On Thursday, Rev. David Williams noted that Christianity has become a target demographic for advertisers, pointing the finger at FoxFaith.com.
So, I took a look at FoxFaith...and frankly, I'm disappointed. Seriously, go there. And see how shallow Christian consumerism has become.
I mentioned earlier that I work in graphic design and dabble in the shady world that is advertising. Companies market what sells...and if something doesn't sell or an ad campaign brings in a poor return, it gets pulled. Sometimes things get messy.
Anybody remember that racist Sony ad from this summer?
So here's what troubles me:
Many Christians are responding positively to corporate media's demand that we identify ourselves according to the goods that we consume.
But I see hope.
To be sure, I don't oppose big media in general (in fact, Brandon and I are U2 fans, I love the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and he calls himself an urban hobbit).
But when consumption and identity collide, I bristle.
Consider the phrase "Christian Culture" for about four seconds. What do you think of?
I thought of:
- Radio stations broadcasting so high in the sky that the air's just a bit too thin
- Books that water down our faith enough to neuter it while grasping for some measure of profundity
- Ichthus emblems (the "Jesus Fish")
- T-Shirt ripoffs
I'm not here to bash any of this (though you can probably tell that I'm not a fan). But each item in this list represents an example in which the reality of Christ has been tailored to support our habits of consumption.
What else could Christian culture mean?
What if it meant a community of people that shared what they had in order to meet the needs of all?
What if it meant a community of the faithful who wrote, painted, and made music as an echo of the beautiful symphony with which God has surrounded us?
What if it meant a group of people sensitive to the cry of the oppressed and those yearning for freedom from sin and the disorder of this world?
And what if it meant that this group of people entered into these very realities in order to preach the Gospel -- the fact that Jesus is Lord, and wishes to subvert these structures in order that he might rule over them and bring peace to those under them?
What if we submitted ourselves to this Kingdom today? What might Christian culture begin to look like?
And over time, what might culture begin to look like?
Comments (3)
It's interesting to throw in some thoughts from this movement called the "new perspective on Paul", which says that when Paul was talking about faith and works compared to and against one another, we've misheard him. We have heard him say "faith" is inactive, while "works" is active.
Really, according to the NPP people, works were "badges" of merit that guaranteed certainty and admission as one of God's chosen people, Israel. It was an outward national-identity thing like circumcision to say you're within the "cut" of the covenant. As the Wikipedia says, the NPP makes "law-keeping and good works a sign of being in the Covenant (marking out the Jews as the people of God) rather than deeds performed in order to accomplish salvation."
I'm not 100% sold on the NPP yet, but nevertheless: it's interesting that nowadays a lot of Christian circles do use these cultural relics as "badges" to prove that they're "in" or adequately Christian. We may not have made it about justification before God yet, but in some churches I have attended, participation in "Christian culture" has nearly been a requisite for people to be cordial to you!
Posted by Brandon | September 23, 2006 6:24 PM
Posted on September 23, 2006 18:24
scott, i yearn for the "christian culture" you have suggested and i think that your thoughts are in the direction of how God might like us to come together while we're living on this earth. "christianity" today makes me cringe. i do not like that i tend to hesitantly call myself christian due to its connotation, but this is the reality of the situation, especially attending an evangelical christian university in southern california. anyway. i know this is nothing you have not heard before, but just know that i am glad to read your concerns and thoughts because it is something that we share.
Posted by ashley | October 13, 2006 7:08 PM
Posted on October 13, 2006 19:08
Scott,
Nice post. Truly! Speaking of Christian consumerism....have you ever heard of Testamints? Do I even need to explain?
I agree that we are not now living in the Upside down nature of the Kingdom of God. There is so much more!!!
Posted by tracie bonjour | February 16, 2007 10:30 PM
Posted on February 16, 2007 22:30