Faith and Food The spiritual act of breaking bread – communion – is among the holiest of acts for a Christian. Bread and wine, representative of the body and blood of Jesus are not coincidental symbols. Of all of the symbols Jesus could have chosen to represent the sacrifices he made, he chose those things that are central to our lives – that we quite literally depend upon for our own survival. Eating is common to all people - an act, Jesus knew, to which all people can relate. Now, as our sustenance has become dependent upon far flung food producers, it has become too easy to dissociate the act of eating from the act of food production. Eating should be an act through which we not only feel a spiritual connection to Jesus, but also a palpable physical, mental and emotional connection to all of God’s creation and God’s people that contribute to producing our daily bread. Supermarkets have made it easy to take our food for granted, and forget the broad influence of food choices on natural and human communities. Eating is the consummate whole experience. It is an act of survival, an act of pleasure, an act of sharing and community, and an act of spiritual renewal. How and what we eat is a reflection of our values and priorities. Eating is a moral act. And food choices are moral decisions. Most produce in the United States is picked 4 to 7 days before being placed on the shelves of supermarkets and is shipped an average of 1500 miles. Typical Americans don’t know where their food comes from, how it is grown, or who grows it. As people of faith, it is important to know these things because modern agricultural practices can, as Wendell Berry says, be a desecration of God’s creation. United States farm policy has not progressed to encourage what we know about good stewardship of agricultural land and to ensure fair treatment of small farmers and agricultural workers. As people of faith we are called to demand a food system that honors the sacrament of eating and the holy act of bringing forth food. Farm policy in the United States is extraordinarily complex, and when it comes to issues surrounding agriculture it’s difficult to separate one from another. Worker justice becomes environmental justice becomes environmental integrity becomes nutrition becomes access to healthy foods becomes world hunger. It can be overwhelming! Luckily, for a person of faith, it is easy to simplify – Do no harm to God’s glorious creation! From this foundation, follows the tenets of a faith-driven food ethic: Honor the goodness creation Demand justice for producers Provide access to healthy food to all of God’s children Read Mike Schut's essay, "Food As Sacramental"