Written by: gfesadmin on January 24, 2013

This week’s reading was, Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire by William Cavanaugh.  This might be my favorite book I’ve read in my D.Min. program. There are so many things I like about this book it’s hard to narrow a blog post down to just one or two thoughts. So if I ramble a bit, please forgive. 

I love Cavanaugh’s use of Augustine to give us a theological framework for what freedom is. For Augustine, freedom must be grounded in an appropriate telos, which is God. This stands in contrast to our society that asserts freedom is merely lack of interference and occurs when two entities inter into a ‘voluntary’ arrangement.  Our churches need to really examine what freedom is. I’ve been to many July 4, Sunday celebrations where churches COMPLETELY miss the theological mark on what freedom is. They generally talk about being able to vote, or travel where you want to, or to start a business without undue pressure or interference from the government.  While I don’t think those things are bad, and I greatly appreciate them, there doesn’t seem anything particularly Christian about them. With that understanding, being free solely depends on your government/economic system and God can be irrelevant.  It’s nihilistic.

I often harshly critiqued capitalism for its use of ‘naked power.’  Cavanaugh has helped temper that criticism. He referenced several companies that have thrived in the capitalist system but haven’t forgotten their telos. It’s these kinds of companies that we need to hold up as models of success and freedom in our churches. Companies that hold to a business model whose sole influencing factor isn’t, ‘how can we make the most money for our investors?’ Do we dare proclaim from our pulpits and our lives that a theological and biblical understanding of freedom must have a proper telos? Do we dare challenge businesses to pay its employees fairly? To tell investors that if you want quick and easy profit that this isn’t the company for you?  I imagine that a freedom sermon like this on July 4, would be a bit controversial.

One of the other things I enjoyed about this book is the economic practice for consumers that Cavanaugh advocates. My wife and I are fortunate to have salaries that often allow us the privilege, and responsibility, of buying things that are local, that paid their creators fair wage, and yes are often much more expensive. I do realize this is a privilege and that many people can’t afford to do it. But I lament that you have to be relatively wealthy to do such things. The capitalist system that is currently in place in the US is systemically unjust. Sin is rampant in it, and we’re all caught in its gravity.

Yes, sin is rampant in the system, but what system isn’t sin rampant in (maybe the Amish)? Is it possible that our systemically unjust system might be the best of the worst? For all its ills, has the capitalist system elevated more people out of poverty than any other could? So, how can I seek to be a faithful Christian and capitalist? Here are some ideas that my wife and I try (I emphasize try, we’re not perfect) to currently practice, I would love some ideas of yours, particularly as it relates to investing.

1. Buy food locally. Try reading Omnivores Dilemma for more info.
2. Buy fair trade items as often as you can.
3. Purchase things that allow you to have experiences with people.
4. Use websites like http://www.betterworldshopper.com/ to help research the economic and environmental practices of companies.
5. Shop at consignment sales when possible.
6. Give and receive kid’s clothes. I love seeing clothes that my child has worn being worn by someone else.
7. Buy it once and keep using it. We’ll usually pay more money for a nicer item if it will last longer.

Lastly, don’t let the idea of ‘perfect’ keep you from doing what’s ‘good.’  

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