Leviticus and Numbers

2 USDA or YHWH?

2 USDA or YHWH? Pursuing a Divinely Inspired Diet Joseph Ryan Kelly Old Testament Theology and the Interpreter’s Context Recent work in Old Testament theology has focused attention on the context of the interpreters and the role this plays in orienting and shaping their studies. In a chapter titled “What is a ‘Theology of Genesis’?” in his Theology of the Book of Genesis, Walter Moberly writes, “There is something intrinsically contextual and provisional about theological use of the biblical text. Theology is not a once-for-all exercise in finding right words and/or deeds, but rather a continuing and ever-repeated attempt to articulate what a faithful understanding and use of the biblical text might look like in the changing circumstances of life” (Moberly 2009: 19).1 According to Moberly, the context of the communities of faith in which theology is done is a part of what shapes the kind of work that falls under the rubric of Old Testament theology: “The context of the interpreter becomes significant in a variety of possible ways. The entrance point into working theologically with Genesis need not arise from systematic reading of the biblical text itself, but rather from some issue or challenge within continuing Christian life” (p. 17). John Rogerson concurs: “However hard scholars may strive for objectivity, however hard they may try not to read their own interests and assumptions into the way they organize their work, they will not be able to avoid the fact that they are situated in times and circumstances that inescapably affect and shape what they do” (Rogerson 2010: 10). Rogerson is not greatly concerned about the question of how to organize a theology of the Old Testament—the well-known debate between Walther Eichrodt and Gerhard von Rad notwithstanding—because he understands the interpreter to contextualize the activity.2 He describes his own 23 Theology of the Old Testament as “a scholarly exercise, with Old Testament texts being interrogated and expounded with the help of critical scholarship, but in accordance with an agenda set by one person’s [Rogerson’s] perception of the human condition in today’s world(s)” (p. 11). As a self-described humanist and socialist, Rogerson frequently interacts with like-minded writers to develop his own theological reflection. For Moberly, the contemporary creationismevolution and science-religion debates; the (ab)use of natural resources in a warming world; interfaith dialogue among Jews, Christians, and Muslims; and new-atheist critiques of religious faith—specifically of the God of the Old Testament—are some of the contextual issues and challenges that shape his book’s theological agenda. These two interpreters exemplify one way in which one might approach the task of Old Testament theology, whether of a particular book or of the larger canon.3 In what follows, I intend to adopt a similar posture. Interest in Biblical Food Legislation in Light of Current Ethical Concerns My own interest in the text of Leviticus (and by extension Deuteronomy), specifically the legislation surrounding food, is shaped largely by current ethical issues surrounding industrialized agriculture and foodways in America. I am sympathetic to the notion that food systems provide a center, moral or otherwise, that helps shape the physical and spiritual health of a society (Davis 2009). We live in an age of impressive technological innovation. Industrialized agricultural methods of food production produce an unprecedented volume of food, so much so that “enough food is grown worldwide to provide 4.3 pounds of food per person per day, which would include two and a half pounds of grain, beans, and nuts, a pound of fruits and vegetables, and nearly another pound of meat, milk, and eggs” (Kimbrell 2002: 7). Unfortunately, this does not mean that industrialized agriculture has brought an end to world hunger. As I write this essay, East Africa is experiencing a drought-induced famine that threatens the well being of over 13 million people. Industrialization may produce enough food to feed the global population, but it does not guarantee equitable distribution. The humanitarian aid response thus far has been insufficient, and insurgency continues to exacerbate the crisis in East Africa. According to Kimbrell, the very idea that a surplus of food produced by industrialized agriculture will end world hunger is a misguided notion: “World hunger is not created by lack of food but by poverty and landlessness, which deny people access to food. Industrialized agriculture actually increases hunger 24 | Leviticus and Numbers [18.191.211.66] Project MUSE (2024-04-25...