Prior to 312 CE the Eucharist was a subversive act in protest of the exclusionary social, political, and economic stratification of the Roman Empire, and an eschatological statement of solidarity with those oppressed and marginalized by empire. Since the Church was adopted by the empire, it has suffered from a schizophrenic battle of identity between its collusion and its call to radical grace, hospitality, inclusion, and solidarity with those Empire seeks to marginalize. Using Claudio Carvalhaes’ concept of "borderless borders," this paper challenges the Christian Church to consider the broader social, political, and ethical implications of Eucharist. A truly open table should be the hallmark and practice of the Church of Jesus the Christ, who ate with tax collectors and sinners. It should be a practice that guides our lives, individually and collectively, at all of our tables of fellowship, including the ones we still need to build.
