Eat with Joy: Redeeming God's Gift of Food Paperback – February 1, 2013

Reading Rachel Marie Stone's wonderful book about eating that is joyful, generous, communal, restorative, sustainable, creative and redemptive is a perfect entrée into the spring and summer harvests. Stone does a beautiful job of setting the table theologically for the idea that food is more than fuel. She takes her cues from the creation and salvation narratives, which portray God as the gracious host of creation. "[In the garden of Eden], we eat because God, having prepared for and welcomed us as honored guests, loves to feed us." In the New Testament, of course, Christians have a meal, which Jesus commends as a way to remember him, and we're looking forward to a feast, which he will prepare for us as the wedding supper of the Lamb. Everything in the book flows from this idea that God welcomes us, feeds us, and hosts us.Stone's book is more than theoretical, however. It is filled with beautiful stories (my particular favorite is how Rachel took steak to 91-year-old Jack every Saturday night in the nursing home!) and practical advice for how to get started in the practice of joyful eating. There are prayers at the end of every chapter as well as delicious recipes. And for those of us generally overwhelmed with the thought of one more responsibility, Stone's book is more delight than duty. You won't find the book heavy on condemnation for eating food that is processed or trucked in from Argentina. In fact, the spirit of the project and the tone of the book is gracious; I find Stone willingly grants a lot of room for our humanity. We don't get things all right all the time, nor is any of us really capable of overhauling all of our habits today."Don't despise the small but significant act," says Stone, quoting from N.T. Wright, and that's just the kind of invitation I think galvanizes courage for change.

Much controversy and public concern today involves food — food safety, nutrition, pesticides, GMOs, world hunger, economics, obesity and eating disorders, government programs, etc. Stone addresses these in context, but her basic premise is that God intended for us to delight in our food. In seven chapters, she explores this premise from seven angles that are necessarily intertwined: joyful, generous, communal, restorative, sustainable, creative, and redemptive eating. Each chapter ends with mealtime prayers, recipes, and ideas for action. This is a biblically oriented study of the gift of food from material, spiritual, social and personal aspects. It includes a group discussion guide, suggestions for additional reading, and copious endnotes substantiating Stone’s extensive research. I like what reviewer Jana Riess says: “In a fresh and engaging voice, Rachel Marie Stone reminds us that when we savor delicious, nourishing food, we are actually tasting God.”

This book is a true gem. While many others have dealt with the various topics addressed here, no one that I know of has ever pulled them all together like this. At last, in our crazed culture of junk food, fad diets and other excesses, comes a sweet and sensible voice of reason! It's Christian without being preachy, and both nutritionally and socially conscious without being screechy.By way of style it strikes a delicious-- after all, it is a book about food!-- balance of being thoughtful yet personable. It's clearly very well-researched, but remains consistently accessible. Overall it reads like a good conversation with a warm, wise and well-read friend. It's fresh, honest and thoughtful.There is much gracious wisdom here, served up with wit and winsomeness. I highly recommend it!

Rachel Marie Stone's _Eat With Joy_ was a real delight for me because it brought together two of my favorite topics: food and pilgrimage. The introduction by Norman Wirzba reminds us of two important things as a backdrop for what will follow. First, that one of our most important words—companion—comes from Latin and refers to one we eat bread with. Second, that being conflicted about food and everything related to it is nothing new: Jesus himself points out that, among other things, he is criticized not only for the way he eats and drinks, but the companions he chooses to eat and drink with!Rachel Marie Stone sets her own stage with an aptly titled introduction, “Conflicted Eating: Our Complicated Relationship to Food.” Throughout the book she explores that complicated relationship in a number of ways. Part of the book is autobiographical and concerns what it was like growing up female in the United States and how her relationship to food changed from late childhood into adulthood. Parts of the book delve into history, sociology, psychology, agriculture, and ecology. She also gives us reflections on scripture and excerpts from both the Old and New Testaments, and recipes too! Along the way she brings in writers, including Wendell Berry and Anne Lamott; movies like “Babette's Feast; and critiques of food culture in the United States as old as Sinclair Lewis' landmark book _The Jungle_ and recent documentaries like “Fast Food Nation” and “Food, Inc.” There's more, but you have to read to book, as I did, to enjoy how she connects so many things so well. But I will let on that she writes from Africa, teaches writing in the same seminary where her husband teaches theology, and that they have two young sons.Each of the seven chapters has a two-word title, the second of which is, not surprisingly, “eating.” They are, in order: joyful, generous, communal, restorative, sustainable, creative, and redemptive. She does an amazing job of taking a topic that is so stressful for so many and showing that it doesn't have to be. With style and grace she shows how eating is at the same time about us as individuals but also about each of us in relationship with everyone from our family and friends outward to the entire world and even ultimately with God.I really appreciate the effort put into making the Kindle edition an amazing value. It includes a “For Further Reading” list; a group discussion guide with questions for each chapter; endnotes; and indices for name and subject entries, recipes, and scripture quotes. This is good work.This is one of those rare books that I think really is for just about everyone. I look forward to her next book. But in the meantime, I have her blog bookmarked and visit it often. I encourage others to do the same.