Religious liberty is something we take for granted as Americans. Not so long ago I sat in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Aberdeen, Scotland and contemplated the importance of religious liberty to me. I imagined sitting in the cathedral at a time when Catholics were persecuted under Protestant kings, and I also reflected upon a time when Protestants were persecuted under Catholic kings. I thought about my dear friends, both Catholic and non-Catholic alike, who could have been persecuted for being born in a time when their religion differed from the established Church of the nation. Contemplating religion while in a foreign country really brought home how religious freedom is taken for granted in this country and how, even today, religious persecution is still very rampant in our world.
The Founding Fathers knew religious persecution quite well. True liberty was the driving force behind the establishment of our government. In addition to First Amendment protections for religious liberty, the Founders incorporated what we refer to as the “No Religious Clause” test into the Constitution. Article VI Clause 3 states, “The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; no religious test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” Article VI Clause 3.
At the time the prohibition was written, states were free to require religious tests for holding office; the prohibition applied only to the national government. The Founding Fathers intended that qualification for holding office was to exist on merit and not on belief. The Founders were opposed to the establishment of a national church, such as the Church of England. Prohibiting the use of religious tests for holding national office would assist in the prevention of establishing a national church in the United States.
The “No Religious Test” Clause protects religious freedom in that it prevents discrimination against any one religion. In recent years, the First Amendment has somewhat obscured the “No Religious Test” Clause as cases discriminating against any one religion are argued and decided based upon the protection of religious liberties within the Amendment itself. The First Amendment has dimmed the application of the “No Religious Test” Clause and as such, little case law exists with respect to the Clause.
Does this mean that we, as Christians, violate the Constitution if we consider a candidate’s religious (or non-religious) views when we cast our ballots? Absolutely not! The prohibition applies only to governmental action. As Christians we have a much higher moral and religious obligation and duty to God to consider the religious implications of our vote. As Christian Americans we must ask ourselves whether the actions and platform of any particular candidate align with the teachings of Christ before we cast that ballot.
- “Article VI Section 3: Constitution Annotated: Congress.gov: Library of Congress.” Constitution Annotated, constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-6/clause-3/.
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Brownstein, Alan E., and Jud Campbell. “The No Religious Test Clause.” Interpretation: The No Religious Test Clause | The National Constitution Center, 2020, constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/interpretation/article-vi/clauses/32.
Ann LeBlanc loves learning and deep discussions. She received her Juris Doctorate from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She has a B.S. degree in finance, and is licensed to practice law in the states of Texas and Louisiana. Ann’s experience includes many facets of the legal field and she has argued and written legal briefs at both the state district and appellate court levels in Texas and Louisiana and has also represented clients in Federal court. Ann is also an author and has distinguished herself in the authoring of legal publications and the presentation of seminars for clients and organizations such as the National Business Institute and various insurance agencies.
Ann fulfills her love of learning, however, by teaching. Ann is currently an adjunct professor with LeTourneau University where she teaches American Government and Criminal Justice to dual credit students of Excelsior Classes. Ann has also served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Louisiana – Lafayette, teaching Business Law. Her passion for education extends to the home, where she homeschools her own children employing the Socratic method. A keen lover of logic, Ann is passionate about teaching critical thinking skills and empowering today’s youth with the ability to analyze the problems of tomorrow, to ensure that our God given rights and freedoms remain unalienable.
