Press Release: NAACP Responds to Coup Attempt
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

NC Council of Churches

Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

  • Voices
  • About
    • Overview
    • Staff
    • Members
    • Covenant Partners
    • Issue Statements
    • Governing Board
  • Programs
    • Ecumenical Immigration Alliance
      • Ideas for Action
      • Sign Our Statement
      • The NC Sanctuary Coalition
      • Immigration Bible Study
      • Contact
    • NC Interfaith Power & Light
      • NCIPL Overview
      • Faith in Action NCIPL
      • NCIPL Articles
      • NCIPL Resources
      • Upcoming Events for NCIPL
      • Contact NCIPL
    • Partners in Health & Wholeness
      • PHW Staff
      • Mini-Grants
      • PHW Collaborative Pledge
      • The Opioid Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
      • PHW Articles
      • FAQs
  • Priorities
    • Racial Justice
    • The Opioid Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
    • Gun Violence Prevention
    • Public Education
    • NC Sanctuary Coalition
    • Farmworkers
    • Legislative Advocacy
    • Christian Unity
    • Peace
    • NC No Torture
  • COVID-19 Resources
  • Events
  • Resources
    • Publications & Reports
    • Raleigh Report
    • Lectionary
    • Sermons
  • Donate
  • Council Store
  • Show Search

Search NC Council of Churches

Hide Search

PHW Book Club Discussion: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Chapter Fourteen

Shannon Axtell Martin, PHW Regional Coordinator · January 2, 2014 · Leave a Comment

Thank you for joining the Partners in Health and Wholeness Book Club. You can officially sign-up here. Through it, we hope to engage people of faith in discussions over why our health matters. Our current choice of reading is “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life” by Barbara Kingsolver. We are posting updates through the PHW Facebook page, but our PHW blog page has the discussion posts in full with responses from staff. Just look for the picture of the apple on top of the books and you will find past Book Club entries.

I have a confession. I love bananas. While I fully support and agree with the importance of local food, bananas remain one of my favorite fruits. Every once in a while I have a moral dilemma at the grocery store when I am trying to pass up the bananas for ethical reasons. I want to support local produce, but on the other hand, these are healthy, fair trade, and organic, so what do I do?

So, this chapter was a healthy challenge for me. I have gone through phases of my life as a vegetarian to resist animal cruelty, but Kingsolver points out, “Should I overlook the suffering victims of hurricanes, famines, and wars brought on this world by profligate fuel consumption? Bananas that cost a rainforest, refrigerator-trucked soy milk, and prewashed spinach shipped two thousand miles in plastic containers do not seem cruelty free in this context. A hundred paths may lighten the world’s suffering. Giving up meat is one path: giving up bananas is another.”  Having purchased all of these items in the name of health (and convenience), I felt very convicted from reading this passage.

The relationship between the food system and our individual choices is so extremely complex. It is hard to fully understand all the implications of these choices. I find it to be overwhelming at times, but there are always small choices that can make a big difference. Kingsolver sums it up nicely by saying, “The more we know about our food system, the more we are called into complex choices. It seems facile the declare one single forbidden fruit, when humans live under so many different kind of trees.”

1.  The choice of what to eat is determined by so many factors, including our income, convictions, neighborhood, traditions, and beliefs. What values inform how you choose what to eat?

2.  Did anything in this chapter challenge, overwhelm, or inspire you?

Partners in Health and Wholeness is an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches. PHW aims to connect health as a faith issue. Please visit our website to sign your personal pledge to be healthier, and to find out about grant opportunities for places of worship in NC.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Environment, Food

Shannon Axtell Martin, PHW Regional Coordinator

About Shannon Axtell Martin, PHW Regional Coordinator

I get so excited about the many aspects of the faith and health, particularly the food and faith, movement. I am honored to be a part of it through the work of PHW. I love travelling, cooking, eating, writing and preaching. I am an aspiring gardener, artist, and half-marathoner. My deepest joys in life involve my 8th and 9th grade girls small group, wonderful family, dear friends, husband Robert and puppy Benny, and the amazing blessing of figuring out this journey of life together.
Learn more about PHW and our efforts to improve the health of God’s people: healthandwholeness.org

Reader Interactions

More Like This

A Win for the People and Planet: Atlantic Coast Pipeline Cancelled!
From Domination to Dominion
Advent Guide: Epiphany Sunday, January 5

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Anonymous comments or comments that target individuals will not be posted (please include your first and last name). All comments must be on topic and respectful. Comments will not be posted until they have been reviewed by a moderator. Comments do not reflect the positions of the NC Council of Churches.

