Reverend Curry on Meghan, Harry and America

The Royal Wedding Sermon and Theology of Love

• Michael Curry delivered a "fiery" sermon at the May wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, utilizing the biblical text from the Song of Solomon to frame romantic love as a reflection of divine, sacrificial love.
• Curry defined this core Christian message not as sentimental affection, but as a spiritual discipline of "unselfish, sacrificial living" that seeks the welfare of others over self-interest.
• The sermon's style, characterized by American frontier preaching traditions and high energy, contrasted with the typically staid Anglican norms of the Chapel Royal, yet Curry noted the congregation engaged attentively through eye contact rather than vocal affirmation.
• Curry emphasized that the source of the love celebrated at the wedding is God, a realization that transforms human relationships and offers a model for social and political reconciliation.
• The event brought together diverse British and American cultures, including a gospel choir and diverse musical performances, which Curry cited as a tangible sign of love's power to unify divided worlds.

The Episcopal Church and Divisive Social Issues

• The Episcopal Church permits the blessing of same-sex marriages while simultaneously making provisions to respect and honor the integrity of members who disagree with that decision.
• Curry frames this internal pluralism as a necessary model for living in a divided society, asserting that "love overcomes many differences" and that the church must make space for those who hold opposing views.
• The church includes a politically diverse membership of conservative Republicans, liberal Democrats, and independents, challenging the perception of a monolithic progressive bloc.
• Regarding transgender issues, the Episcopal Church upholds the baptized community's unity regardless of identity, citing St. Paul to assert there is "no longer male or female" within Christ, and applies the same rights to LGBTQ+ individuals across the spectrum.
• Curry acknowledges theological friction with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the wider Anglican Communion, noting that the Church of England views the Episcopal Church's timeline on gay marriage as moving "too fast," yet insists on maintaining relationship through disagreement.

Religion, Populism, and the Trump Administration

• Curry described President Donald Trump's "America First" doctrine as a "theological heresy" for contradicting the biblical mandate to love one's neighbor and the foundational American promise of liberty and justice for all.
• A group termed "Reclaiming Jesus," comprising Roman Catholics, mainline Protestants, evangelicals, Republicans, and Democrats, organized prayer vigils to oppose family separation policies at the US-Mexico border.
• These vigils, which included candlelight processions to the White House and visits to detention centers near Texas, were explicitly religious in nature (prayer, scripture, hymns) rather than political protests, though they targeted specific social policies.
• Curry credits this sustained religious pressure, alongside other national efforts, with influencing the government to alter its family separation policy, noting that while the policy did not vanish, the movement had a measurable impact.
• Curry stated he does not judge Trump's soul or intent but firmly opposes the "inhumane" nature of specific policies, including family separations, the lack of condemnation for white supremacy marches, and underfunding of public education.
• Curry expressed a desire for the US to align its actions with the Declaration of Independence's assertion that all people are "endowed by the Creator" with inalienable rights, specifically the right to life and the pursuit of happiness without separation from family.

Historical Context and Global Vision

• As the first African-American presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Curry stated he feels no alienation in historic institutions like Windsor Castle, having grown up navigating majority-white contexts as a minority in the American South.
• Curry rejects the notion of feeling "ghosts" of the slave trade in British or American institutions, arguing instead that his ancestors' history is part of a continuum that requires living in the present to write a new future.
• He cited Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assertion that humanity must choose between "chaos or community," urging a commitment to living as brothers and sisters despite acknowledging the pain of the past.
• Curry outlined a global vision for the church that prioritizes the abolition of poverty, the end of war, and the environmental protection of "God's creation" as central expressions of the way of love.
• Curry declined to speculate on the future of the Royal Family or potential royal baptisms involving the US, deferring to the Church of England's jurisdiction while reiterating that human beings should bring the spirit of sacrificial love to all leadership roles.