The Religion of Thinness

Michelle Lelwica looks at our culture's devotion to thinness, exploring how we struggle with body image and the cultural messages tied to America's obsession with weight and appearance. She is the author of The Religion of Thinness: Satisfying the Spiritual Hungers behind Women's Obsession with Food and Weight as well as Starving for Salvation: The Spiritual Dimensions of Eating Problems among American Girls and Women. Lelwica studied religion at Harvard Divinity School, where she received her Doctorate of Theology in the area of Religion, Gender, and Culture. She is currently an associate professor in the Religion Department at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. Part of Eating Disorder Awareness Week.