Ben Carson highlights day one of CEO Summit with powerful keynote message about faith and American exceptionalism

Liberty University’s School of Business, in partnership with the Standing for Freedom Center, launched its Networking the Nations Summit Tuesday evening in the Alumni Ballroom with a keynote address from Ben Carson, the former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and founder and chairman of the American Cornerstone Institute.

In his keynote, Carson addressed the dangers of political correctness and Critical Race Theory, outlined the guiding principles of the American Cornerstone Institute, and encouraged the audience to be courageous while defending their faith and American liberties.

“Our nation is the beacon of freedom,” Carson said. “It is the place that everyone else came to from around the world when they wanted to take the heavy foot of oppression off their necks. Because there is a natural tendency in society for those in power

to want to dominate others. Our Constitution was written to prevent that from happening, because our founders knew exactly what the course of human nature was. … Freedom is not free. You have to fight for it every single day if you want to preserve it. And we have to become courageous.”

Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, and his wife Mercedes Schlapp, the former White House Director of Strategic Communications, also made appearances, encouraging those in attendance to stand for religious freedom in a culture hostile to Christianity.

The Chosen television series producers Chad Gundersen and Chris Juen also made appearances on day one, providing insight into how they use The Chosen, which has garnered hundreds of millions of streams, to influence the world for Christ.

Carson commented on Liberty University’s success in remaining a

conservative institution despite tremendous liberal opposition.

“It’s always good to be here at Liberty University,” he said. “I’ve been coming here for a number of years, and to see the incredible expansion of the university without allowing the secular progressives to destroy the university, I think that’s pretty amazing.”

“Don’t let it just roll of your tongue when you’re singing the national anthem and when you talk about the land of the free and the home of the brave,” Carson added. “You cannot be the land of the free if you’re not the home of the brave.”

Day two of the Networking the Nations Summit will cover a volley of topics from a Christian perspective, with panels on technology, venture capital, and finance, and a “faith factor” from Pastor and co-host Dr. Forson Swanzy. NY Times Bestselling author and speaker on business leadership John Maxwell will deliver a keynote address.