McDannell's article "Scrambling the sacred and the profane" (2012) led me to question the link between religion and capitalism. I agree with McDannell when she states: "if we immediately assume that whenever money is exchanged religion is debased, then we will miss the subtle ways that people create and maintain spiritual ideals through the exchange of goods and the construction of spaces".
The emergence of evangelical and charismatic Pentecostal 'megachurches', particularly in the USA, could be an example of the creation and maintenance of spiritual ideals. People are expected to give money to the church and in some of the larger congregations they give away cars and other gifts along with spiritual gratification.
Despite the scepticism that these churches face from their critics attendees seem to genuinely find spiritual awakening and comfort from them.
Source:
McDannell,
Colleen. "Scrambling the sacred and the profane." Lynch, Gordon,
Jolyon Mitchell and Anna Strhan. Religion, Media and Culture: A Reader.
Oxon: Routledge, 2012.
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