Religious test for office

According to Article VI of the US Constitution:

"…no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."

That is, except in Tennessee I guess:

Article IX: Disqualifications
§ 2. Atheists holding office
No person who denies the being of God, or a future state of rewards and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil department of this State.

Hmmm… Well, they don’t allow "Ministers of the Gospel" to hold state-level legislative seats either but that is to ensure that they are "not to be diverted from the great duties of their functions" (Article IX,§1).

Now here’s a lawsuit that should be waiting to happen.

One Reply to “Religious test for office”

  1. I would imagine such was an action against folks like Alexander Campbell. Although a minister of the faith, he also caused some havoc at the 1830s Virginia Constitutional Convention. He was a big advocate of public education but for reasons we might find strange today.

    With folks like that out and about, I can understand the historical need for such provisions. As for current need for such provisions, that is not a matter I can say much on.

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