Christian Community in a Consumerist Culture - James Henley

Christian Community in aConsumerist Culture

An exploration of the implications of a consumerist culture on the forming and shaping of Christian communities of

emerging adults

James Henley

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IN A CONSUMERIST CULTURE

An exploration of the implications of a consumerist culture on the forming and shaping of Christian communities of emerging adults

JAMES HENLEY

AcknowledgementsSpecial thanks to the Revd Dr Ian Davies for his corrections, contributions and inspiring dialogue, and to friends and family for their helpful comments.

AbstractOver recent times, consumerism has become increasingly prevalent within UK society. Increases in amounts of consumer products and advertising, and the rise of the internet and social networking have led to the emergence of a prevailing consumerist culture – that is, a culture where the principal driving force is that of consumption. This culture has an effect on the way people relate to each other, how they attempt to achieve success and self-fulfilment, and the way their own sense of identity is constructed. This culture also inevitably has an effect on the way Christian communities function and on their understanding of Christian beliefs and values. This is especially true of a current generation of emerging adults (18-25 year olds), who are one of the first groups to have grown up within this consumerist culture.

This dissertation attempts to explore the implications of a consumerist culture on the forming and shaping of Christian communities of emerging adults. It utilises three key concepts from Bauman’s ‘Consuming Life’ (2007): commoditisation, privatisation and subjectivity fetishism, to develop an understanding of such a culture. The theological implications of these concepts are then explored, suggesting the implications of a consumerist culture on an understanding of God and Christian community. A tension is highlighted between the need to engage in the workings of such a culture, and the need to maintain a distinctive sense of Christian identity and values. This is a tension between a strategy of transcendence or withdrawal, and one of immanence or accommodation.

Finally, three key tensions are discussed, which those seeking to create and maintain Christian communities of emerging adults must attempt to understand and manage. Some initial ideas and theological resources are discussed which can be utilised in order to address these tensions within the mission and worship of such a community.

Contents

Introduction...........................................................................................................2

Chapter 1: A Consumerist Culture...............................................................5

Chapter 2: Theological Implications........................................................11

Chapter 3: Christian Community in a Consumerist Culture..........18

Conclusion...........................................................................................................26

Bibliography.......................................................................................................30

Christian Community in a Consumerist Culture

IntroductionIn the UK, we live in a culture where consumer choice abounds. The buying and selling of products

lies at the very core of western, capitalist culture, which holds consumption as one of its defining

characteristics. As Julie Kelly (2003, p.3) asserts, we find ourselves within ‘a society in which we do

not work to live, but work to shop, and where shopping is an “experience” not based on need but on

desire and pleasure.’ The current emerging generation of adults is one of the first groups who have

been born into and grown up within this consumerist culture, and, I would argue, form the first

generation of indigenous consumers.

This consumerist culture has implications for religious belief, in particular for a Christian faith

which has historically positioned itself as the traditional cultural or folk religion in the UK.

Sociologist, Steven Miles (1998, cited Bartholomew, 2000, p.2) asserts that consumerism itself ‘is

arguably the religion of the late twentieth century’, and similarly the sociologist/theologian, Alan

Storkey (2000, p.100), argues that ‘it is the chief rival to God in our time’. It is because of these

assertions that the examination of this consumerist culture is a necessary task which needs to be

undertaken, especially by those involved in work with the young people who are growing up within

it.

This dissertation is an attempt to begin an exploration of consumerist culture and its implications

for the forming and shaping of Christian communities of emerging adults. It is an exploratory study

with the three aims of: (1) exploring the key concepts that characterise a consumerist culture, (2)

examining the theological implications of those characteristics, and (3) beginning to sketch out

some of the practical responses which could be utilised by those involved in cultivating Christian

community amongst young, emerging adults.

Personal Perspective and Context

This dissertation will be inevitably influenced and informed by my own personal context and

perspectives. In particular, it is shaped by my own work to provide leadership for ‘The Lab’, a

Christian community, in Newport, South Wales, comprised primarily of young people between the

ages of 18 and 25. The Lab is an attempt to develop a community which is relevant to its context

within the culture around it and engages with it. It is also a group of young people who inevitably

find themselves having to face the challenge of integrating their own consumer desires with their

own understanding of their Christian faith.

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Defining Terms

Because of the conceptual, abstract nature of this particular work, there are a number of different

sociological and theological terms which are utilised at different points throughout, and which will

be explained and described during the main body of the dissertation. However, there are several

terms which are used from the outset, and which provide a framework for the bounds of the study

itself. These are explained below.

Emerging Adult

In their study, Smith and Snell (2009, p.4) use the term ‘emerging adult’ to describe a young person

between the ages of 18 and 23, describing a period of life when young people are emerging with

new found freedom as adults, but are still often in full-time education, receiving support from their

parents or family, and/or in other ways still not yet ‘emerged’ as a full-grown adult. For the

purposes of this dissertation, to fit in with the National Youth Agency definition of a young person

as someone up to the age of 25, I will use the term emerging adult to refer to someone between the

ages of 18 and 25.

Consumerist Culture

A consumerist culture is a culture in which the ‘principal propelling force’ is that of consumption

(Bauman Z. , 2007, p.28). Christopher Kiesling (1978, cited Brunk, 2008, p.291) describes

consumerism as:

a complex consisting of: 1) an economic system which places an extremely high value on the incessant production and consumption of material goods and services at an even higher level of physical convenience and comfort; 2) an accompanying mentality which assumes that such a system is the best or only one possible; and 3) a related tendency or even drive to find much, sometimes most, though rarely all human fulfilment in providing and consuming these material goods and services.

Kiesling’s definition is helpful since it traces the effects of the consumerist system on mainstream

culture from surface observation, through to a more hidden sub-conscious meaning, to the

implications which come from the external economic system described being incorporated into the

worldview of the individual. This also provides us with a helpful understanding of the nature of

culture itself as a multi-layered phenomenon. For the purposes of this dissertation, the term,

consumerist culture, is used to describe the incorporation of this ‘consumerist system’ into both

external and internal aspects of society.

Christian community

The term Christian community describes a group of people seeking to live out their Christian beliefs

together. This term is used rather than the term, ‘church’, in order to place an emphasis on the

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relationships and sense of shared identity which characterise the word community, as well as to

emphasise that this may refer to communities of young adults who exist outside of the structures of

the institutional, established church.

Overview

‘Chapter One: A Consumerist Culture’ offers an exploration of some of the key concepts and

processes which characterise a consumer culture. This forms a framework and understanding of

the workings of a consumerist culture which is vital in order to begin to examine it theologically.

‘Chapter Two: Theological Implications’ begins this theological examination and discussion, and

indicates some of the theological implications of contextualising Christian theology and tradition

within a consumerist culture. Finally, ‘Chapter Three: Christian Community in a Consumerist

Culture’ draws the previous two chapters together and present the key challenges which a

consumerist culture presents to forming Christian community, as well as beginning to sketch out a

practical response or responses.

