SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF LIBERTY
Preamble: The history of the human family is a story of God’s children choosing liberty through the power of Christ or captivity according to the power
of the devil (2 Nephi 2:27). God has ordained that governments be established to protect the right of individuals to choose liberty through Christ. The
“miracle” of the American Founding was possible because of inspired reliance upon Christian principles as the template for liberty. America became the
seedbed of liberty, which made possible the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:10). The principles at the heart of the American Founding
belong to all nations, families, and individuals. Adherence to these Seven Principles of Liberty leads to personal and civic liberty.
Divine Identity & Purpose Accountability & the Christian
Form of Government
Statements of Truth: All people are children of Heavenly Father.
Each child of God and all of God’s creations have a unique, divine
purpose. Understanding our divine identity and purpose is central to
obtaining and protecting liberty.
Principle: As we seek to fulfill our divine purpose, we can
achieve our divine potential through Christ.
Applications: I will learn all I can about Heavenly Father,
Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost and seek to fulfill my divine
purpose. I will honor the individuality and agency of others.
Christian Self-Government
Statements Of Truth: Our Father in Heaven endowed each
of His children with the freedom to choose. Only through
Jesus Christ can we enjoy true liberty and happiness. Through His
Atonement, Jesus Christ will enable us to do His will.
Principles: When we choose to be governed by Jesus Christ,
we become free to reach our divine potential. We can govern in a
Christlike way only as we seek to live His law and receive His grace.
Applications: I will choose to obey the teachings of Jesus Christ
and allow Him to govern my life. I will exercise and
honor righteous authority.
Christlike Character
Statements Of Truth: Jesus Christ is the standard of character
and the model of all virtues. Through His Atonement,
we can become like Him. Public virtue cannot exist without
private virtue. America’s heritage of Christian character provides
unique examples of public and civic virtue for all the world.
Principles: As we seek to develop Christlike character,
our actions will reflect Christian virtues, such as humility,
faith, charity, courage, self-government, virtue,
industry, and wisdom.
Applications: I will come unto Christ and receive His grace
to develop Christlike character. I will seek to study and emulate
the models of Christian character found in America’s heritage.
Conscience, the Most Sacred
of All Property
Statements Of Truth: All that is in heaven and earth is
the Lord’s. God has granted us stewardship over our individual souls,
labor, and possessions. The most sacred stewardship God
has given us is conscience. Each of us is accountable to
Him for our stewardships.
Principles: As we follow the light of Christ within us,
we will experience liberty of conscience and an increased capacity
to follow Him. This is the foundation of true liberty.
Applications: I will educate my conscience by faith, study, and
obedience to God’s laws and the promptings of the Holy Ghost. I will
respect the inalienable rights of conscience of all people.
Statements Of Truth: All men are accountable to God
for their actions. Christian government is designed to protect
God-given rights so that all may be accountable to God and have
liberty to develop and express Christian character. A Christian form
of government derives its powers from self-governed individuals.
Principles: When individuals are God-governed first,
then they restrain themselves from exercising inappropriate power
over other people. Internal restraints within government are
necessary to temper the exercise of power and protect God-given
accountability. Christian government maintains internal restraints
such as representation, separation of powers, and federalism,
which are modeled in the American form of government.
God holds men accountable for their acts in relation to government,
both in the making and in the administering of laws.
Applications: I am accountable to God for the choices I make.
As I govern myself, I will have liberty to develop and express
Christian character. I will support and encourage my government
in its efforts to protect the rights of life, conscience, and property.
Cultivating Christian
Self-Government in Others
Statements Of Truth: God has given us the commandment
to love our neighbor as our self. Christ’s followers are obligated
to cultivate and protect the right of self-government for all mankind.
Governmental decisions that are made at the most personal
or local level preserve liberty and accountability.
Principles: As individuals experience the love and power of God,
they seek to bless others with the happiness and liberty that
result from being governed by God. As we labor to maintain
liberty for others, our own liberty is strengthened.
Applications: I will serve others and encourage them
to allow God to govern their lives. I will protect the
rights of self-government for others.
Fullness of Liberty through
Unity with God and Man
Statements Of Truth: The ultimate purpose of God’s plan
of happiness is to enable us to become one with God,
one with our families, and one with our fellowmen.
This creates a fullness of liberty and joy.
Principles: As we keep our covenants with God,
the Atonement of Jesus Christ enables us to become one
with God and others. Through unity with God and others,
followers of Christ magnify their divine potential to accomplish
the will of God. Uniting with others under a Christian form
of government enables the civic, economic, and personal liberty of
individuals and families and magnifies the strength of the whole.
Applications: I will keep the covenants I have made with God.
I will stand for truth and righteousness and seek unity with
the followers of Christ. I will be Christlike in my associations
with all of God’s children.
American Heritage School gratefully acknowledges the Foundation for American Christian
Education for publishing “The Seven Principles,” which inspired this document.
Copyright © 2015 American Heritage School
SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF LIBERTY
Preamble: The history of the human family is a story of God’s children choosing liberty through the power of Christ or
captivity according to the power of the devil (2 Nephi 2:27). God has ordained that governments be established to protect the
right of individuals to choose liberty through Christ. The miracle of the American Founding was possible because of inspired
reliance upon Christian principles as the template for liberty. America became the seedbed of liberty, which made possible the
restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:10). The principles at the heart of the American Founding belong to all
nations, families, and individuals. Adherence to these Seven Principles of Liberty leads to personal and civic liberty.
Divine Identity & Purpose
I will learn all I can about Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost and seek to fulfill
my divine purpose. I will honor the individuality and agency of others.
Christian Self-Government
I will choose to obey the teachings of Jesus Christ and allow Him to govern my life. I will exercise
and honor righteous authority.
Christlike Character
I will come unto Christ and receive His grace to develop Christlike character. I will seek to study and
emulate the models of Christian character found in America’s heritage.
Conscience, the Most Sacred of All Property
I will educate my conscience by faith, study, and obedience to God’s laws and the
promptings of the Holy Ghost. I will respect the inalienable rights of conscience of all people.
Accountability &
the Christian Form of Government
I am accountable to God for the choices I make. As I govern myself, I will have liberty to develop and
express Christian character. I will support and encourage my government in its efforts to protect
the rights of life, conscience, and property.
Cultivating Christian Self-Government in Others
I will serve others and encourage them to allow God to govern their lives. I will protect
the rights of self-government for others.
Fullness of Liberty throughUnity
with God and Man
I will keep the covenants I have made with God. I will stand for truth and righteousness and seek unity with
the followers of Christ. I will be Christlike in my associations with all of God’s children.
American Heritage School gratefully acknowledges the Foundation for American Christian
Education for publishing “The Seven Principles,” which inspired this document.
Copyright © 2015 American Heritage School