Consumerism: A Challenge for Christian Leadership?

This article is motivated by an academic work and a field research project developed by Hugo E. Quiroga (2012; personal communication, 2015) on oneomania as a challenge for christian leadership. Our intention is more to raise questions than to provide easy-sounding answers. The term oneomania may not be well known in theory, but its practical effects are recognized around the world. Oneomania, from the Greek onéo = to buy + mania = insanity, mental disorder (Taylor, 1950), is the scientific and technical term for the disease of consumerism, for the compulsive desire to shop, which is a progressive addiction to shopping and going into debt due to buying unnecessary things. It is also referred to as compulsive shopping, compulsive spending, shopping addiction, shopaholism, and Compulsive Buying Behavior (CBB). In Brazil, where we live, it is called Compulsive Buying Disorder (CBD)