The Right Reverend Gene Robinson, the Anglican Church’s first openly gay bishop, will visit the UK for a 10-yearly global Anglican gathering this summer, despite having been officially uninvited.
The Lambeth Conference takes place in England in July and August, and will bring together hundreds of Anglican bishops from across the world. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, made it clear that Bishop Robinson was not welcome on the grounds that those who cause “exceptionally serious division or scandal within the Communion” can have their invitations withdrawn.
Robinson’s consecration as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003 precipitated a worldwide division that still threatens to split the Anglican Communion permanently.
He will use his UK visit to promote his memoir, In the Eye of the Storm, and will attend the UK premiere of For the Bible Tells Me So, a US-made documentary about homosexuality, the Church and the Bible, in which he also features. Afterwards, he and gay Lord of the Rings actor Sir Ian McKellen will take part in a public discussion about gays and religion.
The Bishop marries his partner of 20 years, Mark, next month. “I always wanted to be a June bride,” he once told an audience, confessing that “as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I knew there’d be trouble.”
H/T: Dave Walker at Church Times.
So when faced with an opportunity to address this division and promote tolerance, the Archbishop turns someone away? What an exemplary outpouring of Christian love.
What I am wondering is why Akinola is considered acceptable, considering the divisions and scandals he has promoted.
Williams is one weak ‘leader’, and should step down in favor of someone who has a pair, like the current leader of the american Church, Rev. Jefferts (sp?).
By the way, i am making a joke, not promoting sexism. It’s called irony.
I have no idea why Bishop Robinson stays in this awful church. Why not lead a schism? There is no compromising with bigots.
Yes, no doubt it is tempting. But here is a good statement of the reason why the temptation to schism should be resisted, as given many years ago by the late Ven. R.H. Charles, former Archdeacon of Westminster:
As the General Secretary of the Lesbian & Gay Christian Movement made it clear some years ago to one of England’s most vociferous right-wing evangelical clergymen, who was threatening an anti-gay secession from the Church of England, the difference is that we, as gay Christians, are not threatening to leave our churches and flounce out in a great swathe of indignation if things don’t go our way; we’re here to stay.
“I have no idea why Bishop Robinson stays in this awful church.”
Mark,
It’s a strange brew. Like myself, I think Robinson is part bull dog, and we love our native church’s regardless of this fallout. At their roots, they are loving and good. We take the dark times with the light times. Up Calvary, Jesus was spat on, cursed, flogged, beaten and eventually crucified, but he did not judge, he instead said, “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do”.
Like Jesus, we too are leading with total light truth and honesty, instilling liberty and justice for all. We’ve been crucified for centuries, we’re coming off the cross. Jesus did not give up on the soldiers who beat him, and many Christians now will not give up on their church’s in much the same way. Why should we give up anything? Ever. Again.
We’re a unified Phoenix, rising from the ashes. It’s a great day to be alive.
“I have no idea why Bishop Robinson stays in this awful church.”
Mark,
It’s a strange brew. Like myself, I think Robinson is part bull dog, and we love our native church’s regardless of this fallout. At their roots, they are loving and good. We take the dark times with the light times. Up Calvary, Jesus was spat on, cursed, flogged, beaten and eventually crucified, but he did not judge, he instead said, “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do”.
Like Jesus, we too are leading with total light truth and honesty, instilling liberty and justice for all. We’ve been crucified for centuries, we’re coming off the cross. Jesus did not give up on the soldiers who beat him, and many Christians now will not give up on their church’s in much the same way. Why should we give up anything? Ever. Again.
We’re a unified Phoenix, rising from the ashes. It’s a great day to be alive.
Why not rejoin the Catholics if you guys are against schism? If schism was good enough for Henry 8 (not a very nice person, btw), why isn’t good enough for you?
The Episcopal Church in America is in the process of schisming over this issue, with the bigots taking their toys and walking out. Unfortunately, they’re trying to take the church property as well, leading to nasty court fights.
