Very often people are interested in the question of the attitude of Orthodox Christians to alcohol consumption. Practice shows that this question is most often asked to student-guides during guided tours of theological seminaries. The answer is unusually simple.
In the Holy Scriptures there are wonderful words of the Apostle Paul that everything is permissible to man, but not all is useful. Further, the saint continues the thought, saying that no passion should possess a Christian. It is this view of things that can be applied to absolutely everything, including the use of alcohol.
The Bible says that wine can amuse a person’s heart. And the apostle of the Gentiles, as some holy fathers call Paul, in a letter to Timothy gives a decree on the use of a cup of wine for the benefit of his health. It turns out that it is quite possible for a Christian in moderate doses to drink alcohol.
Also in biblical texts you can find indications that drinkers do not inherit the kingdom of heaven. That is, the passion of drunkenness is considered a sin. Accordingly, the Christian Church warns a person against alcohol abuse. Moreover, the problem of alcoholism can be understood in medical terms and can be regarded as a disease of human nature, moreover, the disease is not only bodily, but also mental (spiritual).
The Christian Church forbids falling into the passion of drunkenness, because this can lead to undesirable consequences for the health of the body and soul. But there is no strict ban on alcohol. A person has free will and choice. If he knows how to drink within reason so as not to lose his human appearance, then the Church treats this condescendingly. But if a person begins to abuse, then this is considered a sinful passion and is subject to prohibition.
