BISHOP FOLTS’ STATEMENT TO THE CHURCH
January 22, 2025
The command to “Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8) and the words of Jesus, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7), are not words that apply to one political party and not another. Being in a position of power does not make one immune to these words, nor will the Church, like Jesus, ever cringe or shy from speaking these words and living them out.
Jesus spoke the truth and was both praised and reviled for it. Ironically, those who hated him the most were the powerful, who viewed him as a threat. Bishop Mariann Budde of the Diocese of Washington has similarly spoken the truth to one of our country’s secular authorities, facing both commendation and criticism. When we contrast her plea for President Trump to show mercy with Georgia Representative Mike Collins' call to place Bishop Budde on a deportation list, we can ask ourselves: which voice reflects the teachings of Jesus, and which resembles those who demanded his crucifixion?
We, the Episcopal Church in South Dakota, are a community primarily made up of marginalized individuals. We understand what it feels like to seek mercy from those in positions of power and to be ignored in our pleas. We know the desire for justice and the pain of having that justice denied. We have faced criticism for speaking out to those in authority, been discouraged from addressing important topics that impact our shared lives, and have experienced attempts and threats aimed at silencing our voices.
Yet we are still here.
As Bishop, I stand with our clergy in their commitment to applying the words and teachings of Jesus to our shared lives from the pulpit and in their communities, ensuring that love, not hate, prevails. I support Bishop Budde's call for mercy because, when our time comes to stand before Jesus, I assure you, each of us will be praying for the mercy we do not deserve rather than the justice we do deserve.