{"id":28431,"date":"2022-03-30T08:00:54","date_gmt":"2022-03-30T15:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=28431"},"modified":"2022-03-22T22:29:13","modified_gmt":"2022-03-23T05:29:13","slug":"commodifying-jesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/commodifying-jesus\/","title":{"rendered":"Commodifying Jesus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Certainly, the purity of true religion and faith <\/em>could never be distorted by the variants of the dominant culture, or could it? Vincent J. Miller, a professor of Theology at Georgetown University, wrote Consuming Religion<\/em> to reveal the unavoidable impact consumerism has had among the people and structures of faith. Giving a nod to Bebbington and Weber regarding the impact of Christianity on capitalism, Miller did not write the book to be \u201cabout religion against<\/em> consumer culture,\u201d but rather, \u201ca book about the fate of religion in <\/em>consumer culture.\u201d[1]<\/a> In summarizing his intentions for the book, Miller writes,<\/p>\n

This book has shown the downside of consumer culture: a situation where culture is deprived of political friction, where each individual is free to pursue his or her own religious synthesis, whether ingenious and inspired, or banal and conforming \u2013 but all of these are imprisoned in the private realm of individual insight, while globalizing capitalism goes about its business unopposed.[2]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In thinking about Dr. Clark\u2019s dissertation and the heart of uncommodified religion, or shall we say \u2013 worship of the Triune God<\/em> \u2013 he speaks of the power of story<\/em> and narrative. <\/em>Clark quotes James K.A. Smith who says,<\/p>\n

In short, the way to the heart is through the body, and the way into the body is through story. And this is how worship works: Christian formation is a conversion of the imagination effected by the Spirit who recruits our most fundamental desires by a kind of narrative enchantment\u2014by inviting us narrative animals into a story that seeps into our bones and becomes the orienting background of our being-in-the-world. Our incarnating God continues to meet us where we are: as imaginative creatures of habit. So we are invited into the life of the Triune God by being invited to inhabit concrete rituals and practices that are \u201chabitations of the Spirit.[3]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As I consider both Miller and Clark, the authors address the impact of capitalism and economics in the life of a person of faith, thus, the people of God as the Church. Whereas Miller provides a sociological, economic review to expose the challenges posed by consumer culture, it is my opinion that Clark takes the matter a step further to say consumer culture creates bondage and strips individuals of their true form of worship and enjoyment.[4]<\/a> In reading both texts, I could not help but consider how consumer culture has undoubtedly dominated our culture and quietly influenced and distorted the essence of our worship of the One true God. Sadly, neither the Church nor my own life has gone unscathed. Thankfully, Miller and Clark offer hope that this religious commodification can be overcome. For Miller, a fundamental tactic is simply being aware that this is<\/em> a problem.[5]<\/a> Clark looks to Smith, who advocates for the restoration of right worship by maintaining a kingdom mindset.[6]<\/a><\/p>\n

In Kayli fashion, I will highlight a few key concepts that were of particular impact in my consideration of the commodification of religion:<\/p>\n