Gods Creation By Cavanaugh: Book Review

Cavanaugh use the word desire throughout his whole book and feels so strongly about it that it is even in the subtitle of the book. It is very important to him that the true and ultimate end to be desired for us Christians will be God. In this book Cavanaugh gives a positive vision on how Christians can engage in economics. He tackles debates on Christians and the free market, globalisation, consumerism and scarcity to show us what is wrong with our economy today and also helps us Christians to apply economy in everyday life. He provides a lot of interesting insights on how desire, economy and God interact. Cavanaugh wants Christians to live responsibly in Gods creation.

Cavanaugh begins his book by showing us what freedom is in the market

Artificial needs and dissatisfaction with what we have creates a restless spirit in us and wants us to shop constantly. Consumerism is an unhealthy detachment from production, producers, and products which results in a restless spirit because possession kills desire. Instead of consuming, we are being consumed by the world around us and by God. Cavanaugh use the Eucharist as a model for healthy consumption. ‘’We must overcome detachment from products we buy. Things are not ends in themselves; they are means to greater attachment to others. We are not to cling on to our things but to use them for the common good. But to have a good relationship with others we must have a proper relationship with things.” Things bring us in contact with other people’s lives and because we are part of Gods good creation thins become more filled with meaning. Cavanaugh says there is a personal link between consumer and producer and the boundaries between them should be erased. Capitalism is that we became to materialistic and that the consumer is separated from the

Marketing distracts us from seeking well of others and make us attend to our own needs and desires. (Private nature of consumption) human desires are limitless. Cavanaugh use the Eucharist as a solution which tells a story of abundance and life in God. We must look at our lives and change in especially in regards to the poor and environment. God shows us in the Eucharist how to consume and be consumed rightly. It shows us that we are all part of the body of Christ (Corinthians) and that we should work together. If one has pain/joy all should have pain/joy. We have an obligation to the weak/poor. Cavanaugh say that ownership must serve the common good so that it does not become a means of power over others. ‘’those of us who partake in the Eucharist while ignoring the hungry may be eating and drinking our own