FOOD AND FEASTING, WEST TRADITION (HIST 378)
Term: 2021-2022 Fall Semester
Description
HIST 378. FOOD AND FEASTING IN THE WESTERN TRADITION. An examination of the mystery and wonder of man as the only animal who eats instead of feeds. The course will analyze the dining patterns and habits of the Hebrews, Greeks, Romans, and early Christians. Through the developments in dining brought about by the Industrial Revolution and the global economy, students will learn that mealtimes are more than a mere intersection of meat and drink. On a deeper level, our meals represent the intersection of theology, philosophy, history, and poetry. This amazing interplay reaches its epic fulfillment in the Feast – a special time at which family, congregations, and local communities gather round to celebrate the Abundance and the Divine. Spring semester only, three hours.