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Chapter 1: A Consumerist CultureThe purpose of this opening chapter is to begin to explore the effects and processes which are

characteristic of a consumerist culture – that is, a culture where the ‘principal propelling force’ is

consumption (Bauman Z. , 2007, p.28). A complete description of the different characteristics of

such a culture would take far more room than this dissertation allows, so for the purposes of this

exploratory study I will focus on three key concepts drawn from Zygmunt Bauman’s (2007)

‘Consuming Life’. These are commoditisation, privatisation, and subjectivity fetishism.

I will attempt to explore each concept, beginning by defining it in an abstract sense and drawing

observations about the nature of a consumerist culture in general. I will then attempt to draw links

from the abstract and general to the specific, practical research of others who have focussed

specifically on the effects of such a culture on Christian communities and on young adults. This will

form the groundwork for chapter two where I will consider a theological response based on the

observations found in this chapter.

1. Commoditisation

‘Commoditisation’ is the core process of a consumerist culture. If a culture is primarily built upon

the promotion and consumption of goods, then it is logical that the key process in that culture

would be commoditisation, that is, the transformation of goods, services and ultimately people into

commodities.

Furthermore, if the ultimate goal of such a culture is to increase the value and desirability of its

goods, then the promotion and marketing of those goods will also be hugely important. Not only

will people find themselves becoming commodities, but in order to participate in society they will

also need to be able to promote and market themselves in order to increase the value and

desirability of their product.

[People] are enticed, nudged, or forced to promote an attractive and desirable commodity, and so to try as hard as they can, and using the best means at their disposal, to enhance the market value of the goods they sell. And the commodity they are prompted to put on the market, promote and sell is themselves.

They are, simultaneously, promoters of commodities and the commodities they promote. (Bauman, 2007, p.6)

So the main purpose for the promotion of the self is this attempt to regain identity and value

through being identified as a commodity worth consuming by other consumers. This attempt to

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gain identity through consumption has been identified by a number of researchers who bring a

more practical perspective. Tom Beaudoin (2003, p.5) calls this aspect of consumerist culture the

‘branding economy’ and contends that, ‘we make an identity for ourselves, and an identity is made

for us by our relationships to consumer goods’. He adds that the products that we consume ‘do

“identity work” for us, transmitting messages about ourselves to ourselves and others.’

Promoters & Commodities

Bauman (2007, p.6) argues that, in order to be able to achieve success on a societal level, people are

forced first and foremost to ‘recast themselves as commodities’. Drawing on Cartesian philosophy,

he asserts that this integration of a person into the consumerist culture causes him/her to cease to

be able to be an ‘object’ – able to impartially observe the system from the outside (Bauman, 2007,

pp.11-12). Instead, s/he is forced to become a ‘subject’ within the system itself, becoming a

commodity to be bought into and promoted.

This re-emergence as a commodity ironically must also mean a loss of identity and individuality,

even though individual recognition is the goal of the commoditisation process. Once they become a

commodity, the individual is dissolved into the veritable ‘sea’ of other commodities from which

consumers have to choose. Because of this dissolution of individual identity and meaning, people

are then compelled to re-discover identity by consuming other commodities, in an incessant

attempt to rise above the sea of other commodities around them.

The task of the consumers therefore, and the principle motive prompting them to engage in incessant consumer activity, is the task of… making themselves stand out from the mass of indistinguishable objects… and so catching the eye of [other] consumers... (Bauman, 2007, p.12)

It might be useful to understand this sea of commodities using the metaphor of a pond full of fish.

Small, inconsequential fish attempt to eat other fish in order to gain in size and importance, but

only with the ultimate goal of appearing more attractive a prospect to the other fish around them.

Ultimately, unfortunately there will always be bigger fish – and all the fish inevitably end up just

looking the same in spite of their attempts at individuality.

The Commoditisation of Culture

Vincent J. Miller (2000, p.285) describes the change that occurs when elements of culture itself

become commodities, observing that, ‘Culture is lifted from its background status as the social given

in which we dwell and [is] objectified. We experience it as something we can choose, modify and

enjoy.’ This new ability to choose the cultural backdrop within which to live effectively creates a

market for culture where different ‘mix and match’ elements such as worldview, ethical

perspectives and, of course, religious beliefs can be ‘put on’ and tried out for size, or taken off and

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discarded if they are no longer helpful or of use. Elements that don’t fit or are too restricting can

easily be discarded and replaced with other better value elements.

Miller (2005, p.72) describes two key characteristics of a cultural element recast as a commodity,

‘abstraction’ and ‘reification’. He argues that, ‘they are abstracted from their conditions of

production, presented as objects valuable in themselves, shorn of their interrelations with the other

symbols, beliefs, and practices that determine their meaning and function’. This abstraction and

disconnection of meaning then results in a need for reification, where new ‘stand-alone’ meanings

can be attributed, often at odds with the element’s original meaning or significance. These newly

objectified cultural elements are ‘more susceptible to manipulation and misappropriation, free-

floating signifiers that can be put to uses unrelated, indeed contradictory, to the meanings they

bear.’

2. Privatisation

A second key process that Bauman identifies as part of a consumerist culture is privatisation. On a

structural or political level, Bauman (2007, p.9) describes how governmental responsibility is

increasingly being abdicated, ‘through wholly or in part “contracting out” to private businesses the

essential institutional framework of service provision crucial for keeping labour sellable… As, for

instance, in the case of schooling and housing, care in old age, and a growing number of medical

services.’ This privatisation process is also linked to another process, which is ‘deregulation’ – the

‘flattening out’ of hierarchies and dissolution of rules and regulations to govern systems.

Both of these structural-level processes link within to the personal-level process of

‘individualisation’ and the dissolution of an objective sense of morality. Bauman (2007, p.49)

describes individualisation as ‘a far advanced deregulation and de-routinization of human conduct,

directly related to a weakening and/or crumbling of human bonds’. This increasingly rapid process

of individuals isolating themselves from a sense of community or belonging also has a huge effect

for the changing way in which Christian communities function.

Abstraction and Fragmentation of Meaning

Miller (2005) argues that the abstraction and reification which characterise the commoditisation

process are inherently responsible for creating a disconnection between different commodities, and

ultimately different people. Each commodity is required to have a calculable individual value,

separate and independent to any outside influences or factors, and thus is required to be a ‘stand-

alone’ product in its own right. This shift to self-containment removes any sense of value, or on a

personal level any sense of purpose, from relationships and connections which may previously

have provided value, purpose or meaning.

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The result of this shift is a profound sense of disconnection. However, the previous methods of

attempting to find meaning or identity, by building and cultivating relationships, are no longer

viable. Relationships, which previously may have been incredibly fulfilling, are now reduced simply

to interactions between consumers and commodities. So it is those consumer-commodity

interactions that the inhabitants of a consumerist culture attempt to utilise in order to regain their

own identity and purpose.

