As we look forward to Thanksgiving and reflect again on the amazing election results, we consider the gift of living in a constitutional republic, where the people elect those in authority who will best represent their values in office. Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm calls this form of government a “work of political genius” that is based on the Bible, particularly the book of Deuteronomy.
In a recent episode of his podcast “Good Faith Effort,” Rabbi Lamm discusses this concept with Joshua Berman, Professor of Bible at Bar Ilan University and author of “Created Equal: How the Bible Broke with Ancient Political Thought.” Their discussion takes an in-depth look at how the Bible introduced into human affairs a revolutionary concept and its impact on America’s founding.
Until the God of the Bible made a covenant with His people Israel, kings and monarchs ruled with absolute authority with little thought for the views of their subjects. The form of government introduced in Deuteronomy presented the idea of checks and balances to authority and giving power to the people. Thankfully, our country still recognizes this transformative concept.
We encourage you to listen to or watch this compelling conversation with a link here.
