Excellent post!!! When something is deemed prophetic, it doesn't mean that it is in keeping with the biblical line of prophets. What I heard was more like virtue signalling more than anything else. The way you can tell how the spirit of the sermon was created in an echo chamber is to listen to the voices of those LGBT and immigrants who have grown tired of being used as tokens for the elite classes. 'They clean our offices so don't touch them' is hardly a humanising approach.
I actually support the bishop, however, I loved this article. It gave me much to think about. I have many concerns about the next 4 years (and maybe beyond). I know I need to stop and take a deep breath. Articles like this help me do that. Thank you.
Yes, go after the excesses of Trump's policies...but why stop there?
So, why didnt she use her prophetic voice to ALSO go after the violent immigrant gangs, the abortions, hollywood immorality, same sex marriages, pre-emptive pardons, in her sermon.
She didnt go after any of these societal sins for reasons only known to her.
This is a great way of putting it. Yesterday I thought about it all day, I believe sometimes you have to call out people, but this didn’t feel right, you put it perfectly.
It was a prayer for God’s mercy regarding *public* decisions from Trump and also disparaging comments by Trump. For the latter, he has publicly disregarded the imago dei in his words about immigrants. This type of rhetoric should be addressed publicly and she did it with gentleness not fiery condemnation. Jesus used far less gentleness when he addressed the Pharisees…publicly.
Yes...I know the feeling. He is gruff...but my point is that he needs people of prayer and ministers around him now more than ever. Jesus never confronted people directly without first establishing a relationship with them. He only made two exceptions: the Pharisee and the demons. But for everyone else, he was first a hand of friendship, then the hard news to repent.
Every person Jesus “established relationship with” all knew, on some level, that they were broken. Trump, on several occasions, has proclaimed that he doesn’t need forgiveness. He and the Pharisees have this in common. Moreover, the worst atrocities occur when the image dei in each person is not honored. Those atrocities almost always begin with harsh, “gruff” words that deny human dignity and worth.
Tone is complicated. But if Trump had been climbing up in a tree, ignoring his dignity, just to see a preacher as a representative of the Lord, I think a lecture would probably have been the wrong response.
On the other hand, when Jesus was invited by another powerful man into his home, his response was so aggressive, so targeted, so patronizing that even the Scribe--not the Pharisee--stood up and said "you have insulted us, too, in what you've said!"
Politics is hard. Especially our current poisoned politics. I don't know what sermon I would have given, were I some clergy speaking before Trump. I imagine I would have been more moderate, like Russell Moore, whom Trump called "a nasty guy with no heart." But I have no confidence that that would be the right choice--certainly none based on the way Jesus, Paul, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and so on spoke to people in power!
I truly appreciate your careful thought on this. And I suppose that many preachers have wondered what they would do in a similar situation.
Two things I am left with, the more I think about it.
1. Sadly, I believe that the door has been firmly shut by the bishop. Trump now realizes that he cannot look to her as a Billy Graham or a presidential counselor. Why? Because she made him the focal point of her message.
When I reflect on the confrontations Jesus had with others in the New Testament, I see they were always rooted in relationship. He never approached people with "turn or burn" language—though I'm not suggesting the bishop did that. Instead, he told parables that caused people to see themselves in the story. Or he extended a hand, asked for a favor, or formed friendships.
The only group he confronted relentlessly was the Pharisees and demons. Let us not assume that Trump is neither of those.
2. And then I think about how I might have made an appeal to the president for the gift of mercy toward others. I can see her making a plea that since he was shown mercy in the attempts on his life, would he please show mercy to those whose lives are being impacted...
And this last part, I would have addressed him publicly, but I think I would have NOT done it in the context of a sermon, but as a special statement and certainly not from the pulpit. Nor as a surprise either.
I appreciate your observations and the thoughtful comments you have offered in response. I have followed the good bishop, her predecessors, and the Episcopal Church for quite a while. My considered opinion is that her homily, delivered before President Trump, his family, and many others was largely political theater.
When one looks at the history of her denomination over the past years of its decline, its characteristic shift in emphasis away from expounding a message focused on Gospel-centered salvation toward one focused on the so-called Social Gospel is very evident. Leadership of the Episcopal Church has often deviated very far Left. Consider the late Bishop John Spong, for only one example.
As a student of Political Theology, I get it. Religious opinion and involvement in the public square is both real and needed. But let's not be confused on what Bishop Budde was about in her homily - it was less about mercy than it was about her using her time on the National Stage to provocatively expound on her specific political agenda.
As an Episcopalian I agree wholeheartedly with you. I am ashamed that she represents our denomination. She didn't pray she lectured to our President. She owes him , his family and the citizen an apology because it was all one sided.
