Pensees: Chalmers, Patrick, and A Special Dispensation to Drink Beer

Chalmers, Patrick, and A Special Dispensation to Drink Beer

It’s Saint Patrick’s Day, but it’s also the birthday of Thomas Chalmers. a man who powerfully impacted the Free Church in Scotland and who’s remarkable conversion earned for him the title “Mad Chalmers.” I traditionally recall his birthday. Read what I wrote here.

On Saint Patrick’s Day one traditionally eats corned beef and cabbage (at least those who observe St. Patrick’s day in this fashion). This is particulary difficult for Catholics because this Catholic holiday fell on Friday (it’s Friday today, fyi) and it’s Lent (also fyi). The consumption of meat on Fridays during Lent is forbidden. Hmmm. Theological quandary here.

Thankfully, a number of gracious bishops have rescinded the meat part of the fast for this particular day and all good Catholics may eat corned beef and cabbage with a clear conscience. I’m thinking about going to the Outback today just to see if there are some of my Catholic friends eating steak. You know how it is: give an inch and people will take a mile.

As bishop in my church, I thought for about two nano-seconds about revoking my personal intolerance for beer and strong opining against all sorts of alchoholic beverages to encourage all my followers to enjoy alchoholic consumption just for today in honor of Mad Chalmers and Saint Patrick. It would have to be Scotch because Chalmers was from Scotland or an Irish beer since Patrick evangelized Ireland. Two nano-seconds is really all the time I needed to come to the conclusion that I will postpone an official statement. I need another seventy-three years to think about that.

Thankfully, I do not hold supreme authority over people’s consciences as do the bishops in the RCC. In fact, the Scriptures that my church adheres to tell me that even though I am a bishop (1 Timothy 3:1), I am not to lord it over the faith of my flock (1 Peter 5:3). Otherwise, my personal whim would carry far more weight than is appropriate in Christian leadership. I personally don’t blame the bishops of the RCC for rescinding the meat fast for today. If I had their power over people, I’d do the same thing for a at least two reasons:

1. I don’t really buy the whole not-eat-meat-on-friday tradition, and
2. I like corned beef and cabbage.

Seems obvious to me. The bishops are to be credited with giving the people freedom to eat the meat rather than secretly eating it behind closed doors while the adoring masses abstain.

However, I am once again reminded that St. Patrick actually knew very little of the Roman church that honors him today. The Council of Trent which defines the Church of Rome as it is today took place nearly a thousand years after Patrick began his missionary work in Ireland. He’d probably be horrified at the distortion of his personal story, the facts, and the gospel which is foisted upon millions of green-wearing celebrants on March 17th even though it is almost certain that he’d approve of a good hearty meal of corned beef and cabbage with ale.