Uzi Baram’s article, “Clay Tobacco Pipes and Coffee Cup Sherds in the Archaeology of the Middle East:Artifacts of Social Tensions from the Ottoman Past” discusses coffee’s role as a cultural symbol. It represented “a sign of hospitality” (Baram, 139) at the time. David Grigg continues to explain the cultural symbolism. In Grigg’s article “The Worlds of Tea and Coffee: Patterns of Consumption” he declares that coffeehouses quickly surfaced throughout Middle Eastern countries, the first appearing in 1470 in the Islamic holy city of Mecca. As the Ottoman Empire spread at the end of the 15th century so did mass coffee consumption. The Ottomans accepted coffee as a beverage, and it quickly became significant to their culture. Grigg claims the drink became associated with Islam. Noticing coffee’s popularity among Muslims, the Roman Catholic Church labeled coffee as the “bitter invention of Satan” (“The History of Coffee”), urging the Pope to ban it. Pope Clement VII tasted the drink and legalized it for Christians.5 Even so, outsiders began to see coffee as a Muslim ritual rather than a drink to benefit …show more content…
ChristianityToday.com, a website to encourage Christian thought and provide commentary for cultural and theological issues, offers the perspective of Christian believers today. In his online article, “Coffee: The Beverage That Fuels the Church”, Martyn Wendell Jones argues for the significance of coffee in modern Christian churches. A large aspect of the Christian faith involves community. Consistent community allows Christians to grow closer to God.11 Jones describes coffee as “a comfort blanket” for the congregation. It provides a way for the Christian church community to interact with one another instead of creating uncomfortable situations. The author asserts that churches recently increased the amount of coffee sold