Bishop Budde Doesn’t Let Trump Supporters Get to Her

The walking beacon of hope Bishop Budde has faced continued backlash because of her sermon at the National Prayer Service, but she met the anger with continued compassion. Budde pleaded to Trump last month to have mercy on queer people, trans kids, and immigrants. Following the prayer service, Trump posted to Truth Social, saying “she was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart.”

Trump’s comments gave his supporters the green light to dogpile on the bishop. Matt Walsh of The Daily Wire said she was “exhibit A for why women should not be pastors, priests, or bishops.” Calvin Robinson, a notable conservative commentator and pundit, claims that Budde’s position in the Church went against church law and that “a woman should be silent in church.” Robinson fails to acknowledge that the Episcopal Church has allowed for women in spiritual leadership since 1989. Even more conservative talking heads called her sermon heretical and insinuated Budde was an actor for Satan. These are among the stand outs in a mire of death threats and threats to her person.

Bishop Budde, however, held her head high in the face of the backlash. She appeared on The Rachel Maddow Show to defend her sermon. She said on the topic of moral guidance, Budde says Christian leaders ought to lead by example. “To take the teaching of our faith, to welcome the stranger, to love as we’ve been loved. to be compassionate, and to live that out with real terms with real people.” She says it is a moral imperative to speak up even when scared, even when she is not brave, and even when people threaten her.

In direct response to the threats against her, she says: “You can certainly disagree with me. You can disagree with what I did or said. But could we, as Americans and fellow children of God, speak to one another with respect?” Budde spoke to Trump with that respect, and the response from him and his base speaks volumes to their own views on who gets God’s love.