Sacral, charitable, commercial. Food products in the religious culture of post-modern society Cover Image

Sakralne, charytatywne, komercyjne Wyroby spożywcze w kulturze religijnej społeczeństwa ponowoczesnego
Sacral, charitable, commercial. Food products in the religious culture of post-modern society

Author(s): Barbara Pabian
Subject(s): Sociology of Culture, Sociology of Religion
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Keywords: desacralization of food; “holy flavours”; food in religious culture; food aid;

Summary/Abstract: Consumption of food, which apart from biological functions performs also socio-cultural ones, is a source of interesting data about human life, including its symbolic and religious dimension. Some food products still have the status of religious symbols (in Christianity they are, for example, bread and wine). At present, they are also an element of some charity initiatives (e.g. the so-called pilgrim bread, forestry products)—the income obtained from their purchase is used in aid activities. In recent years, a new phenomenon has emerged, which is the result of a trend related to the commercialization of modern reality: in order to ensure a profit from sales, food products with names referring to the religious sphere (e.g. the so-called “god’s fudge”) are introduced into the market. The aim of the author of this article is to discuss the position and importance of food products in the contemporary religious culture in the aspect of the process of transformation.

  • Issue Year: 2018
  • Issue No: 18
  • Page Range: 212-227
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Polish