Footer

Contact

NC Council of Churches
27 Horne St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 828-6501
info@ncchurches.org

Facebook

Partners in Health and Wholeness

Featured

PHW Book Club Discussion: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Chapter Fourteen

Latest Tweets

Are you interested in Christian unity, peace, and social justice? Do you know someone who is? Share this post and stay updated on what is coming up this year by signing up for our weekly newsletter! ncchurches.org/email…

About 3 days ago

The 2021 MLK Brochure edition from @democracync features info about voting in local elections this year, advocating for fair & transparent redistricting, and more. Follow the link to get these brochures! docs.google.com/form…

About 3 days ago

RT @NCPolicyWatch The real perpetrators of fraud regarding the 2020 election shar.es/ao4BUi via @NCPolicyWatch #NCPOL #NCGA #ElectionIntegrity #Trump @ncchurches

About 3 days ago

RT @healthandfaith Join us, @ncdhhs, and @ncchurches next Friday for a webinar focused on the COVID-19 Vaccine roll out. We will discuss the process and how faith communities can get involved. Register here: us02web.zoom.us/meet… #MindfulTogether pic.twitter.com/Nm90…

About 3 days ago

"The United States Congress, a week after the nation’s Capitol was overrun by a violent mob while lawmakers were carrying out one of their paramount duties, now faces a paramount challenge.." Read more from this Raleigh Report by Steve Ford. ncchurches.org/2021/…

About 4 days ago

Follow @ncchurches

Latest Tweets

Awesome things to come this year - subscribe and stay in touch! #MindfulTogether twitter.com/ncchurch…

About 3 days ago

So important and needed. You are so loved. twitter.com/NAMINCar…

About 3 days ago

Join us, @ncdhhs, and @ncchurches next Friday for a webinar focused on the COVID-19 Vaccine roll out. We will discuss the process and how faith communities can get involved. Register here: us02web.zoom.us/meet… #MindfulTogether pic.twitter.com/Nm90…

About 4 days ago

Check it out! twitter.com/CityofDu…

About 5 days ago

Don't forget to register for our final Becoming a Trauma-Informed Faith Community webinar next Tuesday. Join this whole-person driven conversation as we support and honor one another's stories and experiences. Register here: ow.ly/xNNI50D3lHp #mentalhealth #MindfulTogether pic.twitter.com/mtZM…

About a week ago

Follow @healthandfaith

Latest Tweets

RT @interfaithpower Join IPL Jan 19 for a free screening of the short film Unbreathable, followed by webinar: The EPA and Clean Air in 2021. Register: bit.ly/unbreathable @episcopalchurch @LungAssociation @faithinplace @alinterfaithpl @iowaipl @NCIPL @VAIPL @NewMexicoIPL @GeorgiaIPL pic.twitter.com/yDlx…

About 3 days ago

RT @CCLTriangle This is the jobs engine the country needs @SenThomTillis @SenatorBurr @GKButterfield @DeborahRossNC: 81% of additional generating capacity in the USA last year was solar, wind or battery. Great news. Please make sure the percentage rises this year! eia.gov/todayinenerg… pic.twitter.com/zarU…

About 5 days ago

RT @interfaithpower Join IPL Jan 19 for a free screening of the short film Unbreathable, followed by webinar: The EPA and Clean Air in 2021. Register: bit.ly/unbreathable @episcopalchurch @LungAssociation @faithinplace @alinterfaithpl @iowaipl @NCIPL @VAIPL @NewMexicoIPL @GeorgiaIPL pic.twitter.com/zSKE…

Last week

RT @noel_johnny Oil & gas corporations, including Chevron and Exxon, have donated a total of $5.4 million to the seven Senators who voted to overturn the presidential election and bolstered a violent, failed attempted coup by pro-Trump extremists. greenpeace.org/usa/n…. #RemoveOrResign

Last week

RT @UniteThePoor Nine moral witnesses with the #PoorPeoplesCampaign were arrested on June 12, 2018 for praying for repentance & justice on the steps of the US Supreme Court. They were taken to jail & held till the following day. #TBT 📷: #HopeInFocus pic.twitter.com/66Zn…

About 2 weeks ago

Follow @ncipl

Latest Tweets

Copyright © 2021 NC Council of Churches · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design · Hosted by WP Engine