If a consumerist culture primarily functions as a market or as a sea of different commodities which

can be consumed, then that paints a pretty bleak picture of humanity. Humans are reduced simply

to commodities to be consumed and consumers to consume them. Therefore, in order to ease the

human conscience, it is inevitable that individuals will create for themselves a reality where life is

about more than just consumption. Instead of consumer choices being accepted for what they are,

instead individuals might try to justify them by suggesting that they have some deeper emotional

benefit or effect. Bauman (2007, pp.13-15) labels this ‘subjectivity fetishism’, which is the third key

concept being utilised to make sense of a complex conceptual area.

3. Subjectivity Fetishism

Subjectivity fetishism, Bauman (2007, p.15) argues, is a human product of a consumerist culture,

which allows ‘the buying and selling of tokens deployed in the construction of identity… to be

effaced from the appearance of the final product.’ Rather than simply understanding commodities

for what they are, instead they are elevated to a higher, idealised status. Commodities don’t just

fulfil a need or a task – instead they are able to make us better people, give us better lives and

satisfy our deepest desires.

Mark Sayers, uses a different term – ‘hyperreality’ (sic) – to describe this. Using a term coined by

philosopher Jean Baudrillard, for Sayers (2008, p.7), ‘hyperreality means that often we cannot tell

the difference between what advertising tells us about products, places and people and what they

are like in the real world’. Hyperreality describes the false aspirations that are created when young

adults are unable to tell the difference between the advertising messages in which they are

encouraged to buy goods and services, and the reality of the goods and services themselves.

For both Sayers and Bauman, the implications of this phenomenon are clear. As Bauman (2007,

p.15) writes, ‘What is assumed to be the materialization of the inner truth of self is in fact an

idealization of the material traces of consumer choices.’ A different sociologist, Krishan Kumar

(1999 cited Sayers, 2008, p.7), explains it like this:

Our world has become so saturated with images and symbols that a new ‘electronic reality’ has been created, whose effect is to obliterate any sense of an objective

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reality lying behind the images and symbols. In this ‘simulated’ world, images become objects, rather than reflecting them; reality becomes hyper-reality. In hyper-reality it is no longer possible to distinguish the imaginary from the real… the true from the false.

For young adults, this hyperreality or subjectivity fetishism results in confusion and a deep-set

frustration as the fulfilment which is promised from buying the right products does not materialise.

Returning to the fish metaphor, rather than confronting the reality that there is no way out of the

pond and learning to instead be fulfilled with their pond-life existence, the fish have chosen to

pursue the ideal that if they just consume enough of the other fish, or if they just consume the right

fish, then they will find a way out. But, for the purposes of our metaphor, the simple reality is that

there is no way out of the consumer pond. Commodities are commodities – in reality they do not

provide us with any real sense of identity or fulfilment, only in a subjective reality or hyperreality

which has been created for us.

Relationships and the Search for Belonging

This subjectivity fetishism, John Drane (2000, p.26) argues, is part of a widespread ‘search for

transcendence’ amongst people living in a consumerist culture. Drane (2000, pp.24-25) writes that,

‘Because of the collapse of traditional relational networks, and the way that material success has

become a culturally approved sign of worthwhile achievement, people… are struggling to establish

themselves as individuals of true worth.’ This breakdown of relational bonds, Miller (2005) would

argue, is a result of the abstraction process mentioned above, where identity is supposed to be no

longer found in relationships between people but instead as something self-contained and self-

actualised.

The problem is that, whilst fulfilment is no longer found in relationships, it is still something which

must be actualised through relationships. As Bauman (2007, p.82) writes, ‘In the words of Michel

Maffesoli, “I am who I am because others recognise me as such”’. This need for relational

recognition is still something which is needed for people to find fulfilment, even though that

fulfilment might not actually be found in the relationships themselves. Within a consumerist

culture, people feel required to promote their own commodity, and consumption by others

provides the recognition required for a sense of fulfilment.

This recognition, Bauman (2007, p.83) argues, translates into a sense of ‘belonging’. However, this

belonging doesn’t come through finding collective identity with a group or other individuals, but

through a sense of being possessed by others as a commodity worth consuming. This possession,

which is only fully realised once it becomes public knowledge, is what, at least fleetingly, brings the

much needed sense of belonging. The unspeakable alternative to public recognition and possession,

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Bauman argues, is ‘a succession of rejections or an ultimate exclusion’ from the consumerist

system, and ultimately from society as a whole.

Conclusion

What has been argued in this chapter it that the core process of a consumerist culture is that of

commoditisation, where goods and products, and ultimately people and even elements of the

culture itself are turned into commodities to be bought and sold. Drawing upon this argument, it is

useful to understand a consumerist culture as a sea where all the commodities are different fish.

The ultimate aim of each fish is thus to make itself attractive enough to be consumed by other, more

powerful fish. By consuming other fish which are deemed to be attractive enough or useful enough,

each fish is then able to become more attractive to the others.

Within a consumerist culture, relationships between people are reduced to mere interactions

between consumers and commodities. This is a highly privatised and individualised reality, which

is centred on achieving a personal sense of fulfilment through achieving recognition from others.

However, in order to gain some form of meaning or fulfilment from the consumerist system,

meaning is instead ascribed to the consumer interactions themselves. This subjectivity fetishism

asserts that the products we buy into are able to make us better, make our lives better, and bring us

fulfilment.

These core concepts form a conceptual model to build an understanding of the workings of a

consumerist culture. Utilising this framework, chapter two will seek to understand and explore the

theological implications of an all-pervasive consumerist culture. This theological framework will

then form a basis from which to begin to sketch a response, in chapter three.

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Chapter 2: Theological ImplicationsFollowing on from the conceptual groundwork attempted in the previous chapter, the aim of this

chapter is to attempt to begin to sketch out what might be the theological implications of the

concepts and mechanisms that have been argued characterise a consumerist culture. This

theological task will then form a foundation from which one might begin discussing the response

which Christian communities can make to the opportunities and threats of living within a

consumerist culture.

The Dangers of a Value-based Critique

Substantive theological work effort has gone into a critique of the values and aims of a prevailing

consumerist culture. Concepts such as individualism, commoditisation and an emphasis on

aesthetics have been examined and judged from a biblical viewpoint. However, there is a danger

that this kind of critique falls short of an examination and understanding of the key processes

which lie at the heart of consumerist culture itself by instead focusing on a critique of that culture’s

surface values and effects. Miller (2000, p.277) describes further the danger of a narrow critique

resulting from a lack of understanding of the functions of a consumerist culture itself:

At the heart of this problem lies a simplistic conception of culture as a system of beliefs. Such an approach comes easily to theologians and pontiffs, who are accustomed to arguing the vital importance of conceptual distinctions for the life of the Christian community. In addition to meanings and beliefs, an adequate understanding of culture must address the underlying structures in which meanings are formed and received. If beliefs and meanings are the contents of culture, these structures are the forms in which they are cast.

