The forces that shape our culture and worldviews are layered and complex.\u00a0 It\u2019s quite an undertaking to look back on history and attempt to trace the threads that form our current leadership environments. Anyone who does so must acknowledge that such discoveries, while insightful and helpful, are also surely biased through the lenses through which they, themselves, interpret history and view the world. Back in 1904 that\u2019s exactly the type of undertaking that Max Weber pursued in his examination of the relationships between Protestantism and rise of capitalism in the Western World. In doing so, he acknowledged his individual bias and also invited further development and critique.<\/p>\n
In Weber\u2019s work, “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism,” he makes the case that the Protestant work ethic, an ascetic attitude which emphasizes hard work, frugality, and self-discipline, was a key factor in the development of capitalism. According to Weber, the Protestant ethic encouraged people to work hard, save money, and reinvest it in their businesses rather than spending it on luxurious goods or idle pursuits. This, in turn, led to the accumulation of capital and the growth of capitalism.[1]<\/a>\u00a0 Weber defined \u201cthe spirit of capitalism\u201d exclusively on text from Benjamin Franklin\u2014\u201ca document\u2026which contains what we are looking for in almost classical purity, and at the same time has the advantage of being free from all direct relationship to religion.\u201d[2]<\/a><\/p>\n Reflecting on Weber’s work, I find it interesting that he seems to personify this \u201cspirit of capitalism\u201d to the singular person of Benjamin Franklin. To me, it seems insufficient to base an entire theory on the words of one person, but perhaps my understanding of Franklin\u2019s impact on Western culture is just lacking.\u00a0 Regardless, Weber goes on to trace this \u201cspirit\u2019s\u201d roots to a Protestant work ethic by examining the way Protestantism developed through the teachings of reformers such as Luther and Calvin-\u2014particularly how Calvin introduced the doctrine of predestination. \u00a0Weber argues that this idea of predestination created a sense of anxiety and insecurity among Protestants who were constantly striving to prove their worthiness in the eyes of God. He states that it’s this anxiety (lack of assurance) about their eternal salvation that became the driving force behind the \u201cspirit of capitalism\u201d described by Benjamin Franklin taking hold.<\/p>\n Now, Dr. Jason Clark does exactly what Weber invites academics to do, and he takes Weber\u2019s thread of linking Protestant work ethic and the development of capitalism one step further in his 2018 doctoral thesis by showing how Protestantism, Evangelicalism and Capitalism are all linked. He argues that \u201cEvangelicalism was both a creature of, and generator to, aspects of capitalism. Within this capitalism was on the one hand a product of Protestant work ethics, whilst on the other, the forces of capitalism simultaneously produced and modulated Protestantism into forms of Evangelicalism.\u201d [3]<\/a><\/p>\n So here at the most basic level, we have at least four threads showing how Protestant reformers created anxiety about the assurance of salvation, which created an ascetic attitude that both found a home in new capitalistic opportunities AND opposed them on religious grounds. In such an environment, Evanglicalism was born. It is in this murky environment of juxtaposed cause and effect that I see evidence to this very day of the complicated relationship between Evangelicalism and capitalism. Case in point\u2014the Asbury revival currently happening in Kentucky.<\/p>\n How Attitudes Toward the Current Asbury Revival Show the Ongoing Complex Relationships Between Evangelicalism and Capitalism<\/strong><\/p>\n For the past week, my social media feed and email inbox have been filled with testimonials and stories emerging from the spontaneous revival that is ongoing at Asbury University in Kentucky. In almost all of them, I find a caveat like this from Tom McCall:<\/p>\n As an analytic theologian, I am weary of hype and very wary of manipulation. I come from a background (in a particularly revivalist segment of the Methodist-holiness tradition) where I\u2019ve seen efforts to manufacture \u201crevivals\u201d and \u201cmovements of the Spirit\u201d that were sometimes not only hollow but also harmful. I do not want anything to do with that.<\/p>\n And truth be told, this is nothing like that. There is no pressure or hype. There is no manipulation. There is no high-pitched emotional fervor. [4]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Each individual testifying about the revival seems compelled to note that there are no flashy lights, no famous speakers, no polished music, and no set agenda\u2014all examples of what I would ascribe to being capitalistic-inspired elements of modern day worship. And yet, it is communication channels and technology that only exist because of capitalism that allow the wonder of such an event as the Asbury revival to be multiplied and shared.\u00a0 To this day, it appears that there is something inside the hearts of believers that wants to separate the work of God from capitalism, as evidenced by the caveats I hear about Asbury. Yet God is has and will continue to work through such means to accomplish His will. Sounds a lot like those early Evangelicals trying to find their way in the capitalistic world more than 100 years ago!<\/p>\n Thus, I find myself continuing to ponder these questions: ———————<\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Weber, Max. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism<\/em>. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Weber, 12.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Is it possible for Christianity to be separated from capitalism? And more importantly, should it?<\/p>\n