Christianity vs. Consumerism, Essay Example

Introduction

This paper posits to identify four key concepts of a biblically-based Christian worldview as compared and contrasted with consumerism. Contemporary society is increasingly more industrialized, pluralist and, market driven. Hence, human identity has become more problematical. The declaration of human identity is nowadays made, for the people who enjoy freedom of choice, through self-expression in consumption, employment, as well as the human relations that uphold them. Self-expression is less significant when made through religious belief, or the insinuations that flow from the pursuance of that faith[1]. Consumption is fundamentally the throughput of physical material in the course of human lives, and is basically morally complex. Consumption has been insufficiently addressed in Christian ethical discourse. Consumerism was a characteristically rooted in the English society as early as the eighteenth-century, and has continued to the present day in all parts of the globe.

Christianity vs. Consumerism

A Christian may be described as a person who believes that Jesus is Messiah as well as the Son of God[2]. Consumerism is a fundamental phenomenon of contemporary society. Consumerism is an invention of a romantic ethic, and therefore can be re-traced through the scholarly history of the seventeenth as well as eighteenth centuries. There are four concepts themes in Christian discourse that address consumption. Two of these concepts are basically attitudes while the other two are fundamentally values. The attitudes are: Censure and renunciation; embrace and acceptance. The two values are:  the value of relationships and; eschatological visions.

Censure and renunciation, illustrates the prospective for sin embedded in consumption, on a societal and personal level, through self-indulgence and greed as well as through involvement in tyrannical economic structures. This concept is based on the strong austere tradition of Christianity, epitomized by John Woolman, Francis of Assisi as well as Ronald Sider. On the other hand, embrace and acceptance support the notion that possessions are blessings from God that ought to be utilized to assist others[3]. This was highly defended by the so called prosperity theologians such as John Schnieder and Clement of Alexandria. Theologians such as L. Shannon Jung and Thomas Aquinas were of the opinion that human hungers as well as desires are God’s creation worthy of reverence and joyful realization.

The value of relationships, evaluates consumption in relation to the linkages it entails, and whether the linkages are exemplified by healthy communities and neighbor-love. John A. Ryan, John B. Cobb, and Martin Luther among others advocated concern for human relationships in evaluating consumption. Eschatological visions are broadly interpreted to embrace a multiplicity of beliefs concerning the reign of God, in evaluating consumption. Christians may evaluate consumption based on a vision of a contented world. The four concepts support and interact with each other in diverse ways. Insights obtained from these four concepts are a requisite for the formation of a broad Christian ethics in relation to consumption.

Consumerism encourages the erroneous belief that insinuates that human needs are only fulfilled by extreme consumption. In consumerism, consumers consume the meaning attached to goods rather than consume the goods themselves.  The apostle Paul, in1 Corinthians 11:28 advices that Christians involved in self-centeredness and consumerism, to evaluate themselves prior to partaking of the Eucharist[4]. The partaking of Eucharist is meant to present true identity to the partakers as children of God. The impact of consumerism on the spirit and psyche of the consumer runs contrary to environmental sustainability. While consumerism advocates for material freedom, presenting liberation through comfort, it fails in actualizing that freedom[5].

Bibliography

The Center for Christian Ethics. Christian Reflection; A Series in Faith and Ethics; Study Guides for Consumerism.2003, 8-15 Accessed from www.ChristianEthics.ws

Jenkins, P. The next Christendom. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2002, 88-90.

[1] The Center for Christian Ethics. Christian Reflection; A Series in Faith and Ethics; Study Guides for Consumerism.2003, 8-15 Accessed from www.ChristianEthics.ws

[2] Jenkins, P. The next Christendom. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2002, 88-90.

[3] Jenkins, P. The next Christendom. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2002, 88-90.

[4] The Center for Christian Ethics. Christian Reflection; A Series in Faith and Ethics; Study Guides for Consumerism.2003, 8-15 Accessed from www.ChristianEthics.ws

[5] The Center for Christian Ethics. Christian Reflection; A Series in Faith and Ethics; Study Guides for Consumerism.2003, 8-15 Accessed from www.ChristianEthics.ws