[Press Release] 14,600-plus US Congregations Join Sunday to Discuss Constitution, Freedoms

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in more than 14,600 congregations around the United States discussed the importance of the Constitution and other foundational documents during Sunday services on May 31, 2025.

The Church provided a video and a discussion guide titled “Celebrating the Founding of the United States and the U.S. Constitution” to use during a combined Sunday School lesson that included adults and youth. “This is not a history lesson or a political discussion,” the guide directed. “It’s an opportunity to rejoice in ‘the Lord our God, who has redeemed us and made us free’ (Alma 58:41).”

One small congregation (branch) of the Church in Tampa, Florida, includes members from almost every South American country. On Sunday, branch members discussed what’s happening in their home countries, the freedoms that have been taken away, and how grateful they are for the religious liberties that now allow them to worship as they wish. “A lot of those things are what caused these members to want to come here to the United States of America,” said Dade City Branch President Steven Hatch, who lives in the Tampa Florida Stake.

He said that even though his fellow congregants’ diverse backgrounds mean they don’t agree on everything, just like any congregation, “there’s so much more that brings us together than there is that divides us.” 

That feeling of unity was apparent on Sunday, he said. “I’ve seen that the Savior truly unites all of us together, and everything else gets put aside. Whatever is going on in the world or whatever politics are happening, the Savior unites us all together.”

“When we’re doing the work of the Lord, things will be better wherever that is taking place,” he said. “I know the Lord’s work will never be stopped. But it’s up to us members of the Church and all American citizens to continue fighting for religious freedom for all.”

A Conversation With Apostles

The video, shown at the beginning of each class before the group discussions, featured a conversation 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 for religious freedom.

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President Christofferson and Elder Cook explained that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution’s support of religious freedom and God-given agency enabled the Restoration of the Church.

“I think that the First Amendment was essential to the Restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” said Elder Cook.

“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” are fundamental rights, Elder Cook said. “The Declaration and many constitutional principles were divinely inspired.”

The pursuit of happiness as an inalienable right meant “not just feeling good. It meant the pursuit of lifelong virtue, not short-term pleasure,” he said.

The Bill of Rights and constitutional amendments further extended other freedoms, such as 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,” President Christofferson 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).”

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 Supreme Court, and a Utah State Supreme Court judge. He taught, “We should walk shoulder to shoulder along the path of religious freedom for all while still exercising that freedom to pursue our distinctive beliefs.”

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While the Constitution is not a perfect document, “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,” said President Christofferson.

‘Moderate and Unify’

The Church has consistently maintained an institutional neutrality regarding political parties and candidates. Members are encouraged “to be active citizens by registering, exercising their right to vote, and engaging in civic affairs, always demonstrating Christlike love and civility in political discourse.”

President Oaks has advocated approaching contested issues by seeking to “moderate and unify” (see “Defending Our Divinely Inspired Constitution,” October 2021 General Conference).

“Where we can, we unify. It’s not always possible, but we look for that. I think that’s key to upholding the rule of law and upholding the Constitution,” President Christofferson said, “even if we don’t share every belief in common.”

“We want good people to be in government,” he said, adding, “We ought to pray for those who are in those positions of authority that they’ll heed the spirit, feel the spirit, and have the support they need to do the job right.”

Members can also be active in parties and causes and oppose or support different pieces of legislation. Simply being informed is a good way to be involved, he said.

Elder Cook concluded with a reminder that “principles upon which this nation was founded transcend party politics,” encouraging 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.”

Other Members’ Sunday Experiences

“These were really important topics for us to have the opportunity to discuss with our children,” said Margie Boswell, a member of the Jonesboro Ward, Searcy Arkansas Stake, in Marked Tree, Arkansas. “These are the values we hold dear. This is the politics and the foundation of our freedoms that we hold dear and that we must preserve.”

Her family studied the materials the Church provided as part of their weekly “Come, Follow Me” study to prepare for Sunday’s discussion. “We had done our homework,” she said. “We were excited to hear the comments and discussion.” 

The Boswells have continued to discuss what they learned. “I love the Constitution and the Declaration,” Boswell said. “It’s obvious to see that these two documents manifest the Lord’s hand. We have a great desire to uphold and to keep those freedoms.”

“I think about the Constitution literally every day because that’s what I teach,” said Steve Brown, a political science professor at Auburn University from the Saugahatchee Ward, Columbus Georgia Stake, in Auburn, Alabama, who was invited to facilitate the discussion at the Auburn Plains Young Single Adult Branch. 

“I think the reason [for the lesson] is not only to commemorate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, but to use that occasion 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. … If you don’t know what they are and don’t defend them, then they can be lost.”

He hopes people will continue to learn more about the ideals in the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence, and see how they apply to their lives today.

Religious freedom is so important to preserve, he said, because “religious freedom is the precondition for political freedom [and] … for every other right. A government that will infringe upon the one will infringe upon the others.”