Читать книгу Barstool Theology - Trevor Gundlach - Страница 7

This book is the product of conversations I’ve had with friends, college students, young adults, and that random dude at the bar, who are all trying to answer the question, “How should Catholic young adults talk about alcohol?”

I began to form my own answer as I lived and worked (as a graduate student who had taken the position of residence hall minister) in the basement of a freshman dorm at the University of Dayton, the last place most people would look for such answers. As I ministered to the four hundred residents, I learned that very few resources existed to help them ask good questions about alcohol. To fill this need, I devoted my entire ministry and graduate studies to research about and instruction regarding how to consume alcohol as a Catholic young adult. I have to admit that a good deal of my research was conducted with a beer in hand! It is good to become one with your research. Practice what you preach, right?

This book includes an eclectic mix of conversations with young adults, lessons learned from personal experience, and theological research. Additionally, I was blessed with the opportunity to develop and teach a class during my graduate studies titled A Theology of Alcohol and Christianity: Learning How to Celebrate. My students unknowingly provided the earliest edits to the content of this book as they candidly expressed interest or uninterest in the lecture material and class discussions.

In short, this book is for young adults, from a young adult. Enjoy!

Stuck Between a Bock and a Hard Place

I like to write down the questions and comments I get when I tell people I study the “theology of alcohol.” Here are a few of my favorites:

• Is the wine in the Bible really wine, or is it unfermented grape juice?

• I read a blog once that said people who drink are going to hell. That’s true, right?

• Don’t Christians believe that alcohol is the “devil’s liquid”? My pastor reminded me before I came to college not to fall into the temptation of sin.

• Aren’t Catholics hypocrites since they party hard and then go to church the next day?

• Jesus made water into wine and was called a drunkard so … that means I can drink, right?

Admit it, you probably opened this book with some of the same questions. We all bring to the table (or to the bar) a number of opinions about alcohol. It is even likely that our respective understandings of Christianity differ as much as our opinions on alcohol. We are a diverse crowd, like the people who gather at a party. Therefore, it may be helpful from the beginning to explain what I will and will not address. Let us create a roadmap for our journey ahead.

Let’s start by looking to the past. Many people have talked about alcohol throughout the course of history. The topic is always popular because of the effect that the liquid has on our body. Scholars in practically every field of academia have written articles and books to tackle some of the questions that I listed above. Their opinions range from defenses of drunkenness to proclamations of abstinence, from “Carpe diem!” to “You’re living in sin!” The average person who reads these articles or hears these sermons is stuck between a bock and a hard place.¹ We ask ourselves, “What is the ‘right’ thing to do? Is it ‘wrong’ to drink? What should I do?”

Like most ethical decisions regarding “hot-button issues,” it’s hard to determine what is “right” and what is “wrong” when we are surrounded by the opposing voices of society, religion, family, and friends.

So where do we go from here?

The goal of this book is to examine moral aspects of alcohol within Christianity without talking about the subject in the way one might expect. I am purposely avoiding the question: “Is it right or wrong to drink alcohol?” Students of philosophy quickly realize that ethical questions such as “Is it right or wrong to do x, y, or z” rarely have a black or white answer. The philosophy textbooks and bestsellers that prescribe such principles teach us that decisions are right if they fit a certain set of criteria, or wrong if they fit another. Does this simplistic approach to life sound familiar?

Instead of falling prey to such an unrealistic view of the world, I invite you into a gray area that exists between the definitive areas of black and white. This gray area, like a barstool, is uncomfortable at first. But, in the small nuances — the slight swivel, the ripped leather, the creaky metal, and the chipped wood — we experience a feeling of familiarity. This seat, like each one of us, has a history. Viewed from the outside, it might just look like another imperfect stool. But it somehow makes sense within the bar in which it stands.²

Let me be clear (for all of you philosophy buffs): I am not making a relativistic claim that there is no such thing as a wrong action. Nor am I saying there is one definite, universal way for people to drink. Rather, I’m inviting you to avoid making a snap judgment. I invite you to step out from the comfort of your opinions and enter into the world. It is here, in the world, where we find that most decisions made on a daily basis exist in this gray area. Each decision is shaded with nuance and detail. Countless variables come into play, and it is up to us to recognize them.

