A Google search would produce two definitions of consumerism. The first definition is “the protection or promotion of the interest of consumers.” The second definition, which is less neutral but more relevant to our time, is “the preoccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods” (Oxford Languages, 2022). These definitions may encompass going vegan, reducing air travel, shopping locally, and eliminating our contributions to the rapid cycles of fast fashion, or other topics you would have heard of already.
However, Christianity lends a new perspective on consumerism that these definitions don’t cover, as central to Christianity is the belief that God is sovereign over everything (Colossians 1.16) and that human beings are called to honour God through their lives (1 Corinthians 10.31). This causes me to think about all matters of life, including ethical consumerism, through the lens of the Gospel.
Christianity lends a new perspective on consumerism that these definitions don’t cover, as central to Christianity is the belief that God is sovereign over everything (Colossians 1.16) and that human beings are called to honour God through their lives (1 Corinthians 10.31).
The only way to discern matters of life through the lens of the Gospel is to turn to the Scripture. Let’s start in the beginning of time, in Genesis. God made mankind in his own image (Genesis 1.27), blessed them, and said to them:
“Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Genesis 1.28).
We are created in the image of God, and God calls us to subdue the earth. In John Mark Comer’s book Garden City (2015), he explains that our identity in being image-bearers, or statues (translated from selem in Hebrew) of God entails making visible the invisible God by working and taking care of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2.15). Genesis 2.10-14 describes a world of raw materials – of gold, resin and onyx – representing how God created us to partner with Him in creating new things out of raw materials. We were placed in the Garden, and on this Earth, to cultivate the land that God created, to provide for others, and to walk in step with God.
We were placed in the Garden, and on this Earth, to cultivate the land that God created, to provide for others, and to walk in step with God.
We were created to be good stewards of the earth and help the world and the people in it to thrive and flourish (see my previous article on biblical justice). So how is this relevant to ethical consumerism as we know it today?
In short, one important implication of being a good steward of the earth is that undisciplined consumption must end. We should seek to honour God through the way we consume (Colossians 3.17) particularly in our current society, where the political, economic, and social climates are so intricately interwoven. The choices that we make on a daily basis are not purely private, but inevitably have wider consequences. We should make decisions that reflect good stewardship of the resources we have to restore our relationships with God, other people, and the planet. Unethical consumerism is not only a problem of detachment and lack of respect but a problem of our hearts with the order of our loves (Colossians 1.16).
We should make decisions that reflect good stewardship of the resources we have to restore our relationships with God, other people, and the planet. Unethical consumerism is not only a problem of detachment and lack of respect but a problem of our hearts with the order of our loves (Colossians 1.16).
This is not to say that consumerism cannot be a force for good. For example, some aspects of consumerism may help bring more people out of poverty, which is something God calls us to care for in our faith. This is illustrated in the example of Fordism, the revolution of the production line that gave way to mass production and consumption in the 1940s-60s, which enabled cars to be affordable to the American middle-class.
However in modern times, we tend to be preoccupied with believing we need something in order to be satisfied, and often place material goods before seeking greater comfort in the One who made them. Consumerism as we know it today capitalises on our rightful human nature to want and love the things we own and create, but often leads us to a point where we continually want more. The greatest witness to our faith is to be content with the circumstances and the good gifts that God has already given us (Philippians 4.11-13).
Our fight for ethical consumerism and wider biblical justice shouldn’t be self-righteous and all-consuming (Colossians 3.2), but led by our faith. God cares about the choices we make that impact our relationships with Him, other people and the planet (Mark 12.30-31). So ethical consumerism as Christians shouldn’t just be a series of dos and don’ts; ultimately, it is a participation in the life of the Spirit, as good stewards of His creation, out of our love and reverence for Him.
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References for your continued pursuit:
- Ask Pastor John: How concerned should Christians be with Consumerism?
- Culture Matters: Consumerism
- “Garden City” by John Mark Comer (2015), Chapter 3: A place called Delight (pg. 51-68)
- Ideology: Utilitarian Ethics and Christian Moral Philosophy
- “Just Living: Faith and Community in an Age of Consumerism” by Ruth Valerio (2016)