Christ and Consumerism

Christ and Consumerism
Author: Thorsten Moritz
Publisher: Paternoster Publishing
Total Pages: 202
Release: 2000
Genre: Religion
ISBN:

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Consumerism is not merely a way of life -- it is increasingly recognized as a framework through which people find their identity and sense of belonging in society. Christians are called to be "salt and light" in society. If we are to take this command seriously and be zealous for the reputation of God's character in our day, we must test the "spirit of the age" and analyze the forces and ideologies that shape our culture. If we don't, there is a danger that we will become so accustomed to our consumerist culture that it, rather than the convictions at the heart of what God has called us to be, will shape our lives. Issues regarding consumerism are considered from biblical, ethical, sociological and economic viewpoints and suggestions offered about how Christians can positively respond to the prevailing ethic today.

The Divine Commodity

The Divine Commodity
Author: Skye Jethani
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 182
Release: 2009-05-26
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0310574226

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The challenge facing Christianity today is not a lack of motivation or resources, but a failure of imagination.A growing number of people are disturbed by the values exhibited by the contemporary church. Worship has become entertainment, the church has become a shopping mall, and God has become a consumable product. Many sense that something is wrong, but they cannot imagine an alternative way. The Divine Commodity finally articulates what so many have been feeling and offers hope for the future of a post-consumer Christianity.Through Scripture, history, engaging narrative, and the inspiring art of Vincent van Gogh, The Divine Commodity explores spiritual practices that liberate our imaginations to live as Christ's people in a consumer culture opposed to the values of his kingdom. Each chapter shows how our formation as consumers has distorted an element of our faith. For example, the way churches have become corporations and how branding makes us more focused on image than reality. It then energizes an alternative vision for those seeking a more meaningful faith. Before we can hope to live differently, we must have our minds released from consumerism's grip and captivated once again by Christ.

Brand Jesus

Brand Jesus
Author: Tyler Wigg Stevenson
Publisher: Church Publishing, Inc.
Total Pages: 255
Release: 2007-05
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1596270497

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American evangelical faith has been corrupted by a series of forces at work in Americaconsumerism, the economy, and American politicsand has become idolatrous. Using Pauls letter to the Romans as a starting point, Stevenson reads the letter to todays American church.With provocative discussions of Christian hypocrisy, megachurches, the ways in which Christian ideas are distressingly combined with private property and market-driven economics, the blurring boundaries between law and religion, and other topics, Stevenson offers an analysis of where the American church finds itself, and how that place is quite different from that which Paul wrote of. He seeks to answer the question; in this age of consumerism and politicization of religion, how will the church reject the idolatry of Jesus as brand, and embrace Him as He asked to be?

On Consumer Culture, Identity, The Church and the Rhetorics of Delight

On Consumer Culture, Identity, The Church and the Rhetorics of Delight
Author: Mark Clavier
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Total Pages: 169
Release: 2018-11-29
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1501330926

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The Reading Augustine series presents short, engaging books offering personal readings of St. Augustine of Hippo's contributions to western philosophical, literary, and religious life. Mark Clavier's On Consumer Culture, Identity, The Church and the Rhetorics of Delight draws on Augustine of Hippo to provide a theological explanation for the success of marketing and consumer culture. Augustine's thought, rooted in rhetorical theory, presents a brilliant understanding of the experiences of damnation and salvation that takes seriously the often hidden psychology of human motivation. Clavier examines how Augustine's keen insight into the power of delight over personal notions of freedom and self-identity can be used to shed light on how the constant lure of promised happiness shapes our identities as consumers. From Augustine's perspective, it is only by addressing the sources of delight within consumerism and by rediscovering the wellsprings of God's delight that we can effectively challenge consumer culture. To an age awash with commercial rhetoric, the fifth-century Bishop of Hippo offers a theological rhetoric that is surprisingly contemporary and insightful.

Buying God

Buying God
Author: Eve Poole
Publisher: SCM Press
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2018-08-20
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0334056764

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Uniting theoretical work on theology, capitalism and consumerism with a scheme of detailed practical action, 'Buying God' explores how we can wean ourselves off the material and on to the eternal, through prayer, example, and vibrant social action. Drawing on the Church’s rich traditions of Social Liturgy, 'Buying God' calls on the Christian community to renew its confidence and strength in proclaiming this good news. Uniting theoretical work on theology, capitalism and consumerism with a scheme of detailed practical action, the book explores how we can wean ourselves off the material and on to the eternal, through prayer, example, and vibrant social action.

Christian Minimalism

Christian Minimalism
Author: Becca Ehrlich
Publisher: Church Publishing, Inc.
Total Pages: 161
Release: 2021-05-17
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1640653899

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"Ehrlich’s insightful self-help guide will resonate with Christians wishing to streamline an overstuffed life."—Publishers Weekly Logically, we all know our purpose in life is not wrapped up in accumulating possessions, wealth, power, and prestige—Jesus is very clear about that—but society tells us otherwise. Christian Minimalism attempts to cut through our assumptions and society’s lies about what life should look like and invites readers into a life that Jesus calls us to live: one lived intentionally, free of physical, spiritual, and emotional clutter. Written by a woman who simplified her own life and practices these principles daily, this book gives readers a fresh perspective on how to live out God’s grace for us in new and exciting ways and live out our faith in a way that is deeply satisfying.

Consuming Religion

Consuming Religion
Author: Vincent J. Miller
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 265
Release: 2005-08-18
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1623562384

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Contemporary theology, argues Miller, is silent on what is unquestionably one of the most important cultural issues it faces: consumerism or "consumer culture." While there is no shortage of expressions of concern about the corrosive effects of consumerism from the standpoint of economic justice or environmental ethics, there is a surprising paucity of theoretically sophisticated works on the topic, for consumerism, argues Miller, is not just about behavioral "excesses"; rather, it is a pervasive worldview that affects our construction as persons-what motivates us, how we relate to others, to culture, and to religion. Consuming Religion surveys almost a century of scholarly literature on consumerism and the commodification of culture and charts the ways in which religious belief and practice have been transformed by the dominant consumer culture of the West. It demonstrates the significance of this seismic cultural shift for theological method, doctrine, belief, community, and theological anthropology. Like more popular texts, the book takes a critical stand against the deleterious effects of consumerism. However, its analytical complexity provides the basis for developing more sophisticated tactics for addressing these problems.

Christmas Unwrapped

Christmas Unwrapped
Author: Richard A. Horsley
Publisher: Trinity Press International
Total Pages: 248
Release: 2001-08
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

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Fascinating critique of the American Christmas from the perspectives of cultural studies, theology, & biblical studies.

Sacred Consumption

Sacred Consumption
Author: Peter Mundey
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 163
Release: 2023
Genre: Christianity and culture
ISBN: 1498591620

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This book explores the quasi-religious nature of consumerism and how American Christianity interacts with consumerism. The author uses mixed methods to unpack the nexus between the Christian faith and consumption and how habitual discretionary consumption functions as a pseudo-faith in America.

Jesus Consumer

Jesus Consumer
Author: Michael L. Klassen
Publisher: University Press of America
Total Pages: 123
Release: 2013-12-10
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 076185634X

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Some scholars believe that Jesus’ punitive instructions about possessions and material goods amount to little more than antiquated sayings. By contrast, Jesus Consumer combines modern consumer research with the latest writings on historical Jesus to propose a model for contemporary consumer behavior that pays serious regard to Jesus’ “consumption teachings.” The author argues that Jesus’ consumer teachings possess the greatest potential to help us effect positive change in our personal lives and social relationships. We need to interpret and enact his teachings symbolically, not follow them literally.