The Anabaptist perception toward alcohol consumption among membership?
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2025 10:27 am
What do you think?
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The Anabaptist perception toward alcohol consumption among membership?
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Re: The Anabaptist perception toward alcohol consumption among membership?
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2025 10:29 am
One beer or glass of wine might be ok to occasionally get away with but is socially dubious. Drunkenness is not acceptable. Most church members think 2 drinks = drunkenness (which would be true for a typical 100 lb female).
Re: The Anabaptist perception toward alcohol consumption among membership?
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2025 8:27 am
I haven't heard any discussion of the subject. I don't think we have any who are currently abusers, although we have a recovering alcoholic who came from a non-Anabaptist background. When our transitional pastor had dinner with us, he joined me in having a glass of wine.
Re: The Anabaptist perception toward alcohol consumption among membership?
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2025 9:38 am
How would Ernie's theology of biblicism be applied to this topic.
Re: The Anabaptist perception toward alcohol consumption among membership?
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2025 12:44 pm
Re: The Anabaptist perception toward alcohol consumption among membership?
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2025 1:33 pm
Re: The Anabaptist perception toward alcohol consumption among membership?
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2025 8:14 pm
(I am also an 'Ernie', but not the one on here.)
In the MB setting I grew up in, and where I was a member from around 14 until 50 years of age, it was strictly forbidden, in all forms, whether medicinal or in cooking, and certainly not in 'social drinking'.
Here in the "Rumspringa Beachy" setting we are in now, I suspect it is a muddled mess (as far as being able to give a clear answer). I occasionally have a bit of 'new wine' - just barely turning, but more often a small glass of 'hard cider'. That's because my stomach cannot tolerate fresh cider - it makes my stomach sick. (Oddly, hot cider is fine, even if it's fresh. There must be something in the fresh untreated cider that both a bit of fermentation and heat 'kills off'.)
In the MB setting I grew up in, and where I was a member from around 14 until 50 years of age, it was strictly forbidden, in all forms, whether medicinal or in cooking, and certainly not in 'social drinking'.
Here in the "Rumspringa Beachy" setting we are in now, I suspect it is a muddled mess (as far as being able to give a clear answer). I occasionally have a bit of 'new wine' - just barely turning, but more often a small glass of 'hard cider'. That's because my stomach cannot tolerate fresh cider - it makes my stomach sick. (Oddly, hot cider is fine, even if it's fresh. There must be something in the fresh untreated cider that both a bit of fermentation and heat 'kills off'.)
Re: The Anabaptist perception toward alcohol consumption among membership?
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2025 9:22 pm
On the importance of being Ernest.
Re: The Anabaptist perception toward alcohol consumption among membership?
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2025 7:31 am
I answered "Gray Area".
From what I know of American conservative Mennonites, teetotalling is pretty much taken for granted. And I am fairly certain all the members of my church take this view as well without even thinking about it.
However, our church's brotherhood agreement doesn't mention alcohol. Probably because it just wasn't thought of, because of how taken for granted it is.
So I assume it's understood that no members would drink alcohol.
But technically it's never been stated or agreed upon that we won't drink alcohol.
So it's a gray area for sure.
From what I know of American conservative Mennonites, teetotalling is pretty much taken for granted. And I am fairly certain all the members of my church take this view as well without even thinking about it.
However, our church's brotherhood agreement doesn't mention alcohol. Probably because it just wasn't thought of, because of how taken for granted it is.
So I assume it's understood that no members would drink alcohol.
But technically it's never been stated or agreed upon that we won't drink alcohol.
So it's a gray area for sure.
Re: The Anabaptist perception toward alcohol consumption among membership?
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2025 7:59 am
Yes, the unspoken rules that always stumps seekers…Praxis+Theodicy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 18, 2025 7:31 am I answered "Gray Area".
From what I know of American conservative Mennonites, teetotalling is pretty much taken for granted. And I am fairly certain all the members of my church take this view as well without even thinking about it.
However, our church's brotherhood agreement doesn't mention alcohol. Probably because it just wasn't thought of, because of how taken for granted it is.
So I assume it's understood that no members would drink alcohol.
But technically it's never been stated or agreed upon that we won't drink alcohol.
So it's a gray area for sure.
I don’t actually know if it was wrote down in any of the standards, but it was a conversation I already had so I was aware of the stance.
I disagree with it, and the logic they use is inconsistent as they won’t apply that logic to any actual specific convictions or struggles a member has because they don’t want one leading the rest of the church. Which I’m sure is a valid concern, but I think it’s overblown in terms of risk.