Omar Bennett
The number of references to God in a constitution varies from country to country. While some countries' constitutions contain no reference to God, such as the federal constitution of the United States, others do, including the constitutions of several European countries, Islamic countries, and all 50 US state constitutions. The number of references to God in a constitution can be indicative of the country's religious neutrality or lack thereof, and can also reflect the country's history and traditions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of countries with references to God in their constitution | 50+ |
| Number of countries with no reference to God in their constitution | 7 |
| Countries with no reference to God in their constitution | Norway, Luxembourg, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, France |
| Countries with references to God in their constitution | Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, United States, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia, Arizona, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Hawaii |
| References to God in the US Constitution | "The year of our Lord" in Article VII, oblique reference in the signatory section |
| References to God in US state constitutions | "God", "Supreme Being", "Supreme Ruler of the Universe", "Creator", "Providence", "Divine", "Almighty", "Lord", "Christian" |
| Number of references to God in US state constitutions | 116 mentions of God, 14 mentions of a Supreme Being, 7 mentions of Creator, 3 mentions of Providence, 4 mentions of Divine, 46 mentions of Almighty, 32 mentions of Lord, 7 mentions of Christian |
| Number of references to God in all US state constitutions | Nearly 200 |
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What You'll Learn
God in the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, makes several references to God. The document begins by acknowledging God as the source of power, referring to the "Laws of Nature and of Nature's God". This indicates that the Founding Fathers believed that the power to establish a nation was given to them by God. The Declaration also mentions God as the "Creator", who endows humans with unalienable rights, including "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". This reflects the belief that God grants human rights and natural law.
In the second paragraph, the Founding Fathers refer to God as the "Supreme Judge of the World", recognising that justice originates from God rather than man. Additionally, they express their trust in "divine Providence", believing that their freedom was sealed in God's protection and love. The final sentence of the Declaration states, "with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor". This demonstrates the Founding Fathers' faith in God and their belief in His ongoing protection.
The references to God in the Declaration of Independence are significant because they showcase the Founding Fathers' understanding of and trust in a higher power. They viewed freedom and citizenship as sacred honours granted by God, and believed that a form of government that becomes tyrannical could be altered or abolished. This idea of God-given liberties is also reflected in the state constitutions, where God or the divine is mentioned at least once in each of the 50 state constitutions and nearly 200 times overall.
However, it is worth noting that the United States Constitution does not explicitly mention God or the divine. This contrast between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution reveals interesting aspects about the founding principles of the nation. While the Founding Fathers included references to God in the Declaration, they chose to omit any direct mention of God in the Constitution, reflecting a shift towards secular values in the country's founding documents.
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Secular values in constitutions
The constitutions of several nations contain references to God, often in the preamble. This phenomenon is known as invocatio dei ('invocation of God') if the text is proclaimed in the name of a deity, and nominatio dei ('naming of God') if it appears in another context. Such references are found in several European constitutional traditions, reflecting the influence of established churches and the tradition of invoking God in legal documents. Treaties between Christian nations also customarily began with an invocation of God until the late 19th century. However, when written constitutions became standard for modern states in the 19th century, some countries, like laicist France, chose not to include references to God to preserve state religious neutrality. Examples of European countries whose constitutions do not mention God include Norway (1814), Luxembourg (1868/1972), Iceland (1944/68), Italy (1947), Portugal (1976), and Spain (1978).
The United States Constitution, at the federal level, does not explicitly mention God or the divine. However, it does use the formula "the year of our Lord" in Article VII. In contrast, the nation's state constitutions do refer to God or the divine, with at least one mention in each of the 50 state constitutions and nearly 200 mentions overall. These references often acknowledge God as the source of liberties and invoke His favour and guidance. Interestingly, the Declaration of Independence, which contains several references to God, serves as a notable contrast to the absence of such references in the US Constitution.
While some constitutions explicitly reference God or a divine entity, others uphold secular values. For example, Estonia's constitution mentions "liberty, justice, and law," while Croatia's constitution refers to "the generally accepted principles in the modern world." The constitutions of the Czech Republic and Slovakia do not directly name God but allude to their countries' "spiritual wealth" and "spiritual heritage," respectively. Additionally, countries like Italy and Bangladesh have been declared secular states, emphasising the separation of church and state.
The concept of constitutional secularism aims to address the inherent difficulties and core values associated with secularism in a constitutional context. It recognises the sociological implications of the term "secularism" and its varying interpretations across different languages and disciplines. Constitutional secularism seeks to protect religious freedom and prevent the imposition of a single religion's rules over other normative systems. It ensures that governments remain neutral towards different faiths and do not inhibit or advance any particular religion. However, the secularisation of society has pushed religion out of the public sphere, and constitutional secularism remains subject to contingencies.
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God in state constitutions
The US Constitution does not make an explicit reference to God. However, it does use the formula "the year of our Lord" in Article VII. The oblique reference to a deity in the signatory section was common in the 18th century.
