Is the “Force” with you?
William Cavanaugh’s Being Consumed provides some positive reflections on how to develop a God honoring, personalized, and theocentric space where the Christian can navigate life’s challenges near the periphery of economic life. This post will examine Cavanaugh’s Eucharist viewpoint and positive vision to determine if his ideas on curing globalism can help my research into spiritual warfare.
Cavanaugh analyzes the “problems of globalism” from the practicing Catholic’s economic, social, psychological, and theological viewpoints.[1] I knew right away I was going to connect with Cavanaugh because when he says globalism, I hear spiritual warfare. I have 
discovered in my preliminary research that most authors engage softly and tread lightly when discussing the “dark side of the force” with their intended reading audience.[2] Nevertheless, Cavanaugh is referencing the universal struggle between good and evil like the Adam-Christ typology that Lucas presented in the Star Wars movie series between Darth Vader and power of the “dark-side” and Luke Skywalker and the power of the “force.”[3] In his book, Cavanaugh analyzes the globalizing influence that Satan and his demons exert over and upon humankind and the Church.
Cavanaugh finds the solution to globalization in the “Eucharist” and encourages the reader-consumer to metaphorically eat Christ through Augustine’s theological menu of “consuming the body of Christ.” The voluntary act of consuming Christ transforms the individual into the body and community of Christ, which is supernaturally connected with other Eucharist consumers on a global scale.[4] The Eucharist metaphor involves eating the body and drinking the blood of Jesus Christ. Likewise, the Armor of God metaphor involves wearing truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and Spirit that represent not only consuming Christ, but being consumed into Christ with the supernatural abilities to survive the effects of sin, temptation, and the schemes of the devil. If consuming the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist represent participation in the body of Christ (1 Cor. 10:16-17) then putting on the armor of God represents putting on and participating in the daily life of Christ (Eph. 6:10-17).
Here are some overnight reflections and inspirations from the Holy Spirit regarding how to connect the Eucharist and the Armor of God. When I wake up in the middle of the night after prayer and reflection I use the electronic note pad on my phone to capture spiritual inspirations, so I will not forget them after I fall back to sleep. After last night’s sleep and refreshment with God I see similar connections between the metaphors 
used in the Eucharist and the Armor of God. The metaphorical relationship is as follows: If consuming the body of Christ by eating his flesh and drinking his blood establishes our eternal standing in Christ, then wearing the body of Christ by adorning his truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and Spirit establishes our daily stance in Christ. Standing eternally and taking up a stance daily after consuming and wearing Christ is the Eucharist-Armor of God connection. It may seem simple, but there are deep truths to this relationship that I am only now beginning to discover. For starters, I see an opportunity to bridge the gap between my Evangelical paradigm with the liturgic Catholic mindset and add their passion and practice for the Eucharist artifact into my passion and practice with the Armor of God coin artifact.
I also like the author’s narrative strategy towards globalism by “interrogating assumed cultural givens through conceptual opposition.”[5] To Bayardize this further, by making a peripheral scan of the Table of Contents one can quickly grasp Cavanaugh’s ideas, connections, focus, and outcome be recognizing that each pair “signals the cultural presumption to be theologically undermined with the second.”[6] Digging into Cavanaugh’s reduction of globalization through theological questioning I was awed by the stark reality of his conclusion; “The reconciliation of the many with the one is perhaps the quintessential religious question.”[7]
I found another connection between Cavanaugh’s Eucharist manifesto and the Apostle Paul’s Armor of God doctrine. First, Cavanaugh says that “to consume is to be consumed,” which elevates the consumer into a “larger than self” identity that is “paradoxically secured.”[8] I see the same Biblical strategy exhibited when the Apostle Paul says to put on, wear, and adorn yourself in Christ, which likewise elevates the wearer 
into a next-level spiritual dimension where the actual battle between good and evil if fought out on a daily basis.
In conclusion, I found many intersections between Cavanaugh’s Eucharist solution to the problem of globalization and my research problem into spiritual warfare. I can better relate with Cavanaugh and see his subtle but effective vision-casting strategy that nets a wider audience and pulls them towards the solution, the light and love of Jesus Christ. Finally, I agree with Augustine’s “positive” freedom position that establishes and infers a relationship with God as the precursor for a successful economic lifestyle within the Eucharist worldview.
Stand firm,
M. Webb
[1] John-Paul Spiro. “Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire.(Book Review).” Augustinian Studies 41, no. 2 (2010): 494.
[2] John C. McDowell. “Star Wars’ Saving Return.(Critical Essay).” Journal of Religion and Film 13, no. 1 (2009): Journal of Religion and Film, April, 2009, Vol.13(1).
[3] Ibid.
[4] William T. Cavanaugh. Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire. (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2008) Kindle location 55.
[5] Scott Prather. “Book Review: William T. Cavanaugh, Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2008). Xii 103 Pp. US$12.00/£6.99 (pb), ISBN 978—0—8028—4561—0.” Studies in Christian Ethics 23, no. 2 (2010): 208.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Cavanaugh, Being Consumed, 748.
