Description:
Examines the introduction of grape juice into the celebration of Holy Communion in the late 19th century Methodist Episcopal Church and reveals how a 1,800-year-old practice of using fermented communion wine became theologically incomprehensible in a mere forty years
Review Quotes: "Many American Christians are curious about why some denominations use wine in Communion and others fill their cups with grape juice. The common response to queries on this topic usually includes some reference to the 19th-century temperance movement and to the technology of Thomas Welch and son, who developed a process to halt the fermentation of grape juice. In this volume, Tait argues that this issue is more complicated. Specifically, she contends that the commitment of 19th-century Methodists and others to Baconian commonsense realism led them to accept scientific conclusions regarding the poisonous nature of alcohol--even when used in tiny amounts. Tait finds the connection between this widely held philosophy and Eucharistic theology clearly displayed in the writings of a number of 19th-century Methodist theologians and pastors. In addition, the author discusses the subsequent and related debate over the use of individual cups in communion. Ultimately, Tait also speaks to the contemporary debate among Methodists regarding the use of grape juice in communion, and argues for the coherency of the argument once put forward by their 19th-century predecessors. Recommended. Graduate students and above."
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