Where would Jesus shop?

Some questions have clear answers – others do not. A few years ago, aspects of the WWJD – What would Jesus do? – campaign left me uncomfortable. I believe passionately that the question needs to be asked, but I wasn’t thrilled by all of the answers suggested in the supporting literature; not everything can be seen immediately in terms of clear-cut right and wrong, and I believe that Jesus’ teaching reflects the fact that there are times when we have to struggle towards a correct understanding of moral truth.

Where would Jesus shop? Hm. Another question brought to public notice by the Bishop of Reading, who maintained that whilst the Church is in danger of being very ‘M&S’, Jesus would be more likely to shop at Asda or Aldi. In fairness to the Bishop, he did succeed where many of us fail – he brought matters of faith to the forefront of the popular media. As to the veracity of his claims, however, I don’t know…and this has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that members of the Sunday morning congregation at Carrs Lane seem to be more likely to go next door to M&S than to the open markets a little further away! If there is a moral dimension to shopping, then it has little to do with perceived class or quality or cost; it has far more to do with ethical responsibility. The Metro is on my desk as I write this – and I concur wholeheartedly with David Rodgers, who writes that if the question has any validity at all, then the answer must surely be that Jesus would go to The Co-op.

Are there shops to which Jesus definitely wouldn’t go? At a personal level, I would have to say Tesco, a shop to which I will not go on principle. The reasons? Partly to do with the impact of Tesco on a part of Hungary which I know well…but more besides. Visit the Tescopoly website. Every little hurts. Highly subjective comments, I know, but I suspect that nationally, the Church is more akin to Tesco than M&S…