A Little Church History of a Middle Colony: Early Influences - 5 Minutes in Church History with Stephen Nichols

Summary3 min read

Episode Overview

In this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, host Stephen Nichols turns the spotlight on Delaware, one of the "middle colonies" often overlooked in discussions of American church history. Nichols explores the unique blend of political and religious influences that shaped Delaware, focusing on its traditions of religious freedom and the historical churches that tell its story. The episode aims to highlight why Delaware deserves attention in the larger narrative of colonial church history.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Colonial Context and Political Shifts

Dutch and Swedish Presence (1614-1660s):
- Dutch initially controlled much of the region.
- Swedish settlers established their own colony, New Sweden, within these territories.
English Takeover (1660s):
- English gained control, reshaping political and religious landscapes.
- Delaware was initially part of William Penn’s Pennsylvania.

2. William Penn and Religious Freedom (1682)

Significance of 1682:
- “This is the year that William Penn wrote his frame of government.” [00:22]
Unique Framework:
- Penn’s “Frame of Government” established a bicameral legislature: a governor and council, and an assembly elected by freedmen.
Religious Liberty (Direct Quote):
- “All persons living in this province who confess and acknowledge the one almighty and eternal God to be the creator, upholder and ruler of the world, and that hold themselves obliged in conscience to live peace and justly in civil society, shall in no ways be molested or prejudiced for their religious persuasion or practice in matters of faith and worship, nor shall they be compelled at any time to frequent or maintain any religious worship place or ministry whatever.” [01:09]
Distinctiveness:
- This marked a sharp departure from the theocracies in Puritan New England and the Anglican-controlled southern colonies, cementing religious diversity in the middle colonies, including Delaware.

3. Emmanuel Church on the Green (New Castle, Delaware)

Founding and Influence:
- “We have Emmanuel Church on the green in Newcastle. This was started by Anglican missionaries, and they built a church that became a rather prominent church in the 1700s and also during the Revolutionary War era.” [02:06]
Revolutionary Loyalty:
- Most Anglicans were Loyalists, but there was one notable exception:
  - George Reed: “He would go on to be a signer of the Declaration of Independence.” [02:29]

4. Old Swedes Church (1698) & Swedish Roots

Swedish Foundations:
- The New Sweden Company established a colony in 1638 on the Delaware River.
Transitions of Power:
- Dutch overtook the Swedes in 1655; English soon followed, but Swedish settlers remained.
Old Swedes Church:
- “The building is still standing and it has been in continuous use for church services since the time it was built.” [03:38]
- Originally Lutheran; became Episcopalian in the 1850s.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Delaware’s unique religious character:
“This was unique among the Puritan New England colonies, the Anglican controlled southern colonies. And so the middle colonies would have this flavorful of religious freedom.” — Stephen Nichols [01:48]
On the legacy of Old Swedes Church:
“The building is still standing and it has been in continuous use for church services since the time it was built.” — Stephen Nichols [03:38]
On George Reed’s exceptionality:
“During Revolutionary times, it was typical for Anglicans to trend more Loyalist. And that was true of the congregation there at Emanuel Church, except for one standout, and that would be George Reed, who would go on to be a signer of the Declaration of Independence.” — Stephen Nichols [02:23]

Timestamps for Key Segments

[00:07] — Introduction & focus on Delaware’s church history
[00:22] — 1682: William Penn writes the Frame of Government
[01:09] — Penn’s declaration of religious freedom (notable quote)
[02:06] — Emmanuel Church on the Green and its Revolutionary-era significance
[02:29] — George Reed’s unique role as a signer of the Declaration
[03:16] — Delaware’s Swedish-era Old Swedes Church
[03:38] — Historical continuity and denominational changes of Old Swedes Church

Conclusion

Stephen Nichols draws attention to Delaware’s rich but often neglected church history, tracing its religious and political diversity from Dutch and Swedish roots, through English conquest, to its distinct culture of religious freedom under William Penn. By spotlighting key sites like Emmanuel Church and Old Swedes Church, Nichols sets Delaware firmly on the map of American church heritage, promising to share even more in the next episode.

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[00:08]
A
Welcome back to another episode of five Minutes in Church History. On this episode, we'll be spending some time looking at church history in one of the middle colonies. It's one of the colonies that doesn't get a lot of attention, and it is time to correct that. It is the colony of Delaware. And the first date in church history is 1682. This is the year that William Penn wrote his frame of government. But before we get into it, a little background. From 1614 through the 1660s, the Dutch controlled much of what we would call the middle colonies. Now, there was also some independence for a Swedish colony in there, and we'll get to that in a little bit. But then in the 1660s, the English took it over from the Dutch. And William Penn first was in New Jersey and a proprietor, and then he took his own colony, Penn's woods of Pennsylvania. And Pennsylvania at that time included the lower counties along the Delaware river. And in 1704, those counties became the colony of Delaware. But back to 1682, Penn brought some significant political reforms to bicameral House. There would be a governor with a provincial council on the one hand, and then a general assembly elected from freedmen on the other. But what was unique about Penn's colony was religious freedom. In his frame of government, he wrote that all persons living in this province who confess and acknowledge the one almighty and eternal God to be the creator, upholder and ruler of the world, and that hold themselves obliged in conscience to live peace and justly in civil society, shall in no ways be molested or prejudiced for their religious persuasion or practice in matters of faith and worship, nor shall they be compelled at any time to frequent or maintain any religious worship place or ministry whatever. This was unique among the Puritan New England colonies, the Anglican controlled southern colonies. And so the middle colonies would have this flavorful of religious freedom. And so Delaware, once it became independent in 1704, had that too. Secondly, for a little church history in the state of Delaware or the colony of Delaware, we have Emmanuel Church on the green in Newcastle. This was started by Anglican missionaries, and they built a church that became a rather prominent church in the 1700s and also during the the Revolutionary War era. During Revolutionary times, it was typical for Anglicans to trend more Loyalist. And that was true of the congregation there at Emanuel Church, except for one standout, and that would be George Reed, who would go on to be a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Well, our third moment takes us back to that time when Delaware was actually Swedish. And this is the building of old Swedes Church in 1698. Now, I had mentioned that these colonies were Dutch and then taken over by the English, but they allowed the New Sweden Company in 1638 to found what was called the New Sweden Colony. It was along those lower Delaware river regions. And then in 1655, the Dutch, after some skirmishes with the Swedes, put an end to their independence and took it back over. That only lasted for about five or so years. And then the English came in. But the Swedes still populated that area. And in 1698, they built Old Swedes Church. The building is still standing and it has been in continuous use for church services since the time it was built. And in 1698, Old Swedes Church, of course, was originally Lutheran. Then in the 1850s, it became Episcopalian. Well, those are three things about church history in the Middle Colony of Delaware. And when we come back next week, we will finish off our list of five things. So that's the Middle Colony of Delaware, and I'm Steve Nichols, and thanks for listening to five minutes in church History.