Hillbilly Elegy

The juxtaposition is jarring:
Religious institutions remain a positive
force in people’s lives, but in a part of
the country slammed by the decline of
manufacturing, joblessness, addiction,
and broken homes, church attendance has
fallen off. Dad’s church offered
something desperately needed by people
like me. For alcoholics, it gave them a
community of support and a sense that
they weren’t fighting addiction alone.
For expectant mothers, it offered a free
home with job training and parenting
classes. When someone needed a job,
church friends could either provide one
or make introductions. When Dad faced
financial troubles, his church banded