Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Gay Episcopal bishop denies encouraging Catholics to leave their church
NC Times ^ | November 8, 2005 | Rachel Zoll

Posted on 11/10/2005 5:53:53 AM PST by NYer

The first openly gay Episcopal bishop insisted Wednesday he was not encouraging Roman Catholics to leave their church when he criticized its view of homosexuals during a recent speech in London.

New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson, at a service Friday commemorating the 10th anniversary of Changing Attitude, a British group which advocates full inclusion of gays in the Anglican faith community, noted during his talk that many Catholics in his home state were becoming Episcopalian.

"Pope Ratzinger may be the best thing that ever happened to the Episcopal Church," Robinson said, referring to former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who is now Pope Benedict XVI. But Robinson said in a phone interview Wednesday from New Hampshire that he was recounting what a Catholic woman told him about why she was joining the Protestant denomination -- not expressing his own opinion. He said the woman was disappointed that the successor to Pope John Paul II would probably not make any significant changes in Catholic teaching.

Robinson said he had commented on Catholic issues in response to a question from a gay Catholic struggling with his place in his church. Catholic teaching considers gay sex "intrinsically disordered."

Robinson said he told the man that it was an "act of violence against gay folk" that the Vatican was considering instructing its seminaries to bar homosexuals and viewed it as an attempt by Catholic leaders to blame gays for the clergy sex abuse crisis. But Robinson said he told the young man that he should live "such that the light of Christ so shone through him that no one in his church could doubt his full membership in the body of Christ."

"I was not encouraging this young Roman Catholic man to be confrontative in any way," Robinson said.

Robinson's 2003 consecration sparked a crisis within world Anglicanism; the majority of Anglicans overseas believe gay relationships violate Scripture. It also has created tensions between the 77-million-member Anglican Communion and other denominations, including the Catholic Church. The Episcopal Church is the communion's U.S. branch.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: New Hampshire
KEYWORDS: benedictxvi; catholic; ecusa; episcopal; fallout; gaybishop; homosexualagenda; homosexualbishop; leftistapostasy; pope; ratzinger; religiousleft; schism; sodomy
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-99 next last

He said the woman was disappointed that the successor to Pope John Paul II would probably not make any significant changes in Catholic teaching.

The pope won't make any changes because, unlike Vicki Gene Robinson, he can't.

1 posted on 11/10/2005 5:53:54 AM PST by NYer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: american colleen; Lady In Blue; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; ...
"Pope Ratzinger may be the best thing that ever happened to the Episcopal Church," Robinson said

How insulting!

Catholic Ping - Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list


2 posted on 11/10/2005 5:56:18 AM PST by NYer (“Socialism is the religion people get when they lose their religion")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer
Pope Ratzinger may be the best thing that ever happened to the Episcopal Church," Robinson said

And V. Gene Robinson may be the very best thing that has happened to the Catholic Church in a very long time.
3 posted on 11/10/2005 5:56:43 AM PST by silverleaf (Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a BUMPY ride.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

So he really wants to make endoring the gay lifestyle the litmus test of appropriate belief?
Is the major point dividing Catholicism and Anglicanism to be the gay lifestyle?
Does he want this added to a catechism?


4 posted on 11/10/2005 5:58:24 AM PST by CondorFlight
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: NYer

MY EYES!!!


5 posted on 11/10/2005 5:59:04 AM PST by Aquinasfan (Isaiah 22:22, Rev 3:7, Mat 16:19)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

Funny picture of Vicky Gene playing dress up


6 posted on 11/10/2005 6:00:10 AM PST by NeoCaveman (Good job Ohio, we defeated George Soros at the ballot box 2 years in a row)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: silverleaf

I used to be Episcopal, now, I am Catholic. Guess why Gene?

If I wasn't so disgusted, I could get very angry.


7 posted on 11/10/2005 6:01:24 AM PST by alarm rider (Irritating leftists as often as is humanly possible....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: silverleaf

You put it much better than I could have!


8 posted on 11/10/2005 6:04:45 AM PST by doberville
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: NYer
But Pope Ratzinger IS the best thing that happened since many conservative Christians are flocking TO the Catholic Church and those who were never Catholic or Christian in the first place are congregating in a target rich environment. The Faithful might be spared of God's wrath the same way those loyal to Moses escaped a big rock on the head.
9 posted on 11/10/2005 6:05:06 AM PST by SaltyJoe (A mother's sorrowful heart and personal sacrifice redeems her lost child's soul.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: NYer
A man who left his wife and family for another man and is a bishop in the Episcobal church. I don't think God is amused!
10 posted on 11/10/2005 6:06:20 AM PST by Rummyfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

Personally, I'd love to see so-called "Catholics" - like Kerry, Leahy, Daschle and ALL the Kennedys - go ahead and leave our Church to hook up with the Episcopalians. The reason that will never happen is that, when election time comes around, I've never heard any of the various political analysts mention the importance of the "Episcopalian vote".

Never play chess with an Episcopalian - because they can't tell a bishop from a queen.


11 posted on 11/10/2005 6:07:50 AM PST by Emmett McCarthy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer
The answer to unlocking our sexual reality:


12 posted on 11/10/2005 6:07:53 AM PST by SaltyJoe (A mother's sorrowful heart and personal sacrifice redeems her lost child's soul.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan
A man who left his wife and family for another man and is a bishop in the Episcobal church. I don't think God is amused!


Robinson Receives his Miter from his Partner
November 2003

13 posted on 11/10/2005 6:11:13 AM PST by NYer (“Socialism is the religion people get when they lose their religion")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: NYer
Gay hissy fit alert.

Now that a few days have passed and he's cooled down a little, he's had time to regain his public composure, cook up some improbable cover story and regather his "serious clergyman" act.

Robes do not a bishop make.

14 posted on 11/10/2005 6:11:19 AM PST by marshmallow
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sionnsar

Ping!


15 posted on 11/10/2005 6:11:58 AM PST by NYer (“Socialism is the religion people get when they lose their religion")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer
Jesus: "Arise, and sin no more."

Gene: "Arise, and do what you want."

16 posted on 11/10/2005 6:12:04 AM PST by Dark Skies (" For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. " Matthew 6:21)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Emmett McCarthy
Never play chess with an Episcopalian - because they can't tell a bishop from a queen.

ROFL!
17 posted on 11/10/2005 6:13:27 AM PST by silverleaf (Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a BUMPY ride.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Emmett McCarthy

The above mentioned left the Church a long time ago. Sold their souls to the devil for votes.


18 posted on 11/10/2005 6:13:40 AM PST by OldFriend (The Dems enABLEd DANGER and 3,000 Americans died.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Emmett McCarthy

Indeed, what are the Episcopals down to now in numbers? 2 million on the roles and about 800,000 active members. Wonder how that compares to Unitarians.


19 posted on 11/10/2005 6:14:41 AM PST by mel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: SaltyJoe

Theology of the Body is an excellent book and put into perpective the divine plan of marriage and the role of sexuality in marriage as it relates to that plan.


20 posted on 11/10/2005 6:17:36 AM PST by CWW (He)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-99 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson