William T. Cavanaugh, a professor of theology at DePaul University whose passion is seen in political theology, economic ethics and ecclesiology has once again written an attention-grabbing book on economics. In “Being Consumed” the writer challenges Christians to put forward our values in the current economy. He does not give a black or white answer to matters such as the free market, consumerism, globalization, and scarcity rather succeed in unveiling what they are, what they portray to be, how they are presented and in enlightening us to other alternatives that are found in the Bible studied carefully by different prodigious writers such as Augustine, Hans Urs Von Balthasar and different economist views by Milton and Rose Friedman, Friedrich
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Cavanaugh provides readers with detailed critics of the free market. He explains that the market is supposed to be free when individuals are voluntarily entering into exchanges from which both parties expect to benefit. The market exists to satisfy the needs and wants of the consumers. However, the question that is ignored is where do real wants come from. How can we know if those wants are not artificial, or perhaps even influenced by other factors. He goes on to say through Augustine’s view on freedom that the only way to tell the difference is through a telos “to desire with no telos, no connection to the objective end of desire, is to desire nothing and to become nothing”. There must a drive in any want, the question what is the drive. He displays the restraints of the free market and concludes by saying that we cannot do much about that, but as the church should act for the common good of …show more content…
But in our busyness of consumption we easily shut our ears to the cry of others. We forget that the lack of one person is not just the inability to feed for themselves but an duty for the rest to help those who are in need.
He then links the Eucharist with scarcity, or the downside of consumerism. In the Eucharist, Christ is the gift, giver and recipient. We come hungry to obtain life from Him and as we receive it we participate in the divine life. We are therefore fed but simultaneously, we become food for others. There is a message of justice and hope in the Eucharist
On of the strength that is observed in this book, is the different sources William uses. Which makes it reliable, he does not only uses a Roman catholic theology, or even concentrate on a theological point of view, but he expands his territory by bringing in different economists and their research. This makes this book open to anyone who is interested in capitalism as well. It rends the book unlimited to just Christians, but even different religions could make use of
Cavanaugh provides readers with detailed critics of the free market. He explains that the market is supposed to be free when individuals are voluntarily entering into exchanges from which both parties expect to benefit. The market exists to satisfy the needs and wants of the consumers. However, the question that is ignored is where do real wants come from. How can we know if those wants are not artificial, or perhaps even influenced by other factors. He goes on to say through Augustine’s view on freedom that the only way to tell the difference is through a telos “to desire with no telos, no connection to the objective end of desire, is to desire nothing and to become nothing”. There must a drive in any want, the question what is the drive. He displays the restraints of the free market and concludes by saying that we cannot do much about that, but as the church should act for the common good of …show more content…
But in our busyness of consumption we easily shut our ears to the cry of others. We forget that the lack of one person is not just the inability to feed for themselves but an duty for the rest to help those who are in need.
He then links the Eucharist with scarcity, or the downside of consumerism. In the Eucharist, Christ is the gift, giver and recipient. We come hungry to obtain life from Him and as we receive it we participate in the divine life. We are therefore fed but simultaneously, we become food for others. There is a message of justice and hope in the Eucharist
On of the strength that is observed in this book, is the different sources William uses. Which makes it reliable, he does not only uses a Roman catholic theology, or even concentrate on a theological point of view, but he expands his territory by bringing in different economists and their research. This makes this book open to anyone who is interested in capitalism as well. It rends the book unlimited to just Christians, but even different religions could make use of