We have all heard America described as a city on a hill. The phrase comes from John Winthrop’s (1588-1649) “A Model of Christian Charity.” It is based on Matthew 5:14: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” If you have the time to do any reading in early American religious history, As a City on a Hill: The Story of America’s Most Famous Lay Sermon (Princeton, 2018) is a good supplement to whatever text you are reading.