Drinking With Calvin and Luther!: A History of Alcohol in the Church [Paperback]

Jim West (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Oakdown; Rev Exp edition (May 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970032609
• ISBN-13: 978-0970032607
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #528,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LOL!, October 15, 2003

By 

Mark Nenadov "arm-chair reader" (Essex, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Drinking With Calvin and Luther!: A History of Alcohol in the Church (Paperback)

This book is a funny yet serious look at the history of alcohol in Protestant Christianity. It is very enlightening and shares a lot of history and scripture about alcohol.

In all of that, it still manages to be very tounge-in-cheek. It almost had me rolling on the floor a couple of times.

This book proves, that contrary to what Prohobitionists might like to tell you, godly men of ages past enjoyed fermented beverages in moderation. It will make you want to abstain from alcohol in moderation.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A joy, March 28, 2004

By 

Kathy F. Cannata "Rev. Dr. R. Cannata" (New Orleans, LA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Drinking With Calvin and Luther!: A History of Alcohol in the Church (Paperback)

Biblical Christians tend to overcorrect. We see the significant destruction abuse of alcohol has wrought, and we want to ban it all. But to do that is to cast aside a good gift of God. Its like forbidding all eating just because so many abuse food and overeat. The Bible is clear -- drunkenness and/or addiction: bad, drinking (in moderation): good.

Rev. Jim West makes an airtight case that the Reformers had a far different view than post-Temperance Movement pietists. And he does it with sly humor and real style. This is a truly wonderful book on a lot of levels -- history, Christian living, arts and culture, Biblcial studies, humor. Its even got chapters on how to select a good drink. Really loved this book.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Response to Modern Pharisees, October 6, 2005

By 

Nicholas Stehle (Little Rock, AR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Drinking With Calvin and Luther!: A History of Alcohol in the Church (Paperback)

West writes this witty, humorous, and scripturally-correct book which attacks unbiblical attitudes from Armenians and others who declare God's Creation (wine and beer) unfit for human consumption and claim that Christ's action of drinking wine was somehow immoral. (Oh my, there's a slight theological problem!)

First, West shows the Reformers - the earliest Protestants - as men who loved God, Dominion and wine. He then disproves, systematically, all the various lies told about God's viniferous creations in the devil's efforts to deceive us into legislating away our liberty in Christ.

Finally, West ends his book with a rather hilarious (given the circumstances) guide to drinking beer and wine.

This is a fun book but it has a very serious message: God created EVERYTHING, wine included. We should enjoy God's creation in moderation as he commands.

We indeed should enjoy the fruit of the vine - Soli Deo Gloria!