Ohio Constitution, 1803, Article VIII, Section 3

Ohio Constitution, 1803, Article VIII, Section 3

Ohio--Politics and government--1787-1865; Constitutions--United States--States; Church and state; Ohio--History--1787-1865

Excerpt from the Ohio Constitution, Article VIII, Section 3, providing for religious freedom in Ohio, but insinuating that all Ohioans should have religion and should worship the “Almighty God.”

Courtesy of the National Archives

Unpublished

1803-02-19

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eng

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OhioConstitution1803_001

Ohio

Sec 3. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of conscience; that no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience; that no man shall be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry, against his consent, and that no preference shall ever be given, by law, to any religious society or mode of worship, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification to any office of trust or profit. But religion, morality and knowledge being essentially necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of instructions shall forever be encouraged by legislative provision not inconsistent with the rights of conscience.

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