The Role Of Food In Ancient Religion

Improved Essays
Some commentators of the early church assume that it was the food itself which had toxic effect on the consumers when eaten improperly (see e.g. Ignatius of Antioch, Gregory of Nyssa, and Irenaeus of Lyons), and some modern interpreters follow their suggestion.1 However, exactly this type of quasi-magical views about food is refuted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 10.23–33 concerning food sacrificed to idols.2 Paul considers food sacrificed to idols to be nothing extraordinary in itself (8:1–13; 10.19). In his view, the meaning that is attributed to the meal is the problematic part. It is therefore unlikely that Paul held this type of view with regard to food at the Lord’s supper (even though present in other ancient writers). Nevertheless, the implications of a meal is relevant, both in the cases of the Lord’s supper and of food sacrificed to idols (10.14–23). Participation in meals establishes and nourishes relations. “Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?” (10.18). In his account of the Lord’s supper, Paul establishes the view that the Christ-believers, though many, are one bread and one body “for we all partake of that one bread” (10.16). The meal has significant relational implications. Similarly, Chrysostom states that Paul did not care that much about the food as such—Chrysostom himself was also prone to fasting—but on the faulty relations that the misbehavior at the supper established and unveiled.3 …show more content…
Doctrine is irrelevant, or, rather, behavior is doctrine. As Chrysostom puts

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Religion In Ancient Egypt

    • 859 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Since the beginning of time, civilizations have been established due to the geography and climate in a certain area. Civilizations tend to arise in regions that are inhabitable and capable of sustaining life (Nate Sullivan).Whether they were located close to the mountains or the deserts, every little aspect of their surrounding effected them culturally and politically. Hominids, which were two-legged pre-human predecessors were said to be the first humans on earth, however it was not till later on that scientist found records of any kind. After the Neolithic Revolution, humans began to raise livestock and harvest food instead of hunting and gathering. The regions were so suitable that kingdoms were made.…

    • 859 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The official religion of Greece is Greek Orthodox with 98% of the population Greek Orthodox, 1.3% Muslim and 0.7% other. -History of Religion: Greek religion encompassed an aray of Gods such as Zeus (the leader of all Gods), Athena, Apollo, Hermes, Hera, Aphrodite, and Hades. They were all believed to have lived on Mount Olympus. In Greek mythology, literature and art were given to the gods along with human bodies and characters - both good and bad - and just as ordinary men and women, they married, had children, fought, and in the stories of Greek mythology they directly intervened in human affairs. These traditions were first recounted only orally as there was no sacred text in Greek religion and later, attempts were made to put in writing…

    • 174 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Ancient Egypt Thousands of years ago, the ancient Egyptians went about their normal lives. And they, like many people today, had a religion they practiced. But how did their religion play a part in culture? Their Religion……

    • 271 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    There exist many religions currently been embraced in the world with Buddhism, Christianity being the most adopted religions. One thing in common with all the religions is that the societies that embrace tend to embrace the way of life that associated that specific religion. These religions were distinguished by their predecessors in that they were focused on salvation, the idea of purifying one’s soul so that they could be assured of eternal life following death. The spread of these religions during the period of 200 BCE to 900 CE caused a major upheaval in the world, overturning old empires and kingdoms and causing Europeans, Africans, Middle Easterners, and Asians to fundamentally rethink how they viewed themselves and the world. These…

    • 432 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Religion In Ancient Greece

    • 1531 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The Ancient Greeks celebrated religion on a different level than is currently done. The Greeks practiced a civic religion that combined the city, its people, and religion together and insinuated itself into their everyday lives. This was through their system of polytheism, their orthopraxic rituals, democratically elected religious officials, the patron deities of their Polis, and the rites of passage that every citizen went through. Civic religion in ancient Greece was the way that the ancient people practiced religion in their everyday lives.…

    • 1531 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Lottery In the short story "The Lottery" the author, Shirley Jackson, surprises readers with an unexpected turn of events. First time readers can define her description for her setting as insignificant, but after reading it once it brings curiosity on how readers misinterpreted on what seemed normal but were actual symbols and foreshadowing to the tragic outcome. As Jackson uses symbolism throughout her story she captures reader’s attention not only because of the human sacrifice but the story itself reflects present people 's traditions or religions. Traditions have existed throughout the entire human existence by “[transmitting] customs or beliefs from generation to generation.”…

