Religion and Sustainable Agriculture

Distinct practices of eating are at the heart of many of the world's faith traditions—from the Christian Eucharist to Muslim customs of fasting during Ramadan to the vegetarianism and asceticism practiced by some followers of Hinduism and Buddhism. What we eat, how we eat, and whom we eat with can express our core values and religious devotion more clearly than verbal piety.

In this wide-ranging collection, eminent scholars, theologians, activists, and lay farmers illuminate how religious beliefs influence and are influenced by the values and practices of sustainable agriculture. Together, they analyze a multitude of agricultural practices for their contributions to healthy, ethical living and environmental justice. Throughout, the contributors address current critical issues, including global trade agreements, indigenous rights to land and seed, and the effects of postcolonialism on farming and industry. Covering indigenous, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish perspectives, this groundbreaking volume makes a significant contribution to the study of ethics and agriculture.

Introduction
Our Flesh Was Made from Corn
Soils, Spirits, and the Cosmocentric Economy: Recreating Amazonian Dark Earth in Peru
Renewal of Non Western Methods for Sustainable Living
Nature Spirituality, Sustainable Agriculture, and the Nature/Culture Paradox: Permaculture Scene in Lower Puna, Big Island of Hawaii
Hindu Traditions and Peasant Farming in the Himalayan Foothills of Nepal
Dharma for the Earth, Water, and Agriculture: Perspectives from the Swadhyaya
Gandhi's Agrarian Legacy: Practicing Food, Justice, and Sustainability in India
Thailand's Moral Rice Revolution: Cultivating A Collective Ecological Consciousness
The Seven Species and Their Relevance to Sustainable Agriculture in Israel Today
Tending The Garden of Eden: Sacred Jewish Agricultural Traditions
Religion, Local Community, and Sustainable Agriculture
Heideggerian Reflections On Three Mennonite Cookbooks and A Mennonite Farm In Northwest Ohio
Steward or Priest? The Possibilities of a Christian Chicken Farmer
Religion and Agriculture: How Islam Forms the Moral Core of SEKEM's Holistic Development Approach in Egypt
Tohono O'odham Himdag and Agri/Culture
Conclusion