The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has created a webpage featuring a discussion guide, video and other resources for a fifth-Sunday meeting on May 31.
The discussion guide is titled “Celebrating the Founding of the United States and the U.S. Constitution" and found on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
“Throughout the earth’s history, the principle of moral agency has not been universally honored. Too many of God’s children have been — and still are — oppressed," the introduction reads. “At the same time, God has been inspiring His children to protect ‘that principle of freedom [that] belongs to all mankind’ (Doctrine and Covenants 98:5)."
The lesson focuses on moral agency and how the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence support religious liberty.
A new video with President D. Todd Christofferson, second counselor in the First Presidency, and Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, provides instruction about the significance of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and related events that enabled the Restoration of the Church. Members can watch the video and discuss a list of questions.
The discussion guide also offers several related gospel principles supported by scripture references and quotes by prophets, apostles and other Church leaders, including the Prophet Joseph Smith.
“I am bold to declare before Heaven that I am just as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist or a good man of any other denomination; for the same principle which would trample upon the rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catholics or of any other denomination who may be unpopular and too weak to defend themselves,” he said. “It is a love of liberty which inspires my soul — civil and religious liberty to the whole of the human race."
The May 31 fifth-Sunday lesson is part of an invitation by the First Presidency in a March 12 letter “to participate in a unified fast to express gratitude for religious liberty and to pray that it be strengthened throughout the world” on July 5, as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary.
Latter-day Saints can learn more about religious freedom at ReligiousFreedomLibrary.org, an online collection of talks and statements about religious freedom by Church leaders and others.
