By Guest Blogger: Jeff Johnson
Editor’s Note: Jeff is is currently studying for his M. Div. at Princeton Theological Seminary and is our resident intern at Kilns College this summer.
What is the intersection of fashion and justice? Though the two seemingly have little in common, I believe strongly that we can change the world through the clothes off our backs. After living in South Africa in 2008 and 2009, I started a non-profit organization back in the States called Themba International. Themba means “hope” in the native languages of the communities I encountered in South Africa, and the purpose of Themba International is to provide hope for women in South Africa through the fashion industry.
By recent estimates, the nation of South Africa is experiencing 40% unemployment countrywide. Thus, the need for meaningful and sustainable employment remains one of the greatest needs in a country where nearly 20,000,000 people have no way of providing for themselves. As a result, Themba International is engaged in employment creation by teaching women in Jeffrey’s Bay, S.A. how to sew, design, and construct garments that are sold in the U.S. Through the sale of handmade garments, Themba then channels all profits back to the women who make our products. The experience of creating consumer products that benefit the lives of women in need has made a tremendous impact on the way I think about consumerism. As Executive Director of Themba Intl., I have learned two important lessons about consumerism as a person of faith that I find particularly valuable.
In his book, Being Consumed, William Cavanaugh discusses what Christian consumerism might look like to a Christ follower. As Cavanaugh explains, we as human beings can’t help but consume. We are creatures that need to consume in order to survive. However, how we consume is something that we absolutely have some control over. Ultimately, the author asserts that what we consume needs to line up with God’s plan for the world. Stated another way, our consumer habits should line up with Kingdom values. Therefore, whether we buy a shirt, a watch, or a bar of chocolate, we can ask the same questions: Who made this? How does my purchase impact their life? How does this product affect God’s creation? When we take the effort to ask these questions, we dictate an economy that has the power to enact justice and generosity to the working poor in this world.
Secondly, I have learned the value in taking myself out of the consumer cycle and trying to occasionally become a producer. We live in an age where we are hopelessly abstracted from the products we buy. Where did the produce come from that you bought at the grocery store? How would you even begin to make yourself a shirt? The point is not that we must become 100% self-sufficient (though it shouldn’t be totally out of the question). The point is that being human and created in the image of God means that we are inherently creators. Thus, part of being a person in this world involves producing things. So go out and grow that garden. Learn how to sew and make a beautiful quilt for a friend. Pick up a guitar and make music, don’t just buy it. In doing so, we can learn the contentment of creation in a world of ravenous consumption.
If you want more information about how to consume with conscience, or what it means to practically become a producer, send me an email at [email protected]. Remember, we as a global community are truly in this together, and the ways we choose to consume and produce will dictate our future.
Jeff graduated with a degree in theology at Azusa Pacific University, and is currently studying for his M. Div. at Princeton Theological Seminary. For more information on Themba International, please check out their website at http://thembainternational.com.