In this episode of 'The Biggest Table,' I welcome Reverend Dr. Christopher Carter to discuss the intricate connections between food, identity, and justice. Dr. Carter, an expert in black, womanist, and environmental ethics, shares insights from his upbringing in Michigan, where food insecurity during his childhood shaped his understanding of food's importance. We delve into Dr. Carter’s book, 'The Spirit of Soul Food,' which explores ancestral food traditions and the concept of black veganism. Highlighting the intersectionality of race, food, and non-human animals, Dr. Carter argues for ethical eating practices that honor sacred worth and oppose oppressive systems like factory farming. He emphasizes the importance of context-specific and agent-specific actions in aligning one's diet with ethical and spiritual values. Dr. Carter also calls for systemic changes and personal compassion in the pursuit of justice for both human and non-human communities.
Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter’s research, teaching, and activist interests are in Black, Womanist, and Environmental ethics, with a particular focus on race, food, and nonhuman animals. His publications include “Race, Animals, as a New Vision of the Beloved Community” in Animals and Religion (Routledge, 2024), The Spirit of Soul Food (University of Illinois Press, December 2021), and “Blood in the Soil: The Racial, Racist, and Religious Dimensions of Environmentalism” in The Bloomsbury Handbook on Religion and Nature (Bloomsbury, 2018). In them, he explores the intersectional oppressions experienced by people of color, non-human nature, and animals.
Currently, he is an Associate Professor of Theology, Ecology, and Race at Methodist Theological School in Ohio, Lead Pastor of The Loft at Westwood United Methodist Church, and he is also on the board of directors of Farm Forward, an anti-factory farming non-profit. He is married to Dr. Gabrielle Carter, a small animal veterinary oncologist, and while their son Isaiah is not a doctor of any sort, he definitely believes he is more intelligent than his parents.
Christopher Carter's website
Progressive Christian Podcast on Apple Podcasts
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