FARMING BY THE BOOK: Food, Farming, and the Environment in the Bible and in the Qur-an

Abstract

Food, farming, and environmental care are key topics in the study of agricultural sustainability. Agricultural sustainability is holistic in its approach, so religion and ethics need to be considered as aspects of the topic. Religious considerations become especially important when academic and development specialists must communicate with and motivate religious audiences. Thus, development agencies such as the World Bank are now collecting and distributing information about the religious beliefs of potential clients as they relate to food, farming, and the environment. The material provided here offers an in-depth treatment from the perspective of three religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. A comprehensive compilation of passages about food and agriculture is supplemented with brief annotations. Because there are many publications about religion and the environment, only the core scriptures about environmental care are covered here. The passages are taken from the primary religious sources (the Bible and the Qur-an) used by Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities. The goal is to help current and future agricultural development workers understand and communicate in terms that audiences with those religious backgrounds will appreciate.