Book Review: Communion, by J. D. Vance

Roughly sixty percent of this book deals with the autobiographical story of J. D. Vance’s life up to the time that he fully recommitted his life to Christ, including a brief recap of Hillbilly Elegy, the circumstances under which he lost his faith and became an atheist, and his path back to God. This covers his time in the marines, at Ohio State University and Yale Law School, and as a venture capitalist. The remainder of the book is a series of essays on how he now views life - his perspective on economics and business, domestic and international politics, smart phones and social media impacts on people and society, death, and the overall decline in faith in the west. 

Vance’s basic values permeate the book, such as the importance and value of family relationships over economic or social success. They endured during his decade of doubt. Even while in law school, he perceived that basing one’s self-esteem based on the things his classmates sought was an empty goal, because there was never enough. There was always another draw to work long hours and miss out on connecting to family. Related to this is the importance of having and working toward values and goals that matter in a moral sense. Working as a venture capitalist he realized that business didn’t have the moral value that he wanted to work towards.

Vance’s position on core issues cannot be articulated simply. His disdain for the intellectual elite who have dominated politics and broadcast media for decades is not because of their intelligence, but because of their unwillingness to admit that their answers and explanations have failed and are failing us. He links this to the decline of Christianity as the source of values in the West. His views on immigration, labor unions, socialism all defy typical liberal/conservative binning.

I wish that every pastor, preacher, and evangelist who is worried about losing the next generation would read the first three chapters. There was no single factor that drove him to doubt, but a gradual process with many unresolved issues. Perhaps he had to walk this road to become the kind of person he is, but I think the Lord would prefer the faith of teens and young adults to be strengthened by testing, not destroyed. In adolescence, almost everyone questions the values they were raised with. Pat answers won’t do. The hard questions of life need to be faced. Vance’s marine service, the death of his closest relatives, and the intellectual capital from mankind’s history that he encountered in college, all ultimately pointed him back to Christ. But the church he was in as a teen did not address these issues in depth.

Vance may one day be president, depending on the health of Donald Trump. Who knows? But I think Vance will be a stronger force for western civilization by taking on the role of values evangelist. This book does. By this I mean articulating the foundational values of western civilization along with the root of and rationale for them. Almost a Charlie Kirk role, except that he is looking beyond saving of souls to the saving of civilization.