Closet Alcoholics in the Church: A Conflict between Values and Behavior

There are some indications that an increasing number of evangelicals are not only consuming alcoholic beverages, but becoming alcoholics. These people require specialized treatment because besides their drinking problem, they also have a very real spiritual problem that cannot be dealt with at local or federal government treatment centers. Such people consequently are often more reluctant to give up alcohol. Frequently they go back to it in an effort to find a solution to their miseries.

Research shows that people from religious backgrounds where drinking was forbidden are more likely to become problem drinkers once they experiment with alcohol than those who come from a background where alcohol was acceptable in moderation and only its abuse condemned.

At a conference at the University of Georgia for people involved in the treatment of abusers of alcohol and other drugs, it was reported that while an estimated 95 percent of the Jewish population occasionally drink alcoholic beverages, only 5 percent ever have problems controlling its use. Other religious groups, including Episcopalians and Presbyterians, were also mentioned. While these groups represented a relatively high percent of alcohol users, the percentage of those who became habitual abusers was low. The situation was different for the Baptist community. There the use of alcohol has traditionally been forbidden. Though only 48 percent used alcohol at all, an alarming 18 percent of those got into trouble. The reason was probably guilt: Baptists and others from similar backgrounds were more likely to get into difficulty simply because they suffered more guilt when they used alcohol.

Vernon E. Johnson, well-known author of I’ll Quit Tomorrow and other articles on alcoholism, states that “the most startling observation has been that alcoholism cannot exist unless there is a conflict between the values and the behavior of the drinker.”

The Christian who is attempting to ignore the restraints of his background teachings and his own moral code fits this description. Alcohol serves rather well for a time as a lubricant to ease problems and conflicts at work and at home. His or her drinking progresses, bringing about an adjustment to a lifestyle in total conflict with the individual’s deep-seated convictions.

When seeking treatment, the Christian frequently encounters another problem. If he goes to a secular treatment center, all the focus is on the addiction and no effort is made to deal with his spiritual needs. The exception might be a suggestion that he needs help from “some higher power.”

If, on the other hand, he turns to his pastor or other spiritual leader, he might be told that his problem is “sin,” and that all he needs to do is “get right with God.” While it is true that he needs spiritual counsel, his problem is not only spiritual, but physical and mental as well. He may require careful medical assistance even to withdraw and begin treatment. Also, the power of the addiction itself is usually more than he can handle on his own; he needs help if he is to carry out what he has already purposed in his heart.

Treatment for the Christian alcoholic must include the “whole man.” He should be thoroughly educated about alcohol the drug, and in particular its effect on users who drink against their own better judgment and inner convictions. He must be made to realize that God waits to forgive and restore him to the place of fellowship he probably thought was gone forever. He will need guidance on how to deal with the affairs in his life that were damaged during the drinking period. In a majority of cases, family ties have been broken and unhealthy relationships have often developed as a substitute. These can leave lasting guilt and anxieties unless they are dealt with openly and a right decision is made concerning them.

As it is for many who have similar problems, an alcoholic’s best friends are often his worst enemies. The Christian family is not unlike others who attempt to cover up a drinking problem—just as they do other problems with which they need help but are ashamed to face. Even the pastor may not know how serious the problem is. Sometimes he is also convinced that the less said about it the better. Far too many Christian alcoholics are determined to keep their problem from everyone else—and, if they are church members, especially from those with whom they worship—simply because they fear rejection.

Sources of help must be sought out. Normally a patient will need the help of a family member or church leader who is acquainted with both his problem and the available sources of help. It should be kept in mind that alcoholics usually lack motivation and are not likely to initiate action on their own.

The most readily available help lies with the head of a rescue mission. While mission staff members are rarely trained to handle this problem, the director will have been involved with alcoholics. In some instances, he himself is a recovering alcoholic. Though he and his program may not be in a position to handle the case, he will be aware of some that are. If there is no program in the community, concerned individuals may contact William Wooley at the International Union of Gospel Missions, P.O. Box 10780, Kansas City, Missouri 64118.

I have worked with Alcoholics Anonymous and consider AA this nation’s best weapon against alcoholism. But because Christians who become addicted to alcohol have problems not only with addiction but also with their spiritual condition, I feel heads of rescue missions generally are qualified to deal with the spiritual aspect of the problem. At the same time, they know of treatment centers that offer long-range help spiritually, as well as with the addiction.

Drug abuse centers operating under the auspices of state and county mental health organizations may also be able to supply names of local ministers working with such people. But care should be taken to avoid clergymen who will underrate the intensity of the spiritual problem—or ignore it altogether.

A few Christian rehabilitation treatment centers for alcoholics are located in different parts of the country, which give particular attention to Christians. The I.U.G.M. office in Kansas City can help in locating these if no other source of information is available.

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