Posted on 11/06/2005 11:31:58 AM PST by Heatseeker
The first openly gay Anglican bishop, Gene Robinson, has called for the Roman Catholic church's attitude to homosexuals to be confronted.
The Bishop of New Hampshire said the Vatican's ban on ordaining gay men was "vile", in a speech in London.
He received a standing ovation after his speech, in which he spoke of how he had faced prejudice in his role.
Some Anglican conservatives had called for the St-Martin-in-the-Fields church venue to be changed to a secular one.
Battle for soul of church
Bishop Robinson said: "We are seeing so many Roman Catholics joining the church.
"Pope Ratzinger may be the best thing that ever happened to the Episcopal Church."
He continued: "I find it so vile that they think they are going to end the child abuse scandal by throwing out homosexuals from seminaries.
"It is an act of violence that needs to be confronted."
His speech at St-Martin-in-the-Fields, in Trafalgar Square, was part of the 10th anniversary of the gay rights group Changing Attitude.
He had been asked not wear his full vestments or take part in the religious service before addressing the audience from a lectern rather than the pulpit.
"I'm here to encourage you to talk about God," he said.
"I am not here to talk about a social agenda. I am not here to grind any axes, I am here to do the thing that Christians do, that is to witness to the good of God."
'Full inclusion'
The London Diocesan Evangelical Fellowship, which includes senior lay and clergy members, had urged the Archbishop of Canterbury to move the Bishop's talk to a secular venue to prevent "damaged relations" between sections of the church.
The Bishop said his home state in the US was "the one place in the world where I am not the gay bishop - I'm just the bishop... it is a wonderful feeling".
He said homosexuals would eventually be fully welcomed in the church but warned that it may take some time.
"This is going to end with our full inclusion," he said. "We won't live to see it, but it's going to happen."
Church rift
On Thursday the New Hampshire bishop met Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and said he wanted to help heal the rift caused by his consecration, but would not give up his post.
His conscecration two years ago attracted widespread criticism from the more conservative African and Asian sections of the church.
Changing Attitude is an organisation which calls for the Anglican Church to "fully accept, welcome and offer equality of opportunity to lesbian, gay and bisexual people".
He is due to address a congregation in Stockport later on Sunday.
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It amazes me that anyone believed this Bishop did not have an agenda. He should tend his own garden.
Vickie Gene surfaces again! Doesn't he know his 15 minutes are over? I mean, like soooo over...
This man specializes in Mega-lies.
Clearly Our Lord believes he still can amend his life, pray that he does.
Only fascists and Nazis (oops, conservatives) "push an agenda."
Liberals "speak truth to power."
I hope this isn't really necessary, but </s>.
Bishop Robinson said: "We are seeing so many Roman Catholics joining the church."
This must be why I occasionally read stories of whole Anglican/Episcopalian congregations converting together to Catholicism.
That's odd. For some reason I pictured his congregation on their knees and elbows.
"Pope Ratzinger may be the best thing that ever happened to the Episcopal Church."
With those kind of Catholics leaving the church Benedict XVI may be the best thing that happened to the Roman Catholic Church as well. I love God's winnowing fan.
>>BTW, why are liberal Episcopalians lousy at chess? They can't tell a Bishop from a Queen. <<
It's because they spend the knight looking at the pawn. (Ya hafta say it with a new england accent.)
that's true of most CAtholic churchs in England. There are cases of Catholic families on holiday in the countryside going to Anglican Catholic (High) churches.
Maybe those weekend trippers make up the numbers that the deluded Vicki Genie Robin thinks constitute an exodus
Fan, schman. Vacuum cleaner.
Not correct. The Celtic church as in the church of the Britons, Welsh, Scots and Irish never attempted to convert the Anglo-Saxons (they reviled them too much). Augustine converted the Kentish kingdom. Then it slowly spread to the rest of the Saxon kingdoms. When Edward the Confessor and then William the Conqueror took over, it got a lot closer to the Roman church. Henry the VIIIth always considered himself Catholic until his death-bed. He just wanted the church in England under his control (just as the church in the East had been partially under the control of the Byzantine Emperors and the Catholic had been dominated by strong Holy Roman Emperors.
Marking.
perhaps we should tell GEnie to convert toIslam?
Isn't this the guy that suggested Jesus had "relations" with his disciples? Or am I confusing him with someone else?
BTTT!
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