But don’t take it from me. Take it from Jesus.

Jesus concluded an abstract teaching to the Pharisees with the explicit command to “go and learn what this means” (Mt 9:13). He knew that sermons, speeches, and lectures were not enough to instill change in his audience; one must go out into the world and learn from experience.

Jesus was one of many teachers who encouraged his followers to live in the gray area and challenge traditions with experience. He did this by asking good questions instead of simply providing answers. Reflect on the following questions that Jesus posed to his followers:

• “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?” (Luke 5:23)

• “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3)

• “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” (Matthew 9:15)

• “For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?” (Matthew 16:26)

• “Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored?” (Luke 14:34)

• “For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves?” (Luke 22:27)

Jesus was often misunderstood because his questions seemed like riddles. They didn’t have simple “right” or “wrong” answers, which caused confusion and frustration. Listeners were uncomfortable because the answers to the questions drew upon common experiences and were dependent on their own consciences. Why would Jesus trust our individual capacity to make decisions?

Well, he believed, like many teachers believe, that, in the long run, answering questions, rather than listening to answers, can have a deeper influence on the ways we think and act. True personal change happens when we make the decision to change.

Our mindsets and worldviews may change when we reflect upon the right questions (that is, if we are open to them).

These changes can take place in one of two ways: learning from others or learning from our mistakes. Hopefully this book can prevent some of you from making mistakes. Or maybe you have already made some mistakes. In either case, I hope that this book will pose the right questions to help you reflect upon your past actions to help you prepare for future situations.

I will structure this book around five major questions that I’ve drawn from the experiences of young adults. Each question should help you think about your experience with alcohol:

1. Who drinks with you?

2. What do you drink?

3. When do you drink?

4. Why do you drink?

5. How can you change the way you drink?

I have filled each chapter with theological reflections, comical examples, further questions, helpful analogies, references to ancient philosophy, and stories from my own life. For your convenience, here are the theological reflections that I will propose:

• Who drinks with you? A Theology of Friendship

• What do you drink? A Theology of Art and Craft Beer

• When do you drink? A Theology of the Seasons

• Why do you drink? A Theology of Celebration

• How can you transform your drinking experience? A List of Practical Exercises to Find Fulfillment

As you dive into the sections to follow, I invite you to use this book like a roadmap, not as a philosophical treatise. Highlight roads that you have driven. Dream about future destinations. Go on an adventure! Because there is nothing abstract about the questions we are about to answer. They are simple and straightforward but frequently overlooked. For example, it is not common for us to discuss the concepts of friendship or celebration. We spend time with friends instead of talking about friendship. We party instead of discussing the concept of celebration. But the simple action of stepping back and observing these activities can help spark a change in our mindsets. I hope you learn a great deal about the human experience by looking at these seemingly “obvious” actions in life. Transformation is bound to occur when we stop taking things for granted.

What’s on Tap?

A book intended for young adults must inevitably reflect upon the experiences of college students, since college is a time of condensed transformation. It’s important to note that I intend any reflections about college to be applicable to all young adults, since college is where many young adults first establish their adult habits. We can learn a lot about young-adult culture by observing a college party.

With that in mind, it is important to ask: How would you summarize the current drinking climate on the average college campus?

A national survey conducted by Villanova University revealed that 80 percent of college students choose to drink.³ This number tells a story: Each student, in one way or another, will come face to face with alcohol during his or her college experience. The fact that alcohol plays such a major role on college campuses is enough of a reason to explore the theological ramifications of alcohol consumption, not to mention the frequent encounters that young adults have beyond college.

Thus, I lead to the thesis statement of this book: We must learn how to make our drinking experiences more fulfilling and less empty. We must learn how to make our drinking experiences more fulfilling and less empty.

How will this book, in your hands, help you on your journey? I am glad you asked!

First, you’ll notice along the way that I’ll frequently return to the theme that “we must learn” how to have a fulfilling drinking experience. This assumes that we don’t know how to drink well (not to be taken personally!). It also assumes that drinking in a fulfilling manner does not come naturally. It takes an effort and awareness that we must learn and practice.

