Gay canon who left wife is favourite to be Anglican bishop

A clergyman who left his wife for his male lover is set to become the first practising homosexual to be appointed to a senior post in the Anglican Communion.

Canon Gene Robinson, 53, the second most senior figure within the diocese of New Hampshire in the United States, is the favourite to replace the retiring bishop there.

He will discover whether he has beaten three other candidates next Saturday when the result of a ballot of 350 clergy and laity in New Hampshire is announced. However, the prospect of an openly active homosexual in such a senior position has infuriated traditionalists and heightens the likelihood of divisions within the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Canon Robinson has been described as "the most dangerous man in the American Church" by one of his opponents, while in Britain there is also concern about his probable appointment.

However, a spokesman for Dr Williams last night declined to comment on Canon Robinson's candidature ahead of the result being announced. He said: "It would not be right to comment on any of the candidates while an election was underway. It is not Dr Williams's church and it is not his election."

Other senior members of the clergy were less reticent to comment. The Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Rev Graham Dow, said that Robinson's election would be a mistake. "I know a lot of the United States Episcopal Church is sympathetic to supporting gay relationships. For myself, however, it is a serious error and it my job to contribute my own perception of the truth," he said.

John Roberts, the director of the Lord's Day Observance Society and a leading evangelical, said: "I think this is a very bad reflection on what is happening within the Anglican Church. I totally disagree with appointing a man like that as bishop - it doesn't send the right signals and I am totally concerned with the implications. This will further increase the splits in the Church.

"Anglicans should stay away from this, get back to what they should be doing, which is preaching the Bible and the Gospels."

Opposition is likely to be stronger in some African countries, including Nigeria where the Most Rev Peter Akinola, the country's primate, has denounced any move to appoint Canon Robinson. "It would be an abomination for a sexually active gay man to be a bishop," he said.

The diocese of New Hampshire includes 50 congregations and is part of the Episcopal Church of the United States, which has more than 2.3 million members and is generally regarded as one of the most liberal parts of the Anglican Communion. Bishop Douglas Theuner, who is standing down after 17 years, has been an outspoken supporter of gay rights.

The Church of England is opposed to the ordination of practising homosexuals, a position which was reaffirmed five years ago by the Lambeth Conference of 1998.

Although conference resolutions are not binding on individual national Churches within the communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, the leader of the world's 77 million Anglicans, will come under pressure to denounce the candidature. Last week he twice reaffirmed the Church's opposition to the less controversial issue of church blessings for gay couples.

The Bishop of Guildford, the Rt Rev John Gladwin, said he supported Dr Williams's stance, but insisted that it was important to recognise the existence of differing views elsewhere in the world.

He said: "There has always been maverick activity within the Church of England and the wider Anglican Church. We should not always take arms when bishops do foolish things. We live in a post-modern world and we have to listen to each other."

The Rev Richard Kirker, the general secretary of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, welcomed Canon Robinson's candidature. "America is way ahead of anyone in the British Anglican Church. I would like to see us follow suit. That's the way forward. I don't think any British Anglicans are men of courage or conviction; they are frightened and timid - unlike Gene Robinson."

In 1999, Canon Robinson was second in the election for the Bishop of Rochester in the US, while in 1998 he came third in the contest to become the Bishop of Newark. His chances of success are thought to be much higher on this occasion, however, because he is the only local candidate. He has also attracted strong support among young people who have dubbed him "Canon Dude".

In a move which would be unthinkable here, Canon Robinson, who is a co-founder of the gay campaign group Concord Outright, includes the name of Mark Andrew, his male lover, in his biography on the diocesan website. However, he has been careful to campaign on his record rather than on issues relating to sexuality.

He declined to comment on the likelihood of his selection yesterday. He told The Telegraph: "I have agreed with the other candidates that I should not make any comment on the matter until the election has taken place.

"The selection process in this diocese is very different to the one used by the Church of England. In England it is by appointment, here it is by election. Our church was founded over two centuries years ago on the back of a very radical tradition."

Gene enjoys entertaining and cooking, gardening, music, and running. The father of
two grown daughters, Jamee and Ella, he lives with his partner Mark Andrew,
employed by the Department of Health and Human Services.

"Isn't that special?"

I'd rather have Dana Carvey in a skirt and blue-hair wig as my spiritual guide
than this puke.

And to think I came close to marrying a gal who was contemplating becoming an Anglican!
Now I see that I truly "dodged the bullet"!

Despite (my own) blind devotion and acceptance of the "smells'n'bells," BCP, KJB, branch of H8's interesting experiment in home-rule catholicism, one must acknowledge that our quaint and colorful religious outfit has long tolerated a large number of clerks in orders whose homosexuality has been an open secret. Come on gang, it's been a standing joke forever! e.g. "How does one differentiate a cannon from a vicar?" A crowbar would help."

The only difference is that this was for 500 years, the "love that dares not speak its name," and now these beastly little buggers are shouting (or lisping)it from the steeple tops. We also have many, many bishops who are gayer than Christmas in Panama. So the power structure is not going to do a damn thing about it.

Also, we have to acknowledge that this issue and the ordination of women were and are being used to thwart the "Reunification with Rome" movement. Relax, wasn't going anywhere anyway.

Now, everyone read William F. Buckley's "Up from Presbyterianism" before the next class. That interesting and mercifully short-winded book will explain it all to you.

We also have many, many bishops who are gayer than Christmas in Panama.

LOL. I have never heard it put quite that way. I am not sure I understand it, having never experienced Christmas anywhere but Texas, but it sounds funny.

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