Good news

I spend a lot of time in this space chronicling the cluelessness and disheartening self-righteousness that characterizes a disturbingly large portion of evangelical Christianity in America.

American evangelicals are a frustrating bunch. More than most, they have the means, motive and opportunity to make a real difference in their communities and the world, but rarely choose to do so.

Surrounded by a world of pain and need, American evangelicals do what most Americans do. They circle the wagons and try to preserve whatever resources and privilege they may enjoy.

Sometimes, though, they get it right.

Consider this story from Antioch [Ill.] News reporter Korrina Grom:

The picture looked grim in Grass Lake District 36, with failed education fund referendums, a sizable budget deficit and program cuts.

But a group of Antioch churches is trying to bring some brightness into the district by restoring an old school house on the district's property, ultimately giving the district more classroom space.

"I think that this kind of thing is what churches should be about — giving back to the community," said Pastor John Newman of Antioch Evangelical Free Church. …

NorthBridge Church Pastor Mark Albrecht said the project began after church leaders decided they wanted to do something for the Antioch community. …

Albrecht went to Superintendent Jim Beveridge and asked what the group of churches could do to help. Beveridge told Albrecht an old school house owned by the district has been unusable for 15 years. If brought up to code, it could serve as valuable classroom space for the special education program or preschool and kindergarten classes. …

Volunteers from NorthBridge, Antioch Evangelical Free, Chain of Lakes Community Bible and Christian Life Fellowship Churches started working on the building in July.

What's remarkable here is not just the churches' desire to "do something for the Antioch community," but how inclusive their definition of "community" is. This is a group of evangelical churches helping to rebuild a public school.

They didn't decide to pool their resources and create the "Chain of Lakes Christian Academy." They didn't begin a political crusade for "school choice" to siphon public dollars from Grass Lake District 36 for the support of private education in an enclave away from the rest of the town. They saw themselves as part of "the public" so they pitched in for the public good.

Grom's story starts by noting that education-funding referendums had failed in the district. I know nothing about the specific proposal, or the history of this particular district. Perhaps the referendum involved a truly burdensome increase in local taxes. Or perhaps the district has a history of mismanaging funds and the voters of Antioch did not trust superintendent Beveridge.

More likely, though, the referendum failed because voters in the district — like most Americans — think of themselves as individuals and not as part of a larger "public." They have no sense of ownership in the public schools. This attitude is reflected in campaigns by childless adults and retirees who claim they have no obligation to fund public education because they do not have school-age children. And it is reflected in the parents of children in private and parochial schools who are working too hard to pay for their own children's education to worry about anyone else's kids.

Part of the longer-term good news in the Grass Lake District 36 is that the sense of the public, common good, may have been rebuilt along with the roof of the old schoolhouse. The next referendum on education funding may be viewed rather differently.