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Theology on Tap: Faith and Love for the Masses

While it is well known that business and pleasure do not mix, how about religion and a bit of pleasure? This new concoction is now the drink of choice among young people. Theology on Tap is a program sponsored by the Catholic Church that seeks to spread Christianity by using an unconventional method: weekly lectures held in a relaxed and casual atmosphere at the local pub. The Church thus appeals to the faithful, to lapsed Catholics who have strayed, and to a secular audience that has a bourgeoning interest in spirituality. Also, the venue allows for single men and women to mingle with those who share Christian sympathies. By combining booze and religion, this program strives to regenerate a decaying culture.

Theology on Tap originated twenty years ago in Chicago. A priest and a young adult shared a discussion on the meaning of life. They concluded that more meetings of the kind were needed and more young people ought to be included. Catholics recognized that they did not have programs that attracted adults aged between twenty and thirty--and yet, these youths yearned for spiritual nourishment. A new program was born that has now been replicated in several areas, including major U.S. cities such as Washington DC and New York. Essentially, the Catholic Church found the solution to the vexing problem of how to reach young people by resurrecting the example of Jesus (no pun intended) whose methods in his day were revolutionary. Avoiding synagogues and the densely learned style of Jewish priests, Jesus mingled in a modest manner among the poor and the downtrodden in their everyday settings. He used simple parables to speak with those usually ignored such as women, children, the old, the sick, prostitutes, and outcasts.

Similarly, the Catholic Church is attempting to reach the masses by going directly to them in their preferred "hangouts" and is thus rendering itself even somewhat "cool." A typical evening revolves around a lecture given by a colorful and engaging priest. The topics are chosen with an intent to stir thought and discussion. Samples of these are: "Pius XII and the Jews", "Why Shouldn't I Live with My Boyfriend or Girlfriend?" and "Why Can't Women be Priests?" The priest mingles with guests before and after the lecture, fielding questions. He often uses wit and humor in his response while also providing the opportunity for serious discussion and repentance via confessions held in a discreet and secluded section of the pub. In this manner, the priest is able to cast a wide net over a varied group of individuals.

The response to this format has been overwhelmingly positive. In DC, a typical evening draws between 150 to 300 people--far more than would ever attend a lecture in a Church basement. Some of the guests have not been to confession in years and are suddenly inspired to repent. Others enjoy the freedom of discussing matters of faith in a social and sympathetic setting without the fear of inciting animosity or discrimination.

Many would like to believe that faith and love are not the main aims of Theology on Tap. As a young practicing Catholic, I am thrilled to have such an outlet for a generation seeking to be spiritually nourished and desiring to potentially find a mate of like mind. I was disappointed in a liberal reporter who did a piece on Theology on Tap for The Washington Post. He was trying to get at the seedier motives for men and women cajoling and drinking in a bar. In his interview with me, I did nothing but praise the lofty aims of this wonderful outreach program of committed Christians. I was horrified when I read his article in Saturday’s Post. There was my picture and a direct quote from me calling TOT a “Catholic meat market.” The statement was clearly out of context. I emphasized to the reporter how many young men and women lament the failure of contemporary culture to satisfy the most basic of all cultural objectives--the unity of men and women. The men and women who attend TOT do not seek sex or one night-stands, rather they come in the hopes of finding that special someone with whom they will share not just the pleasantries of an evening but the joy of lifelong companionship. It is mostly these single people who pour into the weekly meetings of Theology on Tap. Discouraged and disgusted by the promiscuous atmosphere of many clubs and pubs, these singles are buoyed by the fact that here they can talk, laugh and banter with members of the opposite sex in a relaxed but dignified setting. Theology on Tap thus provides an outlet for those who seek to socialize with a mature crowd: usually educated men and women with stable employment who seek profound relations with the opposite sex.

Ultimately, the program provides an avenue for the founding of Christian families. Theology on Tap is therefore tapping into the moral confusion of the youth as well as the crisis of courtship that leaves too many young men and women either degraded or alone. As the priest lectures, friends gather, men and women engage in a little flirtation and the booze continue to flow, new hope rises in the room. Anyone for another round?

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