A well-rounded theology of eating is as important as a well-rounded diet, according to a 2015 study conducted by the University of Western Sydney.
Eating is a necessary aspect of life. Humans cannot live without eating enough food to fuel their bodies daily. Yet according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 28.8 million Americans struggle with an eating disorder at some point during their life. As a result, 10,200 Americans die each year.
Researchers at the University of Western Sydney disocovered a link between religiosity, spirituality, disordered eating and body image concerns. They found participants with “strong and internalized religious beliefs” coupled with a “secure and satisfying relationship with God” were less likely to experience disordered eating. In contrast, participants with a “superficial faith” and a “doubtful and anxious relationship with God” often exhibited higher levels of disordered eating, mental illness and body image concerns.
“When a person believes their body has sacred qualities and is a manifestation of God, they are likely to value it more highly.”
For example, the Australian researchers found when a person believes their body has sacred qualities and is a manifestation of God, they are likely to value it more highly. Religious practices such as prayer or reading body-affirming religious texts also generate a positive impact on body image, and participants who engaged in these practices tended to have a more secure relationship with God.
In contrast, researchers found those whose faith was superficial — meaning they pursued religion for social reasons — were more likely to experience disordered eating because their beliefs were only loosely held and were only held to serve the interests of others around them. Additionally, participants who exhibited religious worry, angst or negative coping strategies, such as “the belief in a punishing God” were more likely to have an anxious relationship with God.
Thus, researchers determined theologies that value the body as a creation of God, coupled with church environments that actively discuss the body, foster a positive relationship with eating and body images. Incorporating these two things into religious practice makes believers feel safe in their relationships with God, protecting them from feelings of unworthiness and low self-esteem or societal pressures that may contribute to disordered eating.
On other hand, theologies that value social standards, coupled with church environments that scandalize the body with pressure and make honest conversations about the body taboo, foster negative relationships with eating and body images. Believers in these environments are anxious about their relationships with God. Religious practices that emphasize what a “real” believer should look like isolate those who struggle to belong, leaving them vulnerable to — and often alone to wrestle with — the feelings and pressures that contribute to disordered eating.
‘Food and faith’
For years, Christians have had much to say about what it means to eat in ways that glorify God.
Many Christians are familiar with the Daniel Fast, a 21-day diet limiting food intake to fruits, vegetables and whole grains in emulation of Daniel’s refusal to eat Nebuchadnezzar’s unclean foods while in captivity. This fast is sometimes practiced by Christians for the dual purpose of becoming closer to God while also reshaping eating habits, so by the end of the fast they are both spiritually and physically motivated to eat healthier.
Other Christians view overeating as a sin, sometimes categorizing overeating as idolatry. Still others believe eating, if done without a heart for worship, is like committing the sin of gluttony, and that indulging in food just because you want a snack is wrong.
While these beliefs may have some theological traction, there are consequences to thinking this way. As creatures made in the image of God, we have a duty to seek out opportunities for worship and spiritual growth in our everyday lives that are not dependent on a theology of eating.
“When we assign strict moral values to eating habits, … we create the kind of religious trauma that feeds anorexia.”
Eating can be a wonderful time for spiritual reflection. However, when we assign strict moral values to eating habits, our theological orientation quickly becomes anxious and we create the kind of religious trauma that feeds anorexia.
This anxiety creates fear that every food choice might be wrong — and thus punishable by God as a sin. Sure, it is important to consider how to care for the bodies God has placed us in, but for some, it can be emotionally draining and spiritually intimidating to consider the sin that might be found in every bite of dinner. This pressure to avoid “sin” may lead believers to avoid food altogether or engage in other disordered eating habits.
As the church considers these issues further, so are theologians. “Food and faith” is a growing theological landscape with scholars like Norman Wirzba, who offers a theological perspective on food production and consumption. In his book Food and Faith: A Theology of Eating, he discusses sacrament, hospitality, death, prayer and the afterlife in terms of eating.
These conversations about food and faith are also extending outside the church. A 2023 NetVUE regional gathering titled “Food and Vocation” will be held at Wingate University, as scholars, professionals and curious students enter into discussions about sustainability, food systems and how food is tied to community and identity.
As this scholarship becomes more popular, the ways in which religious people think about eating have a deep impact on mental and physical health are becoming clearer. Having a positive relationship with eating, the body and God is hard to do, but if religious communities start thinking and talking about food in more helpful and productive ways, believers will see the impacts.
Helpful views on eating
In identifying whether you and your church’s view on eating is helpful or harmful, consider the ways food is talked about during religious services or small groups. And consider how you make decisions on what you eat, why, and how you feel after making these decisions.
- A church that has a helpful view on eating might spend ample time discussing the practice of Communion during Sunday service, explaining the value and importance of partaking in this sacred ritual of eating and drinking. In contrast, Christians and churches that embrace harmful views on eating might practice Communion without discussing its meaning; although believers may feel satisfied that they partook in the meal they are “supposed” to, they may leave not truly understanding why.
- A pastor could give a sermon on how the bodies of all people are made in the image of God and are worthy of God’s love and of physical nourishment — no matter what they look like or have been through. Such sermons could discuss with respect and care the bodies present in Scripture.
- Small groups could engage in honest discussions about eating and faith. If groups practice fasting, they might precede the fast with a conversation about why it is spiritually beneficial and the importance of listening to and caring for the body while depriving it of nutrients for a short time. Research shows when small groups focus only on fasting or diet programs or exercise plans, those messages lead to disordered eating.
- While sitting down to eat, consider the animals and plants that were sacrificed to make up your plate. Perhaps pray a prayer of thanks for the farmers, truck drivers or grocery store workers who helped supply this food or thank God that you even have food. When done eating, express gratitude for the opportunity to share a meal with family or friends or reflect on the solitude of eating alone.
Mallory Challis
Mallory Challis is a senior at Wingate University and currently serves as BNG’s Clemons Fellow.
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