Abstract
This paper explores the relationship between men and food. Building on James E. Dittes’s work, it suggests that men’s desire for food is indicative not only of their hunger, but also of an unquenchable sense of hope and a longing for significant relationships. Based on the insights of several biblical scholars and pastoral theologians, this paper also suggests that a greater understanding of how and why men eat can contribute to a more pertinent pastoral ministry with men.
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Notes
The relationship between men and food has not been sufficiently explored in pastoral theology. Within the wider field of religious studies, however, there seems to be an increasing interest in food studies. The American Academy of Religion, for example, has recently included several program units on food: a seminar entitled Religion, Food, and Eating in North America (2008–2012), a Religion and Food Group (2014), and a group that explores the intersection between religion, food, and migration (2014).
Biblical citations in this paper come from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).
Neel and Pugh (2012) suggest that Jesus and his disciples ate tilapia that morning (pp. 217–218). See also their “Menu for a Picnic on the Beach” (p. 222).
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Acknowledgments
I would like to thank Donald Capps and Robert Dykstra for their ongoing support and for introducing me to the work of James Dittes. I also want to thank Mexican theologian Eliseo Pérez Álvarez, who first introduced me to Jesus’ radical commensality. Finally, I want to thank my mother, Guadalupe Mejía Herrera, who has been not only my primary nourisher but my teacher in learning to savor life.
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Arjona-Mejia, R. Hoagies and Tacos: Food and Men’s Unquenchable Hunger. Pastoral Psychol 64, 297–310 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-014-0605-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-014-0605-5