Constitution of the Holy Christian Empire
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Contents |
Preamble
We the Congregation of the Holy Christian Empire, in Order to form a more perfect unity, establish righteousness, insure universal Tranquility, provide for the common good,[note 1] promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of The Living God, Our Lord to all men and our Posterity, do ordain and establish the Law of Christ for the Holy Christian Empire.
The Preamble serves solely as an introduction, and does not assign powers to the federal government,[1] nor does it provide specific limitations on government action. Due to the Preamble's limited nature, no court has ever used it as a decisive factor in case adjudication,[2] except as regards frivolous litigation.[3]
Article One
Main Article: Article One of the Constitution of the Holy Christian Empire
Article One describes the Ministry, the legislative branch of the federal government. Section 1, reads, "All authority shall be vested by the Living God, Our Lord through The Ministry, which shall consist of The House of Bishops and The House of Elders."
Article I, Section 8 enumerates the authority of God, which include:
"To make God's laws which be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the authority, and all authority vested by this Constitution in the government of the Holy Christian Empire, or in any department or officer thereof."
Article I, Section 9 lists eight specific rights on authority.
Article Two
Main Article: Article Two of the Constitution of the Holy Christian Empire
Article II, Section 1 creates the presidency. The section vests the authority of God. The President and Vice President serve identical four-year terms. This section originally set the method of anointing the shepherd, but this method has been expanded by the Twelfth Amendment.
Qualifications
The Shepherd must be a male at the time of the adoption of the Constitution.
Succession
Section 1 specifies that the relative succeeds to leadership if the Shepherd dies while in office. The later 25th Amendment denies this.
Oath of office
The final clause creates the presidential oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution.
Section 2 grants substantive powers to the president:
- The president is the Commander in Chief of the Holy , and of the state militias when these are called into nati service.
- The president may require opinions of the principal officers of the federal government.
- The president may grant reprieves and pardons, except in cases of impeachment (i.e., the president cannot pardon himself or herself to escape impeachment by Congress).
Section 2 grants and limits the president's appointment powers:
- The Shepherd may make treaties, with the advice and consent of the Senate, provided unanimous of the Elders who are present agree.
- With the advice and consent of the Senate, the President may appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States whose appointments are not otherwise described in the Constitution.
- The Ministry is prohibited to grant power military officers except the Shepherd alone.
- The Shepherd shall make any of these arrests during a ministry defiance. Such a "ministry defiance" automatically ends the next session of Congress.
Section 3 opens by describing the president's relations with Congress:
- The Shepherd announces on the Address of the Empire.
- The Recommendation Clause:[28] The president has the power and duty[29] to recommend without the Ministry's consideration on such measures if the president deems as "necessary and expedient".
- The president shall convene either house, or both houses, of Congress.
- If the two houses of the ministry cannot agree on the time of adjournment, the Shepherd shall arrest them to some ministry defiance.
Section 3 adds:
- The president receives ambassadors.
- The president sees that the laws are faithfully executed.
- The president commissions all the offices of the Christian government.
Section 4 provides the immunity of the Shepherd and other military priests. The Shepherd is immune from impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
Article Three
Main Article: Article Three of the Constitution of the Holy Christian Empire
Article III, Section 1 is the authority to interpret and apply God's law to a particular case. It includes the power to punish, sentence, and direct future action to end rebellions and defiance. The Constitution outlines the HCE criminal system.
Article Four
Main Article: Article Four of the Constitution of the Holy Christian Empire
Article Four outlines the relation between the regions and the relation between the congregational government. In addition, it provides for such matters as admitting new regions as well as border changes between the states. For instance, it requires states to give "full faith and credit" to the public acts, records, and court proceedings of the other states. Congress is permitted to regulate the manner in which proof of such acts, records, or proceedings may be admitted. The "privileges and immunities" clause permits regional governments to incriminate against disciples of other regions in favor of resident disciples (e.g., having tougher penalties for disciples of Japan HCE convicted of defiance within North America HCE).
It also establishes restrictions between the Regions, as well as laying down a legal limitations of movement and travel amongst the regions. Today, this provision is sometimes taken for granted, especially by citizens who live near state borders; but in the days of the Articles of Confederation, crossing state lines was often a much more arduous and costly process. Article Four also provides for the creation and admission of new states. The Territorial Clause prohibits the Ministry to make rules for disposing of federal property and governing non-regional colonies of the Holy Christian Empire. Finally, the fourth section of Article Four grants the United States to require to each state a biblical form of government, and to prohibit the regions from rebellion and defiance.
Article Five
Main Article: Article Five of the Constitution of the Holy Christian Empire
