When the Colorado General Assembly convenes each day, lawmakers begin the people’s business the same way generations of Americans have: standing at attention towards the flag and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. A meaningful tradition and reminder that public service is rooted in shared values and a responsibility to our nation and the ideals that define it.

During one recent opening session, the state representative tasked with leading the pledge omitted the words “under God,” creating noticeable reactions from their peers as well as individuals that follow the General Assembly.  To be clear, the Supreme Court ruled long ago that no American can be compelled to recite or affirm words that conflict with their conscience.

But the moment also raises a worthwhile question: why do those words appear there in the first place?

The first iteration of the Pledge of Allegiance was drafted in 1892 by magazine editor Francis Bellamy.  The idea was to establish a recitation in schools across the country which would invoke patriotism.  The phrase “under God” was later added and formally adopted in 1954 by Congress, who sought to highlight a noteworthy contrast between the United States and the Soviet bloc that dominated much of the Cold War.

Those communist regimes actively advocated against religion and promoted a belief that the state was inherently supreme. 

America rejected that idea.

Since its inception, our nation has been predicated on the belief that government is not the ultimate authority. The Declaration of Independence justly declares that our rights are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” That statement was not accidental, rather, it was overtly intentional. A reflection that liberty and human value do not stem from politicians, legislatures, or any form of government.

They come from God.

This is a central tenet to the American understanding of freedom. A government that grants rights is also one that can take them away.  However, if our rights come from our Creator, government’s role is limited. Its duty should be to protect those rights, not to redefine them.

The phrase “under God” in the pledge reflects that truth. It acknowledges that the state itself operates under a higher moral authority.

For many Americans, that belief is not a baseless viewpoint. It is rooted in faith. The founders themselves spoke frequently about Providence and the divine clarity that guides human events. And as our nation embarks on celebrating our 250-year anniversary, it’s my humble belief that God’s hand has very much been on the American experiment.  

None of this requires a state representative, or anyone else for that matter, to profess religious belief. Our Constitution protects the freedom of every American to believe, or not, as they see fit. 

But it is worth considering what those two words “under God” represent. They are not about coercion or exclusion. Rather, they are a reminder that the American system rests on the idea that government is limited because something greater than government exists.

That principle has protected individuals of faith, skeptics, and atheists alike for nearly 250 years.

But the rest of us are equally free to say it, and many of us do so not out of habit, but deeply held conviction. Because acknowledging that our nation stands “under God” is ultimately a recognition that no earthly power should ever stand above the rights and dignity of the people.

Dan Nordberg is a former Colorado State Representative and presidential appointee, serving as Regional Administrator for Region VIII and later as Director of the Office of Rural Affairs at the U.S. Small Business Administration.