40-4


Spirituality of food

J. L. EMPEREUR, Society of Jesuits, San Antonio, TX

This presentation will discuss the spirituality and ethics of eating from the Christian point of view. Questions to be addressed include: (1) what is the purpose of eating from the biblical and theological traditions; (2) what is a contemporary theological understanding of eating (for example, the sacramentality of eating, the meaning of fasting and feasting, the transcendent dimension of human hunger, how is eating a manifestation of human embodiment); (3) what is the meaning of food disorders whether personal or those on a global level; that is, what is the relationship between these disorders, including human hunger, and personal and systemic sin; (4) how can we discover God's redemption in overcoming these disorders; (5) what is the task of the Church in overcoming the limitations in food distribution; and finally, (6) what is the meaning of the Christian Eucharist in the context of human eating?

Session 40, Biotechnology and religion
2:30 PM - 5:30 PM, Monday PM Room 294

2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana