On June 24, 2021, Come to the Table hosted the sixth session of our 2021 School for Food Justice, Faith, and Storytelling (SFJFS). Faith leaders from across North Carolina participated in this session, which was held virtually and featured Dr. Ellen Davis, the Amos Ragan Kearns Distinguished Professor of Bible and Practical Theology at Duke Divinity School.
The session began with a conversation about the physical and spiritual reality of food, hunger, and agriculture in the Bible. Dr. Davis examined the connections between modern food systems and the oppressive food systems found in scripture, and then led a communal exegesis of Genesis 2:4-24 and John 6:1-15. Dr. Davis answered questions on how faith leaders can integrate an agrarian reading of scripture into the life of the church. After a break, Come to the Table staff member David Allen led participants in a theological exercise around food and faith. Participants connected major Biblical themes with stories of food and drew out ways they could be used for narrative change around hunger.
The 2021 School for Food Justice, Faith, and Storytelling cohort will meet virtually one more time in July of 2021. The final SFJFS session will focus on policy advocacy around food insecurity and creative solutions that churches can undertake in regard to hunger.
Applications are closed for the 2021 SFJFS. Stay tuned for information about future cohorts and join the RAFI-USA email list to learn about upcoming application rounds. If you are interested in learning more about the SFJFS, contact Michelle Osborne at [email protected].