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The Courage of Her Convictions
I am in awe of Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde
It’s amazing to me how someone who was known only in certain circles, with one moment of bravery that led her to make a world changing speech, is becoming a household name. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde who is a Bishop in the Episcopal Church, in Washington, DC led the National Prayer Service on Tuesday at the National Cathedral. Her words echoed those of Jesus as she implored the newly inaugurated president to “have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.” Her consistent theme was unity and she outlined ways to have it unfold in a country so divided by ideology. She spoke of the innate dignity of all people. Even before she directly addressed him by title, she was clearly speaking to him and the invectives he has spewed over the years, that flies in the face of unity.
She added, “There are gay, lesbian, and transgender people in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives … and the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals.” Her entire sermon can be viewed here. As I watched it, I felt a sense of pride as this ‘sister minister’ shared her heartfelt take on the current state of the world. ( I am an ordained Interfaith Minister) I kept thinking, “I love this woman and want to hug her.” Her soft, gentle style was not bombastic like that of another historical figure, a brother minister, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. but no less powerful and to the point.
I imagine her sitting in her home or office as she penned this iconic sermon. I imagine her questioning if she should address the ‘guest of honor’ directly, knowing what a risk that would be. She had to have known that her words would not be received well. They were not. She had to have known that there would be pushback. There has been, both from him and from his followers. His Truth Social post afterward was not a surprise. He referred to her as a “so-called Bishop,” a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater” and accusing her of bringing “her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way.” True to form, he said that her sermon as “nasty in tone,” “boring” and “uninspiring,” going so far as to demand an apology from her and her church. ‘Nasty’ is a word he pulls out of his heavily laden bag of insults to…
