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National Prayer Service Falls Prey To Progressive Politics

In what should have been a moment of national unity and spiritual reflection, Tuesday’s National Prayer Service at Washington National Cathedral devolved into a progressive lecture aimed at President Trump. Sitting in the cathedral’s historic pews, I watched an ancient tradition of seeking God’s blessing on our nation transform into a platform for promoting progressive politics.

Since 1933, the National Prayer Service has served as a sacred moment when Americans, regardless of political affiliation, come together to seek divine guidance for our nation’s leadership. Historically, these services have emphasized our shared spiritual heritage and the transcendent truths that unite us. Presidents of both parties have participated in this solemn tradition, recognizing that true national unity must be grounded in something higher than partisan politics.

But Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde took a rather different approach. Instead of offering spiritual wisdom or seeking God’s blessing on our nation, she used the pulpit to deliver pointed political criticism of the president seated before her. Instead of leading our nation towards unity, it only highlighted the divisions. She made the extraordinary claim that Trump’s policies are causing LGBTQ+ children to “fear for their lives” – an unsubstantiated accusation. She suggested that enforcing immigration law is inherently unmerciful, seemingly forgetting that upholding the rule of law is a biblical principle and a presidential duty.

The bishop’s sermon reflected a deeper problem in mainline Protestantism: the substitution of biblical truth with woke ideology. Instead of drawing from Scripture’s rich teachings about justice, mercy, and governmental authority, she presented a secular worldview dressed in religious language. This approach assumes unity comes from embracing current cultural trends rather than timeless divine truth.

True unity cannot be achieved by ignoring our religious particulars or conflating biblical teaching with progressive politics. Real national harmony comes from pursuing truth as revealed by God himself, not from cultural assimilation masquerading as inclusivity. A National Prayer Service should point us toward transcendent truth, not lecture us about contemporary political positions.

What makes this particularly troubling is the missed opportunity. At a time when our nation desperately needs healing, the service could have reminded us of our shared dependence on God’s grace and guidance. Instead of lecturing the president about policies she disagrees with, Bishop Budde could have led us in genuine prayer for wisdom, justice, and mercy in addressing complex national challenges.

The National Prayer Service could have reminded us of our shared dependence on God. Instead, Mariann Budde lectured the president about policies she disagrees with.​

The irony is that while claiming to promote unity, the bishop’s approach deepens our divisions. By conflating progressive politics with the Christian faith, she alienates millions of faithful Americans who have thoughtfully reached different conclusions based on their understanding of constitutional law.

As we move forward as a nation, we must remember that true unity doesn’t require uniform agreement on policy positions. Rather, it requires a shared commitment to seeking truth and pursuing justice with humility and civility. The National Prayer Service should be a moment when we collectively acknowledge our need for divine wisdom, not a platform for promoting partisan perspectives.

Our nation’s founders understood that the free exercise of religion plays an essential role in maintaining a healthy republic. When we reduce religious services to vehicles for highlighting divisive politics, and emphasizing our disagreements, we lose something precious from our national character.

Looking ahead, let us hope that future National Prayer Services return to their proper role: calling our nation to seek God’s wisdom and blessing rather than promoting particular political agendas. In these divided times, we need more than ever to be reminded of the transcendent truths that can unite us across political lines. Only by turning to God’s unchanging truth, not the shifting winds of cultural fashion, can we find the unity our nation so desperately needs.

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