Abstract:
Except for some economists, who think about the consumer society as a way to the political
stability and economic progress, the philosophical and sociological view on consumptionism
and consumer society is predominantly pejorative. Depending on their axiological starting
points, theorists of consumptionism stress its destroying forces for societies, like social idleness,
an implosion of social institutions, deepening of social divisions and social exclusion and, last
but not least, ecocide. Criticism of the consumer society is also of growing significance for the
theological agenda of various Christian Churches and the teaching of ecumenical organizations
like the World Council of Churches. The article aims to summarise different approaches to
consumptionism and its definitions, which are ordered in two categories: analytical and
historical. It also discusses the teaching of Pope Francis, who contributes to the theological
perspective of the criticism of the consumer society and focuses on the term of anthropological
error as a hermeneutical instrument of this criticism. This task requires employing two main
research methods: analysis of selected and relevant literature and synthesising exposition of
the results of research. The discourse consists of two parts. The first one presents the term of
consumptionism and highlights the scope of discussions on the definitions of this phenomenon.
The second demonstrates the Christian interpretation of the problem. The first and the second
chapters create a hermeneutical background to the third one; they even might be regarded as
its contextualisation. The theological critique of consumer society contributes to the
interdisciplinary theory of consumptionism.
CONTRIBUTION: The theological critique of consumer society contributes to the
interdisciplinary theory of consumptionism. It also shows how theology might refer to
social studies. Such a juxtaposition of the theological and sociological fields of reflection
converges with the focus and scope of the journal to promote multidisciplinary aspects of
studies in the general theological area.
