Little platoons, under attack

The mosaic of photos on this issue’s cover displays the diversity of groups WORLD has covered during a decade of honoring nearly 100 Christian groups that fight poverty and exploitation. Over the following pages we profile this year’s South, West, and Midwest Region winners and two of the runners-up. In our next issue we will profile East and International winners.

Thousands of other groups similarly bless the United States. It’s an important time to remember the successes of these small organizations, because a disease sweeping across America could hurt their work, unless we find an antidote. In the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s nationalization of same-sex marriage, pro-gay columnists are calling for the removal of tax exemption from any nonprofit organization that maintains a biblical position.

That would be a radical break with the First Amendment’s injunction against government establishment of religion or any particular religion. We would have some government-approved denominations (Episcopalians, for example) and others declared anathema. The income of Bible-centric poverty-fighting groups would most likely decline as loss of exemption increases their expenses.

A less radical move would be to remove all nonprofit tax exemptions. That would not violate the First Amendment, but it would hurt civil society—the ways we work together that aren’t governmental or commercial—and increase government’s domination of social services and education. Alexis de Tocqueville 180 years ago saw how Americans worked together for public benefit by forming religious and civic associations, instead of following Europe and growing government. Sadly, American exceptionalism is on the wane in many areas, and this might be one more.

Amid these swirling political currents, we’re glad to show once again how little platoons of Christians can accomplish great things. The groups profiled in this issue save babies, transform mothers’ lives, rebuild houses and communities, care for abandoned children, and train homeless men and women.