Raised on Christian Milk

Download or read book Raised on Christian Milk written by John David Penniman and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2017-06-27 with total page 349 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fascinating new study of the symbolic power of food and its role in forming kinship bonds and religious identity in early Christianity Scholar of religion John Penniman considers the symbolic importance of food in the early Roman world in an engaging and original new study that demonstrates how “eating well” was a pervasive idea that served diverse theories of growth, education, and religious identity. Penniman places early Christian discussion of food in its moral, medical, legal, and social contexts, revealing how nourishment, especially breast milk, was invested with the power to transfer characteristics, improve intellect, and strengthen kinship bonds.