Commoditisation, materialism, and Pentecostal Christian Churches

Abstract

Commoditisation, materialism and religious exchange have been receiving increasing attention in contemporary Pentecostal Christian churches, noting that some believers advocate that there is a price to pay in Christianity. This may be a reflection of social development, a new form, but it appears to be an old form of the practice of both secular and spiritual. In this empirical study, commoditisation and materialism are noted as factors that play a relational role and outline the changes in the understanding of religious exchange and the economic transaction of monetary. Understanding of spiritual form of payment, pricing in the traditional marketing (tangible price in this regard) and the shift towards a transactional exchange for divine intervention in form of miracle, healing, and provision are examined from being major sources of inner spiritual dilemmas to being principal sources of the desire and inspiration underpinning materialism and commoditisation in various Pentecostal churches today. This paper argues that the virtual neglect of some significant characteristics of marketing such as the exchange process, and pricing from the religious perspective might affect the church as a non-profit organisation. The study reveals that Pentecostal churches can embrace contradictory concepts of commoditisation, materialism, and spiritualism; and emanate to the social shift as a non-profit sector, but the positive potential inherent to Christianity should be reconciled. Based on current literature trends, the results add that there is a secular exchange of spirituality for materialism as illustrated in the story of Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-19), thereby problematizing the current South African religious context. The researcher hopes to add to the understanding of the religious exchange, commoditisation, and materialism relationship.