Trump finally got his Thomas Becket moment on Inauguration Day when Bishop Mariann E. Budde looked down on him from the Canterbury Pulpit at the Washington National Cathedral, locked eyes, and said: “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives."
This historic moment was reported in the N.Y. Times: “For everyone watching, the vastness of Washington National Cathedral compressed, in one stunning moment, into a sudden intimacy. And with it, all the existential fights not simply of politics but of morality itself. In a flash, the war over spiritual authority in America burst into a rare public showdown. The Canterbury Pulpit confronted the bully pulpit on the greatest possible stage.” (nytimes.com/2025/01/22/…)
Trump looked away, subsequently “retort[ing] on his social media platform Truth Social, demanding an apology from the ‘so-called Bishop’ and ‘Radical Left hard-line Trump hater,’ did everything but exclaim, “Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?” The next day, among many Trump-loyalist voices raised against her Georgia’s Republican Representative said Budde should be “added to the deportation list.”
In 12th century England, as Archbishop of Canterbury, Becket clashed with King Henry II, was convicted by trial of “contempt for royal authority,” and was subsequently murdered in the Cathedral by four knights loyal to the King. Becket was later canonized as Saint Thomas of Canterbury.
God help us if any harm should befall this saintly woman.
Nobody who takes Trump's side on this is a Christian. And all the people who call themselves Christian who support him should stop right now. Thom's rant calling hiim the antichrist is spot on. I hope she stays safe.
Trump finally got his Thomas Becket moment on Inauguration Day when Bishop Mariann E. Budde looked down on him from the Canterbury Pulpit at the Washington National Cathedral, locked eyes, and said: “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives."
This historic moment was reported in the N.Y. Times: “For everyone watching, the vastness of Washington National Cathedral compressed, in one stunning moment, into a sudden intimacy. And with it, all the existential fights not simply of politics but of morality itself. In a flash, the war over spiritual authority in America burst into a rare public showdown. The Canterbury Pulpit confronted the bully pulpit on the greatest possible stage.” (nytimes.com/2025/01/22/…)
Trump looked away, subsequently “retort[ing] on his social media platform Truth Social, demanding an apology from the ‘so-called Bishop’ and ‘Radical Left hard-line Trump hater,’ did everything but exclaim, “Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?” The next day, among many Trump-loyalist voices raised against her Georgia’s Republican Representative said Budde should be “added to the deportation list.”
In 12th century England, as Archbishop of Canterbury, Becket clashed with King Henry II, was convicted by trial of “contempt for royal authority,” and was subsequently murdered in the Cathedral by four knights loyal to the King. Becket was later canonized as Saint Thomas of Canterbury.
God help us if any harm should befall this saintly woman.
https://davidlsmith.substack.com
Nobody who takes Trump's side on this is a Christian. And all the people who call themselves Christian who support him should stop right now. Thom's rant calling hiim the antichrist is spot on. I hope she stays safe.