Minister at Royal Wedding Gets Twitter Fired Up

One royal wedding speaker stole the show on May 19 according to Twitter.

The wedding was a simple yet elegant celebration of the love between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. They made their commitment public and permanent in front of 600 guests in St. George’s Chapel, while thousands more watched from outside in Windsor Town.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiated the ceremony, though one other speaker joined him. Michael Curry is an American Bishop from Chicago. He delivered an impassioned speech focusing on the power of love.

“There’s power in love, don’t underestimate it,” he said in a speech that was perceived as a serious break from tradition. Reverend Curry was the first black presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, which Markle was brought up in as a child. She invited him to speak according to a report by The BBC, and she sat brimming with joy as he did so.

Other guests, including David Beckham and the Duchess of Cornwall, smiled while Curry spoke, and many people were transfixed by his words.

On Twitter, the reaction was split. Most viewers were either elated by his performance, or completely unimpressed.

“This pastor has gotta he an actor!” wrote one viewer. “That was amazing!!! I need to attend his church #RoyalWedding”.

“Bishop Curry just did that!!!” wrote another, along with an appropriate Bernie Mac GIF.

“I need Bishop Michael in my life,” marvelled a follower. “He can come and deliver uplifting sermons at opportune moments. #royalwedding #MeghanAndHarry”.

“Rev. Curry said we WILL have church up in here today!” joked another viewer.

Of course, there were some on Twitter who felt that Curry’s speech was out of place or over the top.

“Pastor: imma sit down because we gotta get y’all married,” joked one person. “Pastor: *rants on about love and god some more* #royalwedding”.

“Look at peoples faces when he starts talking about fire, airplanes, carriages, and automobiles,” wrote another with a laughing emoji. “Well at first he said car then switched to automobiles”.

Curry addressed the audience as “brothers and sisters.” He gave an emotive sermon on love, interspersed with themes of fire and power.

“When love is the way, we will let justice roll down like a mighty stream and righteousness like an ever-flowing brook,” he said. “When love is the way, poverty will become history. When love is the way, the Earth will be a sanctuary.”

Curry also quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and referenced the African-American spiritual “Down by the Riverside,” reminding the audience that it was sung by slaves.
In addition to Curry’s speech, the wedding included a predominately black chorus singing “Stand By Me.”