I will not try to convince anyone here to believe in the religious doctrine of divine providence, but I ask Americans to join me in believing that American democracy is an established system that will enable our country to correct its mistakes and improve the lives of its citizens, so that our “alabaster cities glitter undimmed by human tears,” from the song “America the Beautiful.”

American cities are among the places where many problems exist for people who are homeless and/or low-income. Democracy is not a religion or a church, but it certainly contains elements that religious people have advocated, such as recognizing human rights, treating all people equally, and not recognizing the right of an autocrat to exercise power over others.

Democracy is also very honest and realistic in recognizing that human nature is flawed and must be controlled so as not to harm others. This is done through the many checks and balances, which themselves must be continually improved. Religions themselves benefit from being democratic, believing that the Spirit of God works through the minds and wills of many people. For example, Christians believe that interpreting the Bible is the work of the Spirit of God working through the whole Church.

As important as individual prayer is, worshipping together with others is even more important in creating love, mutual help and comfort, and in undertaking the work of spreading God’s love. Of course, the Church, as a human being, has been far from perfect in spreading God’s love. She has even created hostility toward God by misrepresenting God, for example by associating herself with powers that dominate and even harm people through colonialism. Nevertheless, the common task in the Church is to represent God’s love and justice to the world. This can only be done through a common self-correcting effort.