Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s Words to President Trump Continue Stirring Controversy

mariann edgar budde
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde. Screengrab from YouTube / @Wfaa8

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Another area of attack is the state of Budde’s own diocese, which has experienced a 42% decline in attendance since her 2011 installation. Rod Dreher, a conservative writer, posted, “While righteous Bishop Budde of Washington preaches at Trump, her own diocese is falling apart, according to an Episcopal laywoman who is in it.”

Dreher linked to a Substack page, which notes that while “there’s nothing inherently wrong with Budde’s political activism,” the bishop lacks a “clear vision” for her own churches. “If even the ‘scared’ immigrants and [LGBTQ people] aren’t coming in search of solace and support, isn’t it time for her to reflect on what she and her churches are truly offering,” the writer asks.

Other Christians Share Support for Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde

On Jan. 27, Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria addressed the controversy during a prayer service. Bedford-Strohm, moderator of the World Council of Churches central committee, said Budde “spoke truth to the power. And what she said was simply the words of the gospel.”

Speaking in Geneva, Bedford-Strohm called Budde’s sermon “historic,” saying it “gave new hope to many people all over the world.” About Trump’s call for Budde to apologize, Bedford-Strohm said, “Nowhere in the world will we apologize for reading the Bible or for preaching the gospel.”

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Bedford-Strohm also compared the “inaugural sermon” of Jesus in Luke 4:14-21 to the second inaugural speech of Trump, which he said addressed “not the common good…but the exclusion of those who are especially vulnerable.”

Last week, theologian and author Trey Ferguson posted, “What is abundantly clear in many of the negative responses to Bishop Budde’s invitation to mercy is that many Christians either do not know Jesus or have simply rejected him. But there is a better way. Today is the day of salvation.”

Dani Treweek, a postdoc theological researcher, posted on Jan. 22, “Dear Complementarian pastors, If you are outraged by Marion Edgar Budde’s comments, be outraged at the substance of what she said… rather than because she said it as an ordained woman. Make it about what it actually is, ok? Sincerely, Your Complementarian sister.”

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Three days later, Treweek posted, “Many of the guys claiming feminism is the root of all evil in the church claim women can’t teach [because] we’re more easily deceived (1 Tim 2:13-14). To be consistent, they ought patiently correct Budde as tragically mistaken rather than scorn her as an intentional heretic.”

‘Holy Post’ Podcast Addresses Bishop Budde’s Sermon

On Jan. 24, Texas Pastor Gabriel Hughes responded to the X account @WokePreacherTV, asking, “Has The Holy Post given a smug, fawning endorsement of Mariann Budde’s sermon yet?” He was referring to “The Holy Post” podcast, created by Phil Vischer of “VeggieTales” fame.

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Stephanie Martin
Stephanie Martin, a freelance writer and editor in Denver, has spent her entire 30-year journalism career in Christian publishing. She loves the Word and words, is a binge reader and grammar nut, and is fanatic (as her family can attest) about Jeopardy! and pro football.

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