Good Friends, Good Food, and Good Conversation Over a Bottle of Wine: On How Not to Be Transgressive

Yesterday I mentioned that Jesus' practice of table fellowship was transgressive. The list of dinner guests at Jesus' table offends our emotional sensibilities. We find his table offensive.

I made that observation regarding the transgressive nature of Jesus' practice of table fellowship to set up this point.

A lot of people who have walked away from organized Christianity like to describe the "church" as good friends, good food, and good conversation over a bottle of wine.

Delightful conversation, beautiful food, candles on the table, clinking wine glasses. The Eucharist, for these people, is an Instagram-worthy dinner party.

And it's a classic example of how not to be like Jesus.

First of all, the "good friends, good food, and good conversation over a bottle of wine" model of church and Eucharist smacks of so much economic and educational privilege that I feel embarrassed for people who say things like this. The "good friends, good food, and good conversation over a bottle of wine" model of church is so self-absorbed and self-indulgent that it makes me cringe.

Where are the poor and homeless at your Pottery Barn-worthy table? Show me that, and your dinner might start looking more like the table Jesus envisioned.

Where are the awkward dinner guests, the zealots breaking bread with tax collectors? Is there a Trump supporter or a Black Lives Matter activist at your table? Show me that, and your dinner might start looking more like the table Jesus envisioned.

When I describe Jesus' table as transgressive, this is what I'm talking about.

I enjoy good friends, good conversation and a bottle of wine. But I'd never, ever describe that as "church." It's too self-indulgent. And not transgressive enough to get Jesus' attention.

This entry was posted by Richard Beck. Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply