NEVADA (CONSTITUTION OF 1864; 1958 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "We the people of the State of Nevada grateful to Almighty God for our freedom *** [establish this Constitution]" (preamble to constitution). (b) Freedom of religion "The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship without discrimination or preference shall forever be allowed in this State, and no person shall be rendered incompetent to be a witness on account of his opinions on matters of religious belief, but the liberty of conscience hereby secured, shall not be so construed, as to excuse acts of licentiousness or justify practices inconsistent with the peace, or safety of this State" (art. I, sec. 4). NEW HAMPSHIRE (CONSTITUTION OF 1783, AMENDED 1955; 1961 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being (See second and third paragraphs below.) (b) Freedom of religion "Among the natural rights, some are, in their very nature unalienable, because no equivalent can be given or received for them. Of this kind are the Rights of Conscience" (pt. I, art. 4). "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 persuasions; provided he doth not disturb the public peace or disturb others in their religious worship" (pt. I, art. 5). "As morality and piety, rightly grounded on evangelical principles, will give the best and greatest security to government, and will lay, in the hearts of men, the strongest obligations to due subjection; and as the knowledge of these is most likely to be propagated through a society, by the institution of the public worship of the Deity, and of public instruction in morality and religion; therefrom, to promote these important purposes, the people of this state have a right to empower, and do hereby fully empower, the legislature, to authorize, from time to time, the several towns, parishes, bodies corporate, or religious societies, within this state, to make adequate provision, at their own expense, for the support and maintenance of public Protestant teachers of piety, religion, and morality***. "And every denomination of Christians, demeaning themselves quietly, and as good subjects of the state, shall be equally under the protection of the law: And no subordination of any one sect or denomination to another, shall ever be established by law *** (pt. I, art. 6). "No person, who is conscientiously scrupulous about the lawfulness of bearing arms, shall be compelled thereto *** (pt. I, art. 13). NEW JERSEY (CONSTITUTION OF 1947; 1961 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "We, the people of the State of New Jersey, 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 *** [establish this Constitution]" (preamble to constitution). "No person shall be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshipping Almighty God in a manner agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience * * (art. I, sec. 3). (b) Freedom of religion "No person shall be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshipping Almighty God in a manner agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience; nor under any pretense whatever be compelled to attend any place of worship contrary to his faith and judgment ** *" (art. I, sec. 3). "There shall be no establishment of one religious sect in preference to another; no religious or racial test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust" (art. I, sec. 4). "No person shall be denied the enjoyment of any civil or military right, nor be discriminated against in the exercise of any civil or military right, nor be segregated in the militia or in the public schools, because of religious principles, race, color, ancestry, or national origin" (art. I, sec. 5). NEW YORK (CONSTITUTION OF 1938; 1961 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "We, the People of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our Freedom, in order to secure its blessings, do establish this Constitution" (preamble to constitution). (b) Freedom of religion "The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed in this state to all mankind; and no person shall be rendered incompetent to be a witness on account of his opinions on matters of religious belief; but the liberty of conscience hereby secured shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness, or justify practices inconsistent with the peace or safety of this state" (bill of rights, art. 1, sec. 3). "*** No person shall, because of race, color, creed or religion, be subjected to any discrimination in his civil rights by any other person or by any firm, corporation, or institution, or by the state or any agency or subdivision of the state" (bill of rights, art. 1, sec. 11). NORTH CAROLINA (CONSTITUTION OF 1868; 1961 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "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 * * * (establish this Constitution)" (preamble to constitution). "That we hold it to be self-evident that all persons *** are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights * * *" (art. 1, sec. 1). "All persons have a natural and inalienable right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences ***” (art. 1, sec. 26). "The following classes of persons shall be disqualified for office: First, all persons who shall deny the being of Almighty God ** (art. VI. sec. 8). (b) Freedom of religion "All persons have a natural and inalienable right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences, and no human authority should, in any case whatever control or interfere with the rights of