In God we trust. Messianic politicians and self-aggrandizing preachers not so much. The overlay of religion and politics has been unavoidable as President Trump takes office. The President’s inaugural claim that God spared his life to make America great again sets the stage for a power grab that goes way beyond his constitutional authority.
But moral chauvinism around the inauguration was not restricted to the incoming President and his adoring inaugural prayer leaders. There was some religious mission creep and attention-grabbing displayed at the traditional prayer breakfast by a minister who once served in Toledo. (“D.C. bishop got start at Toledo church,” Thursday.)
The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, turned her sermon during an inaugural service at the Washington National Cathedral into a confrontation with President Trump by urging him to “have mercy” on people suddenly feeling targeted by Trump’s immigration and transgender policies.
Bishop Budde was the assistant rector at Trinity Episcopal Church on Adams Street in Toledo from 1989 to 1993. While it’s usually nice to see a Toledo connection to national events, we could live without any links to a hijacked prayer service turned into political policy lecture.
Not surprisingly, President Trump took personal offense.
He insulted Bishop Budde as boring, said she’s not good at her job, and called for an apology to the public. Trump failed to be gracious in his ugly reaction to Bishop Budde.
Of course, this added fuel to her fiery remarks and prompted the national media to scurry to secure interviews, which the right reverend was happy to oblige.
If Bishop Budde’s goal was to attract personal attention as a political opponent of the President — and that’s the best explanation for her sermon — she achieved her end.
But inaugural prayer services that spark political controversy and stoke anger are about the last thing the country needs.
Both Donald Trump and Mariann Edgar Budde believe God is talking to them and they are relaying sacred messages to us.
In reality they are both perverting the political process by making compromise into a moral failure. When we think God is directing specific policy positions as opposed to providing wisdom, empathy, and unity, the environment for a fight to the finish on every issue has been established.
Presidents should be open to enlightenment from religious leaders who don’t entirely agree with them, and ministers in an ecumenical church service should avoid calling out specific people in the congregation for their personal critiques.
First Published January 26, 2025, 5:00 a.m.