Jun 19, 2009 Comments: 0
Why Christianity Revolves Around a Meal
It’s hard to demonize someone after you share a meal together.
I’ve seen folks on the ideological right paint those on the left as freedom-hating regulators who want to squash freedom and ruin America. I’ve also seen folks on the ideological left stir up fear of right wing bigots who want to take over America and run it according to their narrow moral visions.
Each side is unable to countenance the views of the other, demonizing them as ridiculous, nuts, freedom-hating, bigoted, and non-sensible.
I used to be a pretty strident advocate for the right, but over time I met homosexuals, supporters of abortion, atheists, sundry Democrats, and a host of other sub-groups from the left.
On several occasions I shared meals with these people, and as my own views shifted and developed, I learned a bit more about where they come from. I don’t agree with all that is on the right or left, but now that I know people on both sides, I feel like I can converse freely and understand where people are coming from. This helps me stand up for what I believe without demonizing or writing off those who disagree with my perspective.
When I think about the kind of community that Jesus wanted to create, it’s no mistake that that his final days on earth centered around a meal. Fellowship, prayer, theology, and worship can all be linked in many ways to this meal that Jesus instituted.
Sharing a meal with someone creates a certain degree of common ground. Once you’ve sat with someone for an hour or so, you probably know a little bit about this person’s family, background, and reasons for his/her beliefs.
Several of the courses I took at Biblical Theological Seminary took place over entire days, allowing us time to go out for lunch and dinner together. We didn’t always stick to theology during those meals, but we did manage to forge some pretty powerful bonds that continue to this day. In addition, I found a lot in common with the guys who came from very different theological or ideological backgrounds.
If we’d only debated in class, I would have certainly been inclined to write some of these folks off. However, our meals together forged a greater sense of community and common ground in Christ and in other areas as well. I was better prepared to hear them out and to learn a thing or two from them.
When most Christian theology takes place in classrooms and Sunday School rooms, as well as the contexts of Bible studies, I wonder if we’re missing the crucial component of a community-building meal. I know of many small groups who have adopted a meal-centered format, and have seen it work really well on many occasions.
We need to think a bit more about ways we can make our discussion forms more conducive to fellowship and community—letting our theology grow and develop in the context of meals. If the medium is the message, and Jesus used a meal to teach some of the most important aspects of salvation and theology, then we cannot ignore the ramifications for us today.