Basically, Robinson overall is very welcome in the Episcopal Church, it’s the worldwide Anglican Communion that’s got a problem with him.
In 1987 my beloved partner Carl (of blessed memory) as well as 850 others and myself, were ejected from the Church of St. Francis Xavier in NYC by the then Cardinal Archbishop, Rear Admiral, John O’Connor. This was done under orders from the then head of the Holy Office (aka Inquisition) Josef Cardinal Ratzinger. Our offense? Membership in the organization called “Dignity.” Carl and I soon found the Church of St. Luke in the Fields where we were welcomed warmly as brothers in Christ. Today Carl lies in our Columbarium and my niche awaits my arrival. I have not the slightest fear that the Episcopal Church in the U.S. will weather the storm precipitated by a predatory Bishop from Nigeria and his miniscule number of followers here in the U.S. The only problem that Bishop Robinson causes is the embarassment of admitting to who and what he is, unlike many Bishops I could name.
I’m curious as to why membership in this Anglican “communion” is so gosh darn important. Why doesn’t the American church just sever its ties to this “communion?”
There is much debate within the progressive end of the Episcopal Church (TEC) about staying vs leaving. The thought is that staying in the Anglican Communion (AC) at least allows us to present the possibility of women priests, gay priests, lay co-leadership with bishops, and all the other radical things that TEC is known for. It also exposes us First Worlders to Third World concerns, although that is also done by sibling diocese arrangements, eg, our diocese is paired with one in the Sudan, and helps them with money for school projects, etc, and with any seminarians’ expenses.
The counterargument is that the issue of ministry to gay church members has been up for consideration since 1978 Lambeth, and the various national Churches were tasked with doing some listening to actual gay people. Outside the First World Churches, this has yet to take place, with rare exception (yay, Archbishop (ret.) Tutu). What has resulted is the use of “the gay issue” to be a rallying point for power struggles of African Churches against their former missioners, the Church of England and other First world churches. The Africans have a point, since they are now the numerical majority – but the Anglican Communion cannot coerce individual national Churches to do anything (it is a consultative and not a legislative federation). The Archbishop of Canterbury is appointed by the English monarch, and is titular head, but that amounts to being the guy who arranges and emcees meetings. He can’t enforce anything outside his archdiocese (Southern England). He isn’t a Pope. His role is more as a diplomat between national Churches. So many people are saying, why not leave the Communion and do our own “diplomacy” with those willing to talk with us? We can’t compel other national Churches to follow our policies, and they can’t compel us to follow their policies (that’s true in the Communion framework as well).
To put it in its historical context, Carl and I were received as members of the “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic” Church by Archbishop Kent Clark, of Edmonton-Alberta, Canada. If historical niceities are to be remembered, King Henry insisted upon the “Palium” (stole) being present for the incardination of ArchBishop Crammer. Perhaps just human foibles, perhaps not. “Extra ecclasiam nulla salus” (Outside of the Church there is no salvation.”) Did only the ignorant savages of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and all of Western Europe take that seriously?
Mark, on June 1st, 2008 at 7:53 pm Said:
I’m curious as to why membership in this Anglican “communion” is so gosh darn important. Why doesn’t the American church just sever its ties to this “communion?”
From a theological point of view, being tied to the see of Canterbury, gives us a connection to the church through the ages. The see was founded in 597AD, proclaimed independent of Rome in the 16th Century and was the centre of Anglican Christianity since.
But I think many Episcopalians, even those who are pro-gay, want to keep this link in that it helps coordinate the sharing of resources, aid, ministry and support across the world. The Episcopal Church USA sends a great deal of money to Africa to use for development.
It’s also important to remember two things. One is that the church is more diverse than the mind of its leader. While Archbishop Akinola is notorious in his views, the Church in Nigeria is more than Akinola. There is a wide spectrum of opinion on homosexuality and their relationship with the Episcopal Church. It makes little sense to cut off contact between parishes and dioceses because Akinola makes a lot of noise. It’s not Akinola who would suffer the most if that happened.