3.28.2006

Dominant Scripts in the "Christian" Home

I am doing research for my master's thesis regarding the co-opting of the church by consumerism. Here is a reflection that I made recently: my students from non-Christian homes know that they live in two worlds: one framed by the gospel and one framed primarily by consumerism. However, my students from Christian homes are often very unaware of this. A reason I see for this is the syncretism that has been created in today's Christian home between gospel and consumerism. Christian parents go to the church and are often morally upstanding people; however, they seem to lack the the critical skills to assess other areas of their lives in light of their faith such as social policy issues, money issues, the stereotypes of others, etc. Because of this, many of my students from Christian homes believe in a "bent" gospel-- one that is about them (heaven later, forgiveness now for my moral faults, and the pursuit of the American Dream). I see this playing out in our so called "Christian" churches as well-- do we speak against the dominant script of consumerism. How much of so-called Christian ideas are truly formed by the gospel rather than consumerism? I see the social policies that so many Christians seem to endorse and vote for and wonder what gospel so many have believed in.

2 comments:

  1. Justin, I think also along with consumerism...we have constructed an individualistic view of the gospel. The gospel about me, the gospel according to me...my prosperity, my wealth, my health and my spiritual wholeness.God's wild and crazy panoramic view of redemption...is not about just the individual. It is about the redemption of " all " of creation...whether that is political structures, social justice, global equality...this redemption in terms of the " real " gospel.

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