Table Conversations: Building Community as We Eat

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Kendall Vanderslice

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Kendall Vanderslice is a baker, writer, and the founder of the Edible Theology Project, an educational nonprofit connecting the Communion table to the kitchen table. She earned her master’s of theological studies from Duke Divinity School and master’s in gastronomy from Boston University. She has committed her life to the study of food and is a professionally trained baker.

Through her work in food studies and theology, Vanderslice explores the ways God uses the table to restore communities and creation. In her most recent book, By Bread Alone: A Baker’s Reflection on Hunger, Longing, and the Goodness of God, she discusses her faith journey, shares recipes, and dives into the role of bread in church history.

In 2018, Vanderslice was named a James Beard Foundation national scholar for her work bridging food and religion. She is the author of Will Feast: Rethinking Dinner, Worship, and the Community of God, and her writing appears in Christanity Today, Christian Century, Faith & Leadership, and Religion News Service.

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The January Series cultivates deep thought and conversations about important issues of the day in order to inspire cultural renewal and make us better global citizens in God's world.

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For over 30 years, the January Series of Calvin University has been one of the leading lecture/cultural arts series in the country. The series has been a three-time recipient of the Silver Bowl Award as the “Best Campus Lecture Series in the U.S.A.” by the International Platform Society. The diversity of presenters and topics has changed as the world of ideas has changed.

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