The following was taken from Wikipedia article, ‘Constitutional references to God’.
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Country |
Enactment date |
Type of reference |
English text or translation |
Original text (if not in English) |
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1976 |
Invocatio |
“In the Name of God the Merciful and the Compassionate”[21] |
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1981 |
Nominatio |
“WHEREAS the People of Antigua and Barbuda – 1. proclaim that they are a sovereign nation founded upon principles that acknowledge the supremacy of God, the dignity and worth of the human person, the entitlement of all persons to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, the position of the family in a society of free men and women and free institutions; (…) NOW, THEREFORE, the following provisions shall have effect as the Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda:”[22] |
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1998 |
Nominatio |
“We, the people of Albania, proud and aware of our history, with responsibility for the future, and with faith in God and/or other universal values, … We establish this Constitution:”[23] |
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1900 |
Nominatio |
“Whereas the people of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania, humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God, have agreed to unite in one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the Crown … Be it therefore enacted … as follows:”[24] |
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1853 |
Nominatio |
“We, the representatives of the people of the Argentine Nation, … invoking the protection of God, source of all reason and justice: do ordain, decree, and establish this Constitution for the Argentine Nation.”[25] |
(in Spanish) “Nos los representantes del pueblo de la Nación Argentina, reunidos en Congreso General Constituyente por voluntad y elección de las provincias que la componen, en cumplimiento de pactos preexistentes, con el objeto de constituir la unión nacional, afianzar la justicia, consolidar la paz interior, proveer la defensa común, promover el bienestar general, y asegurar los beneficios de la libertad, para nosotros, para nuestra posteridad, y para todos los hombres del mundo que quieran habitar en el suelo argentino: invocando la protección de Dios, fuente de toda razón y justicia: ordenamos, decretamos y establecemos esta Constitución, para la Nación Argentina.”[26] |
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1973 |
Nominatio |
“Whereas Four hundred and eighty-one years ago the rediscovery of this Family of Islands, Rocks and Cays heralded the rebirth of the New World; And Whereas the People of this Family of Islands recognizing that the preservation of their Freedom will be guaranteed by a national commitment to Self-discipline, Industry, Loyalty, Unity and an abiding respect for Christian values and the Rule of Law; Now Know Ye Therefore: We the Inheritors of and Successors to this Family of Islands, recognizing the Supremacy of God and believing in the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the Individual, Do Hereby Proclaim in Solemn Praise the Establishment of a Free and Democratic Sovereign Nation founded on Spiritual Values and in which no Man, Woman or Child shall ever be Slave or Bondsman to anyone or their Labour exploited or their Lives frustrated by deprivation, and do Hereby Provide by these Articles for the indivisible Unity and Creation under God of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”[27] |
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2002 |
Invocatio |
“In the name of God on high, and with His blessing, and with His help, we Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Sovereign of the Kingdom of Bahrain, in line with our determination, certainty, faith, and awareness of our national, pan-Arab and international responsibilities; and in acknowledgment of our obligations to God, our obligations to the homeland and the citizens, and our commitment to fundamental principles and our responsibility to Mankind, … we have amended the existing Constitution”[28] |
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1988 |
Nominatio |
“We, the representatives of the Brazilian People, … promulgate, under the protection of God, this CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERATIVE REPUBLIC OF BRAZIL.”[29] |
(in Portuguese) “Nós, representantes do povo brasileiro, … promulgamos, sob a proteção de Deus, a seguinte CONSTITUIÇÃO DA REPÚBLICA FEDERATIVA DO BRASIL.”[30] |
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1982 |
Nominatio |
“Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law”[31] |
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1965/1997[32] |
Invocatio |
