Gay Bishop-Elect Wins 1st of 2 Last Votes

[BabyPhat21]

Gay Bishop-Elect Wins 1st of 2 Last Votes
By RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion Writer

MINNEAPOLIS - A New Hampshire clergyman moved a step closer Sunday to becoming the first openly gay elected bishop in the Episcopal Church, winning one of two final votes required to be confirmed.

The House of Deputies, a legislative body composed of clergy and lay people, voted to approve the Rev. V. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire. He faces a final vote Monday in the House of Bishops.

The House of Deputies voted by delegation, with 128 delegations voting yes and 63 voting no. The votes of 25 delegations were not counted because their members were divided.

The American Anglican Council, which represents conservative bishops and parishes, said it was "deeply grieved" by the results.

"It is a tragic decision that leads the Episcopal Church to the brink of shattering the Anglican Communion," the council said in a statement. Episcopalians form the U.S. branch of the 77-million-member communion.

Robinson, a 56-year-old divorced father of two, has lived with his partner, Mark Andrew, for 13 years. If he is confirmed at this week's Episcopal General Convention, it will have an impact far beyond his diocese.

Bishops who believe gay sex is a sin contend that allowing him to serve is a tacit endorsement of ordaining homosexuals. These conservatives said it would force them to consider leaving the church, weakening the denomination and sparking a bitter fight over parish property and funds.

Like-minded bishops in the Anglican Communion have said they, too, would consider severing ties with the American church over Robinson.

But liberals said the threat has been exaggerated, and note that many conservatives had pledged to break ties before over issues such as ordaining women but did not follow through.

Robinson was elected by his diocese in June, but the church requires that a majority of convention delegates ratify his election. It is rare for the General Convention to reject a diocese's choice of bishop.

The vote by the House of Deputies, representing dioceses nationwide, came after about an hour of emotional but polite debate.

Bonnie Anderson, a parishioner from the Diocese of Michigan, said deputies should not be swayed by warnings about a potential split in the church.

"You may be afraid — afraid of schism and afraid it will hurt your church budget. Don't be afraid," she said. "The power behind you and within you is far greater than the resistance before you."

George Marshall, a parishioner from the Diocese of Albany, N.Y., said confirming Robinson would send a damaging message that Episcopalians are guided by shifting cultural attitudes, not by Scripture.

"It will prove once again that our church doesn't have the confidence to proclaim the Gospel," Marshall said. "Do not do this thing."

A chaplain led the deputies in prayer before their vote. The president of the legislative body had asked them to remain quiet when the results were announced and they complied.

Robinson has served as assistant to the retiring New Hampshire bishop. He has repeatedly rejected calls from opponents to withdraw his candidacy to prevent a breakup of the church, as a gay clergyman in England did recently.

A final vote in favor of Robinson could build momentum for approving blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples, Episcopalians on both sides of the issue say. A decision on the proposed ceremony is expected later in the meeting, which runs through Friday.

 

[VamPyroX]

O... M... G... ! First, they say that it's against the Bible to be gay. Now, they let in a gay Bishop!?

 

[BabyPhat21]

Talk of Misconduct Delays Gay Bishop Vote
By RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion Writer

MINNEAPOLIS - Plans by Episcopal leaders to vote on confirming the church's first openly gay elected bishop were thrown into turmoil Monday when allegations emerged that he inappropriately touched a man and was affiliated with a youth Web site that had a link to pornography.

Episcopalians Delay Vote on Gay Bishop
Episcopal Church Body Approves First Openly Gay Bishop

Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, head of the Episcopal Church, released a statement announcing the delay as debate was about to start on whether to confirm the Rev. V. Gene Robinson as New Hampshire's bishop.

"Questions have been raised and brought to my attention regarding the bishop-elect of the Diocese of New Hampshire," Griswold said.

Griswold said Robinson, with current New Hampshire Bishop Douglas Theuner and representatives of his diocese, decided together "that a thorough investigation be undertaken before we proceed."

Mike Barwell, a spokesman for Robinson, did not respond to repeated requests for comment. But Robinson's diocese issued a statement expressing "continued confidence" in him.

Jim Solheim, a national church spokesman, said the investigation was launched quickly.

"Churches are very sensitive to these issues. When charges are made against a priest of the church, it does trigger an almost automatic process," he said.

