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The Search for God and Guinness
- 06/09/10
- 69
Now that I pause to think about it, I don’t know that I’ve ever blogged about the always-contentious issue of the consumption of alcohol. If you must know, I don’t touch the stuff but that is more out of preference than conviction. I just can’t stand the taste of alcohol in general and beer in particular. But I have no moral qualms with those who drink in moderation and am actually quite pleased to see a general drift in that direction amongst evangelical Christians. It is a sign of the times, I think, that a Christian publisher would print a book about beer.
In The Search for God and Guinness author Stephen Mansfield offers “A Biography of the Beer that Changed the World.” If there is hyperbole in that subtitle, it is only slightly so. One of the world’s most successful brands of beer for almost 250 years now, Guinness has a long and dignified history as both a product and as a company. Today more than 10 million pints are consumed every day. What many people do not know is that the company has long been a force for social good and that the Guinness name has created a long line of faithful men who have served the Lord even while brewing their beer.
This biography is told from the perspective of an author who is searching for the history of a company and seeking to learn about the men who have led it. He quite often turns to the first person perspective and includes photographs of himself in various significant locations. It is, then, something of an informal biography if, indeed, it can be considered a biography at all. Given the subject matter, such a casual format works quite well.
Of all the Guinness’s Mansfield introduces in this book, it was Henry Grattan Guinness that I most enjoyed reading about. He was a grandson of Arthur Guinness, the man who founded the original brewery (and, if I have my facts straight, great-grandfather of author Os Guinness). Henry was a preacher and one of the foremost evangelists of the awakenings and revivals that occurred in the middle of the nineteenth century. His name was often mentioned alongside the likes of Moody and Spurgeon. He knew Hudson Taylor and even offered to serve with him in China before eventually founding the East London Missionary Training Institute which trained and sent missionaries overseas. He was, by all accounts, a godly man and one the Lord used greatly in his service. He is a man I would love to know more about.
Many of the other Guinness family members are likewise interesting for one reason or another. Some were politicians, some were philanthropists, many remained in the family business, growing it into a worldwide phenomenon. Arthur Guinness, the founder of the company, began the very first Sunday schools in Ireland and championed social causes such as a ban on dueling. Henry Guinness wrote a book predicting not only the end of Ottoman control of Jerusalem in 1917 but also the restoration of Israel in 1948. They were and remain, from top to bottom, a fascinating and exceptional family.
So I suppose the beer, the product for which the family has gained notoriety, is only a small part of the story. The brand continues to grow and continues to thrive; it continues to be a favorite beverage for millions. And yet, when all is said and done, there are other contributions by the Guinness family that seem sure to last far longer than the beer.
Let me be honest and say that this is not the best “biography” you are likely to read this year. While largely well-written, it still offers quite a cursory look at many different people, providing more of a snapshot of the Guinness family than a serious evaluation of any one of them or of the product they created. Nevertheless, what it does, it does quite well. It’s certainly an enjoyable read, even if not a life-changing one. Why not grab a copy this summer and enjoy it out in the sun, with or without a Guinness in-hand.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
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Comments (69)
I am SOOO glad I’m Australian. It seems the issue of drinking alcohol amongst Christians is a lot less of a thing here. Which is great! YAY!! Exercising one’s own wisdom apart from legalism to avoid causing anyone to sin win!
I actually came to comment on the Guinness family. To my knowledge, it was a Guinness man who started the first Evangelical Christian Union in Sydney. Since then it has spread to every state. I am part of the Christian Union at my university in Perth and we all fall under the banner of the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (AFES).
As we argue over drinking vs not-drinking, maybe the force of the arguments could use a little moderation ;)
moderation in all…..
….. what’s the verse that says ‘he that winketh’?
….. typical Aussie….. stop stirring the world pot!
Is there a difference between drinking beer and being a glutton? This is a great article on being a glutton something that is often overlooked and never mentioned in the church http://pastorleoacosta.wordpress.com/2010/06/09/is-being-over-weight-a-sin/
Taking a break from the debate comments about alcohol & abstinence, back to the Guinness family….
The Guinness Spirit: Brewers, Bankers, Ministers and Missionaries, 1999, by Michele Guinness. This earlier book may be of interest to those intrigued by Stephen Mansfield’s more recent title.
She also wrote a similar work in 2005, with the title, Genius of Guinness: The Enduring Legacy of an Irish Dynasty.
The author was a student at Manchester University (UK) around 40 years ago. She has written several other books, which you can easily find on Amazon.