In order to be able to begin a critique of a consumerist culture, Miller argues, any attempt needs to

address the structures or rather, I would argue, processes, at the very heart of such a culture from

which all elements of meaning and identity for that culture are derived. Using Bauman’s

observations from Cartesian philosophy which were discussed in the previous chapter, in order to

offer a critique of a consumerist culture we cannot work under the assumption that we are able to

remain objective observers outside of the consumerist system. Instead, we must seek to understand

the place of theologies and beliefs as a subject within that system, and critically examine the

processes or structures in which a consumerist culture forms and moulds those theologies and

beliefs as it draws them into itself. Hence the ensuing attempt to explore and develop an

understanding of the theological implications of the key concepts that lie behind a consumerist

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culture, which will once again draw on the three key ideas discussed in the previous chapter:

commoditisation, privatisation and subjectivity fetishism.

1. The Commoditisation of God

As described earlier, the key process of a consumerist culture is that of commoditisation where

goods and services, and ultimately people, become commodities with a price and value. Therefore

in order to understand the place of faith and religion within a consumerist culture, we must explore

what it means for religion itself to become a subject of the commoditisation process. What are the

theological and practical implications of faith itself becoming a commodity to be bought and sold?

This ‘commoditisation of God’ has led to the integration of consumer choice, and thus the range of

different motivating factors which are involved in choosing a product, into the process of forming

religious beliefs. Motivating factors such as personal gain, branding and marketing, and ‘value for

money’ are criticised as bad motives by some Christian communities, whilst others actively

embrace and utilise them in order to gain new members. Is a robust theological response then

about choosing which motives are good, and which are unacceptable?

On the other hand, is the problem with the process of commoditisation itself? Does a god which has

become a commodity still have the power to bring any real ontological fulfilment or

transformation? It is in answering such questions that one is confronted with one of the deeper

challenges of a consumerist culture, that is the dissolution of the identity and meaning of God

himself, as he becomes absorbed into a culture which is recast as a nameless sea of commodities.

Commoditisation and Contextualisation

The recasting of God as a commodity seems to be the most criticised effect of a consumerist culture

by contemporary theologians. As Skye Jethani (2009, p.38) writes, ‘The god of Consumer

Christianity does not inspire awe and wonder because he is nothing more than a commodity to be

used for our personal satisfaction and self-achievement.’ Whilst this argument is clearly compelling

– a commoditised God results in a consumer Christianity – it perhaps fails to explore fully the

power of understanding God, and indeed Christ, as part of the consumerist system itself.

The Liberation theologian Leonardo Boff (1980, p.43) writes that in attempting to approach Jesus,

‘we come to him with that which we are and have, inserted into an unavoidable socio-historical

context.’ He makes the point that, as we ourselves are unable to separate ourselves from the context

in which we find ourselves, so we are unable to avoid projecting that same context onto Christ

himself. This is a vital element of the Incarnation, where Jesus Christ as God becomes subject to the

world and the cultural context into which he was born. Perhaps the Christ who is recast as a

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commodity is a Christ who is incarnated into the consumerist system, becoming subject to the

processes of the system itself.

It is inevitable that our understanding of Jesus is affected and shaped by our own experiences and

our own culture. As Boff (1980, p.5) argues:

‘No matter how much [we] attempt to abstract from [ourselves] as subjects, [we] can never escape the self and arrive at the object. For this reason, every life of Jesus will necessarily partly reflect the life of its author.’

Therefore, perhaps it is inevitable that, for a consumerist culture, Christ is recast as a commodity to

be chosen and consumed. Perhaps then, rather than attempting to avoid the inevitable, it is more

pertinent to explore more fully the implications of a culture that has this ‘image’ of Jesus.

God as a Commodity

Understanding God as a commodity raises interesting questions about the nature of worship for

those who choose to follow him. If, within a consumerist culture, value is attributed through the

consumption of commodities, then surely this is a model for the way that culture should worship as

well. Worship to God would be expressed by ‘consuming him’. Jethani (2009, p.37) is critical of this

way of relating to God:

In a consumer worldview he [God] has no intrinsic value apart from his usefulness to us. He is a tool we employ, a force we control, and a resource we plunder. We ascribe value to him (the literal meaning of the word “worship”) based not on who he is, but on what he can do for us.

Drawing on Bauman’s (2007, p.83) observations around the idea of ‘recognition’, which were

explored in chapter one, perhaps the consumerist form of worship to God is that of recognition and

possession. Within a consumerist culture, the primary way of ascribing worth is the public

possession of the commodity which is being sought after. This raises an interesting question about

what it would look like to ‘possess’ God as a commodity of ultimate value.

This possession and consumption is also what establishes a sense of identity for the consumer.

Therefore the consumption and possession of God as a commodity also implies that identity for the

consumer is gained from the consumption of that commodity. Christian consumers who choose to

consume God will also gain a sense of identity from him. However, as observed in chapter one, this

identity gained through consumption is unable to bring a sense of fulfilment for the consumer. This

fulfilment is only able to come through consumption by others.

Could God then also be presented as the consumer within the consumerist paradigm? Surely the

love of God for the world, and for each individual which is expressed through the biblical narrative

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and the death and resurrection of Jesus, is an example of the recognition and possession explained

above. God could easily be presented as the ultimate consumer, who places high enough value on

people as commodities to pay a huge price in order to possess them as his own. Perhaps then,

within a consumerist culture, God can be modelled as both the consumed and the consumer.

2. A Privatised God

Within a consumerist culture, the way relationships function is an important concern. This is

especially true since the notion of culture itself is defined by a sense of shared identity, worldview,

and inevitably relationship, between people. If such a culture is characterised by processes of

privatisation and individualisation, then what does this mean for a contextual understanding of

God?

Whilst the broader privatisation of society has been primarily about achieving greater efficiency,

something similar can be said about its parallels on a personal level. Individualised values and

beliefs allow a greater efficiency, as there is no need to compromise in order to fit in with the beliefs

of others. Within a highly individualised culture, everyone can believe whatever works for them. As

Nigel Scotland (2000, p.145) argues, ‘Thus the starting point of many has become my needs, my self-

interest and my satisfaction.’

This need for individualised beliefs creates a need for an individualised God, that is, a God who is

multi-faceted so as to fit in with everyone’s understanding. There are both positives and negatives

to this plurality. Whilst it creates a more transcendental understanding of a God who is bigger than

a single understanding or viewpoint, at the same time God is fragmented, limited to ‘what works’

for each individual within their own personal worldview and experience. In this sense, an

individualised God becomes both bigger and smaller at the same time.

The Abstraction of Meaning

As discussed in chapter one, this individualisation of culture has significant implications for the way

in which identity and meaning is understood within a consumerist culture. The abstraction of

meaning (Miller, 2005), which takes place as cultural elements are recast as stand-alone

commodities which have a self-contained identity and meaning, must clearly also have some

application to understanding God within a consumerist culture.

As mention previously, this abstraction is a removal of cultural elements ‘from their interrelations

with other symbols, beliefs, and practices that determine their meaning and function’ (Miller, 2005,

p.72). Within the consumerist framework, God is expected, just like any other commodity, to be

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presented as a single, all-inclusive package. According to Miller (2005, p.83), this abstraction can be

seen within recent popular theology:

Much of the appeal of the transcendental and existential theologies of figures such as Karl Rahner and Paul Tillich can be traced to their projects distinguishing the essence of the Christian faith from the cultural particulars of traditions which had become increasingly unintelligible to modern believers. This task is… essentially one of abstraction.

