Formative Feasting

I am grateful to all the staff, past and present, of the Memphis Center for Urban and Theological Studies (including you, Catlin!), where I served as a faculty member while conducting the majority of the research and writing for this book. My colleagues’ friendship and engagement has been invaluable, not only academically, but also in envisioning a church that embodies the Deuteronomic tithe-feast and Corinthian eucharist today. I am likewise grateful for my colleagues at Carey Baptist College, whose hospitality from afar has been overwhelming, and whose encouragement (and in Siong Ng’s case, generous library support!) helped get this book across the finish line.

Speaking of libraries, I am grateful to Clint Banz and the library staff of Lancaster Bible College and to Bob Turner and the library staff of Harding School of Theology, who made this research possible. Thanks to Justin Lonas for his friendship and willingness to create the diagrams in Chapter Three, based only on my ugly MS Word versions.

The staff and faculty of Trinity College not only made Trinity a wonderful place to do PhD research, but also contributed significantly to my thinking; on this count, I should mention specifically Justin Stratis, Jamie Davies, David Firth, and, in particular, Jon Coutts, who, in his friendship, interest, and critical engagement, was like a third supervisor for this project. I am also grateful for Alison Walker, Joshua Heavin, Michael Spalione, Bruce Henning, Jeremy Meeks, Michelle Stinson, Andy Stager, and many other current or former students at Trinity who have become friends these last four years; whether arguing in our (virtual) seminars, watching one another’s work develop and contributing where we can, or staying up far too late every night of conference, our friendship has made the journey more joyful and the work far richer.

I cannot imagine a PhD student more blessed in supervision. D. Stephen Long—whose work on theology and economics inspired me long before I started this project—proved to be perfectly equipped to help me get my mind around the immense field of theological ethics and its role in biblical interpretation. In his commitment to scholarship and to the church, Steve has provided a mentor worthy of imitation.

And what I shall I say about Craig Bartholomew? Craig treated me like an old friend years before I became his student; welcomed me into his home; relentlessly encouraged me not only as a researcher, but also as a husband, father, church member, neighbor, and friend; provided feedback and guidance of the most essential kind; and welcomed me into a rich, scholarly community associated with the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology at Cambridge (you know who you are!). Craig has modelled a generosity of spirit in scholarship, a commitment to friendship and the life of the church, and an intoxicating taste for interdisciplinary work that I expect none of his students will ever forget. Nor will I forget the many long, late night chats on streets outside cafes at SBL. May they continue for years to come!

This book, though, is ultimately about formation through practice, about the way that we become who we are through life lived in community. If I have received lavish gifts beyond my deserving in terms of the academic community, I have been equally blessed by my friends outside the academic guild. In particular, I am grateful to the men and women of the Option 105 Winterfest, the annual 4th of the 5th, my South Memphis neighbors, members of our community group there, the staff (past and present) of Advance Memphis, all of those involved with the Chalmers Center, and all of our friends at New City Fellowship-Nairobi and Downtown Church. I am also grateful to those who have pastored me from these marvelous congregations: Richard Rieves, Michael Davis, Chris Davis, Joe Mutuuki, and the late Shafkhat Khan—of whom the world was not worthy.

Nearly last but certainly not least, I owe enormous gratitude and love to my family: to “Aunt Katie,” “Uncle B,” Waverley, and Lenna; to mom and dad in all of their relentless encouragement and support; and to Isaiah, Ames, Nova, and Jubilee for making the sun shine brighter and the sky bluer. But most of all for Rebecca, who is always, endlessly, overwhelmingly better than I could possibly deserve. In you I have not simply found the proverbial “valiant woman;” I have found an irreplaceable friend, an ever-curious conversation partner (even when we’re still talking about practices!), a lover in whom I delight, a co-laborer under the gracious reign of our good king.

Finally and at last, this book is dedicated to Robby Holt: pastor, mentor, scholar, co-worker, and friend. Not because most of my best ideas began with you (which they did!), but because you remain one of my favorite people to work them out with. May we feast often together in the days ahead, and always for the better!