"To tie the honor code to a religious test violates the no-establishment clause of the Constitution," said Mikey Weinstein, founder of the foundation and a frequent academy critic.
Now the academy says it's mulling options, including dumping the entire honor oath. The frontrunner among the options is making the ecclesiastical reference optional.
"We need to be respectful of all people of faith and all people of no faith," said academy spokesman David Cannon. "Our goal is to do the right thing for the Air Force Academy."
The honor oath came into use at the academy after 19 seniors were disciplined for cheating on a physics exam in 1984.
"The cadets who owned the code thought developing an honor oath would help to reinforce the importance of the honor code," Cannon said.
The honor code was adopted by cadets in 1956 a year after the first class entered the academy. Violations of the code are policed by a cadet honor board and expulsion is the presumed punishment, though violators can be placed on stringent probation.
The fate of the honor oath is in the hands of Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson.
