Question

United States coins and paper money carry the phrase " in god we trust ". Does this inscription violate the principle of separation of church and state?

Answer 1

Firstly, regarding it's history, it's important to understand two things that slightly confound popular narratives. You will often hear Christians stress that the motto is an integral part of our American history (wrongly citing it as an example of how we were founded as a Christian nation), and I think a great many don't realize that it was not actually legally enshrined as our national motto (or its varient added to our Pledge of Allegience) until 1956 and not put on all money until 1938. But, you will often hear atheists point THAT out, and I don't think they realize that the motto does, in fact, have a long and storied history in America, going back to at least the Star Spangled Banner, and wasn't just an an invention of Eisenhower Republicans to throw a middle finger at Communists.

I only mention those two things because you'll hear both in other answers. The truth is that "In God We Trust" is both a longstanding and well worne component of American culture AND not one that dates continuously to its founding or which was viewed as fundamental until 80 years ago or whatever. Both are true.

But, to your question.

The constitutionality of "In God We Trust" has been pretty well established in American jurisprudence. It is frequently challenged in court and to my knowledge thus far has never been found against in terms of constitutionality.

The reason is that it is generally considered to be purely ceremonial or ornamental, has no denomination attached to it, and is in no way coercive.

The big precedent on the matter is from 1970, Aronow v. United States, in which the court found:

"It is quite obvious that the national motto and the slogan on coinage and currency 'In God We Trust' has nothing whatsoever to do with the establishment of religion. Its use is of patriotic or ceremonial character and bears no true resemblance to a governmental sponsorship of a religious exercise. ...It is not easy to discern any religious significance attendant the payment of a bill with coin or currency on which has been imprinted 'In God We Trust' or the study of a government publication or document bearing that slogan. In fact, such secular uses of the motto was viewed as sacrilegious and irreverent by President Theodore Roosevelt. Yet Congress has directed such uses. While 'ceremonial' and 'patriotic' may not be particularly apt words to describe the category of the national motto, it is excluded from First Amendment significance because the motto has no theological or ritualistic impact. As stated by the Congressional report, it has 'spiritual and psychological value' and 'inspirational quality.

Answer 2

Today, the motto is controversial. One side argues that a "separation of church and state" is needed, advocating the removal of the motto from all public use, including coins and paper notes. It is argued that religious freedom includes the right to believe in the non-existence of a God and that the use of this motto infringes upon the rights of non-theists. It is argued that any involvement of God by the government is unconstitutional. Others also claim that this motto was only adopted to oppose the Soviet Union, where atheism was prevalent, but this argument slips in the notoriety of the phrase from the times of the American patriarchs. Another side of the argument argues that the separation of church and state means that Congress can not impose a religion of the state on the population, and that this separation of church and state is a legislative invention unintentionally by the founders of the country. They argue that religious language is used in the documents that founded the United States, such as the Declaration of Independence, although opponents claim that the statement is only a historic, unofficial document of the US government. The motto, however, represents part of the American culture, being traditionally associated to the country, although it deposed its religious character. In addition, some believe that Christian religiosity was one of the fundamental elements for the creation of the American State. But there are also those who consider the opposite.

According to the Supreme Court, the phrase does not violate the provisions of the First Amendment, since it only refers to a God as a superior being, without subscribing to any form of religion or organized belief.