What this abstraction means is the fragmentation of the many different images and understandings

of God, and of all the different narratives, symbols and traditions which help to build up that

understanding. God is no longer able to be understood within the context of a broader faith

tradition and narrative, as any sense of his meaning or identity is required to be self-contained.

3. God and Subjectivity Fetishism

For the consumer, subjectivity fetishism (Bauman Z. , 2007, pp.17-20) reflects a controllable,

constructed reality, or hyperreality (Sayers, 2008), in which the commodities which are consumed

are ‘lifted up’ as being able to bring the existential fulfilment and meaning which the consumer

craves. This reality, Bauman (2007, p.20) argues, is entirely an invention of the culture in order to

present itself as an end in itself; capable of filling the void for self-fulfilment which the process of

commoditisation – which all elements of the culture are subjected to – creates.

It is obvious, then, that this subjectivity fetishism must have an effect on the way the participants in

a consumerist culture understand God. What place is there for God within this constructed reality –

if any? And, if there is a place for some understanding of God, what shape does it take?

Sayers (2008, pp.98-104) compares this ‘lifting up’ of commodities to the worship of idols,

suggesting that the hyperreality (sic) which is created by the consumer is, in itself, a elaborate form

of idolatry. He draws on Eugene Peterson’s (2005 cited Sayers, 2008, p.101) definition; ‘Idols are

non-gods and as such are much more congenial to us than God, for we not only have the pleasure of

making them… but also of controlling them’. For Sayers, this notion of control is crucial.

Effectively, in applying an existential narrative over the top of the consumerist system, the

consumer is able to mask the reality that even the very workings of culture itself have become

commoditised. Because of this, they are then, with impunity, able to apply the same complete

control that is afforded to the consumer in any consumer transaction to the whole of life, culture

and inevitably also spirituality. In the most critical sense, it could be argued that consumerist

culture has traded an unpredictable God for its own gods which can be controlled. The ultimate

power, though, behind these controllable gods are the participants in a consumerist culture itself –

us.

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If God has a place within the concept of subjectivity fetishism, then it is a place which can be

carefully controlled and defined. And the worship, or consumption, of God has, as its chief goal, self-

fulfilment, and self-actualisation. This is the same treatment as would be applied to any other

commodity which is chosen for consumption. Any inability to achieve this goal is then blamed on

‘the inadequacy, unsoundness or defectiveness of a wrongly chosen commodity’ (Bauman, 2007,

p.20).

Moving Forward: The Art of Subversion

It is obvious that the vocabulary used when describing the theological implications of a consumerist

culture is very different to the language of Christian theological tradition. However, it is important,

in order to make sense of God within a consumerist culture, to understand his place within it. It is

clear that in subjecting God to the processes of such a culture, there are both clear positives and

negatives.

So, how might we begin to build a response to a consumerist culture, which both embraces a God

who is actively involved in the workings of culture, but which also attempts to challenge the aspects

of that culture which appear to be contrary to those equally important elements of a biblical

understanding of God? Isolation is clearly an almost impossible option, especially when attempting

to sketch a model of Christian community with emerging adults who are already entirely

indigenous to such a consumerist culture. However, participating in such a society or culture at all

means unavoidably allowing ourselves, our community life and ultimately even the God we

worship, to become subjects of the culture, and therefore to be dissolved into the sea of

commodities which constitutes a consumerist culture. This is a key question for those seeking to

form Christian communities in a consumerist culture – to what extent can a Christian community

participate in such a culture, whilst still maintaining a distinctive Christian identity?

However, in the Incarnation we find ourselves with the image of a God who, in the person of Jesus,

becomes entirely contextualised within culture as a man. And yet, rather than being forced to relent

to the workings of that culture, Jesus was able to remain distinctive and to subvert it entirely in

many different ways, but perhaps fundamentally through his death and resurrection. Perhaps, in

going on to try and build a model for cultural engagement, there is something useful which can be

learned from the ‘art of subversion’ which Jesus practiced.

Conclusion

Drawing on the previous exploration of a consumerist culture in chapter one, this chapter has

explored the theological implications of such a culture. Rather than attempting to offer a theological

critique based on the values it espouses, I have sought to instead ‘follow through’ some of the core

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processes or identifying characteristics of a consumerist culture and explore their inevitable

implications for our understanding of God. Hence this argument has focused on exploring how the

three key concepts of commoditisation, privatisation and subjectivity fetishism inevitably affect the

way God is viewed within a consumerist culture.

The process of commoditisation sees God recast as a commodity to be bought and sold, where he is

worshipped by being consumed or possessed by spiritual consumers. A privatised, individualised

culture means an image of God who inevitably is supposed to be about fulfilling the needs of the

consumer, and whose identity is fragmented in order for individual consumers to choose the parts

they most prefer. Finally, a culture which embraces subjectivity fetishism is one in which God is a

commodity, and is entirely controllable by those who choose to worship him.

Within all three of these concepts, the end-product is a God who is ultimately about bringing self-

fulfilment and self-worth to each individual follower. So, whilst trying to build a contextual

understanding of a God who is intimately involved in the workings of a consumerist culture, it is

clear that any theological response must also be able to challenge or subvert that culture. This

understanding will form the basic premise for chapter three, where this dissertation moves on to

explore what a Christian community of young adults could look like which would provide a

practical, theological response to the consumerist culture in which it finds itself.

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Chapter 3: Christian Community in a Consumerist CultureThis dissertation has set out to explore the implications of a consumerist culture on the forming

and shaping of Christian communities of emerging adults. So far, the key conceptual ideas which

characterise a consumerist culture have been expounded (chapter one), and then explored from a

theological perspective (chapter two). This final chapter aims to draw on this previous work in

order to demonstrate the key concerns which need to be addressed for Christian communities that

find themselves within a consumerist culture. Building on previous conceptual ideas, this final

chapter seeks to suggest how the practical running and shaping of Christian community is affected

by attempting to dwell within a wider consumerist culture.

Before attempting to highlight some practical implications for growing Christian communities

within a consumerist culture, there are some initial concerns which need to be set out.

Shaping Community and Culture

As stated in the introduction, this dissertation is concerned primarily with the forming and shaping

of Christian community. This means that whatever practical conclusions are reached, they should

be concerned with the functioning of communities of people, rather than with individuals. Because

of this, and because of the abstract nature of this dissertation, the conclusions reached will

primarily be concerned with the way in which a communal culture can be created or shaped by

those involved in Christian communities which addresses the implications of a wider consumerist

culture.

Similarly, rather than making suggestions about specific areas of community life, these conclusions

are ventured as core values or ideas which will define the way a Christian community itself

functions. These core values can then be developed through ‘praxis’, that is, through the application

of these core values into the specific activities which take place in the mission and worship of a

Christian community of emerging adults.

