Van Eck, ErnestMashinini, Meshack Mandla2016-11-072016-11-072016-08-23Van Eck, E. & Mashinini, M.M., 2016, ‘The parables of Jesus as critique on food security systems for vulnerable households in urban townships’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 72(3), a3252. http://dx.DOI. org/ 10.4102/hts.v72i3.3252.0259-9422 (print)2072-8050 (online)10.4102/hts.v72i3.3252http://hdl.handle.net/2263/57711This research is part of the project, ‘Socio-Cultural Readings’, directed by Prof. Dr Ernest van Eck, Department of New Testament Studies, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria.This article represents a reworked version of aspects from the PhD dissertation of Meshack Mandla Mashinini, titled The parables of Jesus as critique on food security systems for vulnerable households in urban townships, in the Department of New Testament Studies, University of Pretoria, with Prof. Dr Ernest van Eck as supervisor.A recent empirical study on food shortage in South African urban townships indicates that food shortage embodies multi-faceted aspects with broader social implications, such as the sense of personal dignity, the ability to openly associate with others and a loss of self-identity. It is argued that the parables of Jesus, when read as symbols of social transformation, provide a critique on food insecurity systems in urban townships. It is proposed that the parables of Jesus serve as the conduits for a societal and perhaps ecclesial reorientation with regard to the conditions of hunger, in the light of the vision and values of the kingdom of God.en© 2016. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.Kingdom of GodSouth African urban townshipsParables of JesusFood insecurity systemsTheology articles SDG-01SDG-01: No povertyTheology articles SDG-02SDG-02: Zero hungerTheology articles SDG-03SDG-03: Good health and well-beingTheology articles SDG-10SDG-10: Reduced inequalitiesTheology articles SDG-16SDG-16: Peace, justice and strong institutionsArticle