The allegations of inappropriate touching were e-mailed Sunday to Bishop Thomas Ely of Vermont, who was asked in the message not to consent to Robinson's election, Episcopal News Service reported. In the e-mail, a man who identified himself as David Lewis from Manchester, Vt., said Robinson "does not maintain appropriate boundaries with men."

Solheim said "some of the bishops have talked to the accuser" about the allegations.

Lewis wrote in the e-mail that he met Robinson at a church event "a couple of years ago" and "he put his hands on me inappropriately every time I engaged him in conversation."

Seth Bongartz, a lawyer in Manchester, said he knew Lewis "fairly well" and said he is married with two children and apparently training to become an Episcopal priest.

State Rep. Judy Livingston said she also knew Lewis and his wife, and described him as "very intelligent," adding: "He is not the person who would made make wild accusations."

Theuner said in a statement that the church's investigation would also include scrutiny of separate concerns raised about Robinson's "relationship to a Web site of outright.org," a secular outreach program for gay and bisexual youth that Robinson helped found.

Bishops learned of the porn link claim from David Virtue, a conservative Anglican activist and writer who has been among the harshest critics of Robinson and of Episcopal gay activists. Virtue said a bishop whom he would not identify alerted him to the link.

Outright issued a statement Monday saying the organization was not aware of the link and objected to it.

Mo Baxley, a member of Concord, N.H., Outright's board of directors, said Robinson hasn't been involved with the group for several years and had no role in developing its Web page.

The link is on an unaffiliated site that had resources for gay youth, Baxley said. That page provided resources for bisexuals that, a few links away, provided access to porn.

Solheim said he did not know how long the investigation would take or if a vote on Robinson would take place before the church's national meeting ends on Friday. Bishop Gordon Scruton of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts was named to lead the investigation.

Church lawyers were researching whether the bishops could vote after the convention by mail, or call a special session later to conduct the balloting, Solheim said. "There is no precedent for this," he said.

Robyn Cotton, an Episcopalian in Concord, N.H., and a supporter of Robinson, called the allegations "preposterous."

"This is horrible. It's character assassination," Cotton said.

Robinson, a 56-year-old divorced father of two, has been attending the convention with his daughter and partner of 13 years, Mark Andrew.

Robinson was elected by his diocese in June, but the church requires that a majority of convention delegates ratify his election.

On Sunday, the House of Deputies, a legislative body comprised of clergy and lay people from dioceses nationwide, approved Robinson by a 2-to-1 margin; a committee endorsed him by secret ballot Friday.

The final vote he needed was in the House of Bishops, which represents bishops from around the country.

Robinson's chances were unclear. It is rare for the General Convention to reject a diocese's choice of bishops, but the denomination has been deeply divided for decades over homosexuality.

The American Anglican Council, which represents conservative bishops and parishes, plans a meeting in October to decide whether to break away from the church or take some other action if Robinson is seated.

Like-minded bishops in the Anglican Communion, the 77-million-member global association that includes the Episcopal Church, said they, too, will consider severing ties with the denomination if Robinson wins.

Robinson has rejected calls from conservatives that he withdraw from consideration to prevent a breakup of the church, as a gay clergyman did recently in England.

Canon David Anderson, president of the American Anglican Council, said he still hoped Robinson would be rejected, but not because of the allegations.

 

[BabyPhat21]

Episcopalians Approve First Gay Bishop
By RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion Writer

MINNEAPOLIS - Episcopal leaders voted to approve the election of their first openly gay bishop, risking a possible exodus of conservatives who said their grief over the decision was "too deep for words."

The Episcopal General Convention on Tuesday took the final vote needed to confirm the Rev. V. Gene Robinson as bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire.


The vote had been scheduled Monday, but was delayed after last-minute misconduct allegations emerged. Robinson was cleared just before Tuesday's vote.


Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, head of the church, said the vote places "squarely before us the question of how a community can live in the tension of disagreement."


With his daughter, Ella, and his partner of 13 years, Mark Andrew, watching nearby, Robinson expressed his love for the church.


"God has once again brought an Easter out of Good Friday," he said.


But Robinson acknowledged that many in the church would be upset by the decision, saying, "That is the only thing that makes this not a completely joyous day for me."


Griswold said the bishops voted 62-45 to confirm Robinson's election. Two bishops abstained, but their ballots under church rules were counted as "no" votes.


Immediately after results were announced, more than a dozen conservative bishops walked to the podium of the House of Bishops, surrounding Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan who read a statement saying he and the others felt "grief too deep for words."


