Malcolm Rivera
The number of references to God in a country's constitution often reflects the country's religious landscape and its history. While some countries' constitutions contain no reference to God, such as Norway, Luxembourg, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, others mention God multiple times. For example, in the United States, while the federal constitution does not explicitly mention God, it uses the formula the year of our Lord in Article VII, and the word religion appears twice. Interestingly, God or the divine is referenced in every state constitution in the US, with 34 states referring to God more than once, for a total of 116 mentions. These references to God in constitutions can be seen as a continuation of the tradition of invoking God in legal documents, known as invocatio dei or nominatio dei, which has a long history in European legal traditions and the constitutions of Islamic countries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of times God appears in the US Constitution | 0 |
| Number of times the word "religion" appears in the US Constitution | 2 |
| Number of times God appears in state constitutions | 116 |
| Number of times God appears in Massachusetts' state constitution | 8 |
| Number of times God appears in New Hampshire's state constitution | 6 |
| Number of times God appears in Vermont's state constitution | 6 |
| Number of times a "Supreme or Sovereign Being" is mentioned in state constitutions | 14 |
| Number of times the "Creator" is mentioned in state constitutions | 7 |
| Number of times "providence" is mentioned in state constitutions | 3 |
| Number of times "divine" is mentioned in state constitutions | 4 |
| Number of times the "Almighty" is mentioned in state constitutions | 46 |
| Number of times "Lord" is mentioned in state constitutions | 32 |
| Number of times "Christian" is mentioned in state constitutions | 7 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution does not mention God
The Founding Fathers of the American republic acknowledged that religion promoted individual morality and civic virtue, but they did not want the new national government to interfere in matters of religion or conscience. They argued that freedom would be guarded by the tolerance of all faiths. This was not to create an empty, godless public square, but to get the government out of religion and religion out of the government.
At the time of the Constitutional Convention, most of the nation believed that an establishment of religion violated religious liberty. The Founding Fathers were casual churchgoers, and their preoccupation was politics, commerce, and nation-building. The US Constitution also does not make a reference to God as such, although it uses the formula "the year of our Lord" in Article VII. This, however, was merely a boilerplate term used to record dates at that time and does not imply the Christian God.
While the US Constitution does not mention God, the state constitutions of California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin, Washington, and others do.
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State constitutions refer to God
The United States Constitution never explicitly mentions God or the divine. However, it does use the formula "the year of our Lord" in Article VII, and the word “religion” appears twice. The First Amendment, for instance, states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
In contrast, all 50 state constitutions in the US refer to God, mostly as the Creator, Sustainer, and Bestower of liberty. According to a Pew Research Center analysis, God or the divine is mentioned at least once in each of the 50 state constitutions and nearly 200 times overall. All but four state constitutions—Colorado, Iowa, Hawaii, and Washington—use the word "God" at least once. The constitutions of Colorado, Iowa, and Washington refer to a "Supreme Being" or “Supreme Ruler of the Universe,” while Hawaii's constitution mentions the divine in its preamble, expressing gratitude for "Divine Guidance."
Most state constitutions (34) refer to God more than once. Of the 116 times the word appears in state constitutions, eight are in the Massachusetts constitution, and New Hampshire and Vermont have six references each. A handful of state constitutions explicitly prohibit those who do not believe in God from holding public office, although these bans have not been enforced due to their violation of the US Constitution.
The inclusion of references to God in state constitutions can be interpreted in various ways. One view is that it serves a historical function, perpetuating the tradition of invocationes dei (invocations of God) in older constitutions and establishing a general conception of statehood. Another perspective is that it reflects a commitment to shared values such as human dignity, acknowledging the inherent limitations of human law and power.
In the context of modern democratic constitutions, references to God no longer serve the purpose of expressing the divine right of kings, as seen in early 19th-century monarchic national constitutions. Instead, they can be seen as challenging secular authority by invoking suprapositive law, or norms above human-made laws, such as divine law or natural law.
When written constitutions became the norm for modern states in the 19th century, several European states included references to God in their founding documents, while others, such as laicist France and influenced states, preserved religious neutrality. Similarly, the newly independent nations of Eastern Europe and Asia in the early 1990s took different approaches, with some mentioning God or the supernatural in their preambles and others focusing on secular values.
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The Declaration of Independence mentions God
The Declaration of Independence, which was officially adopted on July 4, 1776, mentions God four times. The first mention of God occurs in the very first sentence of the declaration, which refers to the source of power being the "Laws of Nature and of Nature's God." This acknowledges that power is given by God and not created by humans.