John MacArthur has a very good sermon series explaining the 3 different types of alcoholic drinks used in the Bible and why it is better for a Christian not to drink alcohol at all. And how the wine that was used in Jesus’ day had hardly any alcohol content at all, so the “Jesus drank it, so can I” arguement doesn’t work.check it out:http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermon+Series/72_Living-in-the-Spirit
Sorry, Russian Girl, but Johnny Mac’s unBiblical ‘sermon’ has been refuted by numerous commentators who don’t have a cultural bias against moderate alcohol consumption and are far more objective about the subject than he is. MacArthur comes from an Independent Fundamental background (essentially Baptist legalism on steroids), and he makes no effort to distinguish between that culture and Scripture. And this subject, along with his knee-jerk assumptions about Dispensationalism, have tarnished his legacy as an expositional preacher who only cares about what the Bible says.
oh I’ve no idea, Ajy! He that winkth is stireth the pot?
Seriously though, it seems that in these arguments, it’s “us” or “them”! Cessationist vs Continuationist. Drinking vs Abstinence. Democratic vs Republican. I heard that Driscoll came to Sydney and told all the Evangelicals they were cessationist. To which everyone was a bit confused and amused - we are??
Moderation people!
J.J., I guess you would make the assumption Dr. MacArthur needs to repent and be saved, as Ben did with Mark, because of your judgment that he is a legalist. This is comical, yet sad.
J. J., “numerous commentators” such as who? can you provide any links? i cant just take your word for it, you know
That sounds like an amazing biography. I had no idea the Guinness company had such an interesting past. My Dad would probably really love that book as well.
That sounds like an amazing biography. I had no idea the Guinness company had such an interesting past. My Dad would probably really love that book as well.
Russia Girl,
The entire church throughout history speaks against prohibition. Only very recently has it been discovered that everyone from Jesus and the Apostles, to the Reformers, to the Puritans, to everyone save a narrow slice of American fundamentalists, were wrong.
I’m an American, and a very devoted admirer of John MacArthur, but in this case, I’m sorry to say, he’s all wet.
I’ve linked to my full statement on this in my previous comment. But really, the burden of proof here is on the prohibitionists.
I will read this book indeed. The Guiness brand has fascinated me as I have watched friends drink it with great admiration. I hope to become a fan of Guiness over time as I drink lots of alcohol but have not drunk that. To me, drinking is a somewhat godly activity as it is so relaxing. I cannot imagine that someone would find it troubling but I sure hear people who do. What a shame.
Joseph, I think you misunderstand my motives. From reading Mark’s comment, it made my heart feel restricted. Discernment and judgmentalism/codemnation are too different things. The aim of what I said is not to condemn, but rather it is love that is from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Getting the Gospel right is critical, and it is quite hurtful that you would put me in the same boat as someone who slanders such a great man as John MacArthur, and even more so that you would describe my efforts as comical, yet sad.
I just wanted to add in here that I thought that Tim did a great job of reviewing this book. It came to mind that I should probably make it a habit of reading the same books that Tim does and reading his reviews of them.
I also wanted to applaud Tim for his boldness is speaking on the alcohol issue.
I have also really enjoyed reading the comments here; I was cringing as a started, sort of out of a reflexive instinct because of all the cacophony that this subject usually induces.
I read the book - also felt like it was really great - and, love Guinness as well. Because I am a student in the secular side of things I rub shoulders with a lot of young marxists, it is really great to be able to reference a company that has embodied “responsible capitalism” in contrast to a lot of the greedy corruption that was have seen here in the states with the mortgage crisis and so on.
I also have to admit - that I am increasingly struggling with grace towards those who are of a prohibitionist mindset; and I say this honestly - and by this I mean that I find it harder and hard to say -well I just disagree with you. I have criticized a lot of hard core 5 point Calvinist for throwing the “heretic” term at anybody who does not agree with them. I am really struggling with my own medicine; because that is increasing what I want to mark it out as. Just pain heresy.
I strongly believe that it is the same demonic spirit of manicheanism that has sought to systematically subvert authentic holiness in the church. My argument is not as much for alcohol, as it is systematic rebuttal of the scriptural subversions (Identity of the believer [Christ —-> John the Baptist) & Priesthood of the believer [Melchezedek —-> Aaronic]) {to name just a few}, as well the textual isogesis that if forced upon the scripture that goes on as exegesis. I know that so many of my brother, even in my own church - my own father included - literally grow blind with rage at its mention, but I steadfastly pray that God will speak to the hearts of this Generation - and they will see the truth of His creation, and the fullness thereof - especially as it relates to an actualized and applied redemption that is not just an esorteric heart- concept but a way of life and living.
matthew
Having spent most of the past 10 years in Reformed circles in which moderation is the typical view when it comes to beverage alcohol , I have a few thoughts I’d like to add to the discussion.
