This reflection is dedicated to Chapter 3 in Mission in Acts written by Santos Yao, titled “Dismantling Social Barriers through Table Fellowship.” I found this chapter exceptionally relevant to my faith journey and life experience because of the presence of rigid social and cultural divisions within the present-day community. These divisions are observable on a broader social scale and are at the same time pronounced in the modern Christian community of believers. Throughout the centuries, Christianity has become fragmented and divided due to cultural and geopolitical tensions. Therefore, I have enriched my theological practice and Christian ethics by turning to Yao’s analysis of communal eating practices as a symbol of undivided fellowship and social acceptance.
The central message that Yao aimed to deliver in his discussion of table fellowship is the honorable tradition of klasei tou artou (“breaking of bread”) (Acts 2:42) that distinguished the Christian community. That tradition was created by Jesus, who broke his bread with his apostles and taught the deeply stratified society about the unity of all people. Thus, the table fellowship practice helped the early Christians gain the vital sense of kinship that helped them withstand the turbulent times of prosecution and rejection. I believe that this tradition can also inform the modern social practices with its deeply rooted generosity and equality values, closing the gap between insiders and outsiders, the rich and the poor, the mainstream and the marginalized.
Another aspect on which Yao focused in his analysis of table fellowship is the symbolism of breaking bread as participation in the saving act of God. All Christians know the spiritual value of the communion practice, expressing all Christians’ faith in sharing their meals and the resurrected God. This essential religious component also adds a unifying dimension to the act of communal eating, erasing all social and hierarchical boundaries between people sharing a meal, disclosing the caring philosophy of Christianity. The association of caring with sharing is not occasional in Christianity; it is a deep conviction that all Christians are fellows, contributing to unique support across the Christian community worldwide. Therefore, I think that Yao’s (2004) focus on eating as a social practice and the culture of sharing in Christianity can become a workable solution to the present-day social challenges. By integrating the practice of sharing and fellow support, people can attain a much higher level of spiritual well-being, thriving in a better world devoid of artificial social lines.
The discussion of Yao offers an informative perspective on the concept of “otherness” that plagues modern society in multiple domains. People are divided across the lines of race, ethnicity, skin color, and religion, which isolates groups from each other and creates artificial barriers. As a result, any newcomer feels marginalized and not accepted, pressed to adjust and accommodate for survival. Christianity offers a different path of universal acceptance and fellowship that does not favor any marginalization and removes the concept of “otherness” from human relationships (Yao, 2004). By turning to his native Chinese culture and the significant role of shared eating in the Chinese families, Yao (2004) proposes a unifying tradition spanning various cultures. This observation is inspiring for me and relevant for modern intercultural dialogue that can be shaped around universal spiritual values instead of dividing characteristics.
Based on this reading’s analysis, I believe that a discussion of the deep spiritual significance of food sharing in the Christian religion can become an effective remedy for the present-day global crises. While third-world African and Asian countries suffer from poverty and hunger, their invitation to the global Christian table of social goods and food can transform the world order. Elimination of religious and economic barriers via breaking bread in the best Christian tradition can bring the global community’s misfortunes to an end as it did in ancient times for Jews and Gentiles.
Reference
Yao, S. (2004). Dismantling social barriers through table fellowship. In R. L. Gallagher & P. Hertig (Eds.), Mission in acts: Ancient narratives in contemporary context (pp. 29-36). Orbis Books.