New Hampshire Episcopalians Choose Gay Bishop, and Conflict

The New York Times ^ | 6/8/03 | Laurie Goodstein

[r9etb]

When the tally was announced, the clergy and lay delegates leaped to their feet and applauded as Bishop-elect Robinson came to the front, stood before the altar rail and embraced his two grown daughters, his son-in-law and his partner.

Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self- controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.

(1 Tim. 3:1-7)

Apparently he left his wife for his gay lover. He's not qualified.

[cherry]

"These "Christians" need to face the truth and call their group something else."

Unitarians?

[cherry]

Robby, I am Catholic too......I see what the organized churchs are doing and it scares the "hell" out of me....

there will be a day where God-fearing people who believe in traditional morals and theology, will have to ban together for self-protection....not to make one large church....too many differances...but at least an acknowedgment of what we are up against....that basically, our very values and believes even as workers, citizens, parents, spouses are being torpedoed...

[45Auto]

They are going to have a little problem with this little bit of Scripture:

Paul's Letter to the Romans, Chapter 1, v 24-27:

"24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen."

26 "For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error."

[RobbyS]

I hope that what happened last year serves as a wake-up call. The "American" Catholics--the liberals who dominated the Catholic Church in the United States during the 1970s--would have had the Church become what the Episcopal Church has in fact become. But many "conservative"bishops did not dare tell us what was going on. The fat had to hit the skillet before we were aware that something was wrong.

[moneyrunner]

Amen! The headline in my local paper read: Man of the People referring to Bishop Sullivan, retiring as Catholic Bishop of the Archdiocese of Richmond. Sullivan, long hailed by the press for his Liberalism, is forced to retire at 75. I though, “How very fitting.” He was a man of the people – like any other politician. But as the headline writer inadvertently admitted, this church leader will not go down in history as a man of God.

[miner89]

I intentionally left out Old Testament references since the Christian is under the law of Christ and not the old testament law, and these people claim to be Christians.

However, it is obvious that the Bible teaches that God has made some things wrong at all times and places (drunkeness lying, stealing, etc.), homosexuality being one of them.

[cookcounty]

"Assuming he's approved, will the parts of the Anglican Communion that actually believe in the Bible - Africa, Asia and South America - stand for this? "

There's been a movement for many years to start a more biblically-oriented Anglican church in the US. How ironic if it happens as a result of the Episcopalians being tossed out of the Anglican communion!

[cookcounty]

"There is a major shift underway where the emphasis is not so much on denominational divisions, but more so on the fundamentals of the Christian faith. The new divisions, horizontal one might say, and much fret over, are happening within all denominations......."

Definitely an observable phenomenon.

[ppaul]

Bowling up Cadbury Alley.

LOL
Michael Moore's next production?

[PFKEY]

He should be burned at the stake. It would set a good example.

No he shouldn't and no it wouldn't.

Does speak volumes regarding the Episcopal church.

[PFKEY]

To bad one of history's toughtest Episcopalians couldn't make an appearance in order to put them back on "the straight and narrow".

Is this the first and only walk down the wide path?

I would think a whole series of errors has brought this denomination to this point.

Patton? If they won't listen to God what makes you think they would listen to Patton?

[PFKEY]

The plain truth!

Refreshing to hear.

Thanks.

[PFKEY]

there will be a day where God-fearing people who believe in traditional morals and theology His word, the holy scriptures, will have to ban together for self-protection....not to make one large church....

There are many many groups like this today. Seek them out!

[VOA]

Patton? If they won't listen to God what makes you think they would listen to Patton?

You've got a real point!
(And got me to laugh at myself with that one!)
You've obviously remembered the similar comment to the rich man asking for
one to be sent back to warn his brothers about what might greet them in eternity.

I have a bad feeling that General Patton AND The Third Army couldn't make these
folks wake up and head back to the "straight and narrow".

[Macbeth2003]

If one rejects both Scripture and Tradition,or the universal belief of mankind that homosexuality is wrong then on what principle does one stand? The obvious answer is, none whatsoever: simply the shifting tides of public opinion.

Let's look at that again. Whatever one's opinion on this issue surely their cannot be a universal belief that homosexuality is wrong if you claim the appointment of a gay bishop is following the tides of public opinion. NOt even necessarily disagreeing with your opinion, but that seems a large contridiction

[RobbyS]

Public opinion is usually driven by elites, and no doubt that the elite in this country is in favor of the homosexual agenda. But even anthropology shows that societies that accept homosexuality as normal are rare. Even where it is tolerated it is never raised to equality with the normal pattern of family life. What we have is the adoption of socialist ideology, which repudiates any intermediary institutions between the state and individual, especially Church and family.

[Macbeth2003]

Public opinion may be driven by the elite, but to become PUBLIC opinion it must be held by a larger number than that. If there is enough public opinion in that way surely the contrary believ can not be said to be universal.

i.e. "Socialism is universaly believd to be wrong." If someone said that it would be untrue. Granted socialism is idiotic, provably failed, and not endorsed by most Americans(although we get closer every day), but it cannot be said to be universally believed to be wrong.. more's the pity.

[blackbart1]

What are the qualifications?

Apparently nothing to do with the bible which he is supposed to be preaching/teaching out of...