Issue 125 Food in Christian History

What's inside

Christian History Timeline: Feasting and Fasting

From the beginning of the church, Christians have both feasted and fasted. This timeline highlights some important moments in each of those journeys, especially ones discussed in this issue.

Jennifer Woodruff Tait

Everyday substances, heavenly gifts

From the beginning, the holiest Christian meal used everyday food

Andrew McGowan

Raise a juice box to the temperance movement

Getting unfermented wine from the vineyard

Jennifer Woodruff Tait

What would Jesus buy?

How nineteenth-century Christians transformed our grocery aisles

Matt Forster

Food, Did you know?

fruitcakes, red eggs, jell-O, Christian fish, and communion machines

Thanks to those who contributed tidbits, including Kristen Roth Allen, Elesha Coffman, Suzanne Estelle-Holmer, Martha Manikas-Fo

Letters to the editor, CH 125

Readers respond to Christian History

Editor's note: Food

If you took food out of your church’s weekly activities, many of those activities would look very different—or they’d simply disappear.

Jennifer Woodruff Tait

Seeking other Edens

God, gardens, and human community

David Grumett

Good food from the good book

A partial primer on biblical foods.

the editor

What should Christians cook?

Faith in the kitchen

Jennifer Trafton

The royal way

Feasting or fasting? the constant Christian tension in the public square

Kathleen Mulhern

Fasting: from the Orthodox front lines

we should consider the spiritual discipline of not eating

Frederica Mathewes-Green

Recipes

recipe suggestions from friends of Christian History

Josh Hale, Barbara J. Hale, Frederica Mathewes-Green, Julie Byrne, Mary Anne Tietjen Byrne, Quita Sauerwein

Eating (and not eating) with the church fathers

Things church fathers said about food

Jennifer Woodruff Tait, compiler

The sacred duty

a Seventh-day Adventist menu

LaVonne Neff

From Cana to Jell-O

Christian fellowship meals: feeding the hungry and each other

Barton E. Price

Food in Christian history: Recommended resources

Here are some recommendations from CH editorial staff and this issue’s authors to help you understand the story of food and faith.

the editors

Welcoming the Stranger

Serving the guest—including with bread 

Carmen Acevedo Butcher
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