5 Minutes in Church History with Stephen Nichols Thanksgiving in Church History
Nov 26, 2025
Explore the colonial roots of Thanksgiving and its evolution through history. Learn about the 1619 celebration in Virginia and the surprising origins of an earlier gathering in Florida. Discover how figures like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln shaped the holiday with their proclamations. Dive into reflections on gratitude from Augustine, Luther, and Calvin, emphasizing the importance of remembrance and thankful praise. The journey through Thanksgiving reveals a rich tapestry of faith and gratitude in American history.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Colonial Proclamations Shaped The Holiday
- Colonial governments alternated between fasting, prayer, and thanksgiving days through the 1600s and 1700s.
- National proclamations began during the Revolutionary era and continued under George Washington.
Earliest Thanksgiving Services
- Early American thanksgiving services predate the Pilgrim feast and include a 1564 Huguenot service in Florida.
- Virginia recorded an English-colonist thanksgiving on December 4, 1619, earlier than New England proclamations.
Wartime Proclamations And Unity
- Revolutionary leaders used days of fasting and thanksgiving during wartime, such as John Hancock in 1776 and Congress in 1777.
- Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving an annual observance in 1863 to help unify the nation during the Civil War.