In The (Magic) Kingdom of God, Michael Budde offers a multidisciplinary analysis of the ?global culture industries??increasingly powerful, centralized corporate conglomerates in television, advertising, marketing, movies, and the like?and their impact on Christian churches in industrialized countries. Utilizing ideas from contemporary and classical

In The (Magic) Kingdom of God, Michael Budde offers a multidisciplinary analysis of the ?global culture industries??increasingly powerful, centralized corporate conglomerates in television, advertising, marketing, movies, and the like?and their impact on Christian churches in industrialized countries. Utilizing ideas from contemporary and classical schools of political economy, the author explains why the study of global culture industries is essential for understanding the current era of global capitalism.In suggesting that the cultural ecology shaped by these industries undermines many of the primary processes and structures through which people become committed Christians, Budde offers a novel utilization of linguistic-based theories of religious formation. Responses by churches to the new situation?more religious education or attempts to use the global culture industries for Christian purposes?are explored and found lacking. For the subversive praxis of Jesus of Nazareth to endure in the cultural ecology of postmodernism, Budde argues, churches must come to embrace their role as radical and countercultural alternative communities in which lay formation becomes a central preoccupation.

Synopsis: It's a simple claim, really - that for Christians, "being a Christian" should be their primary allegiance and identity. For those who proclaim Jesus as Lord, this identity should supersede all others, and this loyalty should trump all lesser ones. It may be a simple claim, but it is a controversial one for many people, Christians and non-Christians alike. The Borders of Baptism uses the idea of solidarity among Christians as a lens through which to view politics, economics, and culture. It offers Christians a fresh perspective capable of moving beyond sterile and dead-end debates typical of debates on issues ranging from immigration and race to war, peace, and globalization. The Borders of Baptism invites Christians of all traditions to reflect on the theological and political implications of first "being a Christian" in a world of rival loyalties. It invites readers to see what it might mean to be members of a community broader than the largest nation-state; more pluralistic than any culture in the world; more deeply rooted in the lives of the poor and marginalized than any revolutionary movement; and more capable of exemplifying the notion of;e pluribus unum' than any empire past, present, or future. Endorsements: "Contemporary Catholic and Protestant ethics are rather divided on the significance of the renewed focus on Christian identity in theology. Whatever side one is on, Michael Budde's The Borders of Baptism is essential reading. Budde's vision of ecclesial solidarity is stunning, moving the discussion beyond platitudes and slogans to both argue for and display the practices necessary for Christians who wish to take seriously their baptismal commitment." -John Berkman Lupina Centre for Spirituality, Healthcare and Ethics "What would it look like if Christians took their baptisms and baptismal vows seriously, not just in so-called 'spiritual' matters, but in every aspect of life? With his usual wit and clarity Michael Budde shows us some of the ways that baptism intersects with issues of immigration, race, national identity, class, and globalization. A must read for those who take ecclesial solidarity and discipleship as their defining loyalty." -Barry Harvey Baylor University Author Biography: Michael L. Budde is Professor of Political Science and Catholic Studies at DePaul University, where he is also Senior Research Scholar in the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology. He is the author of numerous books on ecclesiology and society, including Christianity Incorporated.

These days "getting religion" is generally considered a rather quaint thing of the past. "Getting spirituality," on the other hand, is the hottest thing on the market. In fact, corporate-sponsored spiritual salve is becoming the most popular prescription for the overworked and soul-weary employee. But for many Christians, this antidote has become its own epidemic. How is this epidemic infecting the church? How should the church respond as a community of believers?According to authors Michael Budde and Robert Brimlow, the church must resist becoming the "chaplain to capitalism." In their new book, Christianity Incorporated: How Big Business Is Buying the Church, they remind us that Christ-centered discipleship is fundamentally at odds with consumer capitalist priorities. The church must have a mission and a voice in society that is distinct from, rather than in chorus with, watered-down corporate spirituality. Finally, they turn to the Sermon on the Mount as a reminder of Jesus\u2019 attitude toward wealth and spiritual wholeness.Christianity Incorporated is a wake-up call for all Christians. Courageous, current, and accessible, this book will attract the attention of business people, pastors, and lay members of the church.Anyone concerned with pursuing Christian discipleship in a consumer culture will find guidance and insight here.

The single most important change now well under way within Catholicism is its transition from a First World to a Third World entity. How this enormous shift will affect the Catholic church's role in the world economy is the subject of Michael L. Budde's book, the first world systems study of the mutual interaction of religion and political economy in the 1990s.
Budde's argument here is twofold. He contends that world Catholicism, led by its Third World majority (most notably in Latin America), will continue to develop in an increasingly anticapitalist direction; and he suggests that once-dominant First World Catholic churches (exemplified by the U.S. Catholic church), are poorly placed to respond in solidarity with their coreligionists from the Third World.
Covering a wide range of theoretical and substantive matters, The Two Churches examines religion as a source of both social legitimation and social rebellion. It demonstrates the importance of ecclesiology, a branch of theology dealing with theories of the church, and it highlights the effect of capitalism on world Catholicism, as well as the latter's influence on the development of the capitalist order.
In his original, far-reaching analysis of the Catholic church's role in world affairs, Budde revises current views of religious institutions as subordinate social phenomena. By relating developments in the world political economy to material conditions in the Third World and in turn to the practice of Catholicism, he reveals how the Catholic church functions as a worldwide institution. He also shows how core-periphery conflicts within the church affect transnational capitalism.
As the Third World becomes more and more volatile, and as its relations with the First World further complicate the politics of the Catholic church, the questions addressed in The Two Churches demand attention with increasing urgency. Timely, thoughtful, and lucid, this book will inform and enhance our understanding of this complex, pressing issue.