Trump reply Bishop wey tell am to 'have mercy' on LGBT pipo and migrants – who be di Bishop?

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde wit US President Donald Trump during di National Prayer Service for Washington National Cathedral on 21 January 2025

Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images

Wetin we call dis foto, President Trump don dismiss di passionate appeal wey Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde make
    • Author, Lebo Diseko
    • Role, BBC World Service global religion correspondent
  • Read am in 5 mins

For many progressive Christians, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde appeal say make President Donald Trump show mercy to LGBTQ+ pipo and migrants during one service wey hold on Tuesday, 21 January for Washington DC na example of Christian leadership at its best.

But to some conservative Christians, her words for di inaugural prayer service for Washington National Cathedral no hold water, as one pastor call am "inappropriate and embarrassing".

President Trump for im reaction on Truth Social, call her "radical left hard-line Trump hater" and e demand for public apology.

For inside her 15-minute sermon, di Episcopal bishop of Washington tok about undocumented and LGBTQ+ pipo wey dey fear wetin di future go hold for dem.

President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice-President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance attend di National Prayer Service for Washington National Cathedral on 21 January 2025

Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images

Wetin we call dis foto, Trump look no show say e dey moved as e listen to Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde. E later tell di press say im no "think say di service good"

Since e assume office, di president don issue a number of executive orders wey include one wey recognise only two genders - male and female.

E also announce new measures wey aim to drastically reduce illegal migration and asylum claims for di US border.

65-yer-old Right Rev Budde, na di spiritual leader for 86 Episcopal congregations for di District of Columbia wey include di city of Washington DC and four counties for Maryland, di state wey surround di city.

She be di first woman to dey dat role, she dey also oversee di ministries of di Washington National Cathedral.

One 2011 Washington Post interview she do shortly after she dey installed as di ninth Bishop of di Episcopal Diocese of Washington bin describe her as "unapologetically liberal".

She bin tok of her support for gay marriage, she call am "a no-brainer". For di predominantly Democratic region, many pipo welcome her progressive views.

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde deliver one sermon during di National Prayer Service for Washington National Cathedral on 21 January 2025

Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images

Wetin we call dis foto, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde ask Trump to show mercy to LGBT pipo and migrants

Di Episcopal church na arguably one of di most liberal of di churches wey make up di global Anglican Communion (one of di world largest global Christian denominations).

On dia website, dem describe themselves as "aspiring to tell and exemplify God love for every human being", wit pipo of "all genders and sexual orientations" wey dey serve as bishops, priests and deacons.

Bishop Budde post on her church website say she be "advocate and organiser in support of justice concerns, wey include racial equity, gun violence prevention, immigration reform, [and] di full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons".

Dis dey very different from di views of many more conservative Christians, in particular di evangelical believers wey form core part of Donald Trump base.

For dem, di increase in LGBTQ+ rights dey in opposition to teachings of di Bible, one perspective wey be like say don already dey shape government policy.

These believers also dey worry say immigration dey put America at risk, dem accuse former President Joe Biden say im policies encourage human trafficking.

Immigrants prepare to dey transported by US Border Patrol agentsafta dem cross di US-Mexico border on 20 January 2025 near Sasabe, Arizona

Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images

Wetin we call dis foto, Trump don dclare border emergency to control di flow of migrants from Mexico

Dis no be di first time wey Bishop Budde and Donald Trump go dey jam.

During im last presidency, she bin para for am sake of one foto wey show as e how hold Bible outside St John Episcopal Church for Washington DC for di middle of George Floyd protests for June 2020.

For one interview at di time, she tok say "everything e say and don do na to cause violence… We need moral leadership, and e don do everything to divide us".

Wetin dey happun for America dey show clash between two competing visions of wetin e mean to be Christian.

Progressives argue say living like Jesus na about being accepting of odas and fighting for social justice.

Many conservatives dey of di view say dia kontri dey di state of moral decline becos dem stop to dey follow God word.

Na conflict wey play out for dis election, as heavyweight evangelical leaders like Franklin Graham call Trump victory "a big win for Christians, for evangelicals".

Perhaps, pipo fit see am clearly for di two statements dem issue on Tuesday. Inside one, di Episcopal church reiterate dia support for migrants, dem tok say "as Christians, our faith dey shaped by di biblical story of pipo wey God led go foreign kontris to escape oppression".

For anoda statement on X, Republican lawmaker Mike Collins say Bishop Budde "di pesin wey give dis sermon suppose dey added to di deportation list".