Excellent post!!! When something is deemed prophetic, it doesn't mean that it is in keeping with the biblical line of prophets. What I heard was more like virtue signalling more than anything else. The way you can tell how the spirit of the sermon was created in an echo chamber is to listen to the voices of those LGBT and immigrants who have grown tired of being used as tokens for the elite classes. 'They clean our offices so don't touch them' is hardly a humanising approach.
I agree, it was very condescending
Perhaps a different preacher will be selected for the funeral service of wokeism and a return to sanity.
I actually support the bishop, however, I loved this article. It gave me much to think about. I have many concerns about the next 4 years (and maybe beyond). I know I need to stop and take a deep breath. Articles like this help me do that. Thank you.
Yes, go after the excesses of Trump's policies...but why stop there?
So, why didnt she use her prophetic voice to ALSO go after the violent immigrant gangs, the abortions, hollywood immorality, same sex marriages, pre-emptive pardons, in her sermon.
She didnt go after any of these societal sins for reasons only known to her.
This is a great way of putting it. Yesterday I thought about it all day, I believe sometimes you have to call out people, but this didn’t feel right, you put it perfectly.
Thank you. I appreciate your comment.
It was a prayer for God’s mercy regarding *public* decisions from Trump and also disparaging comments by Trump. For the latter, he has publicly disregarded the imago dei in his words about immigrants. This type of rhetoric should be addressed publicly and she did it with gentleness not fiery condemnation. Jesus used far less gentleness when he addressed the Pharisees…publicly.
Yes...I know the feeling. He is gruff...but my point is that he needs people of prayer and ministers around him now more than ever. Jesus never confronted people directly without first establishing a relationship with them. He only made two exceptions: the Pharisee and the demons. But for everyone else, he was first a hand of friendship, then the hard news to repent.
Every person Jesus “established relationship with” all knew, on some level, that they were broken. Trump, on several occasions, has proclaimed that he doesn’t need forgiveness. He and the Pharisees have this in common. Moreover, the worst atrocities occur when the image dei in each person is not honored. Those atrocities almost always begin with harsh, “gruff” words that deny human dignity and worth.
Tone is complicated. But if Trump had been climbing up in a tree, ignoring his dignity, just to see a preacher as a representative of the Lord, I think a lecture would probably have been the wrong response.
On the other hand, when Jesus was invited by another powerful man into his home, his response was so aggressive, so targeted, so patronizing that even the Scribe--not the Pharisee--stood up and said "you have insulted us, too, in what you've said!"
Politics is hard. Especially our current poisoned politics. I don't know what sermon I would have given, were I some clergy speaking before Trump. I imagine I would have been more moderate, like Russell Moore, whom Trump called "a nasty guy with no heart." But I have no confidence that that would be the right choice--certainly none based on the way Jesus, Paul, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and so on spoke to people in power!
I truly appreciate your careful thought on this. And I suppose that many preachers have wondered what they would do in a similar situation.
Two things I am left with, the more I think about it.
1. Sadly, I believe that the door has been firmly shut by the bishop. Trump now realizes that he cannot look to her as a Billy Graham or a presidential counselor. Why? Because she made him the focal point of her message.
When I reflect on the confrontations Jesus had with others in the New Testament, I see they were always rooted in relationship. He never approached people with "turn or burn" language—though I'm not suggesting the bishop did that. Instead, he told parables that caused people to see themselves in the story. Or he extended a hand, asked for a favor, or formed friendships.
The only group he confronted relentlessly was the Pharisees and demons. Let us not assume that Trump is neither of those.
2. And then I think about how I might have made an appeal to the president for the gift of mercy toward others. I can see her making a plea that since he was shown mercy in the attempts on his life, would he please show mercy to those whose lives are being impacted...
And this last part, I would have addressed him publicly, but I think I would have NOT done it in the context of a sermon, but as a special statement and certainly not from the pulpit. Nor as a surprise either.
Or maybe a better analogy instead of Zaccheus would be John the Baptist and his words to Herod…also done publicly.
I appreciate your observations and the thoughtful comments you have offered in response. I have followed the good bishop, her predecessors, and the Episcopal Church for quite a while. My considered opinion is that her homily, delivered before President Trump, his family, and many others was largely political theater.
When one looks at the history of her denomination over the past years of its decline, its characteristic shift in emphasis away from expounding a message focused on Gospel-centered salvation toward one focused on the so-called Social Gospel is very evident. Leadership of the Episcopal Church has often deviated very far Left. Consider the late Bishop John Spong, for only one example.
As a student of Political Theology, I get it. Religious opinion and involvement in the public square is both real and needed. But let's not be confused on what Bishop Budde was about in her homily - it was less about mercy than it was about her using her time on the National Stage to provocatively expound on her specific political agenda.
I was in TEC for decades. In total agreement.
I would not call this person a “Bishop”. There is mercy and there is also repentance.
As an Episcopalian I agree wholeheartedly with you. I am ashamed that she represents our denomination. She didn't pray she lectured to our President. She owes him , his family and the citizen an apology because it was all one sided.