Lesson 6 Flashcards
Concept of materialism
The concept of materialistic values involves the idea that status in society is measured by wealth and possessions, rather than by qualities such as wisdom, virtue and intelligence.
Materialism
= valuing physical possessions; more important than spiritual values
Consumerism
= valuing the process of buying new things and increasing profit.
Materialism might be religious
-Materialism may be religious
-e.g. Solomon was given great wealth by God due to his wisdom. It is not religious when God is not seen as the source of the wealth/giver of the wealth.
In the New Testament - materialism
-In the New Testament, Jesus reversed some of the usual expectations of his day, particularly about wealth and possessions. He argued that the poor were blessed, because their situation was about to be reversed with the coming of the Kingdom of God.
-In a parable (Luke 16:19-31), he contrasts a rich man with a beggar who is left hoping for scraps that fall from the rich man’s table. They both die. The rich man goes to a place of suffering, and the poor man enjoys comfort in heaven beside Abraham.
-Importance is HOW a person chooses to use their wealth.
Jesus and materialism
-Jesus appears to deal with rich and poor alike, but also applauds those who are charitable-not because they are keeping a religious rule, but because they choose to share their wealth and care for others.
-Jesus does not condemn wealth in itself, but argues that it is extremely difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven-and therefore that riches can be a distraction from the more important aspects of life.
-Someone who is rich is concerned to preserve and increase their wealth on earth rather than focusing on building up what Jesus calls treasure in heaven - virtuous behaviour and charitable attitudes.
Earliest church - materialism
-We know that, in parts of the earliest Church, people shared everything they had with one another in the community, because early Christians believed that the end of the world was soon to come.
-However, the biblical letters also show communities divided by economic differences.
-This shows that attitudes to the ownership of wealth varied, even in the earliest Church. There was never a time when all Christians rejected materialistic values.
Monastic tradition Christianity
-From the early fourth century a monastic tradition developed in Christianity.
-Some men and women deliberately gave up their personal wealth and lived in a communal or solitary existence, in poverty and simplicity.
-This practice continues today in the Church of England and in the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.
Monasticism - Middle Ages
-In the middle ages, monasticism was seen as a superior spiritual state to that of the householder.
-With the Reformation, however, the distinction between priests and ordinary lay people was set aside.
-Living family life in the secular world meant using and owning money and property.
-Voluntary poverty no longer offered moral superiority. so there was no spiritual advantage to monastic life. Charity giving and responsible use of wealth, however, continued to be religious duties.
What did the increase in trade lead to
-During the following centuries, the increase in trade as European countries expanded their power into Africa, the Americas and the east led to the development of capitalism.
-This is a political and economic system which allows wealth to be controlled by individuals and businesses for private profit.
-In the nineteenth century, the industrial revolution further strengthened capitalism, so that business owners and merchants became very rich while many of their workers struggled to survive on low wages and poor working conditions.
-It was this inequality which Karl Marx challenged when he developed the ideology that he called ‘communism’
Christian attitudes towards wealth
Two extremes the bruderhof and prosperiority
Prosperity gospel
Teaches that wealth and financial blessings are a gift from god to people who give generously to evangelistic work
Bruderhof
Christian sect who live simply and share all possessions they shun all wealth and materials
Most Christian views are somewhere in between
-responsible wealth is important capitalism shouldn’t exploit people
-the Cadbury brothers were quakers who provided good housing, leisure facilities and medical care to their workers
-most Christian’s accepts that wealth is ok but that it should be shared generously and those in need should be helped
-Christian aid
Wealthy Christian’s
-There are many examples of wealthy industrialists whose Christian values led them to provide more generously for their workers.
-Among the most well-known are the Quakers George and Richard Cadbury who built the town of Bournville for their employees as well as providing decent wages, a pension scheme and medical care.
-Titus Salt, the owner of a huge textile mill, built the village of Saltaire to provide decent housing for the workers in his mill, including a Congregationalist church for the community.
