Much more than our token of unity, Eucharist is our vehicle to unity.
See this conversation at Mike Morrell’s Zoecarnate.
Discussion continues here:
If folks are properly disposed, as I see it, celebrations of sacraments really can effect precisely what they bring to mind. At the same time, only a rank clericalism would deny that, quite often, we are celebrating sacred realities that have already been effected outside of our sacerdotal systems. For example, we recognize that authentic marriages and reconciliations can be realized without being officially witnessed. The same could be argued for Eucharist, broadly conceived.
The Eucharist celebrates covenant, memorial, thanksgiving, meal & presence. Presence is broadly conceived as Christ represented in the people gathered, the Word shared, the minister presiding and in the partaking of the sacred species.
It seems to me that, if a closed table approach were a dogma or doctrine grounded in either Scripture or Tradition vis a vis Eucharist, that, in order to be wholly consistent, others would have to be denied not just the sacred species but would have to be denied the Presence of Christ by avoiding their own 1) presence at the meal 2) presence with the presider 3) presence during the breaking open of the Word 4) presence among the people gathered 5) presence at the memorial commemoration 6) presence during the covenant’s recalling and 7) presence sharing in thanksgiving. This isn’t grounded in dogma or doctrine but in a reformable discipline, just like women’s ordination and celibacy and the rationale is incoherent.
There is a reason why, in interreligious dialogue, we begin at the level of practice and experiences before advancing to dogma. There is a reason why, more and more, we are turning to liturgical catechesis. The reason is that human beings learn more through storytelling and participation via our shared social imaginary than we do through rational cognition and propositions via shared formulations. Jesus didn’t say “Take, repeat after me,” but said, rather, “Take, eat.” The unity will then ensue.
The thrust of my argument, then, is that the celebration of the whole Eucharist, as broadly conceived, will precisely effect the unity that it brings to mind. That participatory reality is its foremost purpose and utmost efficacy, far more important than symbolizing complete cognitive agreement or assent to doctrinal propositions by all who are assembled. More plainly put, the Eucharist should be our vehicle to unity, not our token of unity.
