Dunne has produced a work that is rich and detailed as he explores the biblical traditions around alcohol. In a work that is both scholarly and pastoral, The Mountains Shall Drip Sweet Wine offers an insightful theology of alcohol that invites the reader to move beyond typical taboos around whether Christians should or should not drink. Dunne opens the ancient world and the biblical text to demonstrate that wine and alcohol provide a critical thread running through the Bible that relates to God's engagement and love for the world. This is a book that challenges unfounded negative assumptions about alcohol and celebrates the gift of wine as a critical theological sign and symbol of God's kingdom.
If, as the psalmist observes, wine makes the human heart glad, then so also will reading John Anthony Dunne's discussion of its place in Christian Scripture. He is rigorous and informative without being dull and pedantic. In short, Dunne has produced a sober analysis of an intoxicating topic!
In this book, Dunne provides a valuable resource for understanding the many ways that Scripture alludes to alcohol use, especially the many theological points that use this imagery. Dunne is both informative and poetic in his approach to the topic.
John Anthony Dunne does an excellent job of describing alcoholic drinks in the biblical world, how alcohol is portrayed in biblical imagery, and even the relevance of things like 'new wine' for Christian hopes about the future. At the same time, he provides an uncompromising exposition of biblical prohibitions against drunkenness and recognizes the gravity of abusing alcohol as well as the risks of alcoholism. Dunne provides a sane and sober analysis of what is for many a difficult topic of the Bible: alcohol and the Christian life.
John Anthony Dunne has brewed up for us a rich and refreshing biblical theology of alcohol, a theme that is as vital as it is (until now) underexplored. His distillation of the technical, cultural, and theological aspects of fermented drinks is sure to gladden the hearts of many. Three cheers for the author!
Lay person, seasoned theologian, and would-be archaeologist alike will benefit from John Dunne's up-to-date and very lucid exposition of the many biblical passages that revolve around a fermented beverage, preeminently grape wine. He unlocks the metaphorical complexity and richness of this ethereal beverage in God's covenant with Israel and the Last Supper's foreshadowing of the heavenly banquet promised by the prophets and in the book of Revelation.
The Mountains Drip Sweet Wine is a brilliant addition to the growing collection of work that focuses on alcohol and drinking in the Bible. Dunne provides thorough detail on every aspect of viticulture and also does not ignore the important role of beer that was consumed widely in the ancient world. Insightful exegesis of a range of relevant biblical passages is illuminating for all readers, whether new to the study of alcohol in biblical texts or well acquainted. What comes across most strikingly is how central alcohol was to the ancient cultures that Dunne explores, saturating nearly all aspects of life from the social and religious to the economic and political. Despite the distance of many centuries, alcohol still plays a prominent role in our own lives, and it is therefore intellectually vital that we reflect on how biblical texts and their interpretation have shaped our contemporary attitudes and preferences surrounding alcohol consumption. In doing this, Dunne challenges our assumptions and misconceptions regarding wine and beer and provides us with a way to appreciate the many references to alcohol that are spilt across the pages of the Bible.
This is more than a book to help Christians determine whether to drink or not to drink. It is more than an encyclopedia of every mention of alcoholic beverages in the Bible (although it is thorough in its scope). It is more than even a book about wine in the Bible. In this volume, Dunne explores how the biblical authors employ images--literal and figurative--of beer, wine, wine growing, and winemaking. He helps us see the wide-ranging use of such images to signal variable theological themes, including exile, judgment, restoration, blessing, and eschatological abundance. If you wonder if there is all that much to say about wine in the Bible, there is! And you'll find it here. I highly recommend this comprehensive and accessible book.
What I love about this rich biblical theology of the symbolism, production, and use of alcohol is the theologically mindful posture that Dunne gifts to us--whether you imbibe or not--that is aware of how alcohol represents both the goodness of God as well as the responsibilities of his people. John Dunne doesn't merely tackle the modern debates about alcohol in Scripture but resurrects the ancient enchantment of alcohol, seeing it as divine gift and miracle. He enables us to see the picture unfolding regarding our covenantal relationship with God and one another and how the production and use of alcohol orients us toward creation and new creation. This book is more than an academic study--it is a promise.
With a range of insights into not only the material production of alcoholic beverages but also thoughtful understanding within material, literary, and social contexts, Dunne's book is clearly the new essential work for anyone interested in understanding drinking in the Bible. Whether wine, beer, or otherwise, Dunne's work sheds light not only on this consumptive act in the Bible but also on biblical society and life more broadly. Whether one is a Jew, a Christian, or just otherwise interested in biblical drinking, this is an indispensable and comprehensive look at this element of biblical life.