At the state level, the constitutions of most US states refer to God, a "Supreme Being", or a "Supreme Ruler of the Universe". All but four state constitutions—Colorado, Iowa, Hawaii, and Washington—use the word "God" at least once. Hawaii's constitution mentions the divine in its preamble, expressing gratitude for "Divine Guidance". The constitutions of Colorado, Iowa, and Washington refer to a "Supreme Being" or "Supreme Ruler of the Universe". Most state constitutions (34 out of 50) refer to God more than once. For example, the word "God" appears eight times in the Massachusetts constitution, and New Hampshire and Vermont's constitutions each contain six references. Interestingly, these three states are among the least religious in the country, according to a 2016 Pew Research Center analysis.
In addition to the mentions of "God", there are also references to a “Supreme or Sovereign Being” (14 mentions), "Creator" (7 mentions), "Providence" (3 mentions), "Divine" (4 mentions), and "Almighty" (46 mentions). Some state constitutions explicitly prohibit non-believers from holding public office. However, these bans are not enforced as they are considered to violate the US Constitution's prohibition on religious tests for public officeholders.
The inclusion of references to God in state constitutions can be seen as a continuation of the tradition of invocatio dei ('invocation of God') or nominatio dei ('naming of God') found in older constitutions and legal documents, particularly in Europe and Islamic countries. In the context of the state constitutions, these references restate the assertions made in the Declaration about the divine origin of the people's liberty. They combine the guiding principles of the Declaration and the US Constitution in a single document without asserting new principles.
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The US Constitution's oblique references
The US Constitution does not explicitly mention God or a supreme deity. However, there is an oblique reference to a deity in the signatory section, which reads, "Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of Our Lord,", common in the 18th century. The US Constitution also uses the formula "the year of our Lord" in Article VII. This is not considered a direct reference to God.
The omission of a direct reference to God in the US Constitution was a deliberate decision by the Founding Fathers. They were aware of the history of divine rights of kings and theocratic governments in Europe and exercised caution before endorsing any appropriation of God in the charter. This became known as the doctrine of separation of church and state.
While the US Constitution does not directly reference God, the Declaration of Independence, which the Constitution is predicated on, does include several references to a Supreme Being. The references to God in the state constitutions also largely imitate the ones made in the Declaration. These references are found in the Preambles, acknowledging God as the source of the people's liberties, invoking His favour and guidance, and expressing gratitude for divine guidance.
The Founding Fathers themselves had varying degrees of religious belief, with some being conventional Christians and others being less religious or non-religious. Despite their differences, they shared a concern for the role of religion in the Constitution and sought to create a document that respected the freedom of religion as well as freedom from religion.
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God in European constitutions
References to God, or nominatio dei, are found in the constitutions of several European countries. This tradition reflects the strong position of established churches in those countries and the custom of invoking God in legal documents. Some countries whose constitutions do include references to God are Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. The German constitution's nominatio dei has been interpreted as committing the state to active support for Christian teachings, though this view is rejected in German constitutional practice. The preambles of the constitutions of the Czech Republic and Slovakia refer to the countries' "spiritual wealth" and "the spiritual heritage of Cyril and Methodius", respectively. Poland's and Ukraine's constitutional preambles also contain a nominatio dei.
On the other hand, some European countries have deliberately omitted references to God in their constitutions to preserve religious neutrality. Countries whose constitutions do not mention God include Norway (1814), Luxembourg (1868/1972), Iceland (1944/68), Italy (1947), Portugal (1976), and Spain (1978). Laicist France, which influenced some of these countries, notably did not carry over the tradition of invoking God in its founding documents.
The inclusion of a nominatio dei in the preamble to the proposed European Constitution was hotly debated, but the member states ultimately failed to reach a consensus.
While the United States Constitution does not explicitly mention God, oblique references to a deity are found in certain sections, such as “the year of our Lord" in Article VII. State constitutions, however, frequently refer to God, with God or the divine mentioned in all 50 state constitutions and nearly 200 times overall.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the US Constitution does not explicitly mention God or the divine. However, it does use the formula "the year of our Lord" in Article VII, and there is an oblique reference to a deity in the signatory section, which reads, "Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of Our Lord, etc.".
While there is no direct mention of God, some interpret the reference to "the year of our Lord" as an acknowledgment of a higher power. The US Constitution also guarantees freedom of religion and freedom from religion, which can be seen as related to the concept of a higher power.
Some argue that the omission of God was deliberate to avoid endorsing any appropriation of God in the charter, reflecting the doctrine of separation of church and state. Others claim that the Constitution is predicated on the Declaration of Independence, which does include references to God, and that many of the founding fathers were members of Trinitarian churches.
Yes, several countries' constitutions include references to God or a supreme deity. For example, the constitutions of Poland and Ukraine contain a nominatio dei, and Russia added a reference to God in 2020. Some countries' constitutions refer to secular values instead, such as "liberty, justice, and law" in Estonia.
