The Theology of Food
Eating and the Eucharist
by Angel F. méndez Montoya
Hardback
Price: £50.00
Publisher:Wiley-Blackwell from Gardners Books
Published:February 2009
ISBN:978-1-405-18967-5
GoodBookStall Review:
The first chapter in this book by Fr. Montoya is devoted to preparing a traditional Mexican dish mole, and then sharing it with his friends. Perhaps an unusual choice for a book on theology and yet totally in keeping with the author’s aim to show the close relationship between food and theological thought, particularly in relation to the Eucharist.
Montoya’s argument is that “theology’s vocation is to become a form of nourishment to people, and in doing so imitate God’s nurturing gesture of sharing”. He emphasises that the human relationship with food is not just a matter of obtaining the energy and nutrients essential for daily life. Rather, it is all about love, security, truth, goodness and, particularly, in the context of a shared meal.
The author discusses the involvement of food and drink in providing a channel of divine communication. Three particular examples of this are: the adverse effects of eating the forbidden fruit in Genesis, the beneficial effects of divine nourishment in the form of manna supplied daily to the people of Israel travelling through the desert and the relationship between food (and drink) and the Eucharist as the ultimate sign of God’s love and self-giving.
Review by Dr Tony South, Emmaus Group leader, Leominster Priory.
Shortlisted for the Michael Ramsey prize for Theological Writing 2011.
Reviewer: Guest reviewer (25/01/11)
The first chapter in this book by Fr. Montoya is devoted to preparing a traditional Mexican dish mole, and then sharing it with his friends. Perhaps an unusual choice for a book on theology and yet totally in keeping with the author’s aim to show the close relationship between food and theological thought, particularly in relation to the Eucharist.
Montoya’s argument is that “theology’s vocation is to become a form of nourishment to people, and in doing so imitate God’s nurturing gesture of sharing”. He emphasises that the human relationship with food is not just a matter of obtaining the energy and nutrients essential for daily life. Rather, it is all about love, security, truth, goodness and, particularly, in the context of a shared meal.
The author discusses the involvement of food and drink in providing a channel of divine communication. Three particular examples of this are: the adverse effects of eating the forbidden fruit in Genesis, the beneficial effects of divine nourishment in the form of manna supplied daily to the people of Israel travelling through the desert and the relationship between food (and drink) and the Eucharist as the ultimate sign of God’s love and self-giving.
Review by Dr Tony South, Emmaus Group leader, Leominster Priory.
Shortlisted for the Michael Ramsey prize for Theological Writing 2011.
Reviewer: Guest reviewer (25/01/11)
