The head of The Episcopal Church, Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe, has drawn national attention after declaring that immigrants, refugees, and transgender individuals are “at the center of the Gospel story.” His remarks, made during a sermon at Washington National Cathedral on Sunday, have sparked both praise and criticism among Christians across the country.

Rowe’s sermon was part of a special service marking his official seating as the leader of the mainline Protestant denomination. Preaching on the biblical account of the infant Jesus being presented at the Temple (Luke 2:22-40), he spoke about how Christ’s ministry flipped societal norms and challenged traditional power structures.

“We struggle with how to make sense of what all that means,” Rowe said. “Because we are beset by the powers and principalities of the world that don’t see it the way Jesus does. We’re told by the kings and the rulers of the day that the rich shall be first.”

The bishop then criticized modern-day political and social divisions, particularly in how society treats migrants and other marginalized groups.

“That, somehow, compassion is weakness. That fealty to political parties—and here, I mean either one or all of them—is somehow paramount. That differences of race, class, gender identity, human sexuality are all divisions that must somehow separate us. And that we should regard migrants and strangers and those among us whom we don’t understand with fear and contempt.”

He went on to assert that such divisions are not of God. Instead, he argued that those historically placed on the margins—immigrants, refugees, and transgender individuals—are not outcasts in the eyes of Christ but central to the message of the Gospel.

“In God’s Kingdom, immigrants and refugees, transgender people, the poor and the marginalized are not at the edges, fearful and alone. They are at the center of the Gospel story,” Rowe stated, pausing as the congregation erupted into applause.

Rowe also urged Christians to resist the forces of division, emphasizing that spiritual unity must transcend political and ideological differences.

“The enemy is bound and determined to sow division among us, to make us forget who we are and what kingdom we belong to,” he warned.

He then challenged Christians to extend grace to those they disagree with.

“We need to greet with a sign of peace those who voted for the candidate we couldn’t stand and to be in the communion line alongside people who don’t live like us, look like us, or even love like us.”

Rowe’s sermon follows another controversial message delivered at Washington National Cathedral. Last month, Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde made headlines when she used a prayer service attended by President Donald Trump to challenge his stance on marginalized communities directly.

“In the Name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” Budde stated, referencing LGBTQ+ individuals and immigrants. She went on to call for compassion for undocumented workers, stating, “They may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals.”

The sermon prompted a swift response from Trump, who took to his Truth Social account to demand an apology from Budde and the cathedral. Calling the service “boring and uninspiring,” he accused Budde of being a “Radical Left hard-line Trump hater” who politicized a sacred event.

“She brought her church into the world of politics in a very ungracious way,” Trump wrote. “She was nasty in tone and not compelling or smart.”

As debates continue over the role of political and social issues in the church, Rowe’s sermon highlights a growing divide within Christianity. Some argue that his words reflect the heart of Jesus’ ministry, which prioritized the poor, the oppressed, and the outcast. Others contend that his remarks are more reflective of progressive ideology than biblical teaching.

For many believers, the answer may depend on how they interpret Jesus’ words: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)