Holy Lands
American Christians are building a new type of community across the country
A new wave of master-planned communities is blending faith, patriotism, and shared values with modern amenities, reflecting a growing desire among some Americans for connection, identity, and purpose. Rooted in historical traditions, these developments are quietly reshaping—how and why—we choose where to live.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Establishing communities centered around shared religious and ideological values has deep historical roots in the United States. From the Puritan settlements in New England to the Amish enclaves in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, and to the Mormon corridor across the Western United States, groups have long sought to create environments where faith and daily life are seamlessly integrated.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, groups like the Shakers and the Amana Colonies created settlements that reflected their religious convictions, emphasizing communal living and shared resources. Similarly, although more successfully, the Amish have maintained their communities for nearly 300 years, characterized by simplicity, mutual aid, and a deliberate separation from modern societal influences.
This tradition has evolved over the past 20 years with the development of modern faith-based master-planned communities (MPCs), blending historical values with contemporary living and, in some cases, a heavy dose of patriotism.
Master-Planned
Contemporary faith-based MPCs aim to offer residents a lifestyle that aligns spiritual beliefs with modern amenities. Developments like Ave Maria in Florida were early leaders in this emerging trend. Founded in 2005 by the Ave Maria Development Company, a partnership between the Barron Collier Companies and the Ave Maria Foundation led by Catholic entrepreneur Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino's Pizza, Ave Maria was designed with Catholic values at its core. It features a central oratory and a Catholic university. The town was the first to develop under Florida's Rural Lands Stewardship Area program, which allows for more intensive development in exchange for land preservation. By 2025, Ave Maria had sold over 5,200 homes, with more than 11,000 anticipated at full build-out.
In Texas, Veritatis Splendor is another endeavor that works to create a Catholic community integrating spiritual growth with sustainable living. Spanning approximately 600 acres, the initial development plans included over 200 homes along with extensive community and commercial facilities. While the project has encountered some headwinds, including the need to sell off a portion of the land to pay off debts, the founders have adopted a “business-oriented leadership structure” to streamline operations and accelerate progress and believe they are back on track, working toward growing the community to more than 600 residents.
In Tennessee, Brewington Farms, a project of RidgeRunner, a company that develops and sells communities in rural clusters around small towns, is emerging as another faith-driven community tailored for conservative Christian families. This 448-acre “agrihood,” as they call it, is being developed in Jackson County to offer a blend of pastoral living and communal religious practices. The development is structured in phases, with plans to include residential lots and communal spaces that foster a close-knit, faith-oriented environment.
“People want to live in communities where they have a better shot of having alignment on some really basic political issues,” said Josh Abbotoy, founder and CEO of RidgeRunner, and self-described “conservative Christian who does land deals.”
Patriotism-Centric
Expanding the concept of value-based living, communities centered around patriotism have also begun to emerge. The 1776 Community is a notable example, combining elements of American patriotism with the American Dream of homeownership and, of course, traditional values. The movement's mission is to “advance American Patriotism at the zip code level and in new communities and neighborhoods in all 50 states.”
One of the inaugural developments, 1776 Gastonia in North Carolina, is a 55+ community that emphasizes national pride. Residents are encouraged to display the American flag year-round, symbolizing their commitment to the community's core values: “American patriotism, unity, honor the promise, do something, and give back.”
According to the developers, the community has garnered significant interest, with hundreds of inquiries before sales opened. However, reports have suggested that actual sales have been sluggish, which could be due to various factors, including pricing and interest rates, rather than a lack of interest in living there.
Innovations in Contemporary Faith-Based MPCs
While rooted in historical traditions, modern faith-based MPCs incorporate several innovative elements that distinguish them from their predecessors:
Integration of Modern Amenities: Unlike earlier settlements that often prioritized simplicity, contemporary communities usually offer state-of-the-art facilities, including fitness centers, educational institutions, and commercial hubs, providing a holistic living experience.
Structured Development Plans: These communities are meticulously planned, with phased developments and projected growth metrics. For instance, Veritatis Splendor anticipates a CAGR of 7.6% over seven years, reflecting a strategic approach to sustainable growth.
Emphasis on Inclusivity and Outreach: While maintaining a core set of values, many of these communities actively seek to engage with the broader public, offering programs and events that invite participation from non-residents.
Anti-Inclusive?
Despite their appeal, faith-based MPCs face challenges:
Inclusivity vs. Exclusivity: Balancing a faith-centered community ethos with inclusivity can be complex, requiring careful planning to ensure that the community remains welcoming while upholding its core values.
Economic Accessibility: Ensuring that these communities are financially accessible to a diverse range of individuals is crucial to prevent socioeconomic homogeneity or a walled-off enclave.
Regulatory Compliance: Developers must navigate zoning laws, fair housing regulations, and other legal considerations to ensure that the faith-based components of the community do not conflict with broader legal frameworks, which can be tricky.
Why They Matter
What makes the rise of faith-based and values-driven master-planned communities so compelling isn’t just their aesthetics or amenities—it’s what they reveal about the American psyche at this moment in time.
Americans are looking for more than just a place to live. They’re searching for connection, identity, and a sense of purpose. For some, that means returning to faith—not only as a personal belief system, but as the organizing principle of daily life. For others, it’s about aligning their home life with deeply held values, whether religious, cultural, or patriotic.
These communities, in effect, represent a kind of quiet cultural rebellion—a step away from the anonymity of modern suburbia, toward something more rooted, intentional, and cohesive. They also reflect a growing sentiment that lifestyle and belief should no longer be compartmentalized. Instead, the developers of these communities believe that faith, fellowship, and family can—and perhaps should—be integrated into the very design of where and how we live.
This raises some provocative questions for planners, policymakers, and cultural observers alike: What does it mean when people start building towns not just for shelter or proximity to work, but for shared belief? How might this reshape civic life, political engagement, or even the future of social infrastructure?
The development of these communities may signal a deeper societal shift, one that could quietly and potentially powerfully reshape America from the ground up in the years to come.
Wow, I have never heard of this until now. Thanks, Bradley and new rules, you are really finding new and important stories to tell.
I didn't know about these communities of "quiet, cultural rebellion." Your questions at the end, WHY THEY MATTER, are astute and presented in a way that make readers think broadly, not just feel. Looking forward to spending more and more time on New Rules.