Food and Faith
What does it mean to eat as a Christian? For us, eating is a spiritual act because food is sacred. Both the Old and New Testaments are full of stories and teachings about food. The Eucharist is a key part of our faith, but it's more than a Sunday ritual. For early Christians, bread was broken at every meal. Eating was an expression of their faith. We modern Christians are called to re-establish right relationship with food. To be mindful of where our food comes from, who has been involved, and how its production and distribution fulfills God's vision of justice — or not.
As Wendell Berry reminds us, "Eating is an agricultural act." The very first laws the Israelites were given after they escaped from slavery were related to food, agriculture and faith – to share food evenly, save some for those in need, and not to stockpile or concentrate the control of food into the hands of a few people. Our modern food system is in conflict with our faith.
- Learn about current issues by following the Food and Faith Blog.
- Sign up for Food Justice email alerts.
- Study the Just Eating? Practicing our Faith at the Table curriculum.
- Create a community garden or other faith-based initiative using the Food Sovereignty for All Handbook for guidance.
- Read and share with others in your congregation Food and Faith Practices: Learn, Live, Lead handout.
- Consider becoming a Let’s Move congregation.
- Help end hunger by giving to the Global Food Crisis fund.
Food Movements Unite!
New! PHP’s "Food Movements Unite! Companion Bible Study" accompanies Food Movements Unite! a new book, from Food First, that is full of strategies to transform our food systems. Discussion questions arranged by the themes of head, heart, hands, biblical and transformational provide the basis for adult book study groups to do four- or six-week studies. Download or order Food Movements Unite! for half price.
Visit the FoodFirst website to download a chapter of Food Movements Unite written by Lucas Benitez of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a long time partner of PHP.
Food Movements Unite! Companion Bible Study
Participate in the Churches Week of Action on Food
With almost one billion people facing chronic hunger and food price shocks causing further crisis in vulnerable communities, churches and individuals around the world are asked to set aside one week in October for specific reflection and action on food.
Dedicate October 10–17, 2011 to worship, study, and practical action that promotes change in the way food is grown, sold, distributed and consumed. This year’s resource guide addresses the structural issues and institutions that are at the root of the current food crisis and emphasizes changes we can make individually and collectively.
World Food Day, October 16, falls on a Sunday, which gives Christians an added opportunity to connect food justice with our faith. Also note that October 15 is International Day for Rural Women and October 17 is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Download the resource guide and other materials from the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance.- Set aside the worship service on October 16 to focus on food. Begin to explore the theological connections by reading Food for Life: A Theological Paper.
- Contact Jessica Maudlin to get your World Food Day Placemats for an church dinners/intentional meals
The Presbyterian Hunger Program helps the church look at the intersection of our faith and our food as one way to understand the root causes of hunger and to find ways we can work together to end hunger once and for all. Find out more about what we do.
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Thanks for coming by to check us out! We are sorry that you experienced difficulty with the text color. I'll be sure to pass along your feedback to our web design folks here. We apreciate your feedback.
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This month's Pres. magazine had good articles about food/faith connection; got your website there. Also, for those with lower vision, the gray-blue print on this site is harder to read.