[8] Ibid., 886.
About the Author
Mike
12 responses to “Is the “Force” with you?”
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Hmmm…become one with the Force we must. You had me at “Star Wars”. This ultimate combat that we are constantly embedded in with the dark side is not always proven to be easy. It has become such a challenge to embrace the union we have with Christ, whether it be with the Lord’s Supper or with the Armor of God. It is the necessity to find our connection to Him so that nothing else seems as valuable or as important. Sadly, the world keeps telling everyone that there are other ways to feel filled and complete that do NOT come from the Father, and the world is believing that lie; even more sadly, I fear the church is starting to believe it as well.
Shawn,
Excellent comments. Thanks for your review and encouragement. When you say “the world keeps telling people” I hear when “Satan and his demons keep telling people.”
Satan = the prince of this world. Keep your armor on Shawn, we are in the battle!
Stand firm,
M. Webb
Hi Mike, thank you for your thoughtful post! I was interested in how you connected the armor of God with the Eucharist. You’ve given me something to think about more deeply! I wonder if you think that in Cavanaugh’s understanding of us consuming God and therefore God consuming us, that we then don’t have to work so hard at standing strong in the armor of God–that it instead flows out of our Eucharistic union with God. Nevertheless, we also know how weak is the flesh.
Chris,
On the contrary! I think once we know that God consumes us we are more responsible and accountable before Him to “wear Christ” as Paul instructs in Ephesians 6:10-18. There is no making it easier in this life. The closer we get to knowing God, the more we are held spiritually liable for our actions and conduct. “To whom much is given, much is required.” (Luke 12:48).
Stand firm,
M. Webb
Hi Mike,
The “force” was my nickname in school, so loved the start to your post!
I was thankful for your Augustine quote, and yours as well as others in our Cohort about him, were spot on. Well done!
Thank you as well for connecting our readings with Spiritual warfare, as anything that takes us away from focusing on Christ is from God’s enemy, including consumerism!
“Force” is a good handle for your future Dmin persona. I like it!
Yes, this was a really great week for me and getting some extra schooling from the Holy Spirit regarding the more spiritual, dimensional aspects of the Eucharist and the Armor of God.
Stand firm,
M. Webb
Hi Mike,
Peace to you where you are right now.
I found this post very helpful as for the first time I connected your Armor of God metaphor with the idea of it being a liturgy. I find liturgy to be like railroad tracks that help guide the train along and forward.
I can’t accept the idea that the AOG liturgy is equated with or an alternative to the eucharistic union, but I can embrace that it can flow out of it as a positive and necessary mindset to develop for living in freedom.
Mark,
I am so pleased that you “connected” thru liturgy to the Armor of God. I was deeply inspired and enlightened this week from the Holy Spirit helping me compare and contrast the Eucharist and the Armor of God. The Eucharist sets our eternal position in Christ and we are spiritually consumed by God. The Armor of God sets our daily wardrobe in Christ as he spiritually wears us in the spiritual realm and spiritual battle between good and evil.
I like the Catholic discipline and reverence and think most Evangelicals could learn a lot from examining themselves from a more liturgical viewpoint.
Stand firm,
M. Webb
Hi Mike!
Really thought provoking blog. I can connect with your linking of the AOG and Eucharist, but am wondering if you could speak more to the “problem of globalization”? – which you have a front seat experience with…Continued prayers for your missional work!
Jean,
I think globalization, like most social advancements has both good and bad, depending on where the influence is coming from. The good side for sure is that the 10-40 Window is shrinking in direct proportion to the rapid expansion in communication, information technology, and the ability to connect your spiritual tribe with another spiritual tribe in the “bush” of the least reached people groups.
The bad side for sure, is the dark powers, evil, death, destruction, school shootings, war, that are being promoted by Satan and his demons.
For Christians, who are consuming Christ, the next Biblically logical step is to wear Christ. I see so much value in connecting the two, and now I can thank my Catholic friends for helping show a liturgical link.
Stand firm,
M. Webb
Love the Star Wars reference Mike, some of my favorite movies! I also like how you tied it into your armor of God study, and this quote connects the book to your study best….”I see an opportunity to bridge the gap between my Evangelical paradigm with the liturgic Catholic mindset and add their passion and practice for the Eucharist artifact into my passion and practice with the Armor of God coin artifact.” I think your armor coin is such a great visual to help people remember they have divine protection from the enemy.
Jake,
You have skills! Nice job pulling out my key point and focus from this week’s post on Miller. Yes, the Armor of God coin is a great visual because it is tangible, attracts the eye, carries a 3-D message, and cuts across all boundaries of race, religion, sex, ethnicity, and social standings, culture, and more.
I foresee a great opportunity facing our theologically unique yet spiritually united cohort to multiply disciple multipliers throughout the world.
Stand firm,
M. Webb