The second reference to God is as the "Creator" who bestows upon humans their unalienable rights. This is mentioned in the second paragraph of the Declaration: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
The third reference to God is as the "Supreme Judge of the World," reflecting the belief that justice is God's idea and that true justice will prevail under his watch.
The final sentence of the Declaration of Independence culminates with the fourth reference to God, "with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." Here, the Founding Fathers express their belief in God's protection and their commitment to doing his will.
While the Declaration of Independence mentions God, the US Constitution notably does not. By the time of the Constitutional Convention, most of the nation believed that establishing a religion would violate religious liberty. The Founding Fathers acknowledged the importance of religion in promoting individual morality but wanted to avoid government interference in religious affairs. The First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," creating a separation between church and state.
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The role of religion in the US
The United States Constitution does not make an explicit reference to God. However, it does use the formula "the year of our Lord" in Article VII, and the word "religion" appears twice. Once when the Constitution forbids any religious test for public office, and again in the First Amendment, which says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." These sixteen words of the First Amendment have become the foundation of religious freedom in America.
At the time of the Constitutional Convention, most Americans believed that establishing an official religion would violate religious liberty. The Founding Fathers acknowledged that religion promoted individual morality and civic virtue, but they wanted to keep the new national government out of religious affairs. They argued that freedom would be protected by tolerance for all faiths. This was reflected in the variety of houses of worship and religious symbols across the nation.
While the US Constitution does not mention God directly, the role of religion in the US is significant. Christianity is the most widely professed religion, with the majority of Americans being Evangelicals, Mainline Protestants, or Catholics. However, the dominance of Christianity has declined in recent decades, and as of 2020, Protestants no longer formed a majority in the US. The United States has the largest Christian and Protestant population in the world. According to a 2022 Gallup poll, 75% of Americans report praying often or sometimes, and religion plays a crucial role in their lives.
The official motto of the United States, established in 1956, is "In God We Trust," reflecting the importance of religion in the country. This phrase first appeared on US coins in 1864. The inclusion of "In God We Trust" on currency and the use of religious phrases in law demonstrate how religion has influenced American culture and history.
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References to God in other countries' constitutions
References to God, or the divine, are present in the constitutions of several nations, most often in the preamble. Such references are called invocatio dei ('invocation of God') if the text is proclaimed in the deity's name, and nominatio dei ('naming of God') if it is not. These references are found in several European constitutional traditions, reflecting the influence of established churches in those countries and the tradition of invoking God in legal documents. They are also present in the constitutions of Islamic countries.
In ancient times and the Middle Ages, gods or God were typically invoked in contracts to guarantee agreements. Formulas such as "In the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" were used in legal documents to emphasize fairness and justice. Treaties between Christian nations customarily began with an invocation of God until the late 19th century.
Some countries whose constitutions do not reference God include Norway (1814), Luxembourg (1868/1972), Iceland (1944/68), Italy (1947), Portugal (1976), and Spain (1978). The federal constitution of the United States also does not directly refer to God, although it uses the formula "the year of our Lord" in Article VII. However, several U.S. state constitutions do mention God, with Massachusetts having the most references at eight.
The constitutions of Poland and Ukraine contain a nominatio dei, while the preambles of the Czech Republic and Slovakia refer to "spiritual wealth" and "the spiritual heritage of Cyril and Methodius", respectively, without directly mentioning God. The 2020 amendments to the Russian constitution added a reference to God.
The Basic Law of Saudi Arabia mentions God, stating that "God's Book and the Sunna of His Prophet" are the country's constitution. The reference to God in the Australian Constitution is found in the preamble of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900, which is the enabling legislation enacted by the British Parliament.
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Frequently asked questions
God does not appear in the US Constitution. However, the phrase "the year of our Lord" is used in Article VII.
Yes, the word religion appears twice in the US Constitution. Firstly, when the Constitution forbids any religious test for public office, and secondly in the First Amendment, which says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
By the time of the Constitutional Convention, most people believed that an establishment of religion violated religious liberty. The Founding Fathers acknowledged that religion promoted individual morality and civic virtue but wanted to keep the new national government out of religious affairs.
Yes, God or the divine is referenced in every state constitution. There are 116 mentions of God, with Massachusetts having the most at eight. There are also several other religious terms used, such as "Supreme Being", "Creator", "Almighty", and "Lord".
Yes, several countries' constitutions include references to God or have added them in recent years. For example, the 2020 amendments to the Constitution of Russia added a reference to God. Some European countries whose constitutions do not mention God include Norway, Luxembourg, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.
