I Can't Stand Oysters!

“It is unseasonable and unwholesome in all months that have not an r in their names to eat an oyster.” – Dyet’s Dry Dinner, 1599

In 1599, Henry Buttes wrote a slightly comical cookbook for the Bacon family in order to raise funds for the construction of a church. Buttes also sought to impress Lady Anne Bacon, whom he hoped to woo and win, with his writings. The book included detailed recipes for an eight-course feast, intertwined with Elizabethan humor.

And yet, more than 400 years later, some people still follow some of Buttes’ tongue-in-cheek recommendations – such as when not to eat oysters – as if they were sacred Scripture. I think ol’ Henry would get a kick out of knowing that his silliness and sarcasm have been taken so seriously.

Now, you and I might shake our heads in bewilderment at the naivete of people who fall for such things, but are we really that different? For instance, where in the Bible does it say that churches must meet on Sunday morning? Actually, it doesn’t, we have simply adopted that practice because it is the day that Our Lord rose from the grave and churches have followed that tradition for two centuries and counting. But that doesn’t mean that it’s sinful to worship God on Saturday like some denominations do… or to give attendees the option of a Saturday night service or a Sunday morning one. The important thing is that Christians go to church on a regular basis, because THAT IS BIBLICAL (see Hebrews 10:25)

How about our “dress code” for church? I grew up wearing my Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes… in other words, the best outfit in my closet… and for the first 30 years of our marriage, I continued to wear a jacket and tie to church. Now that I live in Florida wear the dress code is a lot more relaxed because of the heat and humidity, I generally wear “business casual”, which I assume is a step above what the first-century Christians wore when they met in their home churches.

How about worship music? I much prefer traditional hymns, mostly because I think the words are more profound and meaningful than some of the modern-day choruses. However, I am not going to “sweat the small stuff” over something that isn’t a clearly defined doctrinal issue such as the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, the virgin birth, Jesus’ bodily resurrection, and salvation by grace through faith alone. On those matters, I will not budge an inch.

As for oysters, I can’t stand them, so I won’t be eating them in any month, whether it has an r in it or not. Sorry, New Englanders!

“But avoid foolish controversies, arguments about genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.” Titus 3:9

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President