Recently, The Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde delivered a sermon at the Washington National Cathedral during inauguration week.
With President Trump in attendance, it seemed an opportune time to inspire not only him, but our entire nation.
I listened with great interest as she outlined an emphasis on unity based upon three principles. My hope was that her words would ascend to the heights of truth and promise. Sadly, it was quickly dashed.
While poetic and descriptive, for me, the message rang hollow, especially as she concluded.
In short, Reverend Budde prescribed benchmarks for national unity.
Her first consideration, dignity for all people, seemed an obvious and low hanging fruit rooted in the precepts of our nation’s Constitution where “…all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Few among us would argue with such sentiments.
Second, she spoke of honesty—that to function well as a society our nation must focus on what is true.
Unfortunately, the Right Reverend did not know precisely where truth lies. She pandered to an ecumenical understanding of truth and said that we must speak of it without her ever defining its source. In essence, she preached ideology cloaked as truth. Wrong minded.
Finally, she pleaded for humility.
Underlying this idea, though, was an implicit bias toward illegal immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. She articulated a claim that people in these classifications uniformly fear for their future under the president’s new leadership and that mercy is what is needed not correction.
I am sorry. For the last several years, little “mercy” has been shown to women in sports, in bathrooms, in locker rooms, in societal violence, and in lawlessness. To now seek mercy and humility after exacting immeasurable damage seems like a forced repentance empty of true virtue.
Nevertheless, it is incumbent upon all Christians “to do justly and love mercy”. To do these we must strive.
Still, every minister is charged with speaking what is scripturally true full stop.
When variances are permitted among the clergy, we are left with that which is no truth at all.
Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
Ultimately, getting it right matters more than espousing “Right”.
Kent Simmons is the pastor of Canyon Community Church in Kingman, AZ.
– Pastor Kent Simmons
