Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde's sermon at Washington National Cathedral, urging President Trump to exercise mercy, has gone viral. Budde's direct address to Trump and her vocal advocacy for marginalized groups have resonated deeply with many, sparking an outpouring of support both at the cathedral and online.
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde speaks as President Trump sits in attendance at Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 21 in Washington, D.C.Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde
Inside the cathedral, there is a palpable sense of excitement among the thousands of gathered parishioners, with many finding their way into the same chairs that they had only viewed previously in video clips on their phones. With its gothic arches and towering grey stone walls, the world’s sixth-largest cathedral can be an intimidating space, especially for those for whom Sunday Eucharist is a relatively new experience or one that conjures unwelcome memories.
“I’m scared and I’m concerned,” Sue Watkins of Bethesda tells me standing outside of the cathedral. “We need to stand up against all the negative things that Trump is doing.” She wants to act but describes not knowing what to do or how to support those engaged in resistance. She’s not religious, but when she heard Budde’s words, she was moved. “She’s the only one speaking out,” Watkins says. “I just wanted to support the bishop.
She discussed her plans to organize, “to get political, find like-minded constituencies. We have to lobby, we have to show up and debate, all those things we have to do as people of faith, as part of a civic society.” Whether or not they’ll have an effect is another question, one she said is largely out of their control.
When we spoke, Budde described learning how to carefully identify moments for action: “When does the church have a chance to be heard in the cacophony of public voices in a way that might be beneficial, not just because it feels good, not because of ego, but because a line’s been crossed, and if nobody says something that’s really dangerous?”
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