mgpcpastor's blog

Sinclair Ferguson explores the issue of Christian liberty provoked by what may seem a very unlikely issue: ‘Can Christians Eat Black Pudding?’
It should be noted that Ferguson doesn’t delve into the question: ‘Why would Christians (or anyone) eat black pudding?’
Anyway…

It was years ago now, but I still remember the discussion. I was making my way out of our church building some time after the morning service had ended, and was surprised to find a small group of people still engaged in vigorous conversation. One of them turned and said to me, “Can Christians eat black pudding?”
To the uninitiated in the mysteries of Scottish haute cuisine, it should perhaps be said that black pudding is not haggis! It is a sausage made of blood and suet, sometimes with flour or meal.
It seems a trivial question. Why the vigorous debate? Because, of course, of the Old Testament’s regulations about eating blood (Lev. 17:10ff).
Although (as far as I am aware) no theological dictionary contains an entry under B for “The Black Pudding Controversy,” this unusual discussion raised some most basic hermeneutical and theological issues:

* How is the Old Testament related to the New?
* How is the Law of Moses related to the gospel of Jesus Christ?
* How should a Christian exercise freedom in Christ?

Read the rest of the post here.