The book suggests that the defining problem driving out most people who leave is … just how American life works in the 21st century. Contemporary America simply isn’t set up to promote mutuality, care, or common life. Rather, it is designed to maximize individual accomplishment as defined by professional and financial success. Such a system leaves precious little time or energy for forms of community that don’t contribute to one’s own professional life or, as one ages, the professional prospects of one’s children. Workism reigns in America, and because of it, community in America, religious community included, is a math problem that doesn’t add up.

  • DoubleShot [he/him]
    ·
    1 year ago

    What sense of community do most churches promote?

    A lot of churches offer a sort of “community in a community”. For example, if you are a reactionary, white, married couple (ideally with kids), some evangelical churches can plug you right in to a group of like 5-10 other couples who are basically identical to you. And if you’re in that demographic, doing social things only with people pretty much just like you is what you are looking for.