Stand Up and be Counted

As the Service of Thanksgiving as part of the Inauguration of Donald Trump as president of the USA, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, courteously and bravely spoke ‘truth to power’. From the pulpit she pleaded with the new president to have mercy, mercy for the weak and powerless in society. She particularly singled out immigrants and members of the LGBT community. Her sermon was full of grace and compassion. She did not berate or challenge the president or call for civil disobedience against his policies. She simply pleaded with him to show compassion on the voiceless in society (Click on the link below to hear what she said).

Responses to her address were widespread and perhaps unsurprising in a divided and divisive society where a large percentage of the population have turned Donald Trump into a demi-God, someone who is beyond criticism or challenge. Even some who claim to be Christians fall into this category. There are of course many both across the USA and internationally who applaud what Bishop Mariann has done but at, least in the US, the death threats, demands for her deportation, exhortations for her to be dismissed from her post and so on have drowned these out.

As Christians we should be prepared to emulate Bishop Mariann in our own situations. We may not have the ear of a president or access to worldwide media coverage but there is much going on in our own communities which ‘The Church’, irrespective of denomination or tradition should be challenging. “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first’. (John 15:18). Who is ‘The Church’? It is all of us who claim to be Christian, not just those in leadership positions. Even our own leaders should not be considered as ‘no go areas’. Paul the apostle challenged Peter, the one whom Jesus had declared to be the rock on which the church would be built (Galatians 2: 11-13). If Peter was not exempt from criticism why should our leaders be?