol; but Mr.... Read more →

Spurgeon on Wine in The Lord's Supper

I'm putting together a little research on Wine, the Bible and the Believer series I'm planning to post between now and June, 2008. Unfortunately, this is an issue that's not going away anytime soon. As I recall, in over 29 years I've been in the pulpit of Southern Baptist Churches, I've never, to my knowledge, preached a sermon on the 'Evils of Alcohol' or 'Why Believers Ought Not Drink" or "Is Moderation in Drinking Alcohol Biblical?" Frankly, of those faith communities with which I've been apart, there was really never... Read more →