Last week or so on facebook, some friends were giving me a hard time for comparing evangelicalism to an ‘empty’ Caffeine-Free Diet Coke. Of course I was referring to philosopher Slavoj Zizek’s famous cultural analyses found in his book, The Fragile Absolute (chapter 3). It’s an example I use in the intro to my upcoming book The End of Evangelicalism? Discerning a New Faithfulness for Mission. There I use Zizek’s Coke illustration to ask questions about the current state of evangelicalism in N America. Allow me to explain.
Zizek narrates how coca-cola was originally concocted as a medicine (originally known as a nerve tonic, stimulant and headache remedy). It was eventually sweetened and its strange taste was made more palatable. Soon it became a popular drink during prohibition that still possessed those medicinal qualities (it was deemed “refreshing” as well as the perfect “temperance drink”). Over time, however, its sugar was replaced with sweetner, its caffeine extracted, and so today we are left with Caffeine-Free Diet Coke: a drink that does not fulfil any of the concrete needs of a drink. The two reasons why anyone would drink anything: it quenches thirst/provides nutrition and it tastes good, have in Zizek’s words “been suspended.”
Today, Coke has become a drink that does not quench thirst, does not provide any stimulant and whose strange taste is not particularly satisfying. Nonetheless, it is the most consumed beverage in the world. It plays on the mysterious enjoyment we get out of consuming it as something to enjoy in surplus after we have already quenched our thirst. We drink Coke because “Coke is “it”” not because it satisfies anything material. In essence, all that remains of what was once Coke is a pure semblance, an artificial promise of a substance which never materialized. In Zizek’s words, we ‘drink nothing in the guise of something …” It is “in effect merely an envelope of a void.”(22-23).
Zizek uses the caffeine free diet Coke as an illustration of how capitalism works. Taking some liberties with Zizek and his excellent illustration, I believe the Coke metaphor works for understanding some things about evangelicalism as well in the present period of its history. Many of evangelicalism’s beliefs and practices have become separated from the concrete reality around which they first came into being. In its beginnings, the inerrant Bible, the decision for Christ and the idea of the Christian Nation articulated beliefs for evangelicals that helped connect them to the realities of our life in Christ in the face of several cultural challenges. (these were the ways we thought about the authority of the Bible, conversion into salvation and the church’s activity in society). For fifty to seventy-five years, these articulations of what we believe served us well but also evolved and become hardened. As American society advanced, and our lives became busier and ordered towards American affluence, we practice these same beliefs but they have become disconnected from what they meant several generations ago. As a result, the inerrant Bible, the decision for Christ and the Christian Nation mean very little for how we live our day-to-day lives as evangelical Christians. They are ideological banners that we assent to. They are tied to behavioral practices that we engage in but they bear little or no connection to our lives in Christ for His Mission in the world. Just as our society drinks Coke as an “it,” as something that makes us feel good but has little substantial value as a drink, so we practice these beliefs as something we add on to our lives – not as something we need to live. It is something we do as an extra to our already busy lives that makes us feel better. Evangelical church, as symbolized in many ways by the large consumer mega churches, has become an “add-on,” “a semblance” of something which once meant something real. It is a surplus enjoyment we enjoy after we have secured all of our immediate needs.
Surely there are many evangelical churches of all sizes which do not fit this description, and God’s work continues among us despite our falleness. Yet as is typical of Zizek, his Coke illustration provokes us to ask questions about the things that drive us to come together. He describes in multiple ways what a politic looks like, when, like Caffeine-Free Diet Coke, it is “empty” at its core driven by forces other than what we accept as real. Zizek, of course, sees all social reality as ‘empty’ driven by antagonisms and contradictions as opposed to something real that we aspire to.
In the forthcoming book, I wish to explore, with Zizek’s help, how evangelicalism in particular has become this kind of “empty politic” driven by other things than our life together in Christ for the world? In the face of its failings, ( and in response to Zizek) I offer an alternative politic for evangelicalism where our everyday way of life is once again centered (by these beliefs) into a participation in the Incarnate Christ and the life we have with God in and through the “Sent One.” If “the inerrant Bible,” “the decision for Christ” and “the Christian Nation” were formulations that meant well, years later they have malformed us for Mission. I offer an alternative which preserves the core. I show how each of three emphasies of evangelicalism – a high view of the authority of Scripture, a conversionist salvation and an activist church in the world – can be rearticulated and reoriented in practice so as to shape a people for hospitality, inclusion, authenticity, faithfulness and compassion among the lost and hurting. Although challenging, I contend Zizek provides the basis for a fresh look at evangelicalism along these lines in the midst of our political malaise.
I know I opened this can of worms on facebook (feel free to friend me using the link on the blog). But what do you think? Is there some validity in this socio-political analysis of evangelicalism and what it has become in the twenty first century? Can you think of other ways evangelicalism is like a Caffeine Free Diet Coke?
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David –
I have been waiting for some Zizek to show up in your writing. You may have already done so, but this use of his Coke illustration is spot on – in my opinion. In fact, reading your reflections is anything but a caffeine free diet Coke – this is "it."
Yes, the above paragraph may be a bit over the top, but your piece is a great tease for the new book. I look forward to getting a copy.
good comparison… CF Diet Coke – empty product, but looks and tastes good. Sounds like a lot of "self centered" churches we have attended…feels good but no action. Reminds me of an old metaphor – our pews are filled with the "frozen chosen".
