Some observations...
Many of the great religions have eating together, meals and feasts as a
central ritual.
There are also food taboos and boundaries to commensalaity (eating together)
in most of them.. Big issue for Jesus who dined with "publicans and sinners"
and for the early Christian church and kosher food.
If sharing food isn't the key to serious membership and belonging in any
group what is?
In post / high modernity in the West individualism, fragmented lifestyles
make sharing a table less common. Many families no longer have a dining room
or table to sit around.
In the multiracial church where I belong the high points of solidarity and
fellowship are usually arround multi-ethnic meals. But giving out free food
in the church front yard would be tricky as an evangelistic device. Across
the Road is Macdonalds who no doubt would complain about unfair competition.
And next door to that is a mosque, so to reach that population we would
probably need to give out halal burgers!
Incidentally the church is also involved in a nigh shelter for the homeless
project where free food is cooked and given out to over thirty overnight
guests who have no where else to stay.. Legitimised largely by Matthew ch 25
rather than gospel fishing texts.. Probably not very rational, but then
faith in rational choice theory seems not very rational to some of us.
Greg Smith (Research Consultant)
Aston CIU, Mayflower Centre
London E16 1LZ
tel 0207 474 2255
web site http://www.astoncharities.org.uk/research
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