Should Christians be for or against the free market? For or against globalization? How are we to live in a world of scarcity? William Cavanaugh use...
read full description
reviews
Apr 27, 2011
Jerry
rated it: 
Cavanaugh wants to maintain that a free market isn't truly free because transactions and relationships in a free-as-in-unencumbered-by-oppressive-government-regulations market are vulnerable to abuse. As far as that goes, it's correct, but immaterial. "Free" doesn't mean "perfect" in terms of a potential transaction any more than possessing free will guarantees someone will make a decision to love their neighbor rather than rip them off. The point is that they have the freedo
More...
Oct 23, 2010
Matt
rated it: 
Cavanaugh argues that globalism is a counterfeit of the church. Consumerism is the worldview that drives the structures of globalism and it is a direct challenge to the Christian faith. Cavanaugh writes:
"Consumer culture is one of the most powerful systems of formation in the contemporary world, arguably more powerful than Christianity. While a Christian may spend an hour per week in church, she may spend twenty-five hours per week watching television, to say nothing of the hour More...
"Consumer culture is one of the most powerful systems of formation in the contemporary world, arguably more powerful than Christianity. While a Christian may spend an hour per week in church, she may spend twenty-five hours per week watching television, to say nothing of the hour More...
Feb 22, 2010
John
rated it:
This book by Bill Cavanaugh, professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas, is short — weighing in at a mere 5 ounces and 103 pages — but packed with well-reasoned thoughts regarding the crossroads of economics and theology. The book is actually a collection of four related essays, where the author investigates four different pairs of perceptions of economics: Freedom and Unfreedom, Detachment and Attachment, The Global and the Local, and Scarcity and Abundance.
Cavanaugh does More...
Cavanaugh does More...
Jan 17, 2010
Tim
rated it:
Good, but not as good as it might have been. Overall, I expected more. The chapters do not hang well together, the writing, beautiful and challenging on occasion, gets tired at times, and I wish his footnotes showed some wider research. He had wonderful ideas about desire and about the true end of freedom (interacting with Augustine), about the necessity of community and the potential to act differently in our modern world. On freedom, "In the ideology of the free market, freedom is con
More...
Mar 26, 2010
Ben
rated it:
I cannot say enough about this book. It is exactly the analysis of the economic realities of globalization and consumerism that the church needs. Cavanaugh eschews the easy answers and reductionisms of both the Christians left and the Christian light and instead views the new global economy through the creative intersection of biblical models and heavy theological insights, along with a little Micheal Pollan (never a bad thing!). Unlike most academics, he is also willing to go the extra mile: af
More...
Dec 12, 2010
C.
rated it: 
Being Consumed needs to be read in our churches to lead us toward recognition and confession of our economic idolatries, especially in the present age of economic turbulence. Cavanaugh masterfully uses historical Christian theology to critique capitalism. This is a potent little book, and one that would shed much light on the recent financial crises of our land and could inspire us to discern distinctively Christian economic practices.
Read my full review on THE ENGLEWOOD REVIEW OF B More...
Read my full review on THE ENGLEWOOD REVIEW OF B More...
Aug 04, 2011
Jacob
rated it:
While disagreeing with some of Cavanaugh's implied conclusions, the book was great. He was one of the first Christian theologians who are neither Evangelical or Free Market outline attemps at putting their theology into practice. He argues that for desire to be seen in Augustinian terms: we enjoy God; we use things.
The parts I enjoyed were the discussions about the Eucharist and the practical suggestions. Many people just say, "Hoorah for socialism, greedy capitalist pig swine." More...
The parts I enjoyed were the discussions about the Eucharist and the practical suggestions. Many people just say, "Hoorah for socialism, greedy capitalist pig swine." More...
Feb 23, 2010
A. T.
rated it:
Can't decide between three or four stars (if only we had half-star ratings!). I finally decided to give it four because I'm leaning more in the direction of really liking the book, despite its (many) flaws.
I started out thinking I'd just breeze my way through this book in an hour or so (its 100 pages exactly). Instead, I found myself really taking my time, savoring the prose and mulling over the ideas therein. I'm not usually one to mark up books, but within fifteen or so pages I ha More...
I started out thinking I'd just breeze my way through this book in an hour or so (its 100 pages exactly). Instead, I found myself really taking my time, savoring the prose and mulling over the ideas therein. I'm not usually one to mark up books, but within fifteen or so pages I ha More...
May 21, 2011
Mark
rated it:
Insightful at applying Augustinian notion of 'desire' as seat of human motivation and driving ethical force to how 'free' markets work. Also, he shows how the Eucharist reshapes our imagination with regard to being consumers who consume the body of Christ as well as economically scarce goods. His examples of how to achieve the telos of community, where all members right desires and needs are embraced/fulfilled, are reasonable and achievable. Good brief treatment of economics through the lense of
More...
Jun 08, 2011
John
rated it:
I had high hopes for this one. Cavanaugh tackles the problem of consumerism theologically, attempting to counter idolatry. He begins by arguing, following Augustine, that freedom cannot be defined 'negatively' that is by the absence of coercion, but positively, through the possession of a 'telos' or purpose that gives meaning to the freedom.
