Podcast with Stephen McDowell on Prayer Days During the Colonial Era

Topic: Days of Fasting and Prayer in Early America.

As Americans, we are all familiar with the annual of Thanksgiving. We are often told that the founders of the nation wanted to keep religion out of the public square. Yet we have an annual holiday of a Day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God—to this day. We even a National Day of Prayer, which is now the 1^st Thursday of May. During the settling era of British North America, 1607 through, let’s say 1770, there were actually many Days of Fasting and Prayer and Days of Thanksgiving as well. The practice continues also during the founding era as well. Even Thomas Jefferson called for a Day of Fasting and Prayer for his state of Virginia. Stephen McDowell is the president of the Providence Foundation—not to be confused with Providence Forum, for which I am privileged to serve as the executive director. Stephen McDowell joins Jerry Newcombe to discuss Days of Prayer in early America. www.providencefoundation.com