Posted on 10/19/2003 8:47:50 PM PDT by UnklGene
God urging me on, says 'gay' bishop - (Filed: 20/10/2003)
The Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop-elect said yesterday that he is agonising over the turmoil his election is causing but believes God wants him to go forward.
"This is one of the hardest things I'll ever do," said the Rev Gene Robinson at Grace Church, Manchester, New Hampshire. "I do have this sense I'm supposed to go forward, and I do feel that's coming from God and not my own ego."
Rev Gene Robinson Rev Robinson was elected by clergy and parishioners in New Hampshire in June and confirmed by the national Episcopal Church in August. He is scheduled to be consecrated as bishop of New Hampshire in two weeks. His election and confirmation has outraged some conservatives and is threatening to divide the Episcopal Church in the United States and the worldwide Anglican Communion, of which it is part.
At an emergency meeting at Lambeth Palace, in London, last week Anglican leaders warned that if Rev Robinson was consecrated as planned on Nov 2, "the future of the communion itself will be put in jeopardy".
Rev Robinson, 56, who was accompanied by a police officer yesterday, remains optimistic about the Church's future, saying it has weathered similar crises in the past.
Anglican leaders, representing 77 million members worldwide, say homosexuality is "contrary to Scripture". Mr Robinson says that is outweighed by the Scripture's call for love and acceptance of all.
No need to throw away the whole Bible. Just get rid of the Old Testament and keep the parts about loving your neighbor. Select those parts that best suit your purposes. Isn't that what "modern" Christian denominations have done?
As for church history..
Which church and which history?
Christianity would be better off without the the legacy of the Crusades, the Inquisition, cultural imperialism, selling indulgences, etc. etc.
Maybe we should just "skip" the past 1800 years.
His INTENT is to injure Christianity.
Pure Christianity is in no danger of being injured. It can stand on its own. It's the watered-down version that will come to nought, as perhaps it should..
He would have to do something with that pesky Paul guy, too.
Debunking Paul would be easy. Paul never married; hence the allegation that he was a latent homosexual. I know, I know, he preached against homosexual behaviour, among other things. Didn't he also say that women should not speak in church? Paul wrote a lot of things that are no longer observed in modern churches.
Wasn't his epistle to the Romans all about how we are saved by what we believe, not what we do? If a gay guy believes in Christ, what does he have to worry about?
What the is that statement worth? It's the statement of a dishonest man. A guy has to think that the future ain't too bright for the churches. Already, the ELCA is entertaining the thought of sanctioning gay marriage. How can anyone stand against mass idiocy. Who are these people being chosen to head denominations? I'm amazed at it all. Black is white, right is wrong...why even bother with a church, or a Holy Bible, if one already believe one's ethics supersede God.
Yep, and OJ believes that he's innocent.
How does this allegation 'debunk' one of Christ's apostles? I can allege Paul was a Martian. Doesn't make him one.
Didn't he also say that women should not speak in church? Paul wrote a lot of things that are no longer observed in modern churches.
Yes, Paul said women should not teach men. My church (PCA) does not have women pastors. So I guess we aren't modern.
Wasn't his epistle to the Romans all about how we are saved by what we believe, not what we do?
What you just said is a central tenant of Christianity. Christ and Paul and others were utterly clear that the good stuff you do does NOT get you to heaven. No man, excepting Christ, has ever been so good as to appear before God blameless. It took the sacrifice of Christ on the cross to present us blameless to God.
Many who call themselves Christians do not understand that this is the Gospel. Almost noone who is not a Christian understands it. Good Stuff doesn't get you there. A personal relationship with Jesus does.
If you are interested in this, I would suggest that you read a translation of the New Testament called "The Message." It is a modern language translation that is very easy to follow and quite true to the actual meaning of the Greek scriptures. If you read the Gospel of John, Acts, First and Second Corinthians and Romans--actually, this is not a long read, but very very meaty--you would have a great start on this, right from the folks who were there and knew Christ. It changed my life.
If a gay guy believes in Christ, what does he have to worry about?
If he believes in Christ, truly repents his sins (including homosexual acts), asks forgiveness, and tries not to sin, my reading of the new testament is that he is saved. This is the path to peace in this life and salvation in the next for all us sinners, not just homosexuals.
But the trick option of "believing" in Christ but denying that what homosexuals do is sin (the "Robinson Option") doesn't get you there.
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