Should we pray for President Donald Trump?
By Phil Ashey, AAC:
O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world: We commend this nation to your merciful care, that, being guided by your Providence, we may dwell secure in your peace. Grant to the President of the United States, the Governor of this State, and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do your will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve this people in your fear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer 1979, p. 820)
I was distressed to read this week the decision of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, CA (TEC Diocese of Los Angeles) to suspend prayers for the President by name during Sunday morning worship. Here is the reason they gave:
“Members of Pasadena’s All Saints Episcopal Church have removed the proper names from their prayers for “people in authority” because praying for President-Elect Donald Trump by name might cause trauma to some people, its Rector said. “We are in a unique situation in my lifetime where we have a president elect whose name is literally a trauma trigger to some people – particularly women and people who, because of his words and actions, he represents an active danger to health and safety,” All Saints Church Rector Mike Kinman said in the church blog last week. “Whereas before we prayed for ‘Barack, our president,’ we are now praying for ‘our president, our president-elect, and all others in authority.’ This practice will continue for at least the near future,” Kinman wrote.”
You can read more about it here.
Really?
Even the Rector of All Saints Episcopal admits that he “doesn’t have enough data to make an informed decision” on this unprecedented omission from the Sunday morning prayers of the people. He is doing it out of “fear of traumatizing worshipers.”
Read also: Is Donald Trump the Christian President? by David Robertson, theweeflea
Watch: Don’t say that name, Anglican Unscripted
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