Educator
Food Theologian
Arts Facilitator
Food and theology?
I've never heard of that before!
Food and theology in an academic setting developed out of the now-burgeoning field within Anthropology known as Food Studies. Theologians bridge the gap between daily cultural experiences and doctrines such as Incarnation and Grace. Out of these ingredients, the practical and the philosophical, a theology of food was developed.
Why does it matter?
Eating together
Most Christian groups already eat together. We know instinctively that food is the best kind of community glue. Jesus demonstrates this time and time again by eating not only with his closest followers but also with those on the edges of acceptable society.
This is a model for church.
God made us vulnerable
If all the world belongs to God, then surely our eating and matters about food belong to God as well. God created us to need food daily.
Meditating on this vulnerability is instructive.
God given sacrifice
We ingest creation daily to continue living; creation literally becomes a part of us. Yet in order for this to happen, something must die.
The sacrificial nature of food and eating reminds us of Christ's self sacrifice.
Whether you call it the Lord's Supper, Communion, or the Eucharist, this is the central act of worship in Christian faith. It is a commandment of Jesus.
There are eucharistic implications for the rest of what we do.
Central act of worship
Resources
Here's a list of a few academic books you might like to investigate food and theology further.
No links, so you can choose your favourite bookseller.
Beyond theological works, there are numerous devotional texts meditating on food. A quick internet search will help you find your favourite flavour.
Here are a few resources that encourage you to change your habits because of the themes of food and theology.
Art on this Website
Why did I choose it?
Still Life with Cheese, Almonds, and Pretzels
Clara Peeters, c.1615
Painted while Peeters was likely a teenager, I love that she signed the painting by the engraving on the knife handle. I appreciate the symbolism of the Flemish School still life works, managing to still portray theological and moral themes, at a time when Church rules controlled decoration even at home.
Roman symposium scene, floor mosaic
Artist Unknown, c.3rd century
When I was learning about the communal eating practices of people around Jesus' time, it helped me better understand one of the gospel's most iconic scenes. At the Last Supper, the beloved disciple eats while leaning on Jesus' chest. This was always a mystery to me. Once I learned of the eating practice known as the symposium, I realized that the Last Supper probably had more relation to this mosaic than it did to da Vinci's painting.