1. There is a difference between prohibitionism and abstentionism, a distinction that is too often not acknowledged. Prohibitionism is the position that it is a sin to drink, at times going so far as to assert that no Christian would drink. Abstentionism, the position advocated by John MacArthur and others, is that it is unwise to drink for various reasons, especially for those in leadership. Those in the latter camp do not argue that it is a sin to drink in moderation but will note that we should not offend weaker brethren and will argue that the wine approved of in the Bible was mixed i.e. diluted and that unmixed wine is condemned.
If the abstentionists are in error on this issue, that no more constitutes legalism than a Baptist church’s insistence on immersion as the mode for baptism or the Presbyterian insistence that babies who are children of church members be baptized. However, I have little doubt that there are those who would charge one of the other or the above cases as being examples of legalism as well.
2. Prov. 31:6-7 is often noted by moderationists, but seldom if ever is reference made to the two verses that immediately precede it. Yet the moderationist is usually the first to decry out of context proof-texting.
3. Some in the moderationist camp, particularly among the Reformed, really do seem to be more interested in being filled with wine than with the Spirit. Now this certainly isn’t in the drunken orgy sense as with the Ephesians reference. I don’t necessarily mean drunkenness either, although I witnessed drinking to excess at a Reformed church function at least once and know others who typically will knock back a six pack several nights per week and who talk of getting “buzzed,” hardly the picture of moderation.
What I refer to is a tendency to sit back and discuss the latest single malt Scotch and imported cigars we’ve sampled and while “redeeming the culture” is sometimes referred to, quite often there is little if any interest at all in sharing Christ with others, particularly with those outside of the church.
Lest I be accused of playing the “Calvinists don’t evangelize” card (and I am a Calvinist myself as noted above, although perhaps not enough of one to satisfy some) I’ll note that a lack of evangelistic zeal (meaning outside the church, not the so called “altar call” etc.) seems to be lacking among conservative churches in general, whether they be broad evangelicals, fundamentalists or Reformed.
4. Cases of prohibitionists questioning the salvation of those who drink alcoholic beverages are of course legion. I was once told by a woman who gave no evidence herself of being a Christian that “Christans don’t drink.” She hailed from an area where a legalistic cult, Oneness Pentecostalism, was prevalent.
I’m glad that Matthew Lipscomb confessed that he is struggling with grace toward “prohibitionists” although I suspect that he may be including abstentionists as well. That’s not to say that I’m glad he’s struggling with grace toward them. I’ve been there WRT struggling with grace toward others in various situations, as recently as this week! (I agree with Matthew that there is a false standard of holiness and a lack of understanding of true holiness in many if not most churches today.) When I was in the “cage stage” I see now that I was far too flippant and denunciatory toward those in the other camp, particularly those who took a more principled stand and whose ministries were not characterized by legalism.
With all their talk of phariseeism, too often the moderationists are little more than Pharisees themselves, virtually beating their breasts and proclaiming “Lord, I’m thankful you have shown me the light and that I’m not in bondage as is my friend over there who abstains from alcohol due to what can only be legalistic bondage.” Indeed, we seem to have at least one such Pharisee in this thread who has all but accused another poster of being unconverted.
5. Your mileage may vary of course, but I find that those who most sharply denounce the absentionists as being legalistic if not unregenerate are those who themselves emerged from a legalistic background. We must always be on guard against the tendency to swing from one extreme to the other.
6.
For a long while I was a convinced moderationist, but I’ve come to realize that I never really studied the issue and am reconsidering my whole position. At a minimum I have a newfound respect for abstentionists who are doing their best to follow what they believe the Bible teaches.
I actually found it helpful to drink a Guinness while reading this book. Sort of helps you contextualize. In fact, I generally drink strong, German beer when reading Luther. I prefer red wine with Calvin.
You are right Chris; legalism and pride is something I must be especially on guard against. I realize that I have no grounds in this case to comment on Mark Fuss’ salvation.
If you ever read this Mark, I’m sorry. Whether you’re saved or not is not my call, for ‘salvation belongs to the Lord!’ What I wrote came out of a heart filled with grief, as it felt like I was myself being condemned. I reacted overzealously only out of a passion for the true Gospel as I sensed legalism; Paul himself ripped into those foolish Galatians, but I am not he. Repentance is a way of life, and a saved person needs to turn from legalism as much as an unsaved person. On this note, I also must turn from this, as I only created division.
This is a good reminder to me, ‘that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.’ May God continue to have mercy on me, a sinner.