Communion by JD Vance review
JD Vance’s Christian vision is thoughtful – but impossible to square with the political company he keeps
TL;DR
- The book addresses the biblical question of salvation not in a religious sense, but as a challenge to destructive cultural assumptions and habits.
- It views modern Western society through the lens of addiction and its generational effects, applying this to elite modernity as well as to the less privileged.
- Vance critiques the way education and professional environments encourage individuals to desire what others want, leading to detrimental work habits and conformity.
- He discusses his experience at Yale law school, noting the pressure to conform to progressive orthodoxies.
- Vance found liberation in guilt and advocates for repentance and renewal through Christian faith, drawn to Catholicism's emphasis on grace over evangelical quick fixes.
- The Catholic perspective's history of social analysis is seen as valuable, stressing that economic life should support human dignity and meaningful labor.
- The review notes the book's thematic alignment with scholars like Robert Bellah and commentators like David Brooks, focusing on anxiety, isolation, character, and raising the next generation.
- The article questions how Vance's book aligns with his role in the Trump administration, particularly its focus on "Trumpian ruling class" corruption and policies.
- The reviewer finds some arguments shaky, such as linking de-Christianization directly to rising racial and gender conflict.