Consumer Spirituality
July 27, 2009
-by Kyle Cupp
In their book Radical Hospitality, Father Daniel Homan, O.S.B. and Lonni Collins Pratt say the following about American spirituality:
American spirituality is basically consumer spirituality. God is a product with incredible benefits. God helps us live well, live healthfully, be prosperous and emotionally strong. God is like a great motivational speaker or talk show host who offers a banquet of options for successful spirituality. You look over the banquet and select what appeals to you.
[…]
It is tragically and poignantly adolescent, with the deep emotion and angst that goes with adolescence. It is a spirituality that seeks improvement for life—a better me, a better relationship—but it does not seek God and it does not move us toward others. It just keeps us running on the treadmill of our little egocentric worlds.
Reading this reminded me of a telling scene in Woody Allen’s movie, Hannah and Her Sisters. In the movie, Allen’s character, after learning that he doesn’t have brain cancer, begins a short-lived search for deeper meaning by exploring various religious faiths. He encounters Christianity – Catholicism in particular – as nothing more than a well-marketed product for consumption. We see him standing outside a Christian bookstore, looking through a window at a picture of Jesus. When Allen sways to the left, Jesus’ eyes open; when he sways to the right, his eyes close. Next we see Allen return home with a paper grocery bag. He sets in on the counter and pulls out a crucifix, a framed picture of St. Jude, and a loaf of Wonder Bread.
To Allen’s character, and probably Allen himself, Christianity is just a brand-name hyperbolically promising something it cannot realistically deliver. Like Wonder Bread. It may give comfort, but it doesn’t deliver real wonders. I can’t really blame Allen’s character for moving on to another religion. True, his chosen exposure to Christianity was too brief and way too superficial, yet this superficial consumerism is too often the mark of how Christians practice and market their religion.
If spirituality is nothing more than a product that delivers comfort, then it’s an easily replaceable product. A feel-good movie, a bar of chocolate, a cold beer, or a pill can do the same. It’s with these things that consumer spirituality competes in the market place. Genuine spirituality, Homan and Pratt remind us, “is not cozy, and seldom makes you comfortable. It challenges, disturbs, unsettles, and leaves you feeling like someone is at the center of your existence on a major remodeling mission.” Genuine spirituality involves risk and hospitality, opening one’s heart and one’s space to the stranger. The writings of the saints and mystics attest to this deeper, harsher, but more rewarding reality of spirituality. Spirituality takes us outside of our comfort zone and opens us to others, to what is foreign, alien, alternative, dangerous, and even to what is infinite.
Kyle Cupp is an independant contributor to MetroCatholic publications. Kyle publishes the blog Journeys in Alterity, which features his thoughts on culture, hermeneutics, language, literature, moral dilemmas, personal life, philosophy, politics, postmodernism, and religion.
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Kyle, nice post. I think we could all benefit from true self-examination in this area.
Yesterdays’s Mass readings, along with the theme of the Homily I heard, call for similar examination.
Many of us consume our religion like a brand of “Christianity Lite.” It goes down easy, but, unfortunately, is less filling than the heavier brew. C.S. Lewis had it right when he said that God didn’t necessarily want us to be happy, he wanted us to be good, and that suffering was often God’s chisel, used by Him to perfect us. Small comfort, perhaps, but closer to the truth than cafeteria Catholicism, I think. Great post, Kyle.
I agree, George. I sometimes wonder what image of Christ I communicate to the world, but sometimes isn’t enough.
Thank you, Kevin. I don’t mind Lewis’ words being a small comfort, but then, I don’t tend to look to religious writers for comfort. Well, maybe to Job.