The Freedom From Religion Foundation is sounding the alarm on an outrageous new resolution introduced in the North Dakota Legislature that calls upon the state and its citizens to “acknowledge the Kingship of Jesus Christ over all the world.”
HCR 3020 cites a half dozen bible verses to justify itself, among them:
WHEREAS, the Father is said to give to Christ all nations and the utmost parts of the earth for His inheritance and possession, and, in response, people and their leaders are called to learn and receive instruction from Him (Psalms 2:8, 10), including those in this great state; and
WHEREAS, Christ is named the ruler of Kings on earth and the King of Kings and presented with crown and royal robe (Revelation 1:5, 17:14, 19:12-13, 16).
This brazen attempt to inject religious dogma into government is a clear violation of the First Amendment and a dangerous step toward Christian nationalism.
The resolution’s primary sponsor, state Rep. Nico Rios, was removed from an interim Judiciary Committee in 2024 after he berated police officers during a drunk driving arrest. According to a story in the North Dakota Monitor, Rios “made a series of homophobic and racist comments toward the arresting officer during the more than hour-long traffic stop and booking process, which was captured on an officer-worn body camera.” And just last week, Rios put a post on the social media platform X suggesting that President Trump should direct the CIA to overthrow Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and “kick this Jew out of power.”
The North Dakota resolution flies in the face of America’s foundational secular principles. The U.S. Constitution mandates the separation of church and state, ensuring that no single religion is elevated above others — and that citizens are free to believe or disbelieve as they like.
“No U.S. state or government may dictate religious doctrine to its citizens — much less to the entire world!” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “This resolution is not only unconstitutional, but un-American. Our founders explicitly rejected state-imposed religion in favor of a secular government that respects the rights and beliefs of all.”
FFRF warns that this resolution, if passed, would further embolden the growing Christian nationalist movement, which is seeking to dismantle the safeguards that keep religion and government separate. The resolution would turn non-Christians citizens, including the nearly one-third of Americans who identify as nonreligious, into second-class citizens.
“Christian nationalists are no longer hiding their agenda — they’re openly working to rewrite American democracy into a religious state,” adds FFRF Legal Counsel Chris Line. “This is a dangerous precedent, and we must take a stand before these unconstitutional efforts gain more ground.”
A committee hearing for the “Kingship of Jesus Christ” resolution will occur on Thursday, Feb. 13.
FFRF calls on North Dakota lawmakers to reject this dangerous and unconstitutional resolution immediately. Government officials take an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution — not the New Testament. FFRF urges citizens of all faiths and none to speak out against this encroachment of religious extremism into our secular government.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with more than 40,000 members nationwide, including members in North Dakota. FFRF’s purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between church and state, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
