Gay Episcopalian bishop predicts other churches will welcome gays

Agence France-Presse. | 8/06/03

[kattracks]

The US Episcopal church's first openly gay bishop predicted that other churches would soon follow his denomination's example in welcoming gays into their leadership.

"I suspect that before too very long, other denominations will also follow and welcome openly gay and lesbian people into leadership positions. That's my prayer," Gene Robinson told ABC television on Wednesday.

A majority of the church's House of Bishops on Tuesday voted 62 to 45 to ratify Robinson's appointment as bishop of New Hampshire, church officials said, ending three days of contentious debate.

Conservatives within church ranks, many of whom have fiercely opposed Robinson's election on the grounds it violates Biblical teachings, were quick to express their disapproval, and a group of 24 bishops threatened to resign if he were elected.

"Well, anytime anyone decides to leave the church, it's a very sad thing. And I certainly have been praying and will be praying every day that such a thing does not happen," Robinson said. "Indeed, I don't think it needs to happen."

"The Episcopal Church in this country, and the Anglican community worldwide, the great gift we bring to the world is we are able to maintain a wide diversity of opinions on various issues while holding our faith in Jesus Christ as central and the thing that binds us together as the body of Christ. So I think there's no reason for us to come apart," Robinson said.

The Episcopal Church, the US branch of the Anglican Church, has more than 2.1 million followers, making it the 10th-largest Protestant church in the United States.

[nyconse]

This is heartbreaking. I was married in the Episcopal church (my husband was a member). I was raised Catholic, but would not agree to raise my children as Catholics. We are now Southern Baptists. I would not join a church that accepts gays as members of the clergy. If this trend continues-look for a large sex scandel similar to the one in the Catholic church- very sad day.

[kjam22]

would be willing to bet that the Southern Baptist Convention will not welcome gays and lesbians as ministers. Believe you can take that one to the bank!

That was my initial thought as well.

[nmh]

No doubt about it. Those that thwart God's Word will likely follow suit. After all, they are NO longer teaching Biblcially sound doctrine so there will be NOTHING holding them back to cave in more to our ever lowering social mores. From their perspective God's Word is EVOLVING to accomodate out social ills - not correc them.

[Irishmonk]

Does anyone know of a net site where the individual bishops' votes are available? I'd like to see how my own bishop and others voted.

[JonathansMommie]

Where exactly is there a refrence about women with women. I'm in a debate with my Flaming/Liberal/Lesbian Mother in law who thinks that it's not a sin and i need to show her where in the bible it says anything about Lesbianism.

[PhiKapMom]

I am with you 100%! I was raised in the Church of the Brethren, turned Lutheran, and found a Church Home in the Southern Baptist Church. I know there Family Values are going to be the focus!

[polemikos]

There has been a long and often close relationship between
the Anglican and Catholic Churches. In certain situations
there remains a mutual recognition of the validity of key
doctrines, liturgies, and practices. And the Catholic
Church continues to hold the faith and moral teachings as
taught by the Apostles.

I understand that there is also an Anglican Use liturgy
within the Catholic Church, wherein the Book of Common Prayer
(with minor updates) is used for the Mass. So there is no need
to lose the liturgy Anglicans are familiar with.
This Mass is valid for all Catholics as well.

Resources for those interested in the Catholic faith:

Catholic Answers
www.catholic.com
A superb site for clearing away the myths propagated by too many.
Offers free on-line library that examines all the major issues,
free on-line archive of over 1,500 hours of radio/audio material,
plus magazines, books, pamphlets, tracts, videos, and more.

Coming Home Network
www.chnetwork.org
Provides fellowship, encouragement and support for Protestant
pastors and laymen who are somewhere along the journey or
have already been received into the Catholic Church.

Biblical Evidence for Catholicism
www.biblicalcatholic.com
Dave Armstrong's monster site. Eclectic, fun, exhaustingly
detailed, personal, moving, and more.

May the Word be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.

[biblewonk]

Fine, but they're not churches, they are covens.

