State |
Date of
Constitution |
Religious Terms in State Constitution
[deity references are in bold] |
1. Alabama |
1901 |
"We the people of the State of Alabama ... invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution..." |
2. Alaska |
1956 |
"We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land..." |
3. Arizona |
1911 |
"We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution..." |
4. Arkansas |
1998 |
Article II, Section 24. "All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; no man can, of right, be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship; or to maintain any ministry against his consent. No human authority can, in any case or manner whatsoever, control or interfere with the right on conscience; and no preference shall ever be given, by law, to any religious establishment, denomination or mode of worship above any other. |
5. California |
1879 |
"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." |
6. Colorado |
1876 |
"We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe..." |
7. Connecticut |
1818 |
"The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy..." |
8. Delaware |
1897 |
"Through Divine goodness, all men have by nature the rights of worshiping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences..." |
9. Florida |
1968 |
"We, the people of the State of Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty..." |
10. Georgia |
1998 |
"To perpetuate the principles of free government, insure justice to all, preserve peace, promote the interest and happiness of the citizen and of the family, and transmit to posterity the enjoyment of liberty, we the people of Georgia, relying upon the protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution." |
11. Hawaii |
1959 |
"We, the people of Hawaii, grateful for Divine Guidance..." |
12. Idaho |
1890 |
"We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom..." |
13. Illinois |
1870 |
"We, the People of the State of Illinois - grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He has permitted us to enjoy and seeking His blessing upon our endeavors..." |
14. Indiana |
1851 |
"TO THE END, that justice be established, public order maintained, and liberty perpetuated; WE, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to ALMIGHTY GOD for the free exercise of the right to choose our own form of government, do ordain this Constitution." |
15. Iowa |
1857 |
"We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of those blessings..." |
16. Kansas |
1859 |
"We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges..." |
17. Kentucky |
1891 |
"We, the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties..." |
18. Louisiana |
1974 |
"We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political, economic and religious liberties we enjoy..." |
19. Maine |
1820 |
"We the People of Maine... acknowledge with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity... and imploring His aid and direction..." |
20. Maryland |
1867 |
"We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty..." |
21. Massachusetts |
1780 |
"We, therefore, the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging, with grateful hearts, the goodness of the great Legislator of the universe, in affording us, in the course of His providence..." |
22. Michigan |
1963 |
"We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom..." |
23. Minnesota |
1857 |
"We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings..." |
24. Mississippi |
1890 |
"We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work..." |
25. Missouri |
1945 |
"We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness..." |
26. Montana |
1972 |
" We the people of Montana grateful to God for the quiet beauty of our state, the grandeur of our mountains, the vastness of our rolling plains, and desiring to improve the quality of life, equality of opportunity and to secure the blessings of liberty for this and future generations do ordain and establish this constitution." |
27. Nebraska |
1875 |
Art. I, CI-4 "All persons have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences. No person shall be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship against his consent, and no preference shall be given by law to any religious society, nor shall any interference with the rights of conscience be permitted...." |
28. Nevada |
1864 |
"We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom..." |
29. New Hampshire |
1783 |
Part I., Art. V. "Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and reason; and no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his person, liberty, or estate, for worshipping God in the manner and season most agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience; or for his religious profession, sentiments, or persuasion; provided he doth not disturb the public peace or disturb others in their religious worship." |
30. New Jersey |
1947 |
"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 on our endeavors..." |
31. New Mexico |
1911 |
"We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty..." |
32. New York |
1938 |
"We The People of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our Freedom, in order to secure its blessings..." |
33. North Carolina |
1971 |
"We, the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for the preservation of the American Union and the existence of our civil, political and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those blessings to us and our posterity..." |
34. North Dakota |
1889 |
"We, the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty..." |
35. Ohio |
1851 |
"We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings..." |
36. Oklahoma |
1907 |
"Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty..." |
37. Oregon |
1857 |
Bill of Rights, Article I, Sect. 2 " All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences..." |
38. Pennsylvania |
1874 |
"We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance..." |
39. Rhode Island |
1986 |
" We, the people of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing upon our endeavors to secure and to transmit the same, unimpaired, to succeeding generations..." |
40. South Carolina |
1778 |
"We, the people of the State of South Carolina, in Convention assembled, grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the preservation and perpetuation of the same." |
41. South Dakota |
1889 |
"We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties..." |
42. Tennessee
|
1870 |
Art. I, Sect. III "That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience..." |
43. Texas |
1876 |
"Humbly invoking the blessings of Almighty God, the people of the State of Texas, do ordain and establish this Constitution." |
4. Utah |
1896 |
"Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution..." |
45. Vermont |
1793 |
Art. III "That all persons have a natural and unalienable right, to worship Almighty God, according to the dictates of their own consciences and understandings, as in their opinion shall be regulated by the word of God; and that no person ought to, or of right can be compelled to attend any religious worship, or erect or support any place of worship, or maintain any minister, contrary to the dictates of conscience, nor can any person be justly deprived or abridged of any civil right as a citizen, on account of religious sentiments, or peculia[r] mode of religious worship; and that no authority can, or ought to be vested in, or assumed by, any power whatever, that shall in any case interfere with, or in any manner control the rights of conscience, in the free exercise of religious worship. Nevertheless, every sect or denomination of christians ought to observe the sabbath or Lord's day, and keep up some sort of religious worship, which to them shall seem most agreeable to the revealed will of God." |
46. Virginia |
1776 |
Bill of Rights, Sec. 16 "That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and therefore all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other." |
47. Washington |
1889 |
"We, the people of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this constitution." |
48. West Virginia |
1872 |
"Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia, in and through the provisions of this Constitution, reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God and seek diligently to promote, preserve and perpetuate good government in the state of West Virginia for the common welfare, freedom and security of ourselves and our posterity." |
49. Wisconsin |
1848 |
"We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings, form a more perfect government..." |
50. Wyoming |
1889 |
"We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political and religious liberties, and desiring to secure them to ourselves and perpetuate them to our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution." |