Whether Drunkenness Is a Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that drunkenness is not a sin. For every
sin has a corresponding contrary sin, thus timidity is opposed to
daring, and presumption to pusillanimity. But no sin is opposed to
drunkenness. Therefore drunkenness is not a sin.
Obj. 2: Further, every sin is voluntary [*Augustine, De Vera Relig.
xiv]. But no man wishes to be drunk, since no man wishes to be
deprived of the use of reason. Therefore drunkenness is not a sin.
Obj. 3: Further, whoever causes another to sin, sins himself.
Therefore, if drunkenness were a sin, it would follow that it is a
sin to ask a man to drink that which makes him drunk, which would
seem very hard.
Obj. 4: Further, every sin calls for correction. But correction is
not applied to drunkards: for Gregory [*Cf. Canon Denique, dist. 4
where Gratian refers to a letter of St. Gregory to St. Augustine of
Canterbury] says that "we must forbear with their ways, lest they
become worse if they be compelled to give up the habit." Therefore
drunkenness is not a sin.
_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says (Rom. 13:13): "Not in rioting and
drunkenness."
_I answer that,_ Drunkenness may be understood in two ways. First, it
may signify the defect itself of a man resulting from his drinking
much wine, the consequence being that he loses the use of reason. In
this sense drunkenness denotes not a sin, but a penal defect
resulting from a fault. Secondly, drunkenness may denote the act by
which a man incurs this defect. This act may cause drunkenness in two
ways. In one way, through the wine being too strong, without the
drinker being cognizant of this: and in this way too, drunkenness may
occur without sin, especially if it is not through his negligence,
and thus we believe that Noah was made drunk as related in Gen. 9. In
another way drunkenness may result from inordinate concupiscence and
use of wine: in this way it is accounted a sin, and is comprised
under gluttony as a species under its genus. For gluttony is divided
into "surfeiting [Douay: 'rioting'] and drunkenness," which are
forbidden by the Apostle (Rom. 13:13).
Reply Obj. 1: As the Philosopher says (Ethic. iii, 11), insensibility
which is opposed to temperance "is not very common," so that like its
species which are opposed to the species of intemperance it has no
name. Hence the vice opposed to drunkenness is unnamed; and yet if a
man were knowingly to abstain from wine to the extent of molesting
nature grievously, he would not be free from sin.
Reply Obj. 2: This objection regards the resulting defect which is
involuntary: whereas immoderate use of wine is voluntary, and it is
in this that the sin consists.
Reply Obj. 3: Even as he that is drunk is excused if he knows not the
strength of the wine, so too is he that invites another to drink
excused from sin, if he be unaware that the drinker is the kind of
person to be made drunk by the drink offered. But if ignorance be
lacking neither is excused from sin.
Reply Obj. 4: Sometimes the correction of a sinner is to be
foregone, as stated above (Q. 33, A. 6). Hence Augustine says in
a letter (Ad Aurel. Episc. Ep. xxii), "Meseems, such things are cured
not by bitterness, severity, harshness, but by teaching rather than
commanding, by advice rather than threats. Such is the course to be
followed with the majority of sinners: few are they whose sins should
be treated with severity."
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