[PhiKapMom]

I am with you -- I read that paragraph and immediately said no way would the Southern Baptist ever agree to that!

[Paladin2b]

But I'm going to say it out loud...the talk of schism is just that...TALK. The gays will call the "conservatives'" bluff. Yes, the African bishops will say that they regret it all, but in the end they'll keep up a pretence of some unity, because they aren't willing to refuse $$$ from their American co-religionists.

And the American "conservative" Episcopalians? Yes, they'll huff and they'll puff and they'll threaten to leave, but in the end, they'll stay, to the detriment to their souls. If they stayed through the many silly hijinks of the past couple decades of the ECUSA, they suck this up too. After all, leaving might mean a few years of liturgies in strip mall storefront chapels, altars made from folding tables, no organs, etc. And in the end that's what will turn out to be more important to them. "Well, YES, I think it's shameful that "Bishop" Robinson is one of our shepards, but I can't leave this cute little church that I've been going to for 20 years...I love the music here."

Where your heart is, there also is your treasure.

[kjam22]

is there a better description of what is happening in the chruch than this.....

24Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?' 28" 'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' 29" 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.

[smith288]

Organized religion is dead if it openly welcomes the gays.

There would not be any point in supporting any organization that ignores the black and white print it claims to teach.

Nothing wrong with welcoming gays to a church. Afterall, the church is a doctors office to the sick. But to allow the leadership to be represented by people that God calls an abomination? Never in my Southern Baptist would that heppen.

[Steve_Seattle]

When gays infiltrate an organization, the organization's resources are diverted to promote the gay agenda, and those who resist are either expelled from the organization or leave because they can't mount an effective opposition to what's going on. This has already happened in several Catholic and Episcopal seminaries. The aggressive and compulsive nature of homosexuality quickly becomes apparent as an institutional disease.

[TheGeezer]

"The Episcopal Church in this country, and the Anglican community worldwide, the great gift we bring to the world is we are able to maintain a wide diversity of opinions on various issues while holding our faith in Jesus Christ as central and the thing that binds us together as the body of Christ. So I think there's no reason for us to come apart," Robinson said.(emphasis added)

In the liberal's mind, sins are merely issues, not acts of objective evil.

Faith in Jesus Christ requires much more than the primary belief that Jesus is the Son of God.

It is also ironic that Robinson refers to the "body of Christ", a concept originally preached by St. Paul. I wonder how use of a truth revealed through St. Paul - the Church as the body of Christ - can so easily be used while ignoring another truth stated by St. Paul: "Homosexualists shall not see God"?

This event is merely proof positive of what happens when a church separates itself from true Apostolic teaching authority. A church founded by an earthly king (Henry VIII) and ripped from its apostolic succession by a queen (Elizabeth I), cannot sustain a path of truth.

[joesnuffy]

It also says in the end times that this abombination is precisely what will happen

The admonishments Jesus gave to those who would listen...were mostly about the
church of that day..and not the government of that day..

The same with Paul...his admonishments also were directed towards the church of his day
and believers of that day and not the government..

Wickedness in the church is what was once foretold in prophecy...and as Ed McMahon used to say...

Heeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrreeeeee's........... JOhnny!

[PhiKapMom]

We have two Espicopal Churches here in Norman and their congregations are in an uproar. The Conservative Church's better break away or they will have no members left.

If I was a member, I wouldn't give them a dime until they broke from the liberal ECUSA.

Time the members of the Congregations from various Church bodies tell their leaders enough is enough!

[polemikos]

The Catholic Church already has gays in positions of leadership...

The difference being that the CC opposes such placement, while individual bishops believed they knew better.

[Credo]

The ECUSA has LOST more than a MILLION members in the last 20 years.....

The 2.3 million they report is definitely bogus. Heck, they probably count me on their roles and I've going to a Vineyard for almost 4 years. I've heard some people in know say that ECUSA would be lucky to get a million rear ends in pews on any given Sunday. Which leads me to ask why is this getting so much attention?

Nope, their new members will just love the vestments and decorations. They can do anything they want in the virtually empty churches.