No, the word "God" is not explicitly mentioned in the text of the Constitution of the United States.
Nuances of Religious Language in the Constitution
While the federal Constitution does not directly refer to "God" as a specific deity or concept, it does include a phrase with religious undertones within its dating clause, reflecting historical conventions of the time.
- Absence of "God": The document's primary text does not contain a direct reference to "God" or any specific divine being. This reflects the framers' intent to establish a government independent of religious establishment, laying the groundwork for the separation of church and state.
- "The Year of our Lord": Article VII, which outlines the ratification process and the date the Constitution was signed, includes the phrase: "Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth." This formula, "the Year of our Lord," was a widely accepted and conventional way of dating documents in the Christian calendar era, rather than a theological declaration within the framework of governance.
The U.S. Constitution emphasizes principles such as popular sovereignty and individual liberties, including religious freedom, which is later enshrined in the First Amendment. This amendment notably prohibits the government from establishing a religion and protects the free exercise of religion, reinforcing the secular nature of the government it established.
For a comprehensive understanding, you can review the complete text of the United States Constitution.
