In recognition of America’s 250th anniversary, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in more than 14,600 U.S. congregations participated in combined Sunday School lessons on May 31 to discuss the importance of the Constitution and other foundational documents.
The lesson was centered on a video and a discussion guide titled “Celebrating the Founding of the United States and the U.S. Constitution.”
The video features a 22-minute discussion between President D. Todd Christofferson, second counselor in the First Presidency, and Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, both former lawyers with extensive knowledge of the Constitution and longtime advocates of religious freedom.
“Freedom of religion is especially crucial,” President Christofferson said in the video, “and something we see around us in some jeopardy in different places, and maybe everywhere, to some degree.”
Added Elder Cook: “I think that the First Amendment was essential to the Restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
President Christofferson said the Bill of Rights and constitutional amendments expanded freedoms by abolishing slavery and granting women the right to vote.
“These underlying principles have relevance not only for the United States and its citizens, but for the world,” he said. “In speaking about the Constitution, for example, the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that He had suffered the Constitution to be established ‘for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles’ (Doctrine and Covenants 101:77).”
Elder Cook said “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” are fundamental rights.
“The Declaration [of Independence] and many constitutional principles were divinely inspired,” Elder Cook said, adding that the pursuit of happiness as an inalienable right meant “not just feeling good. It meant the pursuit of lifelong virtue, not short-term pleasure.”
President Christofferson acknowledged that the Constitution is not a perfect document, but said, “We believe that the most important aspect of the Constitution is its role in promoting and protecting the individual moral agency of God’s children everywhere.”
Elder Cook said the “principles upon which this nation was founded transcend party politics.” He encouraged members to “rejoice together in God’s blessings of freedom and talk about why freedom is important and how we can support it to fulfill God’s purpose in this great latter-day work.”
During the video, the apostles often referred to teachings by Church President Dallin H. Oaks, a former attorney, law professor, law clerk to the chief justice of the United States, and a Utah state Supreme Court judge.
Latter-day Saints from Florida, Arkansas and Alabama discussed their experience with the video and lesson in a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
A small branch in Tampa, Florida, with members from nearly every South American country, discussed the restricted freedoms in their home countries and expressed gratitude for the religious liberties they now enjoy. As Latter-day Saints they said they felt unified.
“There’s so much more that brings us together than divides us. Whatever is going on in the world ... the Savior unites us all together,” said Steven Hatch, president of the Dade City 2nd Branch (Spanish) in the Tampa Florida Stake.
Margie Boswell, a member of the Jonesboro Ward, Searcy Arkansas Stake, said it was important to discuss these topics with children.
“These are the values ... and the foundation of our freedoms that we hold dear and that we must preserve,” she said.
As a political science professor at Auburn University, Steve Brown said he thinks about the Constitution every day.
“I think the reason [for the lesson] is ... to help people to realize that the values that the founders fought for and that they were trying to establish are just as important today,” said Brown, a member of the Saugahatchee Ward, Columbus Georgia Stake, in Auburn, Alabama. “If you don’t know what they are and don’t defend them, then they can be lost.”