Transcendence and Immanence

The primary question facing a Christian community which seeks to participate within a consumerist

culture, which has been raised thus far, is about whether to employ a strategy of transcendence or

immanence. That is, whether to choose to isolate itself from the wider culture in order to maintain

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an alternative, transcendent culture; or to choose to participate fully within the culture, allowing

itself to become fully subject to the workings and processes of that culture. This same dilemma is

also reflected in a theological understanding of a God who is both transcendent and immanent, who

exists entirely above and beyond the limitations of human culture, and yet at the same time chooses

to engage within it, most evidently through the Incarnation.

The real negative of a strategy of absolute transcendence, or withdrawal, is that, whilst perhaps

more faithfully preserving Christian tradition and values, it dispenses with any ability for a

Christian community to engage with, or even engage in mission within, the culture around it. There

are no reference points for those involved in the community to make sense of, or understand, the

culture around them, and, of concern since we are exploring community with emerging adults,

there is no way for those individuals who are indigenous to a consumerist culture to make sense of

their Christian faith within it. This can lead to an understanding of faith which is privatised and

compartmentalised, where Christian belief becomes something for Christians to out in private and

separate to the rest of their lives. Concurrently, as previously mentioned, the main danger of a

strategy of absolute immanence, or accommodation, is that it means the Christian community

allowing itself to become entirely subject to the culture around it, and in the case of a consumerist

culture, to face the danger of complete dissolution into the sea of commodities of which it is

comprised.

A successful solution then, to the problem of Christian community within a consumerist culture,

will take into account both ‘sides of the coin’, transcendence and immanence, and will hold some

kind of tension or relationship between the two. This tension between different values, I would

argue, might create a creative space for a Christian community of emerging adults to engage and

interact with a wider culture of consumerism in a way which is dynamic, and has the power to be

relevant and challenging to the culture around it, even perhaps to engage prophetically with it.

Critical Tensions

Based on the research and exploration allowed within this study, I would assert that there are three

critical dichotomies which create tension between Christian tradition and theology and the

workings of a consumerist culture. These are (1) the self vs. the other; (2) community vs. the

individual; and (3) objectivity vs. subjectivity. What follows is a description of each of these

tensions, and suggestions for how Christian communities of emerging adults might seek to engage

with them and manage them creatively.

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1. The Self vs. the Other

The first dichotomy or tension, that must be addressed when forming Christian community, is a

tension between the ‘self’ and the ‘other’. As stated previously, a consumerist culture is one which is

inevitably focussed on the self. A highly individualised and commoditized culture results in a

culture where ‘the starting point of many has become my needs, my self-interest and my

satisfaction.’ (Scotland, 2000, p.145). Yet this would seem to be contrary to the biblical ethics which

lie at the heart of Christianity about putting others first, and Jesus’ command to ‘love your

neighbour as yourself’ (Mt 22:39 NIV), which advocates a subversive use of power based on service

from below, rather than giving commands or orders from above. So, somehow a Christian

community seeking to live faithfully within a consumerist culture must be able to deal with this

tension between self-motivation and a motivation for others.

This tension between the self and the other is also ultimately a tension between the desirable role

of consumer and the undesirable role of being the commodity, subject to the processes of

commoditisation and depersonalisation. Whilst to be a consumer is to utilise others in order to

achieve self-fulfilment, and to have the power to choose to publicly recognise or denounce others,

to be a commodity is the less desirable but unfortunately necessary role of being utilised by others,

but with the hope of achieving recognition and possession by others in the process as a valuable

commodity worth consuming. It is within this tension that the participants in a consumerist culture

find themselves, wanting to be able to consume, but unfortunately having to be consumed in order

to achieve self-fulfilment.

As previously argued, this deeply felt need for self-fulfilment or self-actualisation – that is, some

kind of life achievement which will result in happiness and contentment – is one of the key

motivators at the heart of a consumerist culture. This is an endless search for self-discovery, which

seems to be rarely actually achieved. As mentioned previously, however, whilst this fulfilment

might be entirely based on the self, it is still achieved through the recognition of, and association

with, others. It is this dislocation between the self and the other which needs to be addressed by

any Christian community which finds itself within a consumerist culture, re-establishing a healthy

relationship between the need for self-fulfilment and the need for compassion and interaction with

others.

If, in a consumerist culture, self-fulfilment is still achieved through the recognition of being a

commodity worthy of possession by others, then perhaps it is through this mechanism that

Christian communities can intervene by cultivating a culture of acceptance based on some other

motivation than perceived value or worth. Maybe, for a Christian community of emerging adults, a

healthy culture of public recognition and possession should be developed where the motivation

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isn’t the value of the individual being possessed, but instead a value which is placed on them as a

child of God. Or perhaps they could practice an inverse process, where possession and recognition

of a person is asserted prior to calculating their value to the community or to individuals within the

community. Either way, in this situation the role of the Christian community is to provide an

alternative voice, which subverts the value-based motivations of a consumerist culture, by ascribing

value based on ‘being’ rather than ‘doing’, on an individual’s identity rather than their functionality.

This value is ascribed based on God’s perspective and/or by asserting that the possession and

recognition of the community are not dependent on the personal achievement or value of the

individual.

This same dichotomy between the self and other people can also be applied between the self and

God. The tension between an approach to God based on self-motivation and one based on self-

giving needs to be found, where God is perhaps understood in terms of being both commodity and

consumer, as well as being entirely above and beyond the restraints of culture, and worthy of

worship for who he is, not simply based on the individual dividends which may result from it.

Whereas, for the participants in a consumerist culture, there is a clear desire to be the consumer

and to resist becoming a commodity to be used by others, I would argue that for God the price of

becoming a divine commodity is one he is willing to pay in order to redeem and have relationship

with his people. Based on this, the Incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection could be re-

contextualised to present an image of a God who places himself entirely at the mercy of his people,

to be entirely consumed of his life on the cross, but who ultimately could not be limited or dissolved

by the sea of commodities.

2. Community vs. the Individual

Two of the key de-stabling factors of a consumerist culture are a re-casting and breakdown of the

function and importance of interpersonal relationships, and at the same time a profound loss of a

sense of individual identity. An increasingly rapid process of individualisation, coupled with the

commoditisation of the individuals within a consumerist culture, means that people define their

identity much less by a sense of relationship to others, and much more in terms of their own

personal brand as a commodity. This breakdown of community and relationships was heralded by

Margaret Thatcher (1987):

…And who is society? There is no such thing. There are individual men and women, and there are families… and people look to themselves first. It’s our duty to look after ourselves and then also to help look after our neighbour.

The society we now find ourselves in, if it hasn’t already been dissolved entirely as Thatcher

asserts, is one which is highly individualised. However, this individualisation seemingly stands in

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opposition to the process of commoditisation itself, where the individual’s own sense of identity is

dissolved as they find themselves as just one in a sea of other identical commodities.

It makes sense then that one of the key tensions that must be addressed, in forming and shaping

Christian communities within a consumerist culture, is a tension between an identity which is

constructed based on community, and a self-contained identity built primarily by the individual.

Shane Claiborne (2006, p.135) observes how increasingly attractive the notion of individualism has

become:

For everything in this world tries to pull us away from community, pushes us to choose ourselves over others, to choose independence over interdependence, to choose great things over small things, to choose going fast alone over going far together.

