The best explanation (as in 'makes sense') explanation I ever heard a pastor give for using grape juice rather than wine at communion was that a) kids below drinking age took communion at that church and b) they had a number of recovering alcoholics in the congregation. Yeah, there are probably some good counter-arguments, but bonus points for not wanking the Bible to justify a no-alcohol stance.

Edit: I have yet to see Dogma, but desperately want to. My thoroughly agnostic dad walked out of it, not because he was offended, but because he was bored. I think Ben Affleck irks him.

The best explanation (as in 'makes sense') explanation I ever heard a pastor give for using grape juice rather than wine at communion was that a) kids below drinking age took communion at that church and b) they had a number of recovering alcoholics in the congregation.

That's why my church uses grape juice. They don't care about booze (Methodists), but they want everyone to be able to participate.

I'm not too sure how it works in non-Catholic services--is drinking the wine/juice optional, or pretty much expected?

is drinking the wine/juice optional, or pretty much expected?

Partaking in communion at my church is totally optional. And, we only do it the first Sunday of the month.

Post Toasties...

This is also the church that offers rice cakes instead of bread for the people with wheat or gluten allergies.

The best explanation (as in 'makes sense') explanation I ever heard a pastor give for using grape juice rather than wine at communion was that a) kids below drinking age took communion at that church and b) they had a number of recovering alcoholics in the congregation.

Every Reform synagogue I've ever been too has offered both wine and grape juice. (Of course, the wine being Manichevitz, it can be hard to tell the difference.)

That's why my church uses grape juice. They don't care about booze (Methodists), but they want everyone to be able to participate.

That's completely honorable in my book. Some Friends' meetings also have a witness against alcohol -- not because Jesus didn't drink it, but because drinking it sets a bad example for other people, people who might be hurt by it.

It's the claim that Jesus was a teetotaler that gets up my nose.

Every Reform synagogue I've ever been too has offered both wine and grape juice. (Of course, the wine being Manichevitz, it can be hard to tell the difference.)

Naah, the grape juice taste like grapes, as opposed to the Manishevitz, which tastes like Robitussin.

(There are good kosher wines out there. Manishevitz ain't one of them)

Edit: I have yet to see Dogma, but desperately want to. My thoroughly agnostic dad walked out of it, not because he was offended, but because he was bored. I think Ben Affleck irks him.

Dogma is a very Catholic movie, which may or may not have anything at all to do with why a non-Catholic might or might not like it, but as an ex-Catholic, there's a world/God-view in it that appeals to me for reasons that I can't put my finger on beyond just a common frame of reference.

but as an ex-Catholic, there's a world/God-view in it that appeals to me for reasons that I can't put my finger on beyond just a common frame of reference.

My extremely lapsed-Catholic dad thought it was a fabulous movie. Of course, he thinks that The Prophecy is the best movie about The Church ever, and keeps borrowing my DVD of it.