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| Bishop Robinson and his husband, Mark Andrew |
From the Concord [New Hampshire] Monitor:
Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson announced yesterday he will retire in 2013, in part because of the death threats and strain he's endured as the first openly gay bishop in the worldwide Anglican Church.You can read Bishop Robinson's entire speech here.
Robinson's election seven years ago has divided the 77-million-member Anglican Communion here and overseas. Robinson wore a bulletproof vest at his consecration in Durham in 2003 because of the threats. The controversy has grown more intense as traditionalists formed rival churches.
"The last seven years have taken their toll on me, my family and you," Robinson, 63, told delegates gathered in Concord yesterday for the New Hampshire diocese's annual convention. He was accompanied by his husband, Mark Andrew, whom he married in New Hampshire in 2008. . . .
When Robinson's candidacy was presented to the national church for a ratification vote, several conservative bishops left the room, denouncing the election of a gay man as bishop.
The American church was clearly divided: 62 bishops voted for him, 43 against him, while two abstained. Since then, Episcopal and Anglican traditionalists overseas formed alliances and created the Anglican Church in North America as a conservative rival to the Episcopal church.
And in 2008, Robinson was not invited to the Lambeth Conference, a once-a-decade meeting of the world's Anglican bishops because of pressure from conservative bishops. Instead, Robinson flew privately to England and spoke at local churches while the other Anglican bishops convened.
Upon his election as bishop, Robinson said he wanted to be "the good bishop, not the gay bishop." But in the last seven years, he has worked to be both, tending to his job's duties in the state but also seeking a bigger stage for gay-rights awareness.
He spoke of that yesterday."I will continue my work of evangelizing the unchurched and the 'de-churched,' " he said. He cited news reports of three gay teenagers who committed suicide "because religion tells them they are an abomination before God. I get to tell them a different story," he said, prompting applause.
2 comments:
From New Hampshire, the state as colorful as cream cheese, comes a man who claims to celebrate diversity.....
What a non-story from a non-person with a non-job taken seriously (both pro and con)by people with no sense.
Leave the reality-based community out of this paranormal nonsense, please.
This idiot is a hero/villain only to fools.
Buddy, this is my blog, not yours. If you don't like what I write, you don't have to read a word of it. And you haven't paid a dime for the privilege.
Furthermore, how incredibly rude of you to attempt to dictate to me what I can and cannot write about on my own blog. As if I should call and get your permission first. Who do you think you are?
And who are you to call this man who has taken more abuse - including death threats - in the last 7 years than most of us deal with in a lifetime, a fool? Who exactly do you think you are, looking down your nose at a man like that? What an entirely arrogant thing to say.
You got a very serious personality problem there, bud; I hope you get some professional help with that, soon.
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