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In his final Thanksgiving proclamation, President Joe Biden once again omitted the most important element of the holiday: God. Despite his claims of being a “devout” Catholic, Biden’s message reflects a pattern of sidelining faith in favor of secular platitudes.
For the second year in a row, Biden’s proclamation failed to acknowledge the Creator whom the Pilgrims gathered to thank in 1621. Instead, the credit for the harvest was given to “the generosity and kindness of the Wampanoag people.” While the contributions of the Wampanoags are historically significant, the omission of divine gratitude is striking, especially given the deeply religious roots of Thanksgiving.
Biden’s message also referenced George Washington and his Continental Army taking time to give thanks during the Revolutionary War but conspicuously avoided mentioning the recipient of their gratitude. Similarly, it highlighted Abraham Lincoln’s establishment of Thanksgiving as a national holiday in 1863 but downplayed Lincoln’s explicit acknowledgment of “the Most High God.”
This shift marks a departure from Biden’s own past Thanksgiving proclamations. In 2021 and 2022, God featured prominently, though last year’s message began to shift focus toward secular themes. By 2023, the divine element had been entirely erased, a move that not only disregards the religious origins of Thanksgiving but also contradicts the traditions of past American presidents.
Thanksgiving, as conceived by the Pilgrims, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln, was deeply rooted in Christian gratitude. Washington, in 1789, declared it a day to acknowledge “the providence of Almighty God.” Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation similarly emphasized the “gracious gifts of the Most High God.” Even in the modern era, President Trump’s Thanksgiving proclamations consistently recognized God as the focus of national thanks, a practice he upheld throughout his term.
Biden’s omission is especially jarring given his public image as a devout Catholic, a faith that emphasizes gratitude to God. This contradiction becomes more glaring considering his alignment with policies, like those supporting abortion, that are in direct opposition to his church’s teachings.
As Americans prepare for a new administration under President-elect Trump, there’s reason to believe this foundational aspect of Thanksgiving will be restored. Trump’s proclamations from 2017 to 2020 explicitly honored God and reflected the holiday’s original purpose. If history is any guide, Thanksgiving 2024 will once again center on giving thanks to the Creator for life’s blessings.