Some convention delegates who opposed Robinson left the meeting in tears.


"This body willfully confirming the election of a person sexually active outside of holy matrimony has departed from the historic faith and order of the Church of Jesus Christ," Duncan said. "This body has divided itself from millions of Anglican Christians around the world."


The Episcopal Church, with 2.3 million members, is the U.S. branch of the 77 million-member global Anglican Communion. American conservatives and like-minded overseas bishops who represent millions of parishioners have said confirming Robinson would force them to consider breaking away from the denomination.


The American Anglican Council, which represents conservative Episcopalians, planned a meeting in Plano, Texas, in October to decide their next move.


The leader of the Anglican Church of West Malaysia, Bishop Lim Cheng Ean, issued a statement affirming its opposition to homosexuality despite Robinson's confirmation. But the head of Australia's Anglican Church, Primate Peter Carnley, considered a liberal, said he didn't think it would be "a communion-breaking issue."


Duncan called on the bishops of the Anglican Communion and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, head of the communion, "to intervene in the pastoral emergency that has overtaken us."


"May God have mercy on his church," Duncan said. Eighteen other bishops signed his statement.


Williams issued a statement saying it was too soon to gauge the impact of the vote.





"It is my hope that the church in America and the rest of the Anglican Communion will have the opportunity to consider this development before significant and irrevocable decisions are made in response," he said.

The church has been debating the role of gays for decades. In 1998, Anglican leaders approved a resolution calling gay sex "incompatible with Scripture," but the denomination has no official rules — either for or against — ordaining gays.

Some Episcopal parishes already allow homosexual clergy to serve and gays who did not reveal their sexual orientation have served as bishops. But Robinson is the first clergyman in the Anglican Communion to live openly as a gay man before he was elected.

Robinson, a 56-year-old divorced father of two, has been living with his partner for 13 years and serving as an assistant to the current New Hampshire bishop, who is retiring. Parishioners there said they chose Robinson simply because he was the best candidate.

Under church rules, a majority of convention delegates had to ratify Robinson's election.

On Sunday, the House of Deputies, a legislative body comprised of clergy and lay people from dioceses nationwide, approved Robinson by a 2-to-1 margin; a committee endorsed him by secret ballot Friday.

Robinson will be consecrated in the New Hampshire Diocese in November.

Allegations surfaced at the last minute and nearly derailed Robinson's vote, but he was later cleared.

David Lewis of Manchester, Vt., had e-mailed several bishops, saying Robinson had inappropriately touched him. Bishop Gordon Scruton, who investigated the claim, said Robinson briefly put his hand on the man's back and arm while engaged in a conversation at a church meeting in public view.

A family friend said Tuesday that Lewis never intended the allegations to be made public. Scruton said Lewis told him he did not want to file a formal complaint.

The other concern was an indirect link from the Web site of Outright, a secular outreach program for gay and bisexual youth, to pornography. Robinson helped found the Concord, N.H., chapter of the group, but Scruton said the clergyman ended his association with the organization in 1998 and "was not aware that the organization has a Web site until this convention."

Scruton determined Tuesday that there was no need for a full-blown inquiry, allowing the vote on Robinson to proceed.

If conservatives do decide to break away, it was unclear what that would mean for the Episcopal Church. Some parishes could split from their dioceses and refuse to recognize clergy who support homosexuality, but stop short of a complete separation.

A full schism would trigger, among other things, bitter fights over parish assets and undercut the global influence of the U.S. church.

Liberals note that among the bishops threatening to leave are some who pledged to walk away before over issues such as ordaining women — then did not follow through. But many Episcopalians believe the debate over homosexuality has been more divisive.

Bishops from Africa, Asia and Latin America, representing more than a third of Anglican Communion members worldwide, took the unprecedented step this year of severing relations with a diocese that authorizes same-sex blessings — the Diocese of New Westminster, based in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Some conservative American parishes had already formed breakaway movements, such as the Anglican Mission in America, which remains within the Anglican Communion but rejects the Episcopal Church.

 

[javapride]

Acceptance is favorable, if they don t like it then dont go to the church simple as that..... we re all human beings IMO!

 

[CatoCooper13]

I agree...the church and religion should be non discriminatory towards any race, sex preferences, gender, etc. We all are human and we do make atonements for any sins we've committed and what's more God/Goddess accept all of us regardless what we do in our lives and ask them for their forgiveness and love.