Easter services Sunday around Baltimore touched on both the heartbreak of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and the political sniping that followed.
Congregations near the foot of the bridge gave thanks that fast-acting officers prevented the death toll from going any higher after a malfunctioning cargo ship took out one of the bridge’s support pillars last week.
Authorities confirmed that at least two people were killed in the collapse, though as many as four more are feared dead.
Faith leaders used their pulpits to defend Brandon Scott, the 39-year-old Black mayor of Baltimore who has been thrust into the spotlight and has been derided by some as an unqualified “diversity” politician.
Pastor Robert Turner of the Empowerment Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church told his congregation that according to Jesus, diversity was a strength, not a weakness.
“Jesus didn’t have any special people he preached to — he preached to all,” Pastor Robert Turner preached at the Empowerment Temple African Methodist Episcopal. “The gospel, by its very nature, is sent out to the world.”
Mr. Turner gave examples of Jesus’ love of diversity to drill the point home — Jesus loves gangsters as much as deacons and “praises dancers as much as the pole dancers.”
Jesus embodied equity by refusing to give everyone the same amount of grace, and instead “only gives us what we need.” For inclusion, the pastor said all were welcome in the kingdom of heaven.
The sermon was answered by a chorus of “amens” from the packed church in Baltimore‘s northwest corner, though Mr. Turner understood his message was provocative given the politically charged nature of the term “DEI” — diversity, equity and inclusion.
“It’s done to take back a phrase that was meant for good, but has recently become a bad word,” Mr. Turner told The Washington Times after the service. “To take back ownership and to show the world that our savior is truly a ‘DEI savior.’ That was intentional,” he said.
Diversity, equity and inclusion became part of cultural and corporate shorthand since George Floyd, a Black man, was killed by police in 2020. Critics have accused DEI of being a covert way for liberals to push left-wing causes.
Some journalists, for example, have suggested the Key Bridge should be renamed once the new structure is erected.
Their reason for knocking Francis Scott Key’s name off the bridge includes his history of owning slaves. He is also thought to have mocked slaves who fought for the British during the War of 1812 in his poem that later became the “Star-Spangled Banner.”
Mr. Turner’s sermon focused more on another popular DEI criticism — that it’s a form of favoritism for people of color, and often at the expense of competency.
The pastor blamed social media “trolls” for referring to Mr. Scott as a “DEI mayor.”
The Baltimore mayor addressed the critics during a Sunday appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
“Listen, I am a young Black man and young Black mayor in this country. We know that there [is] a lot of racism, folks who don’t think I should be in this job,” Mr. Scott said, before turning his attention to the bridge collapse victims. “But my focus is always going to be on those people. I didn’t want to be out there that night answering questions about DEI. I’m worried about the loss of life.”
Gratitude for being saved from the bridge collapse was part of the sermon at Mount Olive Baptist Church.
The house of worship based in Dundalk’s Turner Station neighborhood — right at the eastern base of the Key Bridge — weighed heavily on the mind of Senior Pastor Elder Rashad A. Singletary.
“I’m just thinking about how many of us take that bridge from church to home, from Turner Station to work,” Mr. Singletary told the congregation. “Neighbor, I’m so glad I’m still here.”
Mount Olive was the same church where Mr. Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski spoke during a vigil Tuesday evening, hours after the cargo ship Dali lost power and crashed into the bridge.
At the time, authorities said at least six members of a construction crew filling potholes on the span were missing. Two survivors were found shortly after the bridge was toppled around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, while the bodies of another two were found inside a pickup truck a day later.
Officials believe the bodies of the remaining four construction workers are inside the bridge’s wreckage.
Massive barges carrying cranes — including the largest on the Eastern Seaboard — arrived at the Patapsco River to begin excavating the large, tangled metal.
Baltimore’s economy is dependent on the barges to clear the channel. Traffic in and out of the port is suspended due to the steel remains, leaving thousands of workers in limbo as they wait for activity to resume.
Mr. Turner, at Empowerment Temple, was helping raise money for two parishioners who work at the docks and are affected by the stoppage.
Days earlier, leaders at the Union Church loaded up vans with Chick-fil-A sandwiches to give out to first responders working by the bridge.
The giving spirit seemed to motivate more churchgoers to attend Easter services at the Glen Burnie-based house of worship.
The Union Church filled not only its main hall but had three jam-packed overflow rooms in the building.
Two parishioners told The Times separately that the crowds were exceptionally large for the early 8:30 a.m. service, even on Easter.
One of the parishioners, who asked not to be named, said that “it’s good to have everyone come together after there was so much grief during the week.”
During Holy Saturday celebrations at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, some congregants kept the families of the construction crew in mind.
“I don’t think you need a tragedy to go church and pray, especially on Easter Sunday, but everyone just has their families on their mind,” said J.P. Dahda, who was with his daughter Cameron. It’s gotta be sad for other people not having their families.”
• Susan Ferrechio contributed to this report