Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s National Prayer Service sermon mischaracterized compassion, promoted chaos, and strayed from biblical truth
As President Trump stepped into office this week, a moment meant for national unity at the National Prayer Service was disrupted by political rhetoric from Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde. Instead of fostering a message of hope and unity, her sermon quickly veered into a divisive critique of the new administration.
“In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives,” Budde claimed during the service.
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She continued, “And the people who pick our crops, clean our office buildings, labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat at restaurants and work the night shifts at hospitals—they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals.”
While prophets are called to speak truth to power, Budde’s remarks fell short in several key ways.
A Misuse of the Prophetic Role
Romans 13 outlines the role of government: to protect its people and enforce justice. It is not unjust for a nation to enforce its immigration laws. Entering a country illegally is, by definition, a crime—and for leaders to condone such actions undermines the rule of law. By equating law enforcement with injustice, Budde’s sermon twisted the biblical concept of justice to fit a political agenda.
President Trump himself responded to her remarks, calling out what he saw as her inappropriate politicization of the sacred moment. “The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard-line Trump hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way,” he said. “She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA. She and her church owe the public an apology.”
Americans Reject Woke Gender Ideology
Budde’s comments on transgender children also struck a nerve with many Americans who are tired of seeing children manipulated and mutilated by radical gender ideologies. The Trump administration has boldly reaffirmed the biblical and biological truth of two genders—male and female—and has pledged to end the indoctrination of children in schools.
Americans have had enough of this woke nonsense. Educators and schools are going to face a reckoning by Trump and by Almighty God for brainwashing children into gender fluidity. It’s disgusting, it’s an outrage, and it’s stopping in our nation.
The Bible teaches that God created humanity male and female (Genesis 1:27), and this truth has stood as the foundation for family and society for millennia. Yet, in recent years, activists have pushed to normalize gender confusion among children, leading to devastating consequences, including irreversible medical treatments and mental health crises.
As parents and faith leaders rise up to protect children from this dangerous ideology, the Church has a responsibility to stand firm on biblical truth. Budde’s attempt to use the pulpit to justify and normalize transgenderism is another reminder of how far the Episcopal Church has strayed from God’s Word.
Questioning Authority
Budde’s controversial sermon also reignited debates about biblical qualifications for church leadership. Prominent voices like Eric Metaxas and Tony Perkins weighed in, pointing to deeper theological issues within the Episcopal Church.
Eric Metaxas tweeted, “A woman can’t be a bishop. Let’s start there. And a Christian cannot believe God makes us ‘gay or lesbian or transgender.’ That is a lie in complete contradiction to what the Bible says. The Episcopal Church turned its back on God decades ago. This ‘sermon’ was proof.”
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, also lamented the state of the American church: “The cause of America’s decline was not what was sitting in the pew but what was standing behind the pulpit. What we heard today was not a prophetic voice from the church, but rather pathetic.”
Mischaracterizing Compassion
While it is true that all men and women are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and have inherent dignity, beauty, and worth—so much so that Jesus shed His blood for them—what Budde presented was a dangerous mischaracterization of compassion. True compassion calls people to righteousness and truth, not to chaos and lawlessness.
By twisting the concept of compassion to justify open borders, gender confusion, and other radical agendas, Budde’s sermon promoted mayhem rather than mercy. Compassion rooted in biblical truth upholds justice, order, and the flourishing of society. What we are witnessing today is not true compassion but a form of moral confusion that leads to destruction.
Americans watched their nation descend into chaos and disorder over the last four years. Today, many are crying out for a return to biblical values that prioritize truth over ideological agendas. Misusing the pulpit to promote unbiblical policies only exacerbates the spiritual and cultural chaos plaguing the nation.
A Time for Unity
The National Prayer Service was intended to bring Americans together in faith and hope as a new administration took office. Instead, Budde’s remarks created more division by injecting politics into the pulpit. This moment serves as a reminder that spiritual leaders should focus on the timeless truths of Scripture, not the fleeting battles of political agendas.
While the Church is called to be a prophetic voice, it must never sacrifice biblical truth for political expediency. For many, Budde’s sermon was a missed opportunity for unity, hope, and genuine faith.