Second, we should want our drinking experiences to leave us feeling “more fulfilled” and “less empty.” But what brings you fulfillment? I can’t answer that question. Only you can. But the questions I’ll ask will help you reflect on what or who brings you fulfillment. Fulfillment, in the various ways we experience it, is measured qualitatively rather than quantitatively.⁴ Although quantity matters in some fields, such as engineering and finance, we are not here concerned with identifying the “right” or “wrong” number of drinks. Instead, we are concerned with the effect that alcohol has on our souls, which forms the basis of my qualitative measurement.

The fact that I declared a thesis statement means that I will make an argument. I’ll try to convince you to think in a new way. As we all know, it is hard to convince people to try new things; therefore, I have dedicated an entire chapter as a rhetorical “nudge” to get you to leave the comfort of your daily grind and go out into the world. Chapter 5 is full of simple, practical actions for daily life (and most of them are legal for people of any age). I’ll raise these suggestions throughout the book, marked by sections titled “How.” I invite you now to pause reading and flip to the corresponding section in Chapter 5 (on page 148) to explore the “How” below. Take a moment to practice:

How #0: Practice Run: Learn How to Use This Book!

Turn to page 148.

Welcome back.

Disclaimer: Armchair Philosophy and Barstool Theology

“Don’t take yourself so damn seriously,” advised Father James Martin, S.J., in his commencement speech to the 2014 graduating class of Marquette University.⁵ “Don’t take yourself so seriously. Laugh at yourself. … Look, you’re about to graduate from one of the best schools in the country. It’s easy to get stuck up.”

Father Martin’s statement triggered a moment of déjà vu: I was transported back to the first day of Philosophy 1001: Foundations in Philosophy. My professor, Dr. Melissa Shew, sat on the table in the front of the room, looking over the faces in the class. Her first words were rehearsed, yet genuine, as they streamed from her mouth and showered our eager ears: “You are about to become philosophers, a title which carries a large responsibility.” Then her tone grew more serious: “With that being said, I want you to avoid falling into a common trap. Whatever you do, or whatever you say, do not become an ‘armchair philosopher.’”

She paused, letting us soak in the statement. After a moment of silence, she continued her train of thought. “You are probably asking yourselves, ‘What is an armchair philosopher?’ Well, armchair philosophers live up to the title; they comfortably sit in their fancy armchairs and give answers to the problems of the world. From afar they diagnose each problem and explain how to fix it without getting their hands dirty.”

I want to develop the thesis of this book along these same lines by (1) encouraging you not to take yourselves too seriously when talking about alcohol, and (2) offering an alternative, more fulfilling option than what the current culture means by “alcohol consumption.”

Sure, it is tempting to stay in the comfort of our armchairs. We see this approach time and again: Many of the theologians who have studied and written about alcohol have never left their comfortable thrones. It is easy for them to condemn or judge the actions of others when they surround themselves with the familiarity of their own thoughts and people who share the same opinions. Many of them take themselves too damn seriously, without taking others seriously enough.

This book, on the other hand, as a theology of alcohol for young adults in the twenty-first century, will not be effective if it follows the method of armchair philosophy. It must take seriously the experiences of young adults. We need a new way to talk about alcohol, one that is rooted in experience and has practical implications. It must also be born from the real lives of young adults. Only then will it be convincing and applicable.

I invite you to get up from your comfortable armchair and join me at the bar. We must become barstool theologians, out in the world. At the bar we won’t “take ourselves so damn seriously” because we’ll be opening our minds to the opinions of others. The barstool theologian engages in the theology of alcohol with a beer in hand, ready for discussion. Her philosophical dwelling place, no longer an armchair but a bar, is a natural environment for dialogue. Here she can speak her mind, question things critically, and try something new.

Sounds different, right? This new approach, like a barstool itself, may feel a bit uncomfortable at first. But I promise, once you settle in, it will start to feel right.

While we are here, I should mention that your drinks are on me. Each idea I present will be a beer for you to try. What’s the catch, you ask? I get to decide what you drink. You may like some beers more than others. Some of the flavors will be new and others will be familiar. You may even want to order the same drink twice if I have chosen well. Maybe, if I am lucky, you will recommend one of the beers to a friend. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

“Bartender, bring us a round. Let’s have a drink.”