Rebekah Welton

The Mountains Shall Drip Sweet Wine

Theology

“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.”