Friday, August 15, 2003

A Theology of Grape Juice
Rev Mark Balthrop recently presented the history of how 19th century Americans changed the cup of blessing from wine to a more pietistic substitute. Surprisingly, it's from Welchs.com that we learn:

In 1869 Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch, a physician and dentist by profession, successfully pasteurizes Concord grape juice to produce an "unfermented sacramental wine" for fellow parishioners at his church in Vineland, N.J., where he is communion steward.

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