In the Bible, the first city is founded by Cain, the first murderer. From there on, scripture radiates a steady mistrust of cities – a constant sense that cities are defined by the temptations they offer, the occasions they provide for sin. Prophets come from the desert and the pastures; corruption comes from the city. Wicked Sodom and Gomorrah seem to manifest the deep truth about cities – until, suddenly, they don’t. The Psalms, and then the prophets after David, offer a different vision of the city.

How do we understand today’s cities against this prophetic ideal?