Within a consumerist culture, the need for individuals to be privatised, self-contained commodities

has resulted in a culture where achievement and recognition is primarily for the individual rather

than for communities working together. However, the biblical narrative provides a very different

understanding, where, whilst individual stories are picked out, the primary focus of the narrative

both in the Old and New Testaments is on a community or a people group. Individuals are

recognised primarily for the role they played in a narrative for which the bigger picture is the story

of God and his people, either the people of Israel or the early church community. This is perhaps

contrary to some contemporary understandings of Christianity where faith is reduced simply to the

relationship between ‘me and God’.

Perhaps this relationship between individuals and the wider community found in the bible could

form a basis for a revised understanding of the relationship between the individuals found in a

consumerist culture and the communities of which they are a part. So often Christian community

can become nameless and faceless, becoming not unlike the sea of commodities explored earlier,

where individuals are ‘absorbed’ into the community at the cost of their own sense of identity.

Christian communities within a consumerist culture perhaps need to explore and understand what

it means to be a ‘community of individuals’, where both shared, collective identity and individual

identity and achievement is celebrated; and where the relationship between the two is re-

connected and re-understood, and perhaps even redeemed through a new model of community.

Perhaps a theological starting point for this re-integration of community and the individual is with

an understanding of the Trinity. Boff (2000, p.64) describes the Trinity in these terms:

Each divine Person shares fully in the other two: in life, love and communion… Although equal in sharing in life and love, each Person is distinct from the others… But this distinction allows for communion and mutual self-giving. The Persons are

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distinct so as to be able to give out of their wealth to the others and to form eternal communion and divine community.

A theology of the Trinity presents a deeply stirring image of what Christian community could be,

with the ability to inspire and challenge. This image of perfect community also perhaps stirs up

what is a deep human need; perhaps one reason for the huge impact of ‘The Shack’ (Young, 2008),

an international bestselling work of ‘theological fiction’ which prominently presents God as Trinity.

In practice, for a Christian community of emerging adults, perhaps this would mean creating a

community culture which celebrates individual achievement, but also which actively encourages

and provides space for individual skills and gifts to be expressed within the life and worship of the

community. This utilisation of individual gifts, though, must happen in such a way that individual

identity can be expressed and showcased rather than identity being lost or absorbed into the wider

community’s identity. Perhaps a good metaphor to understand this would be that of a mosaic,

where brightly coloured and sometimes intricately designed tiles go together to create a rich and

colourful piece of art.

This kind of community creates an environment where individual identity is subject to

collaboration rather than competition, creating a cycle where individual identity enriches the

shared identity of the community, which then increases the value of the community itself for those

who are ‘buying into’ it. This creates a kind of ‘identity economy’ which links self-gain and self-

giving, where the two feed into one another. A balance between giving and receiving is created

where each inevitably leads to the other, and where individual identity inevitably informs the

identity of the community and vice versa.

3. Objectivity vs. Subjectivity

The third dichotomy which Christian communities within a consumerist culture should address is

between objectivity and subjectivity, that is, a tension between an understanding of reality and

society as something which is subjective and something which is objective. As explored in chapters

one and two, a key concept within a consumerist culture, as observed by Bauman (2007, pp.17-20),

is subjectivity fetishism; that is, an obsession or fixation with an individual subjective reality which

is created and controlled by the individual. It is within this environment then that, in forming and

developing Christian community, the tension needs to be managed between a prevailing preference

for the subjective, and a need for some kind of shared, objective understanding of the nature of

reality.

Berger and Luckmann (1966), assert that a social understanding of reality is constructed both

subjectively, through individual interpretation and internalisation, and objectively, through the

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externalisation of societal values and creation of structure. Whilst historically, Christian

communities have tended towards creating a very clear, objective understanding of reality through

techniques such as the conceptual systematising of theology, through to the creation of

organisational and even physical structures, and rigid ecclesiologies. This preference, towards what

Berger and Luckmann (1966, pp.65-109) describe as ‘institutionalization’ (sic), is something which

is in opposition to the prevailing preference within a consumerist culture towards subjectivity.

The concern of those involved in developing Christian communities of emerging adults within a

consumerist culture, then, should be how to relate a historical preference for objectivity to the

cultural preference for subjectivity, and indeed a mistrust of the objective or even ‘totalising’ nature

of institutionalisation. This requires a stance of both challenging the cultural norm which, as argued

previously in chapter two, clearly has its own limitations, and re-connecting it with an objective

approach to theology and ecclesiology which is trustworthy and has room within itself for

individuality, innovation and ultimately subjectivity.

So how could this tension, between objectivity and subjectivity, be worked out in a more practical

sense? In recent times, substantive theological effort has been put into a more organic or ‘liquid’

framework for ecclesiology (Ward, 2002). Gibbs and Bolger (2006, pp.113-114) take time to

describe the ‘liquid church’ phenomenon. In the words of Ian Mobsby (2006 cited Gibbs & Bolger,

2006, p.114), who was interviewed during their research, ‘“Fluid or liquid forms of church reflect

networks of people. As cultural expressions are now fluid and networked, place or geography are

far less important these days.”’ So, this flexible ecclesiology creates space for Christian communities

which are shaped by the subjective, for instance the individual availability, understanding and

preferences of their members.

This need to manage a tension between objectivity and subjectivity goes further than the shape and

organisation of the Christian community itself, though, to a need to address the way that

community affirms and constructs an understanding of God himself. There is a need to create space

for the subjective, personal theology of individuals, and to celebrate it, whilst at the same time

creating a structure which affirms a collective, more objective understanding of God. This collective

theology could be termed ‘orthodoxy’, drawing on the historical, theological understanding of the

need for a structure which presents collectively held, ‘right’ belief.

That structure, within itself, should also be able to pose a healthy challenge to subjective

experiences and opinions, perhaps through creating a stage for ‘free’ theological dialogue to take

place, rather than a form of restricted or prescriptive discussion which can often characterise

Christian communities. This way, each individual’s understanding can be challenged, and itself

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challenge the subjective understandings of others, as well as at the same time informing a fluid,

communal theological understanding. There is a need, however, for this communal orthodoxy, as

well as being multi-faceted, to also be integrated rather than fragmented; with an understanding of

individual parts making up a whole picture rather than individual parts which are each

independent and self-containing.

Summary

This concluding chapter has sought to present some key implications for creating and maintaining

Christian community in a consumerist culture. I have argued that the key question for Christian

communities is whether to pursue a strategy of transcendence/withdrawal, choosing to

differentiate itself from a consumerist culture, or of immanence/accommodation, choosing to

absorb itself into the culture. These two extremes are helpful, in that they enable us to understand

engaging in a consumerist culture to be about managing the tension between the seemingly

incessant demands of the prevailing culture, and the distinctiveness of the Christian narrative and

tradition.

Drawing on this, this chapter has suggested three critical tensions which exist between Christian

tradition and the workings of a consumerist culture. Those tensions are between (1) the self and

the other, (2) community and the individual, and (3) an objective and subjective view of reality. In

each case, I have suggested some initial practical and theological resources for Christian

communities of emerging adults to draw on, when seeking to engage in the tension between a

consumerist culture and a historic faith tradition.

