Reviews and Endorsements

Connor Boyack has written a fascinating book that applies Mormon theology to the central question of statism vs. liberty that dominates our age. Latter-day Liberty provides an insightful analysis of both historical and modern political issues, and challenges the reader to reconcile religious beliefs with state actions. Not surprisingly, he finds that our federal government routinely violates the religious principles that many Mormons hold dear.

Those who advocate limited government necessarily must advocate strong religious, civic, and social institutions. These institutions, rather than the state, should act as the central organizing mechanisms in American society. For this reason Latter-day Liberty can appeal to readers who are not Mormon, but simply recognize that their relationship with God compels them to question their relationship with the state.

This book provides a thorough and compelling analysis of liberty, which is a subject too often ignored in government today. Well sourced and engaging, Latter-day Liberty is a must-read for every Latter-day Saint.

Latter-day Liberty couldn't be more timely. This poignant book serves as a wake-up call for Latter-day Saints, with Boyack and leaders of the LDS Church eloquently making the case for individual liberty.

In Latter-day Liberty, Connor Boyack has done a great service by researching and compiling teachings on the principles of liberty from the Founding Fathers and the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a concise, well-written, and informative way. His application of these teachings to current political issues is both thought provoking and enlightening — even for those who may disagree with his applications. Those who value agency and love liberty will find Latter-day Liberty a book well worth reading.

Only someone knowledgeable in theology, U.S. history, constitutional law, and political philosophy could have taken on a task like Latter-day Liberty. Connor Boyack has proven that he more than fits that bill. The sheer weight of his evidence and the unfailing rigor of his arguments — even when dealing with the hard cases, which Boyack courageously and persuasively confronts — practically compel the reader to embrace liberty (the real thing, not the watered-down version peddled by most politicians) as the highest political good. A stellar achievement.

In a compact and engaging volume, Connor Boyack explains the imperative of liberty to an important audience—members of the Mormon faith. Though a Presbyterian myself, I have long admired the sturdy values of honesty, hard work, self-help, and entrepreneurship that characterize the Mormon community. Without such values, an economy cannot flourish and without liberty, those values have no meaning or application. Boyack's book provides a thoughtful and well-reasoned case that history, philosophy, economics and theology all point us toward the same conclusion: Sound public policy must begin with an understanding that our Creator knew what He was doing when he made us the way He did. We were made for liberty.

I will never view political issues the same after reading this book. Latter-day Liberty makes a convincing argument for applying gospel principles to politics. If it is read with an open mind, anybody will be well educated!

Liberty, history, Mormonism, Thomas Jefferson, Lord Acton, natural law, positive law... all in one book? Latter-day Liberty provides an excellent opportunity to understand natural rights, the proper role of government, and the duty to resist legalized aggression. Boyack's great depth and philosophical underpinning lay a foundation for a convincing application of the ideas he presents to some of today's most divisive issues.

This book is a tool not only to gain valuable insight into important political issues, but it also provides new ideas for how to educate those around you. With discussion on notable Supreme Court rulings, the war on drugs, immigration, a monumental flip flop, and more, you will find this book to be an indispensable part of your personal library for liberty. Read this book!

In Latter-day Liberty, Connor Boyack has presented a most articulate and historically accurate presentation of the foundational views of Joseph Smith, other leaders of the LDS Church, and our Founding Fathers. Boyack's timing is perfect. In a world of politically charged confusion, Latter-day Saints would do well to read and understand the roots of agency, government responsibility, and individual liberty that Boyack so clearly outlines.

Other reviews:

Standard-Examiner:

The book, Latter-day Liberty, by Utah County political activist Connor Boyack, is extremely provocative. If sales gain steam, it could provoke a political debate within Mormonism. I say that as someone who disagrees with Boyack’s conclusions at times. Yet, his arguments and conclusions are persuasive and painstakingly researched.

I hope the book sells well and starts a serious debate among Latter-day Saints, as well as conservatives. With the depressing state of our nation today, Boyack's book is needed.

Jenn Morrill, examiner.com columnist:

Latter-day Liberty is not one of those LDS books with subpar, fuzzy feel-good writing. Boyack, a web developer by trade, delivers a clear and methodical discourse that has the potential of revolutionizing the modern Mormon's political thought, if approached with an open mind.

With just one book behind him, Boyack has impressively poised himself to be the next great LDS thinker (I believe he will be placed in the same category as W. Cleon Skousen), by skillfully engaging the reader with sound logic, intellectual reasoning, and hundreds of insightful quotes and scriptures to make a case for liberty in a world that is increasingly set on trading away one of God's most precious gifts for state-promised security (which, of course, is no security at all). Latter-day Liberty could not have been written at a better time.

Geoff Biddulph:

Latter-day Liberty is, in my opinion, one of those books that Mormons simply must read. It is a groundbreaking book at a crucial time. In this day and age, a book must have an original, compelling message and also have a good self-promoting author to be successful. Latter-day Liberty has both.

Connor makes his points brilliantly, mixing basic logic with literally hundreds of quotations from modern-day prophets and the scriptures. I predict very few of the people who try to refute Connor’s book will be able to do so without resorting to ad hominems: his arguments are simply too good and too consistent to be overcome very easily.

BYU Political Review:

I had only been holding my advanced readers edition for a few minutes when I came to the startling realization that Boyack is not the kind of libertarian with whom I am already familiar; he is actually logically consistent.

