Viewing Faith Through the Lens of Consumerism
For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. – 1 Corinthians 13:1
This verse has always intrigued me. As someone who has a desire to know God, this verse is a constant reminder that, until the day I reach heaven, that knowledge will be filtered by my experiences, my culture, and my worldview. As I read the book Consuming Religion by Vincent J. Miller, I was struck by a thought… “how much of my understanding of God, Christ, the Church, and Christian living is influenced by the fact that I was raised in a consumer-driven society?” Miller’s 2003 work clearly identifies the subject matter of the book in the first sentence: “This book is concerned with the ways which consumer culture transforms religious belief and practice” (p. 15). This book does a thorough job of summarizing both historical and contemporary issues related to consumerism and faith (especially Catholicism). The discussion of the way that the Industrial revolution changed our society was fascinating. With the rise of factories, productivity went up exponentially. I really enjoyed the discussion of how the rise of single family dwellings changed the American psyche (p. 70). In an agrarian culture, large extended families live together, work together, raise children together, and work together. For example, my mother was one of fourteen children, born on a farm in East Tennessee in 1941. Being child number 13, she was raised by her adult siblings and did not have much of a relationship with her parents. For a farming family, children were an asset. All of them worked hard every day. In today’s world, having 14 children would not be viewed as a good financial decision. Expendable income, combined more leisure time and better print media, let to the rise of a flurry of advertising in the early twentieth century. Advertising consumables went from a stoic description in a newspaper to a full-page advertisement that blended the product with a feeling or experience. As Miller puts it “Advertising has shifted from arguing for the usefulness of products to associating them with unrelated values and desires” (p. 189). An example is the Philip Morris advertisement below, the image of a loving mother is sweet and conveys wholesomeness and love. The visual sells a good feeling, then attaching a random product to that feeling.As I was traveling back from the London Advance, I viewed a documentary on the airplane about “Generation X”. As I watched, I learned that my generation was the most advertised generation in human history. The program explained that the rise latchkey kids, combined with afterschool programs marketed incessantly to young viewers, created a generation of consumers. Interesting enough, this documentary proposed that Generation X is a generation of skeptics. Incessant advertising combined with the Watergate scandal, the unsavory end of the Vietnam War, and later scandals with television preachers, formed a generation that constantly asked: “What are you trying to sell me?” As I think back on this documentary, I can see how consumer culture can shape the way we see church. The term "church shopper" has crept into our modern vocabulary as church leaders seek ways to attract and keep church members. Consuming Religion examines the ways that religion has been commoditized. An examination of a hyper-individualism of faith is characterized as “where each person is isolated in her or his own vague, personal creed, lacking resourced to relate his or her individual concerns to broader commodities” (p. 89). In the end, Miller concludes that “when consumption becomes the dominant cultural practice, belief is systematically misdirected from the traditional religious practices into consumption” (p.225). This book challenged me to take a deep look into my personal spiritual journey, with the realization that my generation was programmed to view everything, including faith, with the eyes of a consumer.
Miller, Vincent Jude. Consuming religion: Christian faith and practice in a consumer culture. New York: Continuum, 2004.
About the Author
Stu Cocanougher
9 responses to “Viewing Faith Through the Lens of Consumerism”
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Yes Stu, I really enjoyed the single family section as well. It struck me how this is probably more unique to the American culture as we passionately value our independence and freedom. Extended family living with you cramps both. I can’t help but think though there must be less conflict with single family homes since the top conflict topics are: sex, money, and in-laws. Having your in-laws or extended family members living in their own homes could provide for more peace. Might be a valuable, un-noted outcome to single family homes.
This book also challenged and stimulated much contemplation and spiritual pondering for me as well. I thought it was well-written, easy to read and comprehend, which helps in the reflective process when you don’t have to work so hard at digesting it. Thanks for sharing!
PS I love your picture! So funny!!
Very good summary post Stu – and Atari! I remember it well.
I liked Miller’s antidotes to this as well – the need for genuine local community, embedded practices and disciplines, the honouring of tradition etc.
We just had a new church plant in our town from one of the very popular Christian “brands” – and a number of (younger) people are switching churches faster than you can say “McChurch!”
Maybe we need to go back to Benedict’s vow of stability!
Great post, Stu! It is kinda nostalgic. I’m old enough to remember families living together. A bunch of us lived with grandma and grandpa in Louisiana.
But can we go back to that? Do we want to go back to that?
We lived with grandparents because my dad was trying to finish college. My aunt and cousins were there because my uncle ran off and left them high and dry. We all saw that as what we needed to do, not what we would choose if we had the financial means.
I’m not saying I know what the answer is but I agree with Jen, single family homes do make for more peace. I don’t know how we can get back to “the good old days”. Do you have any ideas?
“with the eyes of a consumer” It is true (Bevans and Gardner would agree ) that we see the world based on our life context. All of our experienced are seen through a contextual lens. The challenge we all face is how do we step outside of our context to see a holistic view of our the world around us. Shifting our perspective and opening ourselves up to be challenged and changed is difficult. I do believe that each of us felt challenged and some even convicted reading Miller this week.
Stu,
great post that resonated with me a lot…. I think you hit a key aspect at the end – the difference between ‘practice’ and ‘consumption’ – these are activities with very different goals that while they are not necessarily incompatible with each other, they certainly aren’t easily complementary….. We as the church seem to have lost touch with most of our practices…… but one of the ones that we still seem to have a hold on – service – is, I think, the one thing that consistently draws others into community with us and God? Maybe a lesson there, no?
Thanks Stu. As I reflected on your post, I was reminded of Bevans’ Contextual Theology. We understand our faith through the lenses of our culture; in our context, that would be consumerism. Our faith has certainly been shaped by that context, thus I suggest that what Miller describes in this text is a contextualized theology for our place/time. Our cohort (and others) wrestle with the pendulum between useful contextualization and syncretism. I’m going to suggest that Miller’s description is swinging towards a contextualized faith bordering (or enmeshed) syncretism.
This provides us with the opportunity/challenge to listen and learn and be convicted by those outside this context, and encourages us to speak up as prophets calling ourselves and fellow believers to examine where our culture has led us.
Stu, great post and fantastic photos! I remember seeing a video of an old cigarette ad that said, something like, “more doctors smoke camels than any other brand!” What does that mean??You are right, “my generation was programmed to view everything, including faith, with the eyes of a consumer.” It becomes so much a part of who we are that we don’t realize the impact it has on us and if on us our family, and the church. Enjoyed your post Stu.
As a pure Gen-Xer I really resonated with your thoughts on being the most advertised generation, Stu. It makes sense that the 80s became the “me” decade, with advertisers telling us that we deserved the best of all we desire.
I was talking about multi-generational housing with my family and we realized that we have, at various times throughout our lives, all lived in a multi-generational house without really meaning to. Those were some of the healthiest times of our lives. Now, seeing people being intentional about this type of living is exciting. Maybe we need to look to more types of this “nostalgia” and rethink them to fit our lives now as a counter to the consumerism that has taken over.