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ConclusionConsumerism is quickly becoming the prevailing culture of the twenty-first century. Although

Western society seems to have been building towards this since the beginning of the twentieth

century, it is the current generation of emerging adults who most embody and exemplify what it

means to be indigenous to a consumerist culture. Smith and Snell (2009, p.67), amongst others,

reach the same conclusion that consumerism is part of the very identity of the current generation of

emerging adults.

[Our] interviewers could not, no matter how hard they pushed, get emerging adults to express any serious concerns about any aspect of mass-consumer materialism… There should be no limits to what people might buy and own, and consuming products is often a great source of satisfaction that helps to define ultimate goals in life.

This is the prevailing culture in which those seeking to grow and develop Christian community find

themselves, in particular those either specifically aimed at, or working with, emerging adults; and it

is the challenge of how to engage with and participate in this kind of culture which, I believe, will

define a new generation of Christian communities. Therefore, it is of vital importance that this

culture is studied by those seeking to undertake mission and ministry within it. Furthermore, a

fuller understanding needs to be developed of the theological implications of the concepts and

processes which define a consumerist culture, with a view to developing a greater practical

awareness of the specific challenges of forming and nurturing Christian communities within it. This

dissertation has been a brief, exploratory study concerned with the humble, but nevertheless

important, beginnings of that task.

1. Key Concepts

The starting point of this exploration was to begin to develop an understanding of the key

processes and conceptual ideas which characterise a consumerist culture. Drawing on the work of

sociologist, Zygmunt Bauman (2007), chapter one was concerned with exploring three key

concepts at the heart of such a culture: commoditisation, privatisation and subjectivity fetishism.

The process of commoditization lies at the core of a consumerist culture, where goods, services, and

even people and elements of the culture itself, are recast as commodities to be bought and traded.

For those individuals who find themselves within such a culture, the only alternative to complete

social isolation is to allow themselves to become a commodity for others to ‘buy into’. However, this

need to be commoditised also creates the need to promote oneself as a commodity worth buying, in

order to achieve a sense of self-worth.

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A second key concept, privatisation, relates to the breaking down of connections between the

subjects of a consumerist culture as they become commoditised. This process is expressed on a

personal level as individualisation, where the bonds between people are disconnected and

dislocated as they are reduced to simple consumer interactions between commodities. As the bonds

which connect elements are broken down the result is an abstraction of meaning (Miller, 2005),

where individuals, as commodities, are removed from their original context and instead forced to

become independent, self-contained commodities.

Finally, subjectivity fetishism is a concept which refers to the subjective reality which is created by

the consumer in order to gain some form of fulfilment from the consumerist system. In the absence

of a sense of connection or relationship with others, meaning is instead ascribed to consumer

interactions themselves. This subjectivity fetishism represents the ideology that the products we

buy are more than just simple commodities, but are able instead to make us into better people and

bring us fulfilment.

2. Theological Implications

Drawing on the framework created by the three concepts explored in chapter one, the next task

was to develop an understanding of the theological implications of those concepts. Whilst work has

been done to provide a theological critique of the values of a consumerist culture, the danger of a

critique on this level is that it only barely penetrates the surface of the complex workings of such a

culture. Therefore, this study set out to explore the implications of contextualising Christian belief

within the very workings and core functions of the culture itself described in chapter one.

It was asserted that within a consumerist culture, the main motivation for the religious believer is

the achievement of a sense of self-worth or self-fulfilment. The primary example of this is in the

commoditisation process itself, which not only affects people but also the very elements of culture,

including religion and spirituality. Therefore, within a consumerist culture, God himself can be

recast as a commodity to be consumed by his worshippers for their own self-fulfilment. However,

God can also be understood as a consumer within the consumerist system, where he can ascribe

ultimate value to his followers by choosing to consume them as commodities worth possessing.

Secondly, the process of privatisation results in the construction of a highly individualised God, also

affirming an understanding of a God who exists primarily for the fulfilment of the individual. As

well as this, a highly individualised culture means a God who is personalised to fit the experience

and understanding of each individual. Finally, the concept of subjectivity fetishism allows for an

understanding of a God who is subjective to each person’s understanding, allowing each individual

to have control over their own ‘image’ of God.

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It is obvious that these implications of a God who is contextualised within a consumerist culture

look very different to an understanding of God which is traditionally understood within orthodox

Christian theology. This raises an important, but difficult, challenge for Christian communities

seeking to engage with such a culture. Do they choose to attempt to isolate themselves from the

culture, choosing instead to assert an understanding of a God who transcends culture, or should

they choose to participate fully in the culture, but in the process allow their understanding of an

immanent God to become subject to the full workings of that culture?

3. Critical Tensions

The final stage of this dissertation, in chapter three, attempted to sketch out more fully the

challenge which faces those attempting to form Christian communities within a consumerist culture

amongst emerging adults. This would mean to suggest some possible solutions, or ways to manage

the tension between a strategy of immanence/accommodation and a strategy of

transcendence/withdrawal. The result was to suggest three critical tensions – dichotomies which

were found to exist between Christian tradition and theology and the key concepts of a consumerist

culture.

These three tensions are between (1) the self and the other, (2) community and the individual, and

(3) objectivity and subjectivity. Firstly, the tension needs to be managed between a desire for self-

actualisation and self-fulfilment, and the need to have compassion and fulfilment found in putting

others first. Within this tension, both other individuals and God could comprise the ‘other’.

Secondly, a tension exists which needs to be resolved between a shared community identity and the

affirmation and encouragement of individual identity. This means cultivating a community identity

which is shaped and moulded by the individualised contributions of each member, somewhat like a

mosaic where each small tile makes up the whole, complete picture. Finally, consideration needs to

be given to the tension between an objective understanding of reality, routed in accepted structures

and externalised values, and a subjective understanding of reality, which is subject to the

perspective and experience of individuals. Managing this tension has implications for the way the

structures and values of Christian communities are expressed, as well as for the way the

community’s theology is constructed and produced.

Final Thoughts

Although limited by the bounds of an undergraduate dissertation, this study has sought to begin the

task of understanding the place of Christian community within a consumerist culture, particularly

amongst an emerging generation of young adults. Whilst the concepts and ideas which have been

explored could easily have been taken further and subjected to more intense theological

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examination, what is presented in this piece of work is a starting point from which to begin to

understand the implications of pursuing Christian community in a culture which is highly alien

compared to the context in which earlier Christian communities emerged.

On a personal level, the conclusions reached here will fuel and inspire future study and in particular

will affect my own work attempting to form and shape community with emerging adults. In

addition to this, I believe that there are also implications raised within this dissertation for others

who are involved in shaping Christian faith and practice in the future, who are involved in work

with young people, or who are involved in community development work within a highly

individualised, consumerist culture such as, I believe, the context in which we find ourselves in the

UK.

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Documents

Christian Community in a Consumerist Culture - James Henley