The problem with religion is that it was replaced.
Consider New Athens a partner in ministry in the limited, but essential, sense that we’re going to stop blocking you from doing your work.
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The US Constitution mandates strict seperation of church and state. Despite good intentions, over the last 100 years the relationship became adversarial: a power struggle of church versus state. We think this shift was misguided and wrong. The proper framing was, and still is, how to divide responsibilities.
Church and state are not enemies struggling for power. They need to recognize each other as complimenty and necessary forces. In national debates today, we’re asked to choose between left-wing and right-wing solutions to problems. In New Athens, we aim for residents to instinctively ask whether a problem is best solved by government or by congregations.
Two steps backwards, ten steps forward
Churches used to dominate many of the functions government now dominates. It’s essential to strike a new balance. Unfortunately, this can’t happen over night because religious institutions have atrophed and lost crucial skills. But overall, we’re committed to getting government’s finger off the scale, particularly in the care-giving industries.
- education
- health care
- elder care
- poverty alleviation
FAQ
Notably, you’re still subject to secular regulation, biggest of which is you can’t restrict services to, or retaliate against, non-believers.
