Date of Award
2013
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Theology
Abstract
Loyola University Chicago
THE RELIGION OF CONSUMPTION AND CHRISTIAN NEIGHBOR LOVE
Consumerism is a word frequently used in various disciplines to express the variety of attitudes, motivations, and practices found among the middle and upper classes. It drives the global economy and influences individuals' socio-psychological perceptions. Some have gone so far as to call consumerism a religion, yet they have not substantiated this claim. This dissertation offers a framework that accounts for consumerism as a religion both as a person's ultimate concern and as a structuralized belief system. As such, it prescribes moral values that shape how people respond to the world around them, particularly with regard to notions of person, society, and the environment. Comparing these same categories to Christian neighbor love, I argue that the two ethics are in opposition to one another.
Recommended Citation
Porter, Christopher, "The Religion of Consumption and Christian Neighbor Love" (2013). Dissertations. 731.
https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/731
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2013 Christopher Porter