conscience," (art. 1, sec. 26). "The following classes of persons shall be disqualified for office: First, all persons who shall deny the being of Almighty God ***" (art. VI, sec. 8). "*** Provided, that all persons who may be averse to bearing arms, from religious scruples, shall be exempt therefrom," (art. XII, sec. 1). NEW MEXICO (CONSTITUTION OF 1911; 1959 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "We, the people of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty *** [establish this Constitution]" (preamble to constitution). "Every man shall be free to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience***" (art. II, sec. 11). (b) Freedom of religion "Every man shall be free to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and no person shall ever be molested or denied any civil or political right or privilege on account of his religious opinion or mode of religious worship. No person shall be required to attend any place of worship or support any religious sect or denomination; nor shall any preference be given by law to any religious denomination or mode of worship" (art. II, sec. 11). "The right of any citizen of the state to vote, hold office or sit upon juries, shall never be restricted, abridged or impaired on account of religion * * (art. VII, sec. 3). NORTH DAKOTA (CONSTITUTION OF 1889; 1960 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "We, the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain and establish this constitution." (b) Freedom of religion "The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall be forever guaranteed in this state, and no person shall be rendered incompetent to be a witness or juror on account of his opinion on matters of religious belief; but the liberty of conscience hereby secured shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness, or justify practices inconsistent with the peace or safety of this state (declaration of rights, art. I, sec. 4). "*** Persons whose religious tenets or conscientious scruples forbid them to bear arms shall not be compelled to do so in times of peace * **" (art. XIII, sec. 188). OHIO (CONSTITUTION OF 1851; 1961 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "We, the people of the State of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom *** [establish this Constitution]" (preamble to constitution). "All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to dictates of their own conscience * * *" (bill or rights, art. I, sec. 7). (b) Freedom of religion "All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience. No person shall be compelled to attend, erect, or support any place of worship, or maintain any form 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. No religious test shall be required, as a qualification for office, nor shall any person be incompetent to be a witness on account of his religious belief; but nothing herein shall be construed to dispense with oaths and affirmations. Religion, morality, and knowledge, however, being essential to good government, it shall be the duty of the general assembly to pass suitable laws to protect every religious denomination in the peaceable enjoyment of its own mode of public worship, and to encourage schools and the means of instruction" (bill of rights, art. I, sec. 7). OKLAHOMA (CONSTITUTION OF 1907; 1961 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessing of liberty (we establish this Constitution) * * *" (preamble to constitution). (b) Freedom of religion "Perfect toleration of religious sentiment shall be secured, and no inhabitant of the State shall ever be molested in person or property on account of his or her mode of religious worship; and no religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights * * *" (art. I, sec. 2). OREGON (CONSTITUTION OF 1859; 1958 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences" (bill of rights, art. I, sec. 2). (b) Freedom of religion "All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences" (bill of rights, art. I, sec. 2). "No law shall in any case whatever control the free exercise, and enjoyment of religious opinions, or interfere with the rights of conscience" (bill of rights, art. I, sec. 3). "No religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office of trust or profit" (bill of rights, art. I, sec. 4). "No person shall be rendered incompetent as a witness, or juror in consequence of his opinions on matters of religion; nor be questioned in any Court of Justice touching his religious belief to affect the weight of his testimony" (bill of rights, art. I, sec. 6). "Persons whose religious tenets, or conscientious scruples forbid them to bear arms shall not be compelled to do so in time of peace ***" (art. X, sec. 2). PENNSYLVANIA (CONSTITUTION OF 1874; 1961 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "We, the people of ***Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance, do ordain and establish this Constitution" (preamble to constitution). "All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences ***" (art. I, sec. 3). (b) Freedom of religion "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 whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience, and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious establishments or modes of worship." "No person who acknowledges the being of a God and a future state of rewards and punishments shall, on account of his religious sentiments, be disqualified to hold any office or place of trust or profit under this Commonwealth" (art. I, sec. 