By Robert Kimball Shinkosky
Photos: Wikimedia Commons
Democracy historically has positioned wise advisors either in or close to the government to educate and guide the polity.
In ancient democratic Rome, such advisors were called “augurs.” They mediated between God and the government and made judgments and predictions about current events.
In the early Hebrew republic established by Moses, such figures were called “judges” or “prophets.”
The closest examples America has had for this kind of role have been Billy Graham-type religious counselors to Presidents, and historians interested in public affairs.
The job of all these folks has always been to promote ethics, science, constitutional law, and scriptural theology.
There comes a time, however, when citizens no longer listen to the advice of wise counselors. This happened in Rome when the people rebuffed the augur Cicero’s warnings about the decline of Roman democracy.
Something similar happened in Israel when the elders of Israel rebuffed the prophet Samuel’s advice not to move to kingship.
In America’s current constitutional crisis, ethical political leaders of both parties have chosen to run away from America’s problems rather than provide continuing guidance.
Robert Kimball Shinkosky is an award winning citizen editorial writer for Utah, west coast, and national newspapers. As a long time state government worker and student of the American presidency, he speaks out boldly about the need for citizen participation, a renewed democracy, and constitutional limits on absolute power. Kimball’s most recent book is a scholarly interpretation of the scope of the Ten Commandments, showing how those laws applied to government as well as citizens in ancient Israel. They match provisions found in the U.S. Constitution. and can help forge a path out of the wilderness of today’s culture and authoritarian politics. He can be reached at [email protected]
