Evangelicalism’s relationship to the market, consumerism and modernity
2 Jul 2009
I’ve often heard the claim, of how the evangelical church is captive to modernity, and how in a post-modern world it needs to change. Well this Autumn, for the first chapter of my PhD I am going to spend the best part of 6 months reading a brace of books that chart the history of evangelicalism in order to better understand how that may or may not be the case.
I’m sure like any form of the church in history, it will be a mixed bag, of good and bad. But I’m excited to dig deeper into the history of my church background and tradition, and not rely on sound bite reductions, of how complicit the church has been with modernity and capitalism. I’ll let you know some of what I find out as I get into it.
Tagged: Evangelicalism, evangelicals, history
8 comments
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Comment by Rick C ruse
6.43 pm on 2 Jul 2009
Will your studies differentiate at all between American evangelicalism and others? Being back this close (geographically) to the US has driven home to me how unique (and, in some ways, scary) US evangelicalism has become.
Comment by Jason
11.47 am on 3 Jul 2009
Hi Rick, I’ll make some distinctions, but I’m more looking for what is common with moderate evangelicals.
Jase
Comment by Rick Cruse
8.32 pm on 4 Jul 2009
Just came across this; wasn’t sure if it might be helpful, though you may well have already seen it.
Rcik
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/juneweb-only/126-12.0.html?start=1
Comment by Jason
8.13 am on 5 Jul 2009
Very helpful, thanks for the heads up on that Rick,
Jason
Comment by andrew
2.17 pm on 6 Jul 2009
hi jason
i’m currently reading, the divine commodity, by skye jethani.
zondervan.
it has some real nuggets concerning consumerism and the church, and uses picture by van goh to get the piont across.
i can reccomend it
andrew
Comment by Jason
7.06 pm on 6 Jul 2009
I just got that in the post last week, looks very good
Comment by Michael Domnin
9.01 pm on 13 Jul 2009
I thought the Church had more or less followed the ” market” desires or the government in place such as the Protestant idea that work to earn your bread has become a strong background to the church in America. The Empire was certainly supported by the Church as well as many war efforts since. Triumphalism and monetarism are very present in Evangelical churches. I have seen on TV a lady evangelist promoting the fact that she needs to change dresses for every of her shows as well as the fact that she and her team should be paid well!
Perhaps a visit to an evangelical church could confirm the consumerist background to it. I have been to many a meeting where the minister promoted his books, tapes, DVDs as part of the learning process of christianity.
In England, UK, of course, ministers of the free church only receive the money they ask for!
Comment by Jason
8.53 am on 14 Jul 2009
Hi Michael, great to hear from you, those are some good examples, yet more obvious perhaps. I’m wanting to get to how so many western christians, especially think that by not doing these things they are not captive to the market.
How we order our lives, what we give our time, energy, money and relationships to, is often the ‘reality of the market’. What we think is real, what think life is about, is often more about the market and consumerism, and that takes many forms. How are we ordering new ways of doing church, or not doing church that are still inline with the market and consumerism?
That’s what I’m trying to get to. Jase.
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