Whom Do We Serve? Dismantling the Church Industrial Complex in North American Mainline Protestant Churches

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Given the author(s) research, they might find a useful analytical tool for this kind of work in Gregory Baum's application of the notions of the logic of mission and the logic of maintenance in one of his essays in Theology and Society. The current essay under review is fine without reference to this. 

Author Response

Thank you for this recommendation! I will certainly review Baum's essay. I very much appreciate your review.

Reviewer 2 Report

The references presented in the study are allocated to Protestantism in North America. Certainly the dominant weight of this denomination determined the analysis accordingly. However, in the context of globalization and the emergence of some traditionalist churches in the North American space, it could constitute a point of reference for the proposed analysis. How do the historical churches (Orthodox and Catholic) relate to the issue of the Church Industrial Complex?

Author Response

Thank you for your response and for this very interesting question. I would love to do further research that examines these other traditions. However, for this paper I do not believe I have space to really adequately delve into these other traditions so I have just clarified again that my focus is on N. American Protestantism. Thank you!

Reviewer 3 Report

It is not always clear if this is a work of scholarship or advocacy. It is a fine bit of advocacy. As a work of scholarship, one wishes for a certain tightness and depth that is not always entirely present. A greater, more robust presentation of data, including perhaps some of the interview data the author reports having conducted, would have made the work more effective as a piece of scholarship. One wonders if the text would be stronger if the author made use of the third person consistently in the text or employed other stylistic elements that would highlight a greater rigor in analysis. The discussion, whether social theoretical or moral theological, or both, seems limited in scope in comparison to the presentation of the data or general findings. Finally, it would be helpful to get a sense of next steps for future research, something generally associated with the conclusion of a journal article. It is unclear if next steps are ecclesial-denominational, merely at the level of policy, as important as that is, or is there are implications for the sociology of religion, practical theology, ecclesiology, or something. Is this research and its findings sufficient? Is there anything suggested by this research for future research? These questions appear unanswered. 

Author Response

Thank you so much for your review and for these excellent points. I have tried to sharpen my scope and clarify the focus, limitations, as well as potential next steps for future work. Thank you for your time and attention to my work, I do appreciate it greatly.