James G. Davis:

Latter-day Liberty provides much needed clarity and perspective on the proper role between man, God, and government. Topic by topic, Connor Boyack suggests scripturally based remedies to many of the social, economic, and political ailments facing society. The overall message is consistent with a standard laid out by Joseph Smith that "All men are, or ought to be free, possessing unalienable rights, and the high and noble qualifications of the laws of nature and of self-preservation, to think, and act, and say as they please, while they maintain a due respect to the rights and privileges of all other creatures, infringing upon none." (History of the Church 5:156) Controversial, enlightening, and bulletproof, this book is a must read for anyone who participates (or wishes to participate) in the civic process.

Patricia Meserole:

America is changing. Many of the values our forefathers held inviolate are now disappearing due to ignorance or misunderstanding. The value that is the most crucial to the survival of our republic is that of liberty, and yet it is the one that has taken the most severe beating. In Latter-day Liberty, Connor Boyack has done an excellent job of explaining why it is so important that we reinstate this principle as the guiding light in the governing of our nation. In addition, he has made it clear that Latter-day Saints should be at the forefront of the this effort.

Richard Miller:

Kudos to Latter-day Liberty for teaching important principles from economists and philosophers such as Mises, Hayek, Friedman, Rothbard, and Bastiat, and explaining parallel Church teachings. LDS readers may discover in these principles a highly consistent and satisfying political philosophy that aligns closely with their faith.

Eric Forsberg:

Connor Boyack's book, Latter-day Liberty, is a most unusual find and an unprecedented manual for political thinkers interested in achieving a greater congruence of political thought with their religious tenets. Within, Boyack takes doctrinal and historical approaches to the topic of LDS political philosophy, convincingly making a central case that that government is to be a protector of liberty instead of the unrestrained agent of coercion.

Latter-day Liberty remedies what has been a glaring lack of accessibly cohesive published material on the topic of political, economic and religious liberty from the LDS perspective. The book contains a rich collection of scriptural references and quotes from prophets, apostles and from other great secular and theological thinkers and originators that span from ancient to current, resulting in a fascinating array of harmonious thought from liberty's brightest lights.

Boyack combines a logical rigor with a spiritual astuteness that took this reader on a mission through his mind and the ideas that he accurately describes as foundational on principal and "crucial to the protection of our liberty, and the preservation of our society."

It is no stretch to say that the Latter-day Saints are a people that are (or should be) keenly interested in politics, having been ignored, spurned, threatened and even driven out by governments. As one example of interest, this book exposes the oft-ignored history and struggles of predominant LDS political leanings which were originally with the liberal Democratic Party — from a time when "liberal" still retained its original meaning; more freedom and less government. With the switch and shift of the two major political parties in the early 1900's, LDS members began to identify and tip more towards Republican conservatism. Boyack then engagingly proposes that the Saints have been "tossed to and fro" by the winds of political doctrine and sleight of men. Whether our civilization achieves total political or economic liberty or not, this book may further promote a mind that is free from the machinations of mainstream thought that runs damagingly deep and wide.

Certainly, Boyack is a vigorous researcher and mentally, a heavy lifter from which he has produced a guide for those that have no fear of rekindling their deep respect for natural law (versus artificial law) and the key LDS doctrine of the great original and ongoing battle of humanity over their own free agency.

Kevin Kappen:

Latter-day Liberty will prove invaluable to Latter-day Saints who are seeking a greater understanding of the relationship between gospel principles and sound government. If you enjoy the writings of Frederic Bastiat, Cleon Skousen, and Ezra Taft Benson, then Latter-day Liberty is for you! I can't recommend it highly enough!

Michelle King:

Latter-day Liberty is a timely book that redraws the line between liberty and tyranny in a political climate where that line has been obscured. While the two major political parties do nothing more than perpetuate each other's policies and put on a front of fighting for freedom, this book brings clarity to the concept of genuine liberty. Primarily directed to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it examines Church history and doctrine from the standpoint of liberty and gives direction to how it applies to the issues of today.

Latter-day Liberty is compelling and easy to understand for the average reader, yet is profound enough to pique the interest of more technical readers. Reading this book will leave one spiritually uplifted and better informed on important topics of today.

David Grant:

Like few other books on government, activism, economics or revelation, Latter-day Liberty combines logos, ethos and pathos into a rare offering. Connor Boyack isn't some ivory tower egghead, but a common lover of liberty with a life outside of academia and a strong, unrelenting love of God and the liberty He intends. His logic, common touch and passionate call to action are reminiscent of works authored by giants. His work is a timely plea to wake, arise from the dust and be men!

D. Ty Brewer:

Moral agency and being free to choose are among God's greatest gifts to mankind — even greater than life itself, according to several prophets of God. If so, all human beings, and especially Latter-day Saints, are duty-bound to appreciate and defend our inalienable rights to life, liberty and our ability to exercise moral agency. In Latter-day Liberty, Connor Boyack masterfully presents core principles of the perfect law of liberty — the Gospel of Jesus Christ — as taught in Judeo-Christian and LDS scriptures as well as through the words of LDS prophets and apostles. He focuses on universal, unchanging principles with a clarity that will excite any honest seeker of truth. With these principles properly and clearly understood, the reader can apply them (and hopefully will consistently) to the many political and social issues confronting us today. Latter-day Liberty will provide enlightened perspective to all who read it. It simply is a must read. You'd best plan now on purchasing extra copies for friends and family.