The Uses of Idolatry.

"The Uses of Idolatry" by William T. Cavanaugh explores the concept of idolatry and its prevalence in contemporary societies. Cavanaugh argues that everyone worships, whether they are believers or nonbelievers, and that idolatry is not limited to religious practices but also extends to economic and political spheres. He emphasizes that idolatry comes in degrees and can be discerned through worship, trust, loyalty, and devotion directed at something other than the God worshiped by Jews and Christians. Cavanaugh suggests that the remedy for idolatry is a sacramental approach, where humans make contact with the immaterial God in the material world without reducing God to the material. The book also examines the idolatrous devotion found in nationalism and consumerism, highlighting the need for discernment and the recognition of virtues within distorted forms of idolatry. While Cavanaugh's remedies for idolatry are questioned, his exploration of worship and the Eucharist as a remedy for idolatry is commended. [Extracted from the article]