One Nation Under God

Bottom Line Up Front: We pledge to restore respect for faith in the public square – protecting voluntary school prayers, faith-based civic involvement, and religious displays. One Nation Under God means Colorado’s laws should never force citizens to violate their conscience. We will uphold policies that recognize our Judeo-Christian foundation, believing that when we honor God, we invite His blessing on our state and nation.

 

​a. Biblical & Historical Foundations: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD”. This timeless scripture (Psalm 33:12) proclaims that a people who honor God will be blessed. America’s founding reflected this truth: our Declaration of Independence acknowledges that our rights are endowed by our Creator. We are a nation under God’s providence, guided by faith and moral law. The Founders prayed for God’s favor and enshrined freedom of religion in the First Amendment, ensuring we could honor God freely in public life.

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b. Constitutional Originalism: The phrase “one nation under God” is not in the Constitution’s text, but it encapsulates the Founders’ belief that divine providence guided the nation. The Constitution’s original meaning never demanded a godless public square – it forbids an official state church but protects the free exercise of religion. Our originalist view respects that the Founders saw religious virtue as vital for republican government. George Washington affirmed that “religion and morality are indispensable supports” of political prosperity in his Farewell Address. An original understanding of the First Amendment allows religion to inform our values and policies (it bars establishing a national religion but never intended to banish God from the public arena).

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c. Colorado Policy Conflicts: In Colorado today, this principle is challenged. The state’s public institutions often shy away from acknowledging God. Expressions of faith have been restricted under a misguided notion of “separation of church and state.” For example, Colorado officials sought to punish a Christian cake artist for following his faith, and only a U.S. Supreme Court rebuke stopped that religious hostility. Such actions contradict our heritage.