Isabella Carter
The mention of God in constitutions has been a topic of debate for centuries. While some countries have references to God in their constitutions, often in the preamble, others have deliberately omitted any mention of a deity to preserve the state's religious neutrality. In the United States, the federal constitution does not explicitly mention God, but it does use the phrase the year of our Lord in Article VII. At the state level, nearly all constitutions reference either God or the divine. The Declaration of Independence, one of the key founding documents in American history, mentions God four times and states that their rights come from the Creator. The inclusion or exclusion of God in a constitution can be a highly contentious issue, with strong arguments on both sides.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| References to God | Found in the Preambles of state constitutions, such as those of Arizona, Maine, California, and Washington |
| References are also present in provisions regarding freedom of worship, "acts of God," and oaths | |
| The US Constitution does not explicitly mention God but uses the phrase "in the Year of Our Lord" | |
| The Declaration of Independence mentions God and states that rights come from the "Creator" | |
| The Pledge of Allegiance, US currency, and the US Motto ("In God We Trust") also reference God | |
| The First Amendment guarantees no official religion, and the country has debated the role of religion in government since its founding | |
| Presidents are often sworn in with a Bible and use the phrase "so help me God" | |
| Congress is overwhelmingly Christian, with a higher proportion of Christians than the general population | |
| The inclusion of God in constitutions can be attributed to various purposes, such as legitimizing state power or invoking divine guidance and protection | |
| Approaches to Mentioning God | Newly independent nations of Eastern Europe and Asia in the early 1990s mostly avoided mentioning the supernatural in their preambles, opting for secular values instead |
| Some countries with constitutional references to God include Ireland, Canada, and Russia (added in 2020) | |
| European countries without references to God include Norway, Luxembourg, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution does not mention God
The founding fathers' intentions regarding the inclusion of God in the Constitution have been debated. Some skeptics argue that they purposely omitted God, resulting in a "Godless Constitution". In contrast, others claim that the authors of the Constitution mentioned God and affirmed that Jesus is God in the ratification clause, "in the Year of Our Lord" 1787. This phrase is also found in Article VII of the Constitution.
While the US Constitution does not explicitly mention God, nearly all state constitutions reference either God or the divine. Additionally, God appears in other important US documents and symbols, such as the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance, and US currency. The US motto, "In God We Trust," reflects the nation's religious influences, although it was added to US law in the 1950s and was not part of the original Constitution.
The absence of a direct reference to God in the US Constitution aligns with the country's commitment to religious neutrality and freedom of worship. This omission ensures that religion is never a requirement for holding public office and allows for the separation of church and state.
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State constitutions reference God or the divine
The US Constitution never explicitly mentions God or the divine. However, the same cannot be said for the constitutions of the individual states. In fact, God or the divine is mentioned at least once in each of the 50 state constitutions and nearly 200 times overall, according to a 2017 Pew Research Center analysis. All but four state constitutions—those in Colorado, Iowa, Hawaii, and Washington—use the word "God" at least once. The constitutions in Colorado, Iowa, and Washington refer to a "Supreme Being" or "Supreme Ruler of the Universe," while Hawaii's constitution mentions the divine only in its preamble, which states that the people of Hawaii are "grateful for Divine Guidance".
The references to God in the state constitutions largely imitate the ones made in the Declaration of Independence. These references are almost always found in the preambles, alongside an unequivocal expression of popular authorship, and sometimes an enumeration of secular objects, that echoes the preamble of the federal constitution. For example, the preamble of the California constitution states: "We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure and perpetuate its blessings, do establish this Constitution."
The inclusion of references to God or the divine in state constitutions is not unique to the United States. Several European constitutional traditions include references to God, reflecting the strong position of established churches in those countries and the tradition of invoking God in legal documents. In ancient times and the Middle Ages, gods or God were normally invoked in contracts to guarantee the agreements made, and formulas such as "In the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" were used at the beginning of legal documents to emphasize fairness and justice.
When the newly independent nations of Eastern Europe and Asia adopted new democratic constitutions in the early 1990s following the fall of the Soviet Union, they took a variety of approaches to the issue of mentioning God. The great majority of the new constitutions, including those of all ex-Soviet republics and dependent states except Hungary and Ukraine, make no mention of the supernatural in the preamble. Instead, they make reference to secular values such as "liberty, justice, and law" (Estonia) or "the generally accepted principles in the modern world" (Croatia).
