In Being Consumed – Economics and Christian Desire, William T. Cavanaugh sets out to provide an analysis of one of the biggest present-day issues that many Christians grapple with from time to time, namely, . That is the issue of remaining in keeping towith Christian principles in a globalized free market economy. How does a Christian know whether the economic choices one makes are in keeping with Christian principles? Should this even be an issue? Isn’t the matter of economics completely separate from one’s Christian beliefs?
Moreover, they argue that sanctification changes people’s nature, and it changes the direction to live for God. The reformed theologians suggest three ways of sanctification: through the union with Christ, by means of the truth, and by faith. The reformed perspective on the pattern of sanctification is likeness to God (Christ-likeness), because people once had the image of God, before the Fall. The word “renewing” is important for reformed theologians, because their perspective on sanctification is to be renewed. Reformed theologians learned, from Romans 8:29, that Christ-likeness is the purpose of choosing people; and it is not merely one of the suggestions to be Christ likeness people, but it is command to become like one.
Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire deals with what Cavanaugh refers to as “the basic matters of economic life”, which is the free market, consumerism, globalization, and scarcity, as he aims to change the reader’s views on each of these topics. Cavanaugh also gives his argument both for and against each of these matters, which are often characterized by stories or comparisons which make his arguments and points a little easier to understand and a little clearer. Cavanaugh also answers few questions such as, are we for or against the free market? Should we not think of ourselves as a consumer? Are we for or againt globalization?
The word sacrament comes from Latin word Sacramentum. The Greek word mysterion is equivalent to Sacramentum and it is used by Paul in Ephesians when he is speaking about marriage. “This is a great foreshadowing Mysterion,” I mean that it refers to Christ and the church.” In later usage, the term Sacramentum emphasizes the visible sign of the hidden reality of salvation which was indicated by the term Mysterium. In this case, Christ himself is the mystery of salvation for there is no other mystery of God, except Christ Jesus. “The synonym of the word Sacramentum in the Bible is Mysterion, Orthodox Church uses the word mystery to mean sacrament.” The saving work of Jesus in sanctifying humanity is the sacrament of salvation which is revealed
Weber considered himself as a social reformer, who sought to understand how change comes about, and specifically with the transitions to capitalism and modernity. His book is a study of the association between the ethics of ascetic Protestantism and the rise of the spirit of modern capitalism. Max Weber’s main argument is that the spirit of capitalism was born from the spirit of Calvinism. For Weber, religion helped in constructing modern capitalism, and in his book, he is seeking to show the influence of certain religious ideas on the development of an economic spirit. Weber named the capitalist way of life as the “spirit of capitalism”.
The Feeble market camp believe that the market influenced by culture and society. The ideas of the feeble market can be seen in the quote, “the theme throughout is that markets are embedded in, entangled with or otherwise dependent on other parts of society,” Forcade and Healy 2007: 295). This leads to look at how capitalism only thrives in certain cultures and there are specific conditions that help it thrive. The concept of the society having an imporant role in the market can be seen in Weber’s theory on the Spirit of Capitalism and the origins of capitalism. (Weber) Weber believes that capitalism came Protestantism, with his idea of the Spirt of Capitalism.
Scripture declares that Jesus is the Savior and our relationship with Him transforms us. Freud may have had an idea of the depravity of man with his concept of the id (which is ruled by pleasure). This is close to the Bible’s description of the sin nature which we read about in Philippians 3:18-19, Galatians 5:16-24, and Romans 1:24. The ego, or the part of us Freud claimed interacts with reality, is possibly that part of man that can identify God's general revelation and knows that we were made for eternity (Ecclesiastes 3:11; Romans 1:20). The superego, or the conscience as we call it, is where the battle is fought between our old carnal nature and our new godly nature.
How does Christ’s incarnation relate to the salvation of the world? Introduction Christ’s incarnation is the back bone of the Christian faith, according to Christianity if anyone does not acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in flesh is not from God (1 John 4:1-3). This entails that Christ’s incarnation is at the central heart of Christian theology and it has played a major role in the salvation of the fallen creation. John the Baptist points to Jesus as the one who has come to take way the sins of the world (John 1:29; Cf., Luke 19:10). The doctrine of Christ’s incarnation asserts God coming in the human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ without ceasing to be God.
Walter Rauschenbusch is a clergyman and a theology professor who led the social movement in the United States. Rauschenbusch linked Christianity to emerging theories of democratic socialism which he believed would lead to a more equality and a fair society. The movement was lead between 1870 to 1920. The movement advocators interpreted that the Kingdom of God as requiring social as well as individual salvation and sought the betterment of the industrialized society as well as distinct salvation and pursued the betterment of industrialized society through the application of the bible. The Social Gospel was particularly publicized among liberal Protestants minster, which included Washington Gladden and Lyman Abbot.
An anonymous person once said that “we aren’t called to shine our own lights; we are called to reflect His.” A born again Christian, once fully understanding the gospel and putting his or hers trust in Jesus, will desire to want to grow and obey God in order to honor and glorify Him, and since the only one who kept God’s law perfectly was Jesus, then one will want manifest and imitate Christ in everything he or she does. Not only does reflecting Christ’s image glorify God, it stands out to others as well. All true believers experience radical change because of the Spirit, and that change shines like a bright light towards other people leading them to ask, wonder, and desire that change and growth in their own lives as