It's Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025.

I'm Albert Mueller, and this is the briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.

Since the 1933 inauguration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt as president of the United States,

it has been traditional for a

service of prayer to be held in connection with a presidential inauguration. It's basically

taken place every inaugural ceremony since 1933, and more often than not, it has taken place

in what is known as the National Cathedral. That service

took place yesterday, and in attendance was the President of the United States, along with

Mrs. Trump, and the Vice President of the United States, along with Mrs. Vance, members of

Congress, including the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, and many others. It was not

a public service in terms of being

open to the public. But by now, many among the public know that in the service yesterday, the

Episcopal Bishop of Washington, D.C., directly addressed the new president, and did so with

words of appeal and judgment. Many on the left will simply refer to this in the

language of the 60s as speaking truth to power. But what we actually witness there is liberal,

very liberal Episcopalianism running into a headlong collision with President Trump and the Trump

administration.

And as you look at what the bishop had to say, you recognize, it was all very calculated.

Bishop Buddy said to the president, quote, in the name of God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. She spoke of migrants, she said, particularly children, quote, who fear that their parents will be taken away.

She also asked the president to consider, quote, the gay, lesbian, transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives, end quote.

It was theatrical language, but it was intended to be

theater. Now, let's just look at the background of what in the world is going on here. First of all,

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