The place and role of food in religious, cultural beliefs and practices is complex and varies among individuals and communities. Rituals, festivals, ceremonies provide unique spaces to understand the complex intersection between food, religion and culture. Until now, not sufficient attempt has been made, at least in the fields of religion, theology and social sciences, to explore the intersectionality of faith and food in more concrete terms, theoretically and methodologically. Exploring the intersections of food and religion, includes the ethics and politics of eating food, selling and consuming food, but also in cultivating, planting, harvesting and distributing food, and in ensuring food security, sustainability for human flourishing. The dynamics of growing faith, and growing food are mutually re-enhancing. In probing the source(s) of food, where it comes from, the ingredients, how it tastes and its ethnic and regional connections, what often comes to mind is its relation to either the cultural or religious context. Therefore, a proper grasp of the role of food and place in religious, cultural practices is expedient in responding to people’s needs from a range of religious, sociocultural communities, but also in realizing global food security, sustainability and human flourishing.