Dave,
I love it.
I know of many Church-goers who say their "beliefs" are the core beliefs you listed, but
these beliefs are in the extra category of "my religion" rather than life-shaping belief. The culture shapes their life-shaping beliefs. For example, when a divorced mother who buys her son swim-suit calendars finds out her son is committing fornication, she exclaims, "I thought I raised him better, with strong beliefs". Although she is an avid church member, and recites the beleifs by memorization they have no life-forming reality. On top of that, she's surprised to see the absence of life-formation even though
they have not shaped her life in the past. In some ways I understand the responsibility of the individual and acknowledge that this person may be in rebellion with the church. Yet, having been a member with her, I know for a fact that the practices of this congregation has helped her strengthen this type of "belief" system.
Look forward to the book!
[...] Books , Brokenhearted Theology , Ramblings Leave a Comment David Fitch has a great post today throwing out some ideas that he is working on for an upcoming book, using ideas from [...]
This from John Withum on twitter – Fitch – Aren't you diabetic and hyperactive? I'd think you would benefit from more Caffeine Free Diet Coke…
Brings to mind the fragmentation of modern moral discourse that MacIntyre addresses in After Virtue.
Hmmm… There are some not so subtle distinctions. Coke was never, I repeat NEVER, required or needed for a full life. The analogy between Coke and Salvation (or evangelism), powerful as it is, breaks down from the get go (at least for me) because we need Salvation, but we do not need Coke, so living without Coke, or an ersatz Coke (like Diet Caffeine Free Coke) is no loss and life can continue fine (but not without something like water – which is required for life).
However, living without Salvation is real loss of a real need, more like a loss of water, and a full life is impossible in it's absence.
I fear the analogy and comparison between evangelism and Coke risks cheapening the Gospel message to unnecessary, as Coke is actually not needed for full life. For some reason I think of Bonhoeffer's cheap grace, and the evangelistic effort that cheap grace inspires as another way to describe current evangelistic efforts (Joel Osteens – 'God wants you to be rich' comes to mind).
So rather than
DietCoke => Evengelism
CheapGrace inspires EmptyEvangelism
Whaddya think?
Makes me remember the time when I was reviewing the Fragile Absolute with Jimmy Cooper for one of Steve Long's seminars. We brought a case of caffeine-free diet coke for the rest of class to enjoy while we gave our presentation. I'm pretty sure we got an A.
I too love Žižek's Coke imagery in The Fragile Absolute. I've tried using it as well for my ThM work in de(con)structing the church. Thanks for this post.
David,
I am very much looking forward to the book, and I think your thoughts here are both correct and a needed corrective for the American church. Most of all, I agree with your assessment that what began as well-intentioned (and probably malleable) doctrines have become hardened dogma that distract from the mission. We have ended up clinging tightly to an empty backpack we think is full of "orthodoxy"… Thanks for thinking and pushing more of us to think…
Kevin
Though I would’ve loved it much more if you added a relevant video or at least pictures to back up the explanation, I still thought that your write-up quite helpful. It’s usually hard to make a complicated matter seem very easy. I enjoy your weblog and will sign up to your feed so I will not miss anything. Fantastic content
I really enjoyed this and I will clearly come back soon to read more on your blog.
[...] David Fitch offers an intriguing analysis of Evangelicalism, and in particular its Western Expressions. Tipping his hand at his forthcoming book, David really gives readers something to chew on. I have been waiting on Fitch to go all Zizek in his analysis of the church ever since he told me he had been working through Zizek and Baidou a couple of years ago. His new book will be worth the read. Put it on your watch list. Pre-order it if possible. You won’t be disappointed. Bookmark It Hide Sites Tags: David Fitch, Evangelicalism. Slavo Zizek, Metapor, Philosophy « Previous Post [...]
I like your metaphor, but if I understand you correctly it serves primarily as a critique of practices becoming severed from context, and while charitable, I think it might not end up addressing larger problems. It runs the risk of asserting that US evangelicalism sold out, so "let's get back to basics, our core beliefs," but I am not so sure that Coke was ever good for us in the first place. (nor exactly how Zizek uses it).
At the end of your post you talk about things driving evangelicalism other than Christ centered, shared life, and this seems spot-on but a different critique: the problem is not that Coke became diet, but that we are drinking softdrinks instead of milk.
Have I read correctly? Just thinking outloud. Good stuff, thank you.
[...] http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/the-caffeine-free-diet-coke-a-metaphor-for-evangelicalism-in-our... [...]
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[...] at “Reclaiming the Mission” has written a very thought provoking article called “The Caffeine Free Diet Coke: A Metaphor for Evangelicalism in our Day?” Borrowing a metaphor that author Slavoj Zizek used to describe capitalism, Fitch asks us to [...]
Hi, Found this site by accident looking for something about diet coke, but I found the post interesting nonetheless. I do believe that you and Zizek are missing a critical piece of the Diet Coke analogy. You are not considering the motivation of the people that are drinking it. You suggest that it has no value because it does not have nutritional value, and are quick to assume that it no longer "tastes good". Why then, do you think people drink it? Although I am not an evangelist, I believe answering that question will translate to your analogy, and give you insight into how/why other folks participate in their faith.
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