Lost in the Supermarket, Part II

"This idea that Christianity and consumerism are completely compatible is… the great insanity of our times."

-Win Butler, lead singer of Arcade Fire, on the theme of their album Neon Bible

In last month’s article we looked at what Consumerism is and how it actually functions as a religion for our culture and, to be honest, for many of us who also follow Jesus. (For a review see the previous article here) But is this really true? Is Consumerism an alternative religion with which Christianity competes? More to the point, have we allowed our allegiance to Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to be quietly compromised by our love for the life of Consumerism? There is one way to find out, and that is to examine the way that we live. How we act is the best indicator of what we deeply believe. Over the next few days I will be posting on the effects of Consumerism on how we act in relation to religion, marriage, birth, death, and our neighbor, and I'm especially curious to hear from you whether these observations jive with what you have noticed, whether I'm out in left field, or whether there is another and better explanation out there for the way we act. Let loose! And, to start things off, lets take a look at:

Religion

If our culture is a culture of Consumerism, then religion will be simply be one more product, the purpose of which is to aid in my own self-fulfillment, pleasure, and gratification. Religions are like cereal; pick whatever one suits you best for the needs you have now. Christians have swallowed this same mentality, but instead of picking from different religions to suit our needs, we choose from different churches. We go “church shopping” to find the church that best suits our “needs.” If a church no longer meets those “needs,” we often find a better church where those “needs” will be met. We unintentionally but willingly promote the view of our culture that the church “is best understood as a privatized utility dispensing a franchised commodity called ‘religion’.” (Colin Greene, “Consumerism and the Spirit of the Age” in Christ and Consumerism, ed. Craig Bartholomew and Thorsten Moritz, (Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 2000.), 25.)

Charting Our Course

Sometimes I think of our church family as journeying together in a hot air balloon. That would be fine, but we’re making our journey in the midst of a storm! There are all kinds of crosswinds that seek to push us off our path, there are obstacles below that would snag us and drag us down, perhaps there are other balloons that are hostile, or that try to convince us that things are sunnier and safer on a different flight path. There are a few problems with this metaphor, but more about that some other time...

Perhaps you find yourself often wondering Who are we? Where are we? Where are we going, and How do we get there? I ask these questions often. I find that I don’t experience hope, purpose, or a sense of significance if I don’t have some sense of how to answer these fundamental questions. We need to think about them, talk about them, explore them.
I hope that the articles in the Abbeydale Insight will help us do this during the next year. I (and possibly a few others) will be writing an article each month around these themes. The following is a preliminary outline of the articles to come in the next year or so:

Who Are We?
1. The Church as the Community of the Resurrection
2. The Church as a Peculiar People
3. The Church as First Family

Where Are We?
1. The Religion of the Consumer
2. The Challenge of Pluralism
3. A Culture of Spiritual Hunger

Where are We Going, and How do We Get There?
1. Shalom and the New Creation
2. Forming a Christian Imagination
3. In the Meantime: God’s Power in Our Weakness
4. In the Meantime: Faithfulness and the Way of the Cross
5. Fool’s Hope: The Resurrection of the Dead

I hope that the articles in this series will be starting points of conversation, not end points. In other words, I hope they get you thinking and talking instead of just offering easy answers that have a short shelf life! Besides, I’m lousy at answers. If what you read gets you thinking, feel free to join the conversation here by leaving comments, questions, critiques, etc.

Here's one question I'd love your perspective on: In what ways is the image of church as a hot-air balloon journeying through a storm NOT accurate?

Looking Forward,
Pastor David