Editing Entheogen (section)

=== Christianity ===
{{for|non-psychoactive use of wine|Sacramental wine}}
{{see also|real presence of Christ in the Eucharist}}

Scholars such as [[Ammon Hillman]] suggest that a variety of drug use, recreational and otherwise, is to be found in the early history of the Church.<ref>The Chemical Muse: Drug Use and the Roots of Western Civilization by D. C. A. Hillman PhD{{page needed|date=August 2016}}</ref>

The historical picture portrayed by the ''Entheos'' journal is of fairly widespread use of visionary plants in early Christianity and the surrounding culture, with a gradual reduction of use of entheogens in Christianity.<ref>[http://entheomedia.org/Issue%20one.htm Conjuring Eden: Art and the Entheogenic Vision of Paradise] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814121831/http://www.entheomedia.org/Issue%20one.htm |date=14 August 2007 }}, by Mark Hoffman, Carl Ruck, and Blaise Staples. Entheos: The Journal of Psychedelic Spirituality, Issue No. 1, Summer, 2001</ref> R. Gordon Wasson's book ''Soma'' prints a letter from art historian Erwin Panofsky asserting that art scholars are aware of many "mushroom trees" in Christian art.<ref>[http://www.egodeath.com/WassonEdenTree.htm Wasson and Allegro on the Tree of Knowledge as Amanita] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814053612/http://www.egodeath.com/WassonEdenTree.htm |date=14 August 2007 }}, Michael S. Hoffman, Journal of Higher Criticism, 2007</ref>

The question of the extent of visionary plant use throughout the history of Christian practice has barely been considered yet by academic or independent scholars. The question of whether visionary plants were used in pre-[[Theodosius I|Theodosian]] Christianity is distinct from evidence that indicates the extent to which visionary plants were utilized or forgotten in later Christianity, including heretical or quasi-Christian groups,<ref>[http://entheomedia.org/Entheos_Issue_2.htm Daturas for the Virgin] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906191000/http://www.entheomedia.org/Entheos_Issue_2.htm |date=6 September 2007 }}, José Celdrán and Carl Ruck, Entheos: The Journal of Psychedelic Spirituality, Vol. I, Issue 2, Winter, 2002</ref> and the question of other groups such as elites or laity within orthodox Catholic practice.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/dp/1594601445 The Hidden World: Survival of Pagan Shamanic Themes in European Fairytales], by Carl Ruck, Blaise Staples, Jose Alfredo Celdran, Mark Hoffman, Carolina Academic Press, 2007{{page needed|date=August 2016}}</ref>