The Sacred Life of Bread: Uncovering the Mystery of an Ordinary Loaf

The pursuit of bread, from the time a single grain is planted in the soil to the moment a baked loaf is broken and consumed, satisfies longings not only physical but spiritual. Nearly all the world’s religions count bread-related proverbs and prayers among their sacred scriptures. In Christian tradition, bread is often referred to as life itself, thanks to its ability to meet the most basic need of all that live: sustaining food.

The life of bread is as ordinary as it is sacred. It offers a path toward understanding the inner workings of the world, ourselves, and the relationship between the two. In these pages Meghan Murphy-Gill explores the world of bread and its rich meanings–from the exuberant joy of the hotdog roll to the inactive time as bread slowly rises. Engaging a bread practice is both spiritual and process focused, and bread invites us to community and communion in ongoing, fulfilling, and profoundly life-giving ways.

The making and breaking of bread are spiritual practices that reveal deep truths as well as pathways toward meaningful relationships with ourselves, our communities, and our environment. The book includes fourteen recipes.