He extends the argument to the unifying power of the Eucharist in giving us all a purpose in glorifying God and serving one another.
More...
He extends the argument to the unifying power of the Eucharist in giving us all a purpose in glorifying God and serving one another.
More...
Aug 07, 2011
Fascinating book, though I agree with the reviewer who found some of the arguments underdeveloped. Here's a quote that I think is very insightful: "What makes consumer culture worth talking about from the point of view of moral theology is not primarily greed... Consumerism is not so much about having more as it is about having something else; that's why it is not simply buying but shopping that is the heart of consumerism. This restlessness - this moving on to shopping for something else,
More...
May 30, 2011
Adam
rated it:
Short review: I thought this was ok. There are some interesting parts to the book, but even at only 100 pages it still seemed like it dragged a bit. I appreciate that Cavanaugh is looking at this as a Catholic academic theologian, but to me he seemed to keep on hinting at ideas without really fleshing them out and then moving on.
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/being-consumed-cavanaug...
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/being-consumed-cavanaug...
Aug 07, 2011
A fascinating and well-argued Christian take on the global economy. Among the revelations for me: the definition of "free" in the phrase "free market"; confusing happiness with available choices; the idea that our culture is not materialistic but actually detached from material reality. Well worth reading.
Jul 29, 2009
Christine
rated it:
This is an excellent book, and brings a unique perspective to our current economic issues from a Christian (Catholic) perspective. He discusses the nature of the free market: what makes a market free, according to Milton Friedman, and contrasts this with Christian ideas of freedom from a Pauline and Augustinian perspective. His discussion of consumerism was very enlighteniing. He compares consumerism with greed (they are not the same) through a lens of Christian tradition; and tackles the ba
More...
Dec 04, 2009
Isaac
rated it: 
I understand the argument; but I have a hard time believing it--and Cavanaugh doesn't give any material rationale for his belief in the magical powers of the Eucharist.
"To consume the Eucharist is an act of anticonsumption, for here to consume is to be consumed, to be taken up into participation in something larger than the self, yet in a way in which the identity of the self is paradoxically secured" (84).
"To consume the Eucharist is an act of anticonsumption, for here to consume is to be consumed, to be taken up into participation in something larger than the self, yet in a way in which the identity of the self is paradoxically secured" (84).
Jun 01, 2009
Megan
rated it:
A very interesting analysis of consumerism through Christian lenses. Cavanaugh explains what consumerism is at its root and offers the Eucharist as the only true act of consumption that satisfies our ever-wanting souls, an act that at the same time de-centralizes the individual by placing him into the Body of Christ. As I read, I thought, Finally, someone who argues why Christians most of all should care about sustainable, organic, local, and fair trade issues! Some of the more philosophical
More...
Apr 27, 2010
Derek
rated it:
I wish I could have given it 3 1/2 stars. It was good and I would suggest that every Christian (especially Christians who blindly accept the claims of the "free market") would read it. However, it just seemed too short and too under-researched. The section talking about how clothes are made in Third World countries for Walmart is really eye-opening.
Nov 12, 2011
Andrew
rated it:
Very good, though sometimes lacking in precision. Situating economics in the context of the Eucharist as the body of Christ seems like a good step forward.
Jan 10, 2012
Charles
rated it:
These four tightly written essays are a nice convergence of Christian and economics, a certain ecclesial economics.
Aug 04, 2010
John
rated it:
Cavanaugh suggests that instead of being caught up in left vs. right Christians should imagine third ways for economics. So, for instance, instead of asking whether we support or oppose free markets, let's ask what it really means to be free. Maybe we question the fundamental economic assumption of scarcity by pointing to the abundance of God's life in Christ by the Spirit. At times he gets a bit too stuffwhitepeoplelike.com, but it's a good read and it's much more accessible than his previou
More...
Aug 10, 2009
Jeremy
rated it:
Fantastic book. Cavanaugh expresses a number of problems with our consumer and free-market driven culture that I've been starting to get a sense of myself. He shows that free markets, in the commonly-understood sense, are largely a misnomer, and discusses in great detail the relations between globalism and individualism. His discussion of the Eucharist as a model for a proper Christian mentality was absolutely fascinating. A very enlightening book.
Jan 01, 2010
Toby
rated it:
Finally finished the last chapter of this one. He makes some assertions on certain economic practices which are not explained or defended but only assumed to be good or bad. At the same time, his aim to situate a Christian economics in the doctrine of the Eucharist seems completely right.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Aug 27, 2008
Tommy
rated it:
A good book, similar in tone to Theopolitical Imagination. Cavanaugh seems to be producing work that is as theologically challenging as Torture and Eucharist, but accessible to a broader readership.
Sep 15, 2010
Paul
rated it:
Amazing. Incredible. Changed the way I looked at economics and Capitalism. Everyone shoudl read this book.
Feb 16, 2012
