US bishop Michael Curry raises eyebrows at the royal wedding

US bishop Michael Curry raises eyebrows at the royal wedding



A US bishop stole the show with his fiery address at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.



The Most Reverend Michael Curry has been praised for his passionate speech which touched upon slavery, the Old Testament and even quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.



Many of social media were delighted to see the American reverend 'shake up' the traditional royal proceedings.



The preacher also provoked a few chuckles in the chapel - and even Harry and Meghan couldn't help but giggle at one point.



Meanwhile Prince William seemed to be desperately trying to hold back a fit of laughter as Rev. Curry talked about how 'fire made it possible to text and tweet'.



Camilla and Kate shared a look of bemusement as the reverend continued his sermon.



'We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love, and when we do that, we will make of this old world, a new world,' he quoted Dr. King.



'Don't under estimate it,' he announced.



Meghan, holding hands with Prince Harry, smiled as she listened to Curry talk about how: 'Two young people fell in love, and we showed up.'



Rev. Curry even mentioned slavery in his wedding speech.



'I'm talking about some power, real power, power to change the world,' he said of the 'power of love.'





'If you don't believe me there were some old slaves in America's south who explained the power of love.



'They sang a spiritual even in the midst of their captivity. It's the one that says there's a balm in Gilead, a healing balm... to make the wounded whole.'



'Love is as strong as death.'



Many on social media were quick to praise Rev. Curry's unusual speech.



'I will write three thousand words on why Rev Michael Curry is the best thing to ever happen to The Royal Family, get in touch,' Dolly H Alderton tweeted.



While DailyMail.com editor-at-large Piers Morgan tweeted: 'Love this guy.' 



Others were pleased that Rev. Curry had brought up such a controversial subject at the wedding.



Andrea L. Pino tweeted: 'Rev Michael Curry is talking about slaves finding love in the South in the face of the Queen of England. This is moment is hundreds of years in the making. #RoyalWedding.'



'A BLACK CHOIR SONGING STAND BY ME? AFTER REV CURRY's WORD?!? BLACKITY BLACK BLACK #RoyalWedding,' added Freshy-Marie, Esq.



Rev. Curry also spoke about loving one's neighbor so that 'poverty will become history' and said that 'when love is the way, the Earth is a sanctuary.'



'There's plenty there's of room for all God's children if we actually treat each other like we are actually family.'



Rev. Curry even threw in a mention of Old Solomon and the fire of the Old Testament.



Keeping on the theme of fire, he discussed human's ability to harness fire which gave us everything from the Bronze Age right through to the ability to 'text, tweet, email, and otherwise socially engage one another due to fire.'



The reverend brought his address to an end by once again quoting Dr. King, before finally admitting that the sermon had gone on for a little longer than expected.



'With that, I got to sit down, we got to get you all married,' he said, to laughter from the crowd. 



Rev. Curry has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, who was not invited.



The bishop has previously announced plans to march in Washington D.C. and denounced the US president's leadership as 'dangerous' and a 'crisis of moral and political leadership'.



Bishop Curry publicly criticised Trump as recently as last week, in a letter which was signed by a further 22 other Christian leaders.



The letter read: 'We reject the resurgence of white nationalism and racism in our nation on many fronts, including the highest levels of ­political leadership.' 



Rev Curry, from Chicago, has previously backed gay marriage and transgender rights and is the 27th presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church.



The Episcopal Church is an offshoot of the Church of England in the US and forms part of the broader Anglican Communion worldwide.



Ms Markle was baptised by the Most Rev Justin Welby ahead of her wedding to the prince, whose grandmother, the Queen, is head of the Anglican Church.





Bishop Curry said: 'The love that has brought and will bind Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle together has its source and origin in God, and is the key to life and happiness.



'And so we celebrate and pray for them today.'



He is the first African-American bishop to have served as the Episcopal Church's presiding bishop, a role he has held since November 2015.



Last year, Revend Curry also criticised Trump's decision to revoke the right of transgender people to serve in the US military.



Rev Curry said: 'Discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation is a violation of the fundamental ideal of equality in America.'