Finley Peter Dunne, the American humorist and journalist through the persona of Mr. Dooley, a fictional Irish bartender, wrote in one of his newspaper columns, “The newspaper does everything for us. It comforts th’ afflicted, afflicts th’ comfortable.” That could also be said about healthy religious teaching as well.

Recently, a homily delivered by the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of the Washington Diocese, elicited responses of both comfort and affliction. The Rev. Budde began her homily with “a warm welcome to all who have gathered in this house of prayer … gathered this morning to pray for unity as a people and a nation, not for agreement, political or otherwise, but for the kind of unity that fosters community across diversity and division, a unity that serves the common good.”

“Unity is a way of being with one another that encompasses and respects our differences, that enables us in our communities and in the halls of power to genuinely care for one another, even when we disagree.”

Concluding her remarks with a plea for a spirit of mercy for those who fear changes that may be ahead, especially LGBTQ youth and immigrants, the Rev. Budde noted, “Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land. May God grant us the strength and courage to honor the dignity of every human being, to speak the truth to one another in love and walk humbly with each other and our God, for the good of all people, in this nation and the world, amen.”

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The fear many people are feeling is real. And this leader’s personal plea for the president to “have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now” was timely and gently delivered.

Yet a loud and vigorous response across social and broadcast media quickly followed, largely along the lines that it was not appropriate for this religious leader to lecture newly-elected political leaders on their responsibilities in public service. Some elected officials in the audience called for an apology from the Rev. Budde and the Episcopal denomination, one official advocated for the deportation of the Rev. Budde (born in New Jersey), as well as revocation of the church’s tax-exempt status.

And yet, isn’t a minister applying moral principles to current events in a sermon as she speaks from her pulpit the very clearest example of religious freedom? There are certainly circumstances where weighing competing freedoms enters more gray areas, but it is hard to imagine a less nuanced claim of religious freedom than the content of such a lesson delivered in a cathedral.

President Dallin H. Oaks has wisely taught, “We maintain that all citizens should be supportive of religious freedom because religion is uniquely valuable to society. Persons of faith therefore maintain that religious freedom is not just a concern of religious persons.” And Elder D. Todd Christofferson affirmed, “Religious participation in public life is not only part of American history and a constitutionally protected freedom; it’s also good for our nation.”

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Comments

It’s instructive to consider how a different audience received a challenging lesson from a religious leader. I was present in October, 2021, when more than two dozen local and national leaders of the LGBTQ community accepted the invitation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to join a private tour of the newly remodeled Mesa Arizona Temple prior to its rededication. The tour, led by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, prominently featured the vision of eternal marriage and family represented by all temples.

During a question-and-answer period at the end, one of the participants queried why, knowing the very different views of its guests, the hosts had featured this teaching about marriage so prominently. In a humble and gracious response, the apostle said, as I recall, that it would have been disrespectful to these guests to pretend in a face-to-face engagement, and particularly in that sacred setting, that the church’s teachings are anything other than what they are.

While the answer didn’t change minds, the candor and kindness with which it had been delivered was received with equal respect by these LGBTQ leaders.

Regardless of our individual opinions about any of the vexing issues facing our country today, I hope each of us will stand in support of the Rev. Budde’s very appropriate role in expressing her view as a minister of the Christian gospel. Far from inappropriate, it seems timely for voices like hers to remind Americans — leaders and lay people alike — of the importance of applying religious principles of mercy and unity as government officials strive to create and administer policies for the good of the entire nation.

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