4). "*** The General Assembly *** may exempt from military service persons having conscientious scruples against bearing arms" (art. XI, sec. 1). RHODE ISLAND (CONSTITUTION; 1961 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being same "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 to Him for a blessing upon our endeavors to secure and transmit the *** (establish this Constitution)" (preamble to constitution). "Whereas Almighty God hath created the mind free; and all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burdens, or by civil incapacitations, tend to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness (for full text see below) ***" (art. I, sec. 3). (b) Freedom of religion "Whereas Almighty God hath created the mind free; and all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burdens, or by civil incapacitations, tend to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness; and whereas a principal object of our venerable ancestors, in their migration to this country and their settlement of this state, was, as they expressed it, to hold forth a lively experiment, that a flourishing civil state may stand and be best maintained with full liberty in religious concernments: we, therefore, declare that no man shall be compelled to frequent or to support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatever, except in fulfillment of his own voluntary contract; nor enforced, restrained, molested, or burdened in his body or goods; nor disqualified from holding any office; nor otherwise suffer on account of his religious belief; and that every man shall be free to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and to profess and by argument to maintain his opinion in matters of religion; and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect his civil capacity" (art. I, sec. 3). SOUTH CAROLINA (CONSTITUTION OF 1895; 1960 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "No person who denies the existence of a Supreme Being shall hold any office under this Constitution" (art. 17, sec. 4). "We, the people of the State of South Carolina, *** grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the preservation and perpetuation of the same" (preamble to constitution). (b) Freedom of religion, religious practices, etc. "The General Assembly shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, * * *" (art. I, sec. 4). "No person who denies the existence of a Supreme Being shall hold any office under this Constitution" (art. 17, sec. 4). "The militia of this State shall consist of all able-bodied male citizens * * *, except such persons *** who from religious scruples may be adverse to bearing arms ****"" (art. XIII, sec. 1). SOUTH DAKOTA (CONSTITUTION; 1960 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties * * * [establish this Constitution]” (preamble to constitution). "The right to worship God according to the dictates of conscience shall never be infringed***" (art. VI, sec. 3). (b) Freedom of religion "The right to worship God according to the dictates of conscience shall never be infringed. No person shall be denied any civil or political right, privilege or position on account of his religious opinions **** (art. VI, sec. 3). "That perfect toleration of religious sentiment shall be secured, and that no inhabitant of this state shall ever be molested in person or property on account of his or her mode of religious worship" (art. XXVI, sec. 18). TENNESSEE (CONSTITUTION OF 1870; 1961 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience * **" (art. I, sec. 3). "No person who denies the being of God, or a future state of rewards and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil department of this State" (art. IX, sec. 2). (b) Freedom of religion "That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience; that no man can of right be compelled to attend, erect, or support any place of worship, or to maintain any minister against his consent; that no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience; and that no preference shall ever be given, by law, to any religious establishment or mode of worship" (art. I, sec. 3). "That no political or religious test, other than an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and of this State, shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under this State" (art. I, sec. 4). "No person who denies the being of God, or a future state of rewards and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil department of this State" (art. IX, sec. 2). TEXAS (CONSTITUTION OF 1876; 1961 SUPPLEMENT) (a) God, Supreme Being "Humbly invoking the blessings of Almighty God *** [we establish this Constitution]" (preamble to constitution). ***Nor shall any one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious sentiments, provided he acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being” (art. I, sec. 4). "All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences * * *” (art. I, sec. 6). (b) Freedom of religion "No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office. or public trust, in this State; nor shall any one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious sentiments, provided he acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being" (art. I, sec. 4). "No person shall be disqualified to give evidence in any of the Courts of this State on account of his religious opinions, or for the want of any religious belief, but all oaths or affirmations shall be administered in the mode most binding upon the conscience ***" (art. I, sec. 5). |