Formative Feasting

The Reverend Dr. Michael J. Rhodes (PhD, University of Aberdeen/Trinity College Bristol) is a Lecturer in Old Testament at Carey Baptist College and the co-author of Practicing the King’s Economy: Honoring Jesus in How We Work, Earn, Spend, Save, and Give (2018).

Introduction – Constructing a Theory of Formative Practices – Sources for a Theory of Formative Practices: Virtue Ethics – Sources for a Theory of Formative Practices: Ritual and Liturgical Ethics – Formative Practices in the Context of Holistic Ecclesial Formation: A Constructive Account – Formative Practices, Holistic Ecclesial Formation, and the Deuteronomic Tithe Meal – Feasting for Fear of the Lord: Eating the Tithe and Acquiring Virtue in Deuteronomy 14:22– 29 – Feasting for Fear of the Lord: Eating the Tithe and Acquiring Virtue in Deuteronomy 14:22– 29 – Formative Practices, Holistic Ecclesial Formation, and the Lord’s Supper in Corinth – Approaching the Meal: Morally Formative Practices . . . In Paul? – Forward Unto Virtue: The Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:17– 34 as a Formative Practice– Conclusion – Bibliography – Index – Scripture Index.

“A hermeneutic of virtue formation is fresh and much needed in biblical interpretation. It is also demanding. With flair, depth and range Michael demonstrates the fecundity of such an approach to the Bible, with a focus on feasting in both the Old Testament and the New. This work is a major scholarly achievement and will also be of great service to the church. My hope is that Michael’s work will call forth further research in this area.”
—Rev Dr Craig G Bartholomew, Director, the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology in Cambridge

“Rhodes accomplishes a rare feat: He brings together recent analyses of Hebrew Bible and New Testament passages with theological ethics and formation. As a result, the book offers an exciting, cross-disciplinary conversation that will bear fruit for biblical scholars, theologians, and pastors. And all this in a discussion on food!”
—Dr. Peter Altmann, Postdoctoral Researcher in Hebrew Bible, University of Zurich

“Michael Rhodes’s compelling study is a veritable feast of integrative analysis. Rhodes superbly captures the character-formative power of the Deuteronomic tithe-meal and the Lord’s Supper as prescribed by Paul. In so doing, Rhodes brings together virtue ethics, ritual studies, and socio-economic analysis, all for a theological purpose: to model beloved community.”
—Dr. William P. Brown, William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary

“This is a truly remarkable book that weaves together an illuminating examination of key biblical texts with a profound analysis of the significance of practices in the formation of individual character and social virtues. Michael Rhodes here offers a brilliant exemplar of theological interpretation of Scripture, which at the same time makes a powerful case for the importance of (eucharistic) meals in ecclesial formation and social engagement.”
—John M.G. Barclay, Lightfoot Professor of Divinity, Durham University