| This dissertation attempts to examine the cultic experience of the paschal mystery in the eucharist in relation to its social ethical implications for living a Christian life in the contemporary world. Christian cult and social ethical life, as two integral dimensions, represent a holistic vision of being a Christian in the world. This is the necessary foundation for developing an authentic eucharistic theology, and the separation between the two makes the cultic celebration of the eucharist irrelevant to the Christian existence in society. The scriptural evidence for this is examined by Leon-Dufour. His examination of the eucharistic texts underscores the presence of the cultic and the testamentary traditions of the eucharist in the Christian scriptures and provides a scriptural foundation for discussing the intrinsic relationship between the cultic celebration of the eucharist and social ethics. However, there is a need to go beyond the establishment of theoretical foundations to the sphere of Christian experience to understand the existential implications of the two traditions of the eucharist for a Christian ethical life in the social sphere. In the process of moving beyond theory, social ethics acts as a necessary medium or bridge between theory and practice, cult and life. With the help of anthropological field work, I initiate a process of theorizing/theologizing on the eucharist that takes into account the existential experience of the link between eucharist and social ethics. This dissertation offers some theoretical clarifications for discussing the intrinsic relationship between eucharist and social ethics (ch. 1), an analysis of the field data on eucharist and social ethics (chs. 2-4), a critical evaluation of the recent statements of the Magisterium regarding liturgy and the social mission of the church (ch. 5), and, an assessment of the theological endeavors to link eucharistic theology and social ethics by Tissa Balasuriya, Rafael Avila, Monika Hellwig, David Power, and Juan Segundo (ch. 6) The concluding chapter summarizes the major findings of the research and specifies some of their implications. |
