I was thinking about the dilemma 21st century clergy must face when dealing with congregations steeped in the ideology of consumerism. The discourse of the market is so thoroughly ubiquitous it's natural for people to talk about "getting value" for their money. It must be case that clergy feel pressure to deliver "value" every Sunday in order to appease their congregations - at least to the degree that congregations degrade into consumers and spectators. The idea that a minister has the right or duty to challenge the congregation, either in terms of belief or action, is arguably counter-intuitive by 2016 standards.
This dynamic highlights an interesting phenomenon that may disclose a disconcerting aspect of human nature. While middle class families leave the traditional mainline churches in droves these same families are exploring reincarnation, energy healing, kabbalah, shamanism, crystals, angel readings, tarot cards and all manner of "exotic" beliefs and practices that a century ago would have been beyond the pale of bourgeois society.
Assuming these are accurate empirical claims I am inclined to believe that in 2016 what determines a "spiritual seeker/consumer" level of incredulity has more to do with the demands a particular belief places on the "seeker." If one is told there are spirit guides who are daily intervening to help one become wealthy and secure, and all one needs to do is purchase a deck of cards to discern their next business move, that's a belief that is both totally reconcilable with consumerism and it imposes no cost on the seeker. That's a claim about reality worth exploring further.
If, however, one is told that the Lord of the Universe suffers alongside the poor and that the cost of discipleship is to do everything possible to ease their burden, including getting your hands dirty by working in the community kitchen, well, that's a highly improbable claim about reality. There is likely no God and even if there is, he probably made people poor because they needed to be taught a lesson. Whatever the case may be, volunteering my time and money to feed the poor is a no-go.
Terry Eagleton in "Culture and the Death of God" sums up the L.A. celebrity culture's fascination with exotic belief with the comment - paraphrased here - "It turns out those who don't really believe anything are willing to believe everything, as long as it doesn't impose any sort of cost."
David Bently Hart in "Atheist Delusions" is even more derisive commenting on New Age culture as little more than "home decor" with liberal smatterings of prayer flags, crystals, shaman's drums and Buddha figurines.
Now, both of these thinkers comments are probably unfairly harsh to folks within the New Age community and my intent is not to run down the beliefs of others. The real target for Hart & Eagleton is the way consumerism and postmodernism degrade everything into a commodity, an amusement, or an idle curiosity. The idea that religion is about a visceral struggle against the power of death or the dark forces which seek to destroy meaning or the hope that a final victory is in store for those who choose to confront evil, well that sort of thing is beyond what consumer based religion can handle.
To return to my original point, these criticisms are also true inside the Church as well. As consumerism becomes the de facto religion of the West we will have to intentionally engage with it and find a way to bring this ideology to heel. I'm certain I've heard it said one cannot serve two masters and 21st clergy are in for a long, hard struggle if they choose to stand firm against the idol of consumerism and it's many false promises.
