Like many Christian pastors across the country, the Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, gave a Christmas Eve sermon about Jesus’s plight as a refugee searching for safe haven and our collective obligation to help those fleeing from danger. While Bishop Budde wrote the sermon in advance, her message was heard first-hand by the person most responsible for redefining US policy towards refugees fleeing to the United States. President Trump was sitting in the front row at Washington National Cathedral as Bishop Budde spoke about the cruelty of turning away those in need of protection. This week, State of Belief host Rev. Welton Gaddy will speak with Bishop Budde about her sermon, the pressure of speaking about policy in front of the policymakers, and the ways in which biblical teachings can be used to justify both love and hatred of the stranger.
Hear the full January 5, 2019 State of Belief Radio program here.