What actually is being consumed?
Vincent Miller in his book Consuming Religion writes a “Consumer culture is best diagnosed not as a deformation of belief but as a particular way of engaging religious beliefs that divorces them from practice.”[1] Miller is not anti capitalism but is more concerned on what the affects a consumer culture has on religion and how religion is going to survive. In the movie Chariots of Fire there are two main characters seeking a gold medal in the 1924 Olympic games. One was Harold Abrahams and the other Eric Liddle. According to the film Abrahams was of Jewish descent and his victory was depicted as a personal statement toward anti-Semitism. His purpose for running was to prove his value to an unaccepting culture. On the other hand, for Eric Liddell it was an extension of his Christian beliefs and an opportunity given to him by God. Eric’s father Rev. J. D. Liddell when explaining the importance of living and running with integrity claimed, “You can glorify God by peeling a potato if you peel it to perfection.” Later Eric explains to his frustrated sister that he would be returning to China as a missionary but first he felt called to run in the Olympics. He explains that he senses a twofold calling. “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.”[2] How did the particular way each runner engage in their religious beliefs within their particular culture differ in practice? How do we as Christians engage in a consumerist culture without losing our ability to engage in our religious practices? According to Miller the purpose of the book is to assist Christians in living an “authentic” life in a culture that isn’t fully Christian nor is it fully non-Christian.[3] What does it mean to live an authentic Christian life? How important are our religious traditions in this process?
When my children were little while we lived in Wyoming, I was constantly trying to teach them about the dangers of our wood stove which was our primary source to heat. I was always warning them, explaining the importance of not touching the stove due to it being hot. I tried barricades and other things to prevent what appeared to be the inevitable. Though I knew my children trusted me and believed me when I told them the stove was hot, I also knew that they really didn’t understand whole heartedly what hot meant, nor did they truly comprehend the danger associate with the concept of being burned. As things would have it, time went by and each one ended up touching the stove and finding out the hard way. Through experience or practice they all learned what I meant by hot. Due to experience they went from believing the stove was hot to knowing the stove was hot in an instant. My children went from a belief in something to gaining a conviction about something. Experience and practice are ways to solidify and strengthen our beliefs. Could it be that by buying into the consumer culture it not only prohibits us from engaging our religious beliefs but also prohibits us from moving beyond belief to conviction? Vincent explains, “When we relate to the culture and religious traditions as commodities, they lose their power to inform the concrete practice of life.”[4] Miller speaks from a Catholic perspective steeped in a long history of deep traditions. But what about less traditional models of Christianity that place a deeper emphasis on experience than they do on tradition? How have we made aspects of our religious experiences’ commodities?
When looking at Theology and Culture, as well as, the Theology of Vocation it seems there needs to be a deeper focus to look beyond the sacred and gain a deeper understanding of how the culture molds and effects our attitudes toward the sacred. In Genesis 25:32-34 (also see Hebrews 12:12-17) the story of Jacob and Esau shows us that for a mere meal Esau despised and sells his birthright. Within the Jewish culture a person’s birthright was a sacred item. With the loss of his birthright went His inheritance, his influence and status within the family. By making his birthright a commodity to be sold Esau lost his rightful place within his family culture and the status that went with it. In turn, when Jacob stole the birthright from his brother, he lost his place in the family culture as well and ran for his life. Both brothers altered the course of their family history and forsook the sacred. Esau showed the birthright contempt that God intended to be sacred by selling it for instant gratification. He made the sacred and the nonperishable common and bartered it away. How does a consumerism culture cause us to make sacred things common? Are we selling our birth rights as Christians to a materialistic culture? Vincent encourages theology to look deeper into how people integrate their religious beliefs into their daily lives and what theologies mold their communities of worship. According to him theology needs to understand how secular practices form our cultural attitudes.[5] Vincent states, “When consumption becomes the dominant cultural practice, belief is systematically misdirected from traditional religious practices into consumption.” It is this form of seduction that challenges us as we deal with a culture steeped in the capitalistic way of life. Admittedly this can be a quandary, living in a culture that offers so much while clinging to the sacred call of following Christ can be difficult.
[1] Vincent Miller. Consuming Religion. New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group. 2005. 12
[2] http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/chariots_of_fire/quotes
[3] Vincent Miller. 13
[4] Vincent Miller. 13
[5] Vincent Miller. 226
About the Author
Greg Reich
Entrepreneur, Visiting Adjunct Professor, Arm Chair Theologian, Leadership/Life Coach, husband, father and grandfather. Jesus follower, part time preacher! Handy man, wood carver, carpenter and master of none. Outdoor enthusiast, fly fisherman, hunter and all around gun nut.8 responses to “What actually is being consumed?”
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“it seems there needs to be a deeper focus to look beyond the sacred and gain a deeper understanding of how the culture molds and effects our attitudes toward the sacred.”
Couldn’t agree more. As a new disciple on this topic, I’m a bit wary of seeing life through the single lens that we are studying right now, But, as a new disciple it is likely a more healthier position to contine to gain a deeper understanding.
Steve,
I think we are all in the same boat. This focus though important is new and always changing. My prayer is we all find the heart of God in this journey.
“How does a consumerism culture cause us to make sacred things common?” Great question. It seems to me that in our deep desire to make sense of the world, of our lives, and/or of God, we find it easier to reduce those big things to our limited perspectives, thus commodifying the very things that could have led us to a richer understanding.
John,
Part of my research focus is how the sacred and secular dichotomy has inhibited our ability to see work as ministry. I think I may also need to look at how consumerism has taken the concept of calling in work as ministry and made it common, thus profaning what God calls sacred.
You mention faith expressions without as long or strong an emphasis in tradition. Clark’s dissertation will affirm some of the drive towards a more robust liturgy (from Smith), but assert that they don’t go far enough to re-embed in a Christian imagination. Being more personally at home in a more explicit liturgical experience, I look at those without this liturgy with wonder and curiosity as to what they will do to (re)form a Christian imagination
Greg,
“It is this form of seduction that challenges us as we deal with a culture steeped in the capitalistic way of life.” I think we are beyond “dealing with” a culture, in fact, I submit this culture is as much a part of our being as our own cellular DNA. We know nothing else. We see nothing else. We speak of living like Jesus, but then we act contrary to what Jesus did. And this done by praying, bible believing Christians. Is it possible to step out of our own skin to become something else? And what might that something else look like? God’s people throughout millennia have been influenced and have conformed to the ways of culture. Is it possible to escape it, redeem it, avoid it? And if so, how? What does it look like to NOT sell our birthright?
Darcy,
Powerful questions! I keep in mind that we are all being sanctified into the likeness of Christ and that this is an inside out process. Sometimes the longest journey we as people take is just 18″: from our head to our hearts.
Greg, good example of Esau selling his birthright in regard to the commodification of sacred offerings. We always live in this tension of the immediate and the eternal to where it’s every easy to lose sight of the latter because of what’s in front of us. What would you say some of the things within the Christian context that we’ve commodified or sold as our birthright? Do you think that part of it is that we simply don’t value the birthrights we have through Christ?