Autumn Lecture Series 2025: Here I stand with Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde

(Sunday 14th September 2025)

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Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde is the first woman to serve as the Bishop of Washington, leading the Episcopal Diocese of Washington since 2011. Before this role, she served for 18 years as Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Minneapolis. Mariann Budde has shown great courage in speaking truth to power believing Jesus calls all who follow him to strive for justice and peace, and to respect the dignity of every human being. Bishop Budde is an advocate and organiser in support of justice concerns, including racial equity, gun violence prevention, immigration reform, the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons, and the care of creation. 

She gained significant public attention for her address during a post-inauguration prayer service for President Donald Trump. During her sermon, she directly appealed to President Trump to ‘have mercy’ on vulnerable populations, specifically mentioning immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. This plea garnered both praise for its courage and criticism from Trump and his supporters. Bishop Budde stood by her message, stating she would not apologise for advocating for compassion. 

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