{"id":38865,"date":"2024-10-15T11:56:04","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T18:56:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=38865"},"modified":"2024-10-15T11:56:04","modified_gmt":"2024-10-15T18:56:04","slug":"faith-and-fortune-navigating-the-crossroads-of-evangelicalism-and-capitalism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/faith-and-fortune-navigating-the-crossroads-of-evangelicalism-and-capitalism\/","title":{"rendered":"Faith and Fortune: Navigating the Crossroads of Evangelicalism and Capitalism"},"content":{"rendered":"

An optimist\u2019s view of evangelicalism and capitalism might resemble\"\"<\/a> a dance that ebbs and flows together in rhythms that rise and fall in an exchange of faith and fortune. Conversely, a pessimist’s view of these two critical forces could look more like tossing yesterday’s forgotten leftovers into a jumbled cauldron of hash, destined to become tomorrow’s unexciting brown paper sack lunch.<\/p>\n

This post will consider writings by D.W. Bebbington and Dr. Jason Swan Clark and their efforts to define evangelicalism and capitalism. It will also explore who wins and who loses when those two powerful forces become interdependent.<\/p>\n

Key Points from the Readings<\/strong><\/p>\n

In his text Evangelicalism in Modern Britain: A History from the 1730s to the 1980s, <\/em>Bebbington posits that beyond John Wesley and Wilber Wilberforce, evangelicals of Britain have been overlooked.[1]<\/a> As such, he aims to fill that gap by offering historical contexts, social and cultural influences, challenges, critiques, and more.<\/p>\n

In his journal article, Evangelicalism and Capitalism: A Reparative Account and Diagnosis of Pathogeneses in the Relationship, <\/em>Dr. Clark utilizes a combination of map-making, along with the medical framework and terminology of pathology typically used to define a disease. He dissects how the theological tenets of evangelicalism, such as personal responsibility, individualism, and hard work, align with capitalist values. Because of their similarities, Christians have interpreted evangelicalism as a theological endorsement of capitalism, especially as it relates to free markets and economic growth.<\/p>\n

Defining Evangelicalism<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to Bebbington, there are four main characteristics, including \u201cConversionism (the emphasis on personal conversion), activism (the importance of spreading the faith), biblicism (the centrality of the Bible), and crucicentrism (the focus on the atoning work of Christ).\u201d[2]<\/a> Clark laments that \u201cAward-winning books on Evangelicalism written by academics fail to define Evangelicalism,\u201d[3]<\/a> but he recognizes it as a movement within protestant Christianity that emphasizes personal conversion, the authority of scripture, the importance of sharing the faith (evangelism), and the significance of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

The Winners and Losers in the Marriage of Evangelicalism and Capitalism<\/strong><\/p>\n

The interconnectedness of evangelicalism and capitalism certainly comes with a mixed bag of consequences that both authors tackle. After launching around the 16th<\/sup> century,[4]<\/a> capitalism gained steam globally and has positively increased the world\u2019s wealth, reduced poverty, and encouraged innovation along with global trade. Individuals experienced greater economic mobility, which allowed them to spread their faith by engaging in social reforms and developing schools, libraries, hospitals, churches, and other civic engagements.\u00a0 While it created opportunities for upward mobility through innovation, entrepreneurship, and competition, capitalism has undergone significant changes over time that have brought about negative consequences, creating division across families, churches, and communities. The rise in materialism and consumerism, fueled by tax policies that favor the wealthy, has widened the income gap for middle and low-income earners. What was once touted as the solution to poverty, capitalism is increasing poverty in many parts of the globe. The fallout has resulted in disparities in access to quality education, technology, and health care.<\/p>\n

With a contemporary Western worldview, I agree with Bebbington that capitalistic wealth and success have diluted the spiritual focus and priorities among evangelicals, resulting in a consumer culture that compromises the core tenets of faith.[5]<\/a> Dr. Clark\u2019s opinion also concurs that evangelical values intertwined with capitalist practices lead to a commodification of faith.[6]<\/a> Our identity has become synonymous with market indices, and our measures of success that were once connected to God are now connected to Wall Street.<\/p>\n

There is so much more to be said on this subject. However, the Book of Daniel reminds us of several times that The Most High God rules all kingdoms on earth and chooses for their rulers persons of humble birth (Daniel 4:17). God is in control whether we realize it or not. He made each of us in His image to satisfy His plan and purpose. Our task as responsible Christians is to self-assess often like Dr. Dunahoo recently mentioned during the advance. If we find ourselves inadvertently worshipping the false idols found in materialism and consumerism, heed the warnings found in Daniel\u2019s dream of the fruit tree that flourished to cover the earth with food and shelter, only to be cut down to a stump surrounded by iron chains and grass. God has the power to rebuild anything He has reduced to rubble, including people he has punished due to pride and stubbornness.<\/p>\n

I believe we are at a time of reckoning with our God, our faith within, and our kingdom brothers and sisters. Going forward, a sense of humility and curiosity will help shift the tides of greed to dance a new beginning so we can once again fully join the table of the Lord before us.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Bebbington, David. Evangelicalism in Modern Britain: A History from the 1730s to the 1980s<\/em>. Transferred to digital printing, Routledge, 2005. Px.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Ibid. p3<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Clark, Jason. \u201cEvangelicalism and Capitalism: A Reparative Account and Diagnosis of Pathogeneses in the Relationship.\u201d Faculty Publications – Portland Seminary<\/em>, June 2018, https:\/\/digitalcommons.georgefox.edu\/gfes\/132<\/a>. P.34<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Britannica Money<\/em>. 12 Sept. 2024, https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/money\/capitalism.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Bebbington, David. Evangelicalism in Modern Britain: A History from the 1730s to the 1980s<\/em>. Transferred to digital printing, Routledge, 2005. P138.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> Clark, Jason. \u201cEvangelicalism and Capitalism: A Reparative Account and Diagnosis of Pathogeneses in the Relationship.\u201d Faculty Publications – Portland Seminary<\/em>, June 2018, https:\/\/digitalcommons.georgefox.edu\/gfes\/132<\/a>. P.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An optimist\u2019s view of evangelicalism and capitalism might resemble a dance that ebbs and flows together in rhythms that rise and fall in an exchange of faith and fortune. Conversely, a pessimist’s view of these two critical forces could look more like tossing yesterday’s forgotten leftovers into a jumbled cauldron of hash, destined to become […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":193,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","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":[3305],"class_list":["post-38865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-clark-bebbington","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38865","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\/193"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38865"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38865\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38867,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38865\/revisions\/38867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38865"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38865"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38865"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}