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Archeologists have found Ancient Egyptian calligraphy reading “let me live upon bread and barley of white ale made of grain red”. Bread and beer originated in the early history of mankind and played an essential role in Egyptian civilization. Historians estimate that bread stemmed from the Middle East approximately 10,000 years ago when pre-historic man accidentally hardened porridge after cooking it too long over an open fire. It formed a hard, flat, cracker-like substance. Flat bread became a crucial source of carbohydrates to supplement their diet and encouraged the farming of cereal grains.…

    • 248 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - Utmost Faithful Beliefs As a glimpse into a possible near future, The Chrysalids by John Wyndham provides the reader with a dramatic sci-fi experience in a cruel, merciless world that experienced nuclear devastation. Being a post-atomic society, the citizens are left to pick up the pieces and start over. The little town of Waknuk consists of arrogant, narrow-minded, and paranoid people who believe that every person who does fit the true image of God, is the spawn of the Devil. This prophetic civilization is built upon an extreme form of Christianity, where religious beliefs are taken to extremes, refusing the existence of any changes and differences. This extremity is emphasized through two introductory characters;…

    • 774 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During the Middle Ages, churches had most of the power in society and it established the social classes of society. The three social classes were the noble class (high class), the clergy (middle class), and the labors (lower class). The churches influenced almost everything, the church took care of education, prayers and masses, taking care of people sick or poor. As years passed by reformations were taking place and changes to government, religion, and society were changing which would lead to government (state) shifting away from church.…

    • 759 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Medieval Food

    • 1128 Words
    • 5 Pages

    This essay will focus on food, clothing, and education from the medieval period, explaining how they influenced daily life. The Medieval period was full of hard and strenuous times. Where and how food came about, and who influenced it. Where clothing came from. Who wore what types of clothing.…

    • 1128 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Medieval Food

    • 1392 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Medieval Food and Drink It is ironic that the meal most associated with medieval food is a grand feast, but only a small portion of the population ever has feasts. The general person eats three meals a day but these meals are very dissimilar especially between economic classes. Large differences are evident between the foods and drinks consumed for breakfast, dinner and supper of peasants and that of nobles. The first meal of the day for all classes is breakfast, which is eaten between six and seven in the morning.…

    • 1392 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Religion played a key role in many ancient societies including the Romans and Greeks. The daily lives of the people in these two distinct yet in some ways similar cultures were greatly impacted by their religious beliefs. Both the Greeks and the Romans were polytheistic and had gods or goddesses that controlled many elements. However, the adaptability of the gods and the amount of religious freedom of both cultures varied. In both Greek and Roman society, the gods and goddesses were important and were responsible for the earth, sea, sun, sky as well as various other elements of nature and social life.…

    • 1031 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Diety In Pagan Religion

    • 384 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Believe it or not, it is exceptionally difficult to write a page on “basic beliefs” for pagans. The main reason is because there are such a wide variety of individual beliefs in paganism, and so many different paths, that it is difficult to write a page on specific beliefs. However there are a few certain universal pagan beliefs that I will attempt to cover on this page. As far as diety is concerned, most pagans believe in A Goddess, and a God. Instead of the Christian belief where there is only ONE supreme being and that he is male, pagans choose to believe that everything in nature has a duality…a male and female side, and therefore so should Spirit.…

    • 384 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Patrick Kumba Religion106-03 10/10/2016 The Mesopotamian religion and religious beliefs were mainly influenced by their culture, which believed in rituals and the gods. People believed in different gods and not just one, since each and every aspect of life had its own god. The gods were to be worshipped and if anyone did anything wrong, then it would mean that the gods would be offended. The Mesopotamians also believed in demons which were created by the gods, and they could either be good or evil.…

    • 1474 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Why do groups of people need a religious system in order to form stable cultures and societies? In his address before the Farmington Trust, philosopher Edward Goldsmith argues the importance of religion as a control mechanism for a stable society. He discusses a philosophy in which, “(Religion) provides a goal, whose achievement must ensure the society’s stable relationship with its environment, and a means of achieving this goal, i.e. a ‘hierarchical organisation of instructions or guidelines.’” (Goldsmith) In order to illustrate this organization, provided for by religion, and vital to a stable society, aspects of Ancient Greek culture are highlighted.…

    • 1350 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays