Good Food: Grounded Practical Theology

by Jennifer R. Ayres

Everything about food and eating is broken. At the public policy level, legislation has increasingly favored mass-produced products in order to provide the largest amount of food to the greatest number of people at the lowest possible prices--regardless of the consequences. Public policy decisions have created a food system that is constantly political and often hostile and that involves an increasing number of economic stakeholders. Decisions about food production have become removed from the consumers they affect. In Good Food, Ayres chronicles the story of people ignorant of the source of their food, perhaps even the ingredients, and in many cases uninformed about the theological and psychological significance of food shared in community.
Good Food is a practical theology grounded in rich ethnographic research that moves beyond a first world understanding of food and acknowledges the food practices of diverse populations. Because Ayres finds the Christian approach to food lacking, she turns to actual practices of food justice, discovering in the process a rich theology for food. Ayres challenges Christians to participate in communal initiatives that will make a real difference--to support local farmers, start their own gardens, and advocate for fair food policies. Good Food equips readers with the theological and practical tools needed to ensure that which sustains us: food.

Genres: Food

248 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2013

Reviews

[Katie Mangum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great overview!

[Kristen Herbst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Need to reread it to digest it further

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book and although this book is listed as a religious book, it felt more as a sustainability book on the conflict of taking back our food system. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of case studies of people of faith doing great work to do their part in the great food revolution we are experiencing. However, it never takes over the prevailing conversation of food justice, the big ag/political influence on the global marketplace, and how people all over the world, most particularly in North America, are doing their small part to change the food landscape.

I am belaboring the fact that this is not overly religious because this book has so much to offer the general food discussion. I would dislike the secular community to pass this book up because of the department this might be found in the bookstore.

This book is a wealth of information. For those readers, who have read The Omnivore's Dilemma, you will find the developments presented in this book a great addition (and some discouraging) to the premises laid out by Michael Pollan. I found myself wanting to underline many points so I could go back and tweet but I borrowed book. So I will have to get my own to mark-up. Yes, it's that good! Get your own copy to share with others.

[Laura]

Again, skimmed to see if I wanted to buy this as a resource. I'm sure it is a lovely book on food sustainability, but that is not a topic I'm overly interested in. Read one chapter and decided to use my precious little reading time on something more poetic (namely, The Spirit of Food).

[Mike Jorgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding. Thoughtful, practical, hopeful without being naive, and very challenging. It is a timely contribution for a oft-neglected area of Christian interest.