What we can expect from President Dallin H. Oaks: between freedom, family, and obedience

What we can expect now that he is president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The appointment of Dallin H. Oaks as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints undoubtedly marks a significant moment in the recent history of the church. Oaks is no unknown name: he has served as an apostle since 1984, and before that, he built an impressive career as a lawyer, a justice of the Utah Supreme Court, and president of Brigham Young University. His way of speaking is always thoughtful, legally precise, and at the same time morally charged.

When I systematically reviewed his speeches from the past fifteen years, one thing immediately stood out: the man is remarkably consistent. While others allow themes to shift over the years or adapt to the spirit of the times, Oaks seems to be the anchor point — someone who repeatedly returns to the same five foundations of faith and society.

Five recurring themes

That research revealed five clear pillars. They form the backbone of his doctrine and his vision of what the church should be in today's world.

1. Religious freedom as the foundation of a moral society

For Oaks, religious freedom is not a favor but a right that comes directly from God. He sees it as the oxygen of a healthy democracy: without religious conviction and freedom of conscience, a society loses its moral compass. In his lectures, he often uses legal examples, but the message is simple: if we ban religion from public debate, we also risk removing the moral basis on which laws rest.

He warns against a culture that pushes believers into a corner — not out of fear of religion, but out of misunderstanding of its social role. Oaks' answer is remarkably inclusive: he calls for cooperation between all faith communities, because “what binds believers is more important than what separates them”.

2. The Constitution as inspired by God

His legal background explains why Oaks often speaks about the American Constitution, which he sees as a divinely guided document. Not because every article is sacred, but because the principles — freedom, separation of powers, rights of minorities — have divine roots.

This conviction goes beyond patriotism: for Oaks, the Constitution is a symbol of God's plan itself. Freedom is essential to make moral choices, and that plan can only function in a society that protects freedom. Therefore, his message is not nationalistic, but principled: every country that defends freedom of religion and expression contributes to the divine plan.

3. The family as the cornerstone of the plan of salvation

Few themes recur as often as the family. Oaks speaks about marriage and upbringing not as social constructs, but as divine institutions. In his speech  The Plan and the Proclamation from 2017, he placed the well-known Proclamation on the Family once again at the center of the doctrine.

For him, the family is not just a way of life, but a miniature of God's plan itself: father, mother, and children reflect the heavenly order. That sounds classic — and it is — but he always adds a pastoral nuance: that as members we must remain kind to those who make different choices, without weakening our conviction. Love and faithfulness go hand in hand, even when that becomes uncomfortable.

4. Equality of man and woman within the gospel

Many might be surprised, but Oaks has repeatedly explicitly emphasized that women and men are equal in the church. Not identical, but complementary. His speech  The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood (2014) explained that women also “act with priesthood power” when they serve in the church, even if they are not ordained to an office.

That was an important doctrinal clarification during a period when some feared that the church was lagging in terms of gender equality. Oaks repeatedly reminds us that authority in the church is not a position of power, but a calling to service — and that those who lead must always do so with meekness and love.

5. The doctrine of Christ as a compass

Above all, for Oaks, is the core of the gospel: the plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. In his speeches, the same echo resonates repeatedly: we live on earth to learn, choose, and grow. The Atonement of Christ makes that possible.

In  Strengthened by the Atonement of Jesus Christ (2015) and  The Great Plan (2020) he described that plan with the clarity of a teacher: we exist thanks to divine love, but that love is also lawful — it demands obedience, repentance, and covenants. For Oaks, commandments are not a limitation, but the language with which God teaches us what true freedom is.

What does this mean now that he is president?

Now that Oaks assumes the highest leadership of the church, the question arises: what do these five pillars mean for the coming years?

It is plausible that  religious freedom will again be prominent on the agenda, especially in a time when moral debates — from gender identity to medical ethics — increasingly clash with religious conviction. Oaks will not shy away from these discussions, but will likely set a tone of legal reasonableness and moral conviction simultaneously.

Also the  family will remain a central theme. Oaks sees it as the natural anchor point of faith life. However, it is notable that in recent speeches he speaks more mildly about diversity in families and calls for more love and understanding. Perhaps this means that he will maintain doctrinal positions, but will further soften the pastoral tone.

What  the doctrine of Christ Regarding this, I do not expect a change of course. Oaks is not a pragmatist who follows the wind; he is more a builder who guards the foundations. But it is foreseeable that he will more explicitly connect that doctrine with societal themes — obedience, conversion, law, and freedom — as an antidote to moral confusion.

And then there is that fascinating question:

Will we see a church in the coming years that places more emphasis on covenants and commandments?

Perhaps. Oaks believes that true freedom only exists within divine laws. Some members will experience this as a return to a stricter tone.

But at the same time, there is also reason to think that it will not necessarily become 'more conservative' in the narrow sense of the word. Oaks is, after all, as much a jurist as an apostle: he sees nuance, he reasons and listens. His pleas for tolerance, for cooperation between faith communities, and for loving interaction with those who think differently, indicate that his leadership will be not reactionary but principled.

Perhaps therein lies his strength: he is someone who tries to keep law and love in balance.

A balanced future?

Whoever looks at the last fifteen years of Dallin H. Oaks sees no man who drifts with the times, but also no man who isolates himself from the world. He wants, as he often says himself, 'to clearly explain the truths of the gospel in a time of confusion'.

The five pillars of his doctrine — freedom, law, family, equality, and Christ — will presumably not disappear. Rather, they form the framework within which new emphases can be placed. Perhaps we will see less emphasis on cultural boundaries and more on universal values. Perhaps the language of covenants will become stronger again, but with a milder tone of grace and understanding.

In any case, one thing is certain: under the leadership of Dallin H. Oaks, the church will be led by someone who deeply reflects on the interaction between faith, morality, and society. And that makes the coming years particularly interesting — not only for members of the church but also for those who want to understand from a distance how faith and freedom can strengthen each other in an increasingly complex world.