A praxis of Grace, Desire and Resistance: Methodology for a Eucharistic Diaconia

This chapter starts from the assumption that Diaconia situates itself at the heart of the ministry of the Church. Diaconia has been connected to the Eucharist in many ecumenical documents and by several scholars. How can we develop a Eucharistic-Diaconal methodology by looking closely at this relation, to support the daily ministry of the church?
In this paper I propose an ongoing diaconal hermeneutic circle, flowing from the Table of the Lord into the city and back. The question is: what are key moments in this Eucharistic Diaconal flow, and which are steps to take?
Every hermeneutical circle is always related to a specific context. I will therefore situate my research in an urban context in Western Europe. After introducing the context, I will explore the relationship between the Table of the Lord and Diaconia by discussing key aspects of the celebration of the Eucharist (Epiclesis, Anamnesis, Eschaton and Koinonia), which I take from a reformed understanding of the Eucharist. From there, I will develop a Eucharistic Diaconal methodology in several repetitive steps (commit, expose, relate, engage, reflect, celebrate), which will specify the flow of the Eucharistic Diaconal circle.