Evangelical Enchantment and Neoliberal Capitalism

Sonali Kolhatkar speaks with Chad Seales, an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

His earlier book was The Secular Spectacle: Performing Religion in a Southern Town. His latest book is Religion Around Bono: Evangelical Enchantment and Neoliberal Capitalism.

America is obsessed with celebrity pop culture and look to pop stars, actors, and others to abide by and even set our moral standards.

Perhaps no one has exemplified the celebrity do-gooder more prominently than the front man of the Irish rock band U2.

Known only as Bono, the legendary lead singer for decades has been the face of charitable giving especially in African nations.

He has launched organizations, led benefit concerts and been lauded by Time Magazine as their “Person of the Year.”

Now a new book examines the underbelly of Bono’s celebrity and what it represents.

Spurred by his Christian beliefs Bono’s evangelical morality is actually quite consistent with neoliberal capitalism according to Religious Studies professor Chad Seales.

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