This article explores the link between Protestantism and the spirit of consumerist capitalism by focusing on the prosperity gospel and one of its most prominent contemporary proponents—pastor, televangelist, and New York Times bestselling author Joel Osteen. Through in-depth content analysis of eight of Osteen’s most influential and widely read books, I explore the underlying assumptions of his teachings about faith, prosperity, and consumption. The broader implications of Osteen’s theology of money and consumption for American religion—especially the link between Protestant Christianity, consumerism, and the American Dream—are considered. Findings reveal Osteen’s support for the consumerist belief that happiness and ultimate meaning in life are linked with ever-increasing discretionary consumption. Godliness and nonessential consumption go hand in hand for Osteen, whose Christianized version of the American Dream and prosperity gospel teachings are important components of the spirit of twenty-first-century consumerist capitalism.

中文翻译：

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乔尔·奥斯汀（Joel Osteen）的繁荣福音和消费主义精神

本文通过关注繁荣福音及其当代最著名的支持者之一-牧师，电视传播家和《纽约时报》畅销书作者乔尔·奥斯汀（Joel Osteen），探讨了新教与消费主义资本主义精神之间的联系。通过对奥斯汀最具影响力和广泛阅读的八本书的内容进行深入分析，我探索了他关于信仰，繁荣和消费的教义的基本假设。考虑了奥斯汀的货币和消费神学对美国宗教的更广泛影响，特别是新教基督教，消费主义和美国梦之间的联系。调查结果表明，奥斯汀对消费主义信念的支持，即生活中的幸福和最终意义与不断增长的随意消费联系在一起。