OH · constitutions
Ohio Const. art. I, § 7
Rights of conscience; education; the necessity of religion and knowledge
All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience. No person shall be compelled to attend, erect, or support any place of worship, or maintain any form of worship, against his consent; and no preference shall be given, by law, to any religious society; nor shall any interference with the rights of conscience be permitted. No religious test shall be required, as a qualification for office, nor shall any person be incompetent to be a witness on account of his religious belief; but nothing herein shall be construed to dispense with oaths and affirmations. Religion, morality, and knowledge, however, being essential to good government, it shall be the duty of the general assembly to pass suitable laws to protect every religious denomination in the peaceable enjoyment of its own mode of public worship, and to encourage schools and the means of instruction.
History
Effective: September 1, 1851
Provenance
- Source
- codes.ohio.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-26
- Edition
- 2026-09-26
- Content hash
bcf52240ab9a9851da2c1e193c3a9871272069a1ded3039a6e22d867da681fd2
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