PRESS RELEASE: Black Friday - Retail Madness - A Theonomics Perspective
Added about 10 years ago by Sacristy Press
The editor of a book published recently by a North East publisher has voiced his opinions on the greed behind Black Friday.
Theonomics, published by Durham-based Sacristy Press and co-edited by Andrew Lightbown asks if, at a time when economics, banking and commerce are never out of the headlines, theology is capable of informing, shaping and penetrating all aspects of life, and especially economic life. Theonomics is comprised of eight authors’ views on how we can all benefit from taking a theological approach to economics.
Andrew, a former fund management executive and university lecturer in Business and Business Ethics who is a member of the Oxford Diocese Investment Committee, suggests in his blog published today that the world has gone retail mad.
The full blog post follows:
Today the world seems to have gone retail mad! The message of Black Friday is: spend, spend, and spend some more. And, by the way, don’t stop to think of the impact of your behaviour on others.
The BBC News website reports that “police have been called to supermarkets across the UK amid crowd surges as people hunt for Black Friday offers.” Now, hunting can be a dangerous ‘sport’, so it is no surprise that the BBC also say that “in one Tesco store in Manchester three men were arrested and a woman was hurt by a falling television.”
Visa estimates that £518 million of purchases will be made online by credit card, so it is clear that Black Friday purchases may result in ever greater levels of household debt. Bizarrely Black Friday’s tentacles spread beyond the high-street and off into cyberspace. A colleague—an Archdeacon no less!—told a group of colleagues this morning that she had decided to see what offers were available for coffee machines using her iPad, and received a message saying that there was a one hour queue for coffee machines. So much for electronic purchases saving time!
I was asked how I felt about Black Friday from a theological, or faith, perspective. I suppose my first thought was one of ill-ease, the whole concept seems a bit indecent. But, this isn’t really a faith perspective for I am sure that many people, who wouldn’t associate themselves with any of the religions, feel the same.
But I think there is one central idea, expressed through the Advent, that does speak prophetically against Black Friday, and that is the idea of deferred gratification.
Where Black Friday says buy, buy and do it now, Advent responds no, wait. Advent’s message to all of us is yes, but not just yet.
Through the Advent Season, Christians reflect on the gift they are about to receive - a gift beyond value, a gift which cannot be purchased, a gift worth waiting for.
Advent leads into Christmas when we receive the greatest of gifts, the vulnerable Christ Child. It is a gift Christians are asked to cherish (cherish, I think is a way of valuing and caring for someone, or something, without considering price and cost) and share the gift.
I suspect that most of the goods purchased on Black Friday will not be cherished; instead they will simply be used in the vain pursuit of happiness. But, these goods won’t make us happy, for if they did we wouldn’t bother replacing them. Black Friday seeks to reduce human flourishing to consumption, and that is irreligious.
Advent, in some senses, owns one of the marketing industry’s most famous strap lines, “because you’re worth it”, but at the same time asks us to reflect on the fact that the virtue is in the waiting, for when we wait for something we truly desire we are more likely to cherish, share it and, yes, enjoy it.
Go on and wait a little while longer, because you are worth it.
ENDS-ENDS-ENDS
Editors’ Biographies
Andrew Lightbown was ordained deacon in 2013, and serves in the Schorne team of parishes in Buckinghamshire. Andrew has an MBA, and, before ordination, he worked for many years in the city of London, where he gained extensive experience of the financial services industry, and was Managing Director (Retail) of Old Mutual Asset Managers UK. From there, he moved to the University of Buckingham where he lectured in Business and Business Ethics. Andrew is actively involved with two of the organisations profiled in Part Two: Quicken Trust and Chapter 1 Housing Association. He is an oblate of Alton Abbey, married with two daughters, and, aside from theology and economics, enjoys walking the dog and skiing, and is a passionate fan of Northampton Saints Rugby Club.
Peter Sills was born in north London, and after an initial career teaching law at Kingston University, during which he was called to the Bar, he was ordained in 1981. He served in three parishes in south London before being appointed a Canon of Ely Cathedral, where he was Vice-Dean from 2003 to 2008. Peter’s interest in the public aspects of faith and in Benedictine spirituality led to the foundation of the Ely Business Ethics Forum, which has since morphed into the Ely Cathedral Business Group. He gained his PhD in 2000 for a study of the ethics of the privatisation of natural monopoly industries in the UK, and his publications include The Time Has Come, a Lenten journey through St Mark’s gospel, Your Kingdom Come, reflections on faith, justice and hope, and the Scala Souvenir Guide to Ely Cathedral. Now retired, Peter continues his Benedictine work from his home in Sussex.
Contributors’ Biographies:
Richard Backhouse read Economics at Selwyn College, Cambridge, he was appointed as Principal of Monkton Combe School in 2005, where he enjoys the challenge of leading a school which is both Christian and in the mainstream of the British Public School tradition.
Nick Bion joined the company his father started shortly after leaving university over 30 years ago. The company, which he now largely owns and manages, is a specialist in sheet metal processing, employing 30 people with a turnover of about £4M. The company and its employees contribute to society both in terms of the products they manufacture, and tax revenues and charity payments totalling over £1M.
Frank Canosa is a Visiting Professor at the University of Buckingham, where he has taught post-graduate courses in corporate finance, the international financial system, and international financial regulation and anti-money laundering. He has also taught wealth management for EDHEC Business School, France, the Cass Business School, City University, and the British Bankers’ Association.
Keith Croxton has been a Trustee Director of Chapter 1 Housing Association since 1996. Prior to that, he was a career civil servant with the Department of Health and Social Security, and, immediately before moving to Chapter 1, was the Area Director for Merseyside for the Benefits Agency. Keith is married to Gill, and has two daughters and four grandchildren.
Nick Fane has been a teacher, education officer, and local government executive, often involved in the complex issues of allocating financial and other resources across competing social and political priorities. He is a qualified counsellor, and is currently a volunteer with a hospital chaplaincy. He is married to Sue, with a daughter, two sons, and two grandsons.
Alan Hargrave trained as a Chemical Engineer before working for ten years with the Anglican Church in South America, first on an economic development project with indigenous people in northern Argentina, then lecturing in Industrial Microbiology and working with the Church in Bolivia. In 2004 he became Canon Missioner of Ely Cathedral.
Rosie Harper After graduating from Birmingham University, she undertook post-graduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music, and worked as professional singer. After further studies, including an MA in Philosophy and Religion, Rosie was ordained, and now serves as the vicar of Great Missenden and as Chaplain to the Bishop of Buckingham. She is a Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, and chair of the Oxford Nandyal Education Foundation, a charity focussed on capacity building in rural Indian schools. She is also a member of the General Synod, and committed to working for issues of justice and equality within and beyond the church.
Alan Wilson was born in Edinburgh and grew up in London and Kent. After studies at St John’s College Cambridge and doctoral research at Balliol College Oxford in historical theology, he was ordained in the Church of England. He has served as a parish priest in Reading and Sandhurst, and as a prison chaplain, before becoming Bishop of Buckingham in 2003. He takes a special interest in new media, writes a blog, and is Chair of the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education.
Additional Information
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Please note: Sacristy Press does not necessarily share or endorse the views of the guest contributors to this blog.