{"id":1136,"date":"2012-09-20T13:12:00","date_gmt":"2012-09-20T13:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/beta.dminlgp.com\/bono-c-s-lewis-satan-capitalism-and-the-frankfurt\/"},"modified":"2012-09-20T13:12:00","modified_gmt":"2012-09-20T13:12:00","slug":"bono-c-s-lewis-satan-capitalism-and-the-frankfurt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/bono-c-s-lewis-satan-capitalism-and-the-frankfurt\/","title":{"rendered":"Bono, C.S. Lewis, Satan, Capitalism and the Frankfurt School: Reflections on Society, Spirituality, and Consumerism"},"content":{"rendered":"

During the Zoo TV U2 international tour in the early 90s, Bono would often appear on stage for a few songs as MacPhisto.\u00a0 Wearing gaudy, glittering golden clothes and red devil horns, Bono would ape the devil while money fell from the sky and pop-culture images flashed in the background.\u00a0 For many Christians (including me) used to the earnestness of U2 and their sincere songs about faith and justice, the appearance of MacPhisto was jarring and confusing.\u00a0 Unfortunately, Christians often fail to notice art, nuance, and irony.\u00a0 Later Bono revealed that the inspiration for MacPhisto was C.S. Lewis\u2019 The Screwtape Letters<\/em>, and the point of his satanic parody was to show the world what the devil was using to fool and enslave the world: consumerism.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This week our D.Min cohort was tasked with reflecting on Contemporary Social Theory: An Introduction <\/em>by Anthony Elliott.\u00a0 Elliott surveys the dominant forms and movements of modern social theory, which as Elliott defines, is the \u201cattempt to engage with major social problems.\u201d\u00a0 In a sense, it is the interpretation of the how, why and what of societies and human interactions.\u00a0 For this reason, social theory often connects and overlaps with philosophy and for that matter theology.\u00a0 One thing, that really struck a personal chord, was how so much social theory leads to developing a clear discernment for what is wrong in human societies and a yearning for how these wrongs can be righted.\u00a0 Whether intended or consequential, much of social theory seems to busy itself with seeking solutions to problems.\u00a0 It not only explains, but it like theology also offers solutions.<\/p>\n

One particular school of thought which is of particular importance to our day and age is the Frankfurt School.\u00a0 It is in the locus of Frankfurt School, Bono and C.S. Lewis that I believe we can come to some significant theological observations and questions about our current global state.\u00a0 Developed initially through the thinking of Adorno and Horkheimer, the Frankfurt School essentially tries to understand the role of the individual within the Western system. \u00a0They propose that man\u2019s faith in reason (and rejection of myth and tradition) have essentially locked man in a closed and repressive system of reason\u2019s own making, or \u201cadministered society.\u201d\u00a0 This system strips down true humanity through a \u201cstandardized, monotonous mass culture.\u201d \u00a0Marcuse developed this idea further as a critique of capitalism, which forces humanity into an efficient conveyor belt of producer\/buyer and exploiter\/exploited. \u00a0Man is therefore only free in more natural states of individualism bounded by creativity and intimacy.\u00a0 Humanity must be free of an oppressive (but un-felt) crushing system that strips away true humanity, while finding freedom in individuality (often tied to sexuality) and true community.<\/p>\n

The Frankfurt School, while being overly influenced and biased by Marxism, still makes some startling clear truth claims about the nature of our modern society and humanity, which correspond strongly to a Christian perspective.\u00a0 Moreover, the movement was amazingly prophetic in its ability to predict the runaway consumerism that plagues our world, and its rapid rise through global capitalism.\u00a0 Jesus also spoke against finding our truth in the worship of false idols, namely money.\u00a0 Our Western culture has often thrown its hope in capitalism and \u201cthe markets.\u201d\u00a0 Identity and meaning are now found in what we buy and wear.\u00a0 People are still as focused on making and generating as much money as possible.\u00a0 Are the secular prophets of the Frankfurt School correct in their appraisal of capitalism as that which crushes true humanity?\u00a0 Is the prophetic rock star true in his critique that Satan is using mass consumerism to enslave and distract?<\/p>\n

As Christian leaders we need to be able to look critically and prophetically at our societies and call people to leave their idols and addictions, to break from the system into following the true King.\u00a0 Jesus did often speak of freedom and a lifestyle that was separate, by the way.\u00a0 Are we willing to even slay the sacred cows of capitalism and consumerism within our own cultures and lives?\u00a0 Is the Western evangelical church too connected to the system to critique it?<\/p>\n

Still, I am left asking some questions.\u00a0 Is capitalism truly the problem?\u00a0 Surely on its worst day it has brought us fast food, growing inequality, and the exploitation of humanity?\u00a0 But, on its best day it has brought innovation and the ability to construct avenues of personal and societal improvement?\u00a0 \u00a0Would I have the creativity and freedom available to me through a personal computer without it?\u00a0 Does not capitalism also grant immense opportunities for personal freedom and creativity? \u00a0\u00a0Is the problem really new, and developing from capitalism?\u00a0 Or have humans always been capable of greed, idolizing money, and exploitation?\u00a0 Is the problem then more spiritual than economic and systemic?\u00a0 Do we need to see capitalism and consumerism through spiritual lenses?\u00a0 Are we trapped in a world system controlled by Satan?\u00a0 Have we so accepted reason, that Lewis\u2019 warning about the real dangers of personal spiritual evil in Satan fall on deaf ears?\u00a0 Do we need to teach our churches to better discern, and to Christianize capitalism?\u00a0 Can we relate Christian ethics to consumerism and capitalism?\u00a0 Is that even possible? \u00a0\u00a0Does the consumerism and capitalism that Bono mocks, not also make it possible for him to convey his message to millions?\u00a0 Is there an order in all of this disorder?<\/p>\n

Quite possibly, Anthony Giddens offers a more balanced understanding of capitalism, and the equilibrium between individuals and systemic society.\u00a0 Perhaps with a more nuanced understanding of our modern world, we can properly understand and address the issues of global capitalism from a Christian viewpoint.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, we must remember our sacred calling to call human kind from worship of false idols into true humanity in relationship with God and others.\u00a0 The study of social theory can certainly help us here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

During the Zoo TV U2 international tour in the early 90s, Bono would often appear on stage for a few songs as MacPhisto.\u00a0 Wearing gaudy, glittering golden clothes and red devil horns, Bono would ape the devil while money fell from the sky and pop-culture images flashed in the background.\u00a0 For many Christians (including me) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2,196],"class_list":["post-1136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-dminlgp","tag-elliot","cohort-lgp3"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1136"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1136\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}