Source: Quillette
by Megan Gafford
“For almost 300 years, America has cultivated the metaphor of a shining city on a hill to describe how a righteous society is a beacon for a better life – but the same light casts that city under a glare, exposing its defects. The image comes from Jesus speaking to his followers in the Book of Matthew (5:14), ‘You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.’ … The image of a shining city on a hill encapsulates the optimistic vision that free, open societies will thrive and spread as the world converts to liberal democracy. But it comes with a warning: The same torch that beckons the huddled masses toward Lady Liberty also illuminates the shame of liberal democracies that betray their values.” (05/03/25)
https://quillette.com/2025/05/03/liberalism-as-the-shining-city-on-a-hill-benny-morris/