RNS:
Budde interspersed her roughly 100-word prerecorded benediction with homages to prominent religious figures of the past such as Protestant minister and peace activist William Sloane Coffin, civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. and the late Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis.
She began by citing a quote from Coffin, saying, “May God give you the grace never to sell yourself short, grace to do something big for something good, grace to remember that the world is too dangerous now for anything but truth, and too small for anything but love.”
She then called for the “blessing of God, the source of all goodness, truth and love,” to “inspire us all to realize Dr. King’s dream of the ‘beloved community,’ Congressman Lewis’ dream of a ‘just society’ (and) President Lincoln’s dream of ‘a more perfect union’ in this country, in our time.”
Bishop Budde borrows her benediction from William Sloane Coffin. #DemConvention pic.twitter.com/EyFXbpK9OK
— Religion News Service (@RNS) August 19, 2020
More from RNS:
Budde [told RNS] she drew a line when Democratic Party officials — and some in her own circle — suggested she film her Democratic convention prayer in front of St. John’s, explaining that her prayer is neither an endorsement nor partisan.
“I would have prayed the exact same prayer at the Republican National Convention if they asked me,” she said.