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The Declaration of Independence mentions God
The Declaration of Independence, the document that officially cut ties with Britain and formed the United States, 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 was given to the founders by God and that they recognized different religious beliefs, including Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and American Indian belief systems.
The second reference to God in the Declaration of Independence is as the "Creator," who endows humans with unalienable rights, including "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." The third reference is to God as the "Supreme Judge of the World," reflecting the belief that justice is God's idea and that true justice will prevail.
The final sentence of the declaration is the fourth mention of God, stating: "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 emphasize their belief in God's protection and their entrustment to Him, recognizing their freedom and citizenship as a sacred honor granted by God.
While the Declaration of Independence mentions God, the US Constitution does not directly reference God. However, it uses the phrase "in the year of our Lord" and includes references to God in oaths, such as "so help me God." The US Motto, "In God We Trust," reflects the nation's founding principles, and nearly all state constitutions reference God or the divine.
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The US motto, In God We Trust
The US Constitution does not mention God. However, almost all state constitutions reference God or the divine. The US motto, "In God We Trust", was adopted in 1956, and its history goes back to the Civil War.
The phrase "In God We Trust" was first used in English in 1748, in a report by The Pennsylvania Gazette on the colours of Associators regiments, specifically that of Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania militia. It was also found in a publication of Isaac Watts' Psalter, revised and printed in the US in 1785. In 1845, it appeared in an anti-slavery hymn published in The Liberator.
During the Civil War, religious sentiment grew, and many Americans believed that the war was a result of Americans turning away from religion. In November 1861, Reverend M. R. Watkinson appealed to the Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon P. Chase, to add the phrase to all US coins. He wrote:
> This would place us openly under the Divine protection we have personally claimed. From my hearth I have felt our national shame in disowning God as not the least of our present national disasters.
In 1863, Congress passed a law stating that a motto signifying trust in God could be placed on coins. The first coins with the phrase entered circulation in 1864. The phrase was gradually accepted by Americans, and wider adoption followed in the 1950s. In 1954, it appeared on postage stamps, and in 1957, it was first used on paper money.
The phrase has been met with controversy over the decades. Some people believe that the phrase violates the anti-establishment clause of the First Amendment, which states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion". According to a 2003 joint poll, 90% of Americans support the inscription on US coins, while a 2019 student poll showed that 53% of students supported its inclusion in currency.
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The role of religion in government
In the United States, the Constitution does not mention God explicitly, but nearly all state constitutions reference either God or the divine. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees that the country shall have no official religion, and the Establishment Clause ensures that the government will not prefer religion over non-religion or favor specific faiths. However, the US motto, "In God We Trust", and the phrase "One Nation Under God" were both added to US law in the 1950s. Additionally, most presidents have been sworn in with a Bible, and they traditionally seal their oath of office with the phrase "so help me God".
The relationship between religion and government varies internationally. Some countries, like France and those influenced by it, have chosen to omit references to God in their constitutions to preserve state religious neutrality. In contrast, several European countries with established churches and Islamic countries have invoked God in their constitutions. In Ireland, the invocation of God and Jesus in the constitution has influenced Supreme Court rulings.
Public opinion on the role of religion in government differs. While some Americans feel it is important for the president to have strong religious beliefs, most Americans are unaware that the Constitution guarantees that religion is not a requirement for holding public office. Additionally, while many Americans support the separation of church and state, there are varying perspectives based on political identity and religious affiliation. For instance, in an August 2018 AP-NORC Poll, 57% of respondents believed that religion should influence government policies dealing with poverty, and nearly 40% believed that evangelical Christians and the Catholic Church have too much influence on American politics.
Ultimately, the relationship between religion and government is complex and multifaceted, with historical, cultural, and legal dimensions. While complete separation or union may not be feasible or desirable, finding a balance that protects religious freedom and maintains secular government is essential.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution does not mention God explicitly, but it does use the formula "the year of our Lord" in Article VII.
Yes, nearly all state constitutions reference either God or the divine. For example, the constitutions of California, Maine, and Washington contain references to God.
The US Constitution does not mention God because it was designed to be secular and not dictate any particular religion. The First Amendment states that the country shall have no official religion.
Yes, the Declaration of Independence mentions God four times and says that our rights come from the Creator. The Pledge of Allegiance and US currency also contain references to God.
Yes, several countries' constitutions mention God, especially in the preamble. For example, the Constitution of Ireland invokes God and Jesus in its preamble. Some countries, such as France and Norway, have deliberately omitted references to God to preserve religious neutrality.
