The Shining City Upon the Hill

The Shining City Upon the Hill

 
When Americans reflect on our religious roots and the First Amendment's five freedoms, understanding the historical and social origins that shaped these fundamental democratic values is crucial.  The First Amendment, ratified in 1791, underscores the importance of freedom in religion, speech, press, assembly, and petitioning the government.
 
The quest for religious freedom, central to the Puritan migration led by John Winthrop, was deeply rooted in the religious conflicts of Europe, notably the Reformation.  This era of upheaval challenged the Catholic Church's authority and led to devastating religious wars.  The establishment of the Massachusetts Bay Colony by Winthrop and his fellow Puritans marked a significant movement towards practicing faith freely, without persecution.
 
The Enlightenment and Age of Reason further influenced American foundational principles, emphasizing reason, freedom, and democracy.  These periods fostered ideas of religious toleration and the separation of church and state, ideals that directly informed the First Amendment’s guarantees.
 
John Winthrop's vision for America as a “City Upon a Hill,” articulated in his “A Model of Christian Charity” sermon, has resonated through centuries.  This vision underscored America's potential as a beacon of hope and democratic values.  It has been echoed by U.S. Presidents, from John F. Kennedy's invocation of being a city upon a hill to Ronald Reagan's depiction of America as a shining city on rocks stronger than oceans.  These references celebrate American exceptionalism and remind us of the pluralistic society that America aspires to be.
 
President-Elect John F. Kennedy invoked Winthrop’s words when he delivered a speech on January 9, 1961, known as the “City Upon a Hill” speech.
 
“I have been guided by the standard John Winthrop set before his shipmates on the flagship Arbella three hundred and thirty-one years ago, as they, too, faced the task of building a new government on a perilous frontier.
 
“We must always consider,” he said, “that we shall be as a city upon a hill--the eyes of all people are upon us.”
 
Today the eyes of all people are truly upon us--and our governments, in every branch, at every level, national, state, and local, must be as a city upon a hill--constructed and inhabited by men aware of their great trust and their great responsibilities.”
 
Then, in his 1961 inaugural address, he invoked once again the idea of America as a “City Upon a Hill” when he offered.
 
“We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom--symbolizing an end as well as a beginning—signifying renewal as well as change.  For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago. 
 
The world is very different now.  For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life.  And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God. 
 
We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution.  Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans—born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage--and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this Nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world. 
 
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.  This much we pledge—and more.”
 
 
President Ronald Reagan referenced Winthrop’s concept on many occasions.  On November 3, 1980, he referred to it in his Election Eve Address, “A Vision for America.”
 
“I have quoted John Winthrop's words more than once on the campaign trail this year—for I believe that Americans in 1980 are every bit as committed to that vision of a shining city on a hill, as were those long-ago settlers ... These visitors to that city on the Potomac do not come as white or black, red, or yellow; they are not Jews or Christians; conservatives or liberals; or Democrats or Republicans.  They are Americans awed by what has gone before, proud of what for them is still… a shining city on a hill.”
 
President Reagan would reference it again in his January 11, 1989, farewell speech to the nation:
 
“I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it.  But in my mind it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity.  And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.  That's how I saw it, and see it still.”
 
 
In contemporary times, the ideals and challenges articulated by Winthrop and later presidents remain relevant.  America's identity as a nation upholding freedom and democracy faces tests both within and abroad.  The rise of authoritarian movements, political polarization, and challenges to fundamental freedoms call for a recommitment to the principles that define us.
 
As we navigate these challenges, the First Amendment's protections remind us of the pluralistic foundation upon which America was built.  Our commitment to being a “City Upon a Hill” requires reverence for these freedoms and active engagement in safeguarding them.  It is through unity, respect for diverse beliefs, and a dedication to democratic values that America continues to embody the vision set forth by its early settlers and enshrined in its founding documents.
 
E Pluribus Unum — Out of Many, One.  This motto encapsulates the essence of America's strength: a diverse nation united by shared values and a common purpose.  Living up to this ideal remains our collective responsibility as we look to the future.

—Ron Starbuck
CEO/Publisher - Saint Julian Press, Inc.
Houston, Texas

​Saint Julian Press Suggested Readings & Books
 
 
Hope Over Fear
 
An American Experiment: A Saint Julian Press Retelling
 
We Must Think and Act Anew
 
America: Blest Be the Tie That Binds
 
From Dogma to Democracy: How Enlightenment Ignited the American Spirit
 
The Radical Love of Jesus: A Call for Compassion
 
We Are Citizens of the World
 
We Must Disenthrall Ourselves
 
A Threat to American Democracy
 
The Shining City Upon the Hill
 
Citizen — C. Andrew Doyle (Ninth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas)
 
And There Was Light — Jon Meacham