I’m sure you’ve encountered atheists or agnostics who say that this nation was not built on a religious foundation, that Christianity had nothing to do with our founding. What this series intends to do is to demonstrate that Christianity was indeed seen as a founding ideology for our system of government.
One of the first things you will be told is that God is not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, so let’s just start this series examining this claim.
The first founding document was the Articles of Confederation. Did this document mention God? Yes, and here is the evidence:
In the Preamble it gives the date as in “the Year of Our Lord.”
In the Conclusion it states: And Whereas it hath pleased the Great Governor of the World to incline the hearts of the legislatures… in the Year of our Lord…”
What about the Declaration of Independence? The introduction mentions “the Laws…of Nature’s God.” Then the preamble notes that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,” — the “Creator” meaning God.
Is God mentioned in the Constitution? Yes. At the very end of the text it gives the date as “in the “year of Our Lord.”
How about that 1st Amendment? What does it say and what does it mean?
Congress shall make no law respecting establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof….
Two things are stated here:
- The federal government cannot make laws which establish a religion.
- The federal government cannot interfere with the exercise of religion.
So what does this mean? The people who founded the government were mostly religious people, and mostly Christians. What they intended (as history showed) was that Christianity was the recognized religious faith but there would be no state government established sect as was done overseas, such as the Anglican Church, the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, etc. This did not mean they could not display their Christian faith or not allow others to do so on government land because none of that established a religion!
Secondly, it meant that the government could not interfere with the public display or practice of the Christian faith.
The meaning of the Amendment has been horribly abused by the courts in the 20th and 21st centuries, as will be demonstrated in a later post. For example, it is not establishing a religion to allow crosses or monuments with crosses on public land, and yet courts have allowed atheists to attack such displays and force removal!
Did you know that every State’s constitution mentions God? Let’s take a look.
Alabama, 1901, Preamble: We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution.
Alaska, 1956, Preamble: We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation…
Arizona, 1911, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties….
Arkansas, 1874: Preamble: We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privileges of choosing our own form of government….
California, 1879, Preamble: We, the people of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom.
Colorado, 1876, Preamble: We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe…
Connecticut, 1818, Preamble: The people of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy…
Delaware, 1897, Preamble: Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshiping and serving their Creator…
Florida, 1885, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty…
Georgia, 1777, Preamble: We, the people of Georgia, relying upon the protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
Hawaii, 1959, Preamble: We, the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine Guidance…
Idaho, 1889, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings…
Illinois, 1870, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors…
Indiana, 1851, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government…
Iowa, 1857, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him…
Kansas, 1859, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges….
Kentucky, 1891, Preamble: We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties…
Louisiana 1921, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy…
Maine, 1820, Preamble: We, the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity.…and imploring His aid and direction…
Maryland, 1776, Preamble: We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty….
Massachusetts, 1780, Preamble: We…the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe…in the course of His providence, an opportunity…and devoutly imploring His direction….
Michigan, 1908, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom establish this Constitution.
Minnesota, 1857, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings….
Mississippi, 1890, Preamble: We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessings on our work…
Missouri, 1845, Preamble: We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness…
Montana, 1889, Preamble: We, the people of Montana, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution.
Nebraska, 1875, Preamble: We the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom…
Nevada, 1864, Preamble: We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God, for our freedom….
New Hampshire, 1792, Par I. Article I. Sec.V: Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.
New Jersey, 1844, Preamble: We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing for our endeavors…
New Mexico, 1911, Preamble: We, the people of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty….
New York, 1846, Preamble: We, the people of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our freedoms…
North Carolina, 1868, Preamble: We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those…
North Dakota, 1889, Preamble: We, the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings and civilian religious liberties….
Ohio, 1852, Preamble: We the people of the State of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, …
Oklahoma, 1907, Preamble: Invoking the guidance of Almighty God….
Oregon, 1857, Bill of Rights, and Article I. Section 2: All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences….
Pennsylvania, 1776, Preamble: We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance….
Rhode Island, 1842, Preamble: We the people of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking Him for a blessing….
South Carolina, 1778, Preamble: We, the people of the State of South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties….
South Dakota, 1889, Preamble: We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties….
Tennessee, 1796, Art. XI.III: that all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of the conscience….
Texas, 1845, Preamble: We the People of the Republic of Texas, acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God…
Utah, 1896, Preamble: Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty….
Vermont, 1777, Preamble: Whereas all government ought to enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man….
Virginia, 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI: Religion, or the Duty to which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other….
Washington, 1889, Preamble: We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties….
West Virginia, 1872, Preamble: Since though Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God….
Wisconsin, 1848, Preamble: We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom….
Wyoming, 1890, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties….
I think this is a good enough start. Stay tuned for other episodes.
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