“IN THE HOLY NAME OF GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, THE EVERLOVING AND THE EVERLASTING We, the people of the Cook Islands, recognising the heritage of Christian principles, Cook Islands custom, and the rule of law, remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day, being that day of the week which, according to a person’s belief and conscience, is the Sabbath of the Lord.”[33] |
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1988 |
Nominatio |
“WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE FIJI ISLANDS, SEEKING the blessing of God who has always watched over these islands: RECALLING the events in our history that have made us what we are, especially the settlement of these islands by the ancestors of the indigenous Fijian and Rotuman people; the arrival of forebears of subsequent settlers, including Pacific Islanders, Europeans, Indians and Chinese; the conversion of the indigenous inhabitants of these islands from heathenism to Christianity through the power of the name of Jesus Christ; the enduring influence of Christianity in these islands and its contribution, along with that of other faiths, to the spiritual life of Fiji: … WITH GOD AS OUR WITNESS, GIVE OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION”[34] |
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1949 |
Nominatio |
“Conscious of their responsibility before God and man, (…) the German people, in the exercise of their constituent power, have adopted this Basic Law.”[35] |
(in German) “Im Bewußtsein seiner Verantwortung vor Gott und den Menschen (…) hat sich das Deutsche Volk kraft seiner verfassungsgebenden Gewalt dieses Grundgesetz gegeben.”[36] |
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1975 |
Invocatio |
“In the name of the Holy and Consubstantial and Indivisible Trinity.”[37] |
(in Greek) “Εν ονόματι της Αγίας και Ομοουσίου και Αδιαιρέτου Τριάδος.”[37] |
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1945 |
Invocatio |
“… By the grace of God Almighty and urged by the lofty aspiration to exist as a free nation, Now therefore, the people of Indonesia declare herewith their independence, …” “… which is to be established as the State of the Republic of Indonesia with sovereignty of the people and based on the belief in the One and Only God, …”[38] |
“… Atas berkat rahmat Allah Yang Maha Kuasa, dan dengan didorongkan oleh keinginan luhur supaya berkehidupan kebangsaan yang bebas, maka rakyat Indonesia menyatakan dengan ini kemerdekaannya, …” “… yang terbentuk dalam suatu susunan Negara Republik Indonesia yang berkedaulatan rakyat dengan berdasarkan kepada, Ketuhanan Yang Maha Esa,…” |
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1979 |
Nominatio |
“The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran advances the cultural, social, political, and economic institutions of Iranian society based on Islamic principles and norms, which represent an honest aspiration of the Islamic Ummah.”[39] |
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1937 |
Invocatio |
“In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity, from Whom is all authority and to Whom, as our final end, all actions both of men and States must be referred, We, the people of Éire, humbly acknowledging all our obligations to our Divine Lord, Jesus Christ, who sustained our fathers through centuries of trial, (…) do hereby adopt, enact, and give to ourselves this Constitution.”[40] |
(in Irish)”In Ainm na Tríonóide Ró-Naofa is tobar don uile údarás agus gur chuici, ós í is críoch dheireanach dúinn, is dírithe ní amháin gníomhartha daoine ach gníomhartha Stát, Ar mbeith dúinne, muintir na hÉireann, ag admháil go huiríseal a mhéid atáimid faoi chomaoin ag Íosa Críost, ár dTiarna Dia, a thug comhfhurtacht dár sinsir i ngach cruatan ina rabhadar ar feadh na gcéadta bliain, (…) Atáimid leis seo ag gabháil an Bhunreachta seo chugainn, agus á achtú agus á thíolacadh dúinn féin.”[41] |
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1962 |
Invocatio |
“In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful, We, Abdullah al-Salim al-Sabah, … do hereby approve this Constitution and promulgate it.”[42] |
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1986 |
Nominatio |
“We the People of the Republic of Liberia: Acknowledging our devout gratitude to God for our existence as a Free, Sovereign and Independent State, and relying on His Divine Guidance for our survival as a Nation; … Do hereby solemnly make, establish, proclaim, and publish this Constitution for the governance of the Republic of Liberia.”[43] |
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1992 |
Nominatio |
“The sovereign Malagasy people, profoundly attached to their cultural and spiritual values, especially to the basis of national unity; affirming their belief in God the Creator; … declares: …”[44] |
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1991 |
Nominatio |
“Trusting in the omnipotence of Allah, the Mauritanian people proclaims …”[45] |
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1814 |
“Our values remain from our Christian and humanist heritage…” |
“Verdigrunnlaget forblir vår kristne og humanistiske arv.” |
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1973 |
“Whereas sovereignty over the entire Universe belongs to Almighty Allah alone, and the authority to be exercised by the people of Pakistan within the limits prescribed by Him is a sacred trust” |
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1975 |
Preamble |
WE, THE PEOPLE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA — united in one nation, pay homage to the memory of our ancestors — the source of our strength and origin of our combined heritage – acknowledge the worthy customs and traditional wisdoms of our people — which have come down to us from generation to generation pledge ourselves to guard and pass on to those who come after us our noble traditions and the Christian principles that are ours now. By authority of our inherent right as ancient, free and independent peoples WE, THE PEOPLE, do now establish this sovereign nation and declare ourselves, under the guiding hand of God, to be the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. |
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1992 |
Invocatio |
“The Paraguayan people, through their legitimate representatives convening at the National Constituent Assembly, pleading to God, … hereby approve and promulgate this Constitution.”[46] |
(in Spanish) “El pueblo paraguayo, por medio de sus legítimos representantes reunidos en Convención Nacional Constituyente, invocando Dios, … SANCIONA Y PROMULGA esta Constitución.”[47] |
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1993 |
Invocatio |
“The Democratic Constituent Congress invoking Almighty God, … has resolved to enact the following Constitution:”[48] |
(in Spanish) “El Congreso Constituyente Democrático, invocando a Dios Todopoderoso, … ha resuelto dar la siguiente Constitución:”[49] |
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1987 |
Invocatio |
We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty God, … do ordain and promulgate this Constitution.[50] |
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1997 |
Nominatio |
“We, the Polish Nation – all citizens of the Republic, both those who believe in God as the source of truth, justice, good and beauty, as well as those not sharing such faith but respecting those universal values as arising from other sources, (…) beholden to our ancestors (…) for our culture rooted in the Christian heritage of the Nation and in universal human values, (…) recognizing our responsibility before God or our own consciences, hereby establish this Constitution of the Republic of Poland”[51] |
(in Polish) “My, Naród Polski – wszyscy obywatele Rzeczypospolitej, zarówno wierzący w Boga będącego źródłem prawdy, sprawiedliwości, dobra i piękna, jak i nie podzielający tej wiary, a te uniwersalne wartości wywodzący z innych źródeł, (…) w poczuciu odpowiedzialności przed Bogiem lub przed własnym sumieniem, ustanawiamy Konstytucję Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej”[52] |
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1991 |
Nominatio |
“The National Council for Development, meeting as Constituent Assembly on 30 May 1991; Trusting in God Almighty; … Does establish and adopt this Constitution for the Republic of Rwanda”[54] |
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1996 |
Nominatio |
“May God protect our people. |
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1810 |
Nominatio |
“We CARL, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths, and the Wends, &c., &c., &c., (…) ” “We, the undersigned Estates of the Realm of Sweden, (…) hereby make known that (…) our present most gracious King and Lord, Carl XIII, after his death (be it long deferred by the Grace of God Almighty) to be crowned and hailed as King of Sweden (…)” |
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1999 |
Invocatio |
“In the name of Almighty God! The Swiss People and the Cantons (…) adopt the following Constitution:”[56] |
(in German) “Im Namen Gottes des Allmächtigen! Das Schweizervolk und die Kantone (…) geben sich folgende Verfassung:”[57] |
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1959 |
Invocatio |
“In the name of God, the Compassionate and Merciful … We, the representatives of the Tunisian people, free and sovereign, proclaim, by the Grace of God, the present Constitution.”[60] |
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1996 |
Nominatio |
“The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, (…) aware of our responsibility before God, our own conscience, past, present and future generations, (…) adopts this Constitution”[61] |
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1980 |
Nominatio |
“WE, the people of Vanuatu… HEREBY proclaim the establishment of the united and free Republic of Vanuatu founded on traditional Melanesian values, faith in God, and Christian principles” |
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