Whiskey priest

Whiskey Priest is a term used to describe a priest or ordained minister who shows clear signs of moral weakness, while at the same time teaching a higher standard. A whiskey priest's shortcomings may include many vices, but usually include alcoholism. Graham Greene coined the term, referring to the unnamed main character in his 1940 novel "The Power and the Glory".

Example of whiskey priests in other literary and fictional works

Friar Tuck, of Robin Hood fame, is sometimes depicted as a whiskey priest, although more often his physical weakness for food and drink is not shown as spiritual weakness. The main character in "The Night of the Hunter" would undoubtedly qualify as a whiskey priest, and is in fact a murderer as well. Nicholas Wolfwood, from the anime series "Trigun", may be considered a whiskey priest. In the "Discworld" novel "Small Gods" by Terry Pratchett, most of the Omnian clergy could be considered whiskey priests, with the exceptions of the genuinely holy Brutha, and the pathologically insane Vorbis.

Molière's Tartuffe may be seen as an early French counterpart of the whiskey priest. Although Tartuffe is not an ordained priest, he poses as a deeply pious man whose example and advice are worthy. This is how Orgon, a prominent and wealthy man, is led to support him, while Tartuffe's actual aim is to rob Orgon and seduce his wife and daughter.

A Season 3 episode of "Yes Minister" was called "The Whisky Priest". In the episode Jim Hacker's wife tells him that, unlike Sir Humphrey Appleby, he at least has enough moral sense to "know" when he's done the wrong thing.

The character Enoch Root in the novels of Neal Stephenson also shares some of the characteristics of a whiskey priest.