The question raised inside the White House that could define America's future - opinion

A White House briefing attended by religious leaders, activists, and policy advocates delved into a profound question: can a constitutional republic endure when the moral fabric that supports it begins to unravel? Throughout the discussion, Deputy Assistant to the President and Faith Director Jennifer Korn, Senior Advisor Pastor Paula White-Cain, Border Czar Tom Homan, Special Assistant to the President for Jewish Outreach Martin Marks, and others repeatedly emphasized that America’s future hinges not only on sound policies but also on the moral and spiritual character of its people.

The repeated mentions of God, prayer, faith, and moral responsibility during the six-and-a-half-hour session were natural, sincere, and unscripted, indicating a genuine belief in the vital role of faith in public life.

The speakers consistently returned to the idea that while government can protect liberties, it cannot create virtue. They argued that while laws can address crimes and governments can fund programs, they cannot instill character. This perspective resonated deeply, echoing sentiments from the Founding Fathers. John Adams famously believed that the Constitution was designed "only for a moral and religious people," suggesting that the survival of liberty depends on virtuous citizens.

The Founders understood that self-government required citizens capable of governing themselves, a notion that feels particularly relevant in today’s political climate.

These discussions highlight a critical concern: as societies increasingly rely on government to form character, the risk of moral erosion grows. History shows that civilizations rarely abandon their moral foundations overnight; instead, they gradually shift, allowing external forces like identity politics and an expansive state to replace traditional sources of moral guidance.

For American Jews, the issue is especially pressing, as antisemitic assaults and the normalization of anti-Jewish hatred challenge the moral vocabulary needed to condemn such behavior consistently. The debate over American institutions is important, but perhaps it is more fundamental to ask what happens when a society loses its shared moral foundation.