The 4 Pillars
Four priorities for how civil government should serve families, faith, the vulnerable and the next generation. They come from the National Leadership Briefing (NLB), which works to advance the Christian principles that underpin the Four Pillars in society, culture, politics and government.
The four pillars
1. Parental Authority
“Parents have the right to raise their children the way they want.”
2. Right of Belief
“Those we elect to serve us in civil government must respect and defend our right of belief and freedom of religion.”
3. Protection for the Vulnerable
“The laws and policies of civil government must provide for the safety and security of the citizens, especially the vulnerable.”
4. Our Children and Future Generations
“It is inappropriate for civil government to heap debt upon the backs of our children and future generations.”
Asked of Canada's faith leaders
The pillars grew out of citizen surveys sent to leaders in Canada's faith communities beginning in the fall of 2016. Respondents named concerns such as human trafficking, euthanasia, religious freedom, gender theory, abortion, education and debt. Those answers were distilled into these four pillars. The NLB also offers a downloadable transcript of the full backstory on its page.
How they connect to the Living Economy
- Parental Authority → Identity and Human Capital: families shape who the next generation becomes.
- Right of Belief → Religion and Governments: freedom of conscience and faith.
- Protection for the Vulnerable → Health and compassion: safety for those who cannot protect themselves.
- Children and Future Generations → Money: sound finances that do not pass debt to our children.
Fair note. This page summarises the framework as published by the National Leadership Briefing; the wording of each pillar is theirs. Others hold different views on some of the issues the survey raised. Read the original and decide for yourself. The links to our seven systems are our own editorial reading.