Liberty celebrates Constitution Day with public reading of founding documents
September 18, 2026 : By Logan Smith - Office of Communications & Public Engagement
Liberty University’s Center for Law & Government and Helms School of Government hosted its annual Constitution Day Conference on Thursday, bringing together students, faculty, and guest speakers to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution and examine the nation’s founding documents and the principles underlying America’s constitutional republic.
Titled “To Secure these Rights: Blessings of the Declaration,” the conference featured lectures in the School of Law Supreme Courtroom throughout the day. The event concluded Thursday evening in the DeMoss Hall Grand Lobby with public readings of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. The readings were followed by a message from former Virginia Congressman Bob Goodlatte, who was invited as part of the center’s new Secretary Mike Pompeo Distinguished Speaker Series. Additional guest speakers included Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Bethany Harrison and Virginia State Sen. Mark Peake (8th District). The conference also featured remarks from Helms School of Government Dean Maj. Gen. Jason Q. Bohm (Ret.); Associate Professor Aaron Van Allen, who serves as deputy director for the Center for Law & Government; and other members of Liberty’s government faculty.
Harrison spoke about the checks and balances within the constitutional and statutory frameworks, how the state legislature interacts with the judicial branch, and how each jurisdiction in Virginia handles crimes differently depending on constituency. She also noted the delicate responsibility attorneys like herself have as ministers of justice.
“George Washington called us the ‘great experiment,’ and I feel like we’re still living that out, and we’re still seeing that in how we pursue cases and prosecution,” said Harrison, who was elected as Lynchburg’s first female commonwealth’s attorney in 2018. She was reelected in 2022 and 2026. “You’re not to look for victims; you’re not to look for political causes. (You must) fairly apply the law, and I think it’s important for all prosecutors to keep that in mind.”
In an afternoon session, Sen. Peake shared with students his experience transitioning from the courtroom to public service. As a member of the Virginia State Senate, Peake serves on several committees: Courts of Justice, Commerce & Labor, Education & Health, and Rules. He also discussed hot-button issues in Virginia, including the new administration’s efforts to advance several constitutional amendments for voters in November that involve abortion rights, civil rights restoration for felons, and same-sex marriage.
He encouraged students to carefully examine these amendments and to participate in the amendment voting process.
“There’s not enough advertising and chatter about these three (amendments) that are monumental in what they’ll do, especially if you’re of the Christian faith and moral upbringing and care about life and the sanctity of marriage,” Peake said.
Thursday evening’s live reading of the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution was open to students, faculty, and staff, as well as College For A Weekend (CFAW) guests. Students and faculty took turns reading brief passages of the texts, preceded by patriotic musical performances from a choral ensemble from the Liberty University School of Music and opening remarks from Bohm.
“We are a blessed nation that, 250 years ago, was created by some very brave souls who decided that they had had enough,” Bohm told the crowd. “It would take 11 more years before our founding fathers ratified this important document that we’re celebrating today. …While we may not all wear the uniform of our great nation, we all have a responsibility to serve in our own ways. We each have a responsibility to understand our rights and to live up to that civic duty, not only to vote but to use our God-given talents to help our fellow Americans and to glorify God in all that we do.”
The Helms School of Government’s Spring Public Policy Conference, “Consent of the Governed: 250 Years of Inalienable Rights,” will be held March 23-25, 2027, in the Montview Student Union, where students can present research on legal and regulatory issues, upholding liberty and justice, and foreign policy and international issues. The conference is open to students from all degree programs. The abstract submission deadline is Dec. 10.
