preview

You Are What You Love Analysis

Decent Essays
Open Document

One of my favorite theological questions from Core 399 that I like to discuss is whether discipleship is more of a discipline of the head or the heart (without copping out to the safe answer of saying both, even though it is true that discipleship is both knowledge and discipline of the mind and body through both unconscious and liturgical practices). Smith, in his writing “You Are What You Love,” says that discipleship places too much of an emphasis on human beings as “brains on a stick.” The Christian culture is notorious for associating human desires with an earthly flesh that is selfish and sinful. These disordered loves are shown through the way that the NASCAR preacher dilutes a love for God into a love for NASCAR, and how Victoria Osteen …show more content…

Victoria Osteen and the NASCAR preacher represent the counter-narrative of the corrupted “American Dream” of a culture hinging on materialism as indicators of success. This consumerism unfortunately pervades both Christian and pseudo-sacred systems. Another example of this counter-narrative can be found in Smith’s example of shopping malls as a place of worship posing a rival liturgy. Liturgy, worship, and discipleship is not always confined within the walls of the church. These counter-narratives are successful in their deceptive ploy by utilizing liturgical practices similar to theological practices without coming across as theological. The most dangerous idols that we can become disciples to are the ones that do not seem like idols. One of Satan’s greatest powers is making people think that he does not have any power. That does not mean that shopping malls are evil institutions that should be avoided altogether, though. It means that rightly aligned discipleship should be more proactive in how we as Christ followers view and interact with the world around us. The gist of the concept of the formative liturgies, auditing and improving one’s life through reordering disordered loves and countering conter-narratives, can be achieved through reflection on God’s presence, reviewing one’s day in a spirit of gratitude, becoming aware of one’s emotions before God, praying over a

Get Access