Stephanie Russell-Craft in "Mister Rogers and the Reformation of Tom Junod" (Columbia Journalism Review, Feb 2020) shares insights from Mr Junod about Fred Rogers:

Fred made me think about: Is God good? Does God love us? Is love the basis of creation?

Fred's answer to all three was a resounding yes, and he lived by that answer.

I was not so certain and am not so certain now. But Fred made me realize that if love can be at the center of human interactions—and there's no doubt it can be, because he proved it—then the possibility that there's not only a moral arc to the universe, but a loving one, is not as far-fetched.

... and ...

Fred showed me a lot of different things about religious practice. He definitely figured out a secular language for spiritual matters. That whole "you are special" thing—I look back on it now and it's very much a religious sentiment that he managed to couch in not just secular but childlike tropes.

Also, Fred was very Protestant. He was a Presbyterian minister. His relationship with God required no intermediaries. Fred's prayer was very direct.

(cf Face to Face with God (2001-11-13), 2018-09-10 - Thank You, Mr Rogers, Mr Rogers Asks (2019-11-18), Present in Every Moment (2019-11-25), Goodness Is Interesting (2020-03-07), ...) - ^z - 2020-03-25