manifestation, punters drank more and more pints in an attempt to replicate the experience. The landlord of The Punchdrunk Monk described the occasion in the hostelry as ‘spirit filled’ and others claimed that this was affirmation of the local church’s venture into Liquid Church. There is some debate as to which beer produced the froth, some are arguing for Abbot Ale while others maintain it was Bishop’s Finger, however, all are agreed that it wasn’t lager. The passage of scripture being read at the time of the appearance is believed to have been Revelation 22:17. It all adds new meaning to the song ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord’.
The beer, which is sweeter, stronger and darker than normal lager, is filled with nutrients and was called “liquid bread”. Doppelbock received papal approval in the late 1600s, so the legend goes, because the Paulaner friars sent a cask of the brew to Rome which turned sour on the long journey across the Alps. The pope tasted the sour liquid and decided that anything so disgusting must be good for penitents, giving it his sanction. The Paulaner doppelbock, which is a strengthened version of the original Lenten beer known as bockbier, was called Salvator, and the other Bavarian breweries which make doppelbock give the brew a name ending in the letters “-or”. Wilson’s beer is an Illuminator. Although hops play a minimal part in the flavour of doppelbock, Wilson has used a mixture of different hops, including a type originally grown in the Holledau region of Bavaria from where the friars would have harvested hops used in the Salvator beer.Wilson is blogging his experience in A Diary of a Part Time Monk. He does seem determined not to shirk any detail in his daily account and today includes descriptions of his breath and experiences in the lavatory:
More interestingly, I thought you’d want to learn about my breath and stools! I’ve reached a new stage of detoxification, and I now awake in the morning with my mouth tasting of cooked cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. On the toilet front, everything still works; thanks for asking. Weight-wise, I’m holding pretty steady at this point, clocking in at 149.5 today, so eleven pounds shed as of day eight, but hovering in the 149-150 range for three days straight.This is not just a gimmick and Wilson is taking the time to investigate aspects of monastic life. He goes on to comment in today's entry:
Now that I’ve worked my way through my “Monk in the World” curriculum, I’m scooting more heavily into Psalms, which are an integral part of a monk’s daily life. They are an element of the Bible that I’ve largely ignored in my life. Songs, yet not as cool as “Whole Lotta Love,” I couldn’t quite get them as a kid. Looking at them through new lenses, however, I can suddenly understand the attraction, and why the Benedictines maintain(ed) such a strict regimen daily. Me, I’ve divided their total by the days I have left and will be doing four per day, two in the morning and two in the evening.I look forward to dipping into Wilson’s blog from time to time to see how he progresses and I may even gain some ideas for next year. I wonder how long it takes to brew Doppelbock?
I’ve signed up and my intention is to explore an approach which is a mix of Gerd Theissen’s The Shadow of the Galilean and Monty Python’s Life of Brian. The idea of stories in which Jesus is one step ahead or just off stage have always appealed to me. I’ll try and use a popular cultural approach with music, video and anything else that offers a sideways slant on the Easter story. I may also try and link in with some of what is going on with our Beer and Bible project, with a particular focus on reading the Bible in pubs during Holy Week.
It will come as no surprise to readers of this blog that for me the most interesting attribution to Brigid is the following prayer:Brigid was probably born at Faughart near Dundalk, Louth, Ireland. Her parents were baptized by St. Patrick, with whom she developed a close friendship. According to legend, her father was Dubhthach, an Irish chieftain of Lienster, and her mother, Brocca, was a slave at his court. Even as a young girl she evinced an interest for a religious life and took the veil in her youth from St. Macaille at Croghan and probably was professed by St. Mel of Armagh, who is believed to have conferred abbatial authority on her. She settled with seven of her virgins at the foot of Croghan Hill for a time and about the year 468, followed Mel to Meath. About the year 470 she founded a double monastery at Cill-Dara (Kildare) and was Abbess of the convent, the first in Ireland. The foundation developed into a centre of learning and spirituality, and around it grew up the Cathedral city of Kildare. She founded a school of art at Kildare and its illuminated manuscripts became famous, notably the Book of Kildare, which was praised as one of the finest of all illuminated Irish manuscripts before its disappearance three centuries ago. Brigid was one of the most remarkable women of her times, and despite the numerous legendary, extravagant, and even fantastic miracles attributed to her, there is no doubt that her extraordinary spirituality, boundless charity, and compassion for those in distress were real. She died at Kildare on February 1. The Mary of the Gael, she is buried at Downpatrick with St. Columba and St. Patrick, with whom she is the patron of Ireland. Her name is sometimes Bridget and Bride.
I'd like to give a lake of beer to God.
I'd love the Heavenly
Host to be tippling there
For all eternity.
I'd love the men of Heaven to live with me,
To dance and sing.
If they wanted, I'd put at their disposal
Vats of suffering.
White cups of love I’d give them,
With a heart and a half;
Sweet pitchers of mercy I'd offer
To every man.
I'd make Heaven a cheerful spot,
Because the happy heart is true.
I'd make the men contented for their own sake
I'd like Jesus to love me too.
I'd like the people of heaven to gather
From all the parishes around,
I'd give a special welcome to the women,
The three Marys of great renown.
I'd sit with the men, the women of God
There by the lake of beer
We'd be drinking good health forever
And every drop would be a prayer.
However, I hope I have also sought to point out that what is most important is not a focus on one particular English translation of the Bible as a cultural artefact but reading the Bible in a translation appropriate for our own particular context today. I want people to discover that the Bible contains Good News for each of us, for our communities and wider society. This is certainly the focus of Bible Year 2011, which we are celebrating in Chelmsford Diocese, and of the many other initiatives across the country including Big Bible and Biblefresh. 
