Posted on 08/04/2003 10:37:03 PM PDT by knak
The American Anglican Church was in disarray last night after it postponed a vote to confirm Anglicanism's first actively homosexual bishop.
The much-heralded vote on whether to endorse Canon Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire was suspended hours before it was due to take place.
The delay followed reports linking Canon Robinson with inappropriate sexual behaviour. A church spokesman said the vote would be postponed for at least 24 hours.
Canon Robinson, a 56-year-old father of two, divorced his wife and has lived with his male partner for 13 years while assistant to the Bishop of New Hampshire.
The Most Rev Frank Griswold, the primate of the Episcopal Church - the American equivalent of the Church of England - said that questions had been "brought to my attention" about Canon Robinson. An email had been received from a parishioner in Vermont which referred to "inappropriate" touching.
"The standing committee and Bishop of New Hampshire together with the Bishop