This year was the 50th anniversary of the ATMs, introduced for the first time in London on June 27, 1967. These cashMoney in physical form such as banknotes and coins. More machines marked a turning point in the history of banking as these transformed consumers’ relationship to moneyFrom the Latin word moneta, nickname that was given by Romans to the goddess Juno because there was a minting workshop next to her temple. Money is any item that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular region, country or socio-economic context. Its onset dates back to the origins of humanity and its physical representation has taken on very varied forms until the appearance of metal coins. The banknote, a typical representati... More, making it accessible at any time and almost anywhere. Nevertheless, the arrival of plastic cards represented a threat for institutions relying exclusively on paperSee Banknote paper. More money, such as churches counting on cash donations.
Indeed, since the separation of church and state in the early 19th century in the US, churches could not rely on state funding and had to turn to their faithful’s financial support. If in Europe donations are usually made discreetly in alms boxes located at the back of the church, in the US, however, the offering process is an active part of the religious ritual. Offering plates are passed from hand to hand, making the donation completely public. As a result, everybody can see the amount given by his/her neighbour, encouraging believers to reach into their wallets.
To avoid a decrease of cash gifts, various US evangelical churches decided to install ATMs in their lobbies. Marty Baker – Pastor of the Stevens Creek Church in Augusta, Georgia – is known to be the first one to have installed a cash machine in his church, in 2005. The move proved very successful: the amount of donations more than doubled in a year (to $200,000), as more cash was made accessible at the church’s door-step. Marty Baker took one step further and also introduced the first “automatic tithing machine”, which transfers the money directly from the plastic card to the church’s coffers.
The introduction of ATMs in churches illustrates the ability of religious officials to adapt to the digital shift while keeping at the same time a sense of tradition. Unlike in Augusta, donations are generally still made in the form of banknotes and coins in a basket. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that conservative evangelicals have a strong affinity with cash as debts – and by extension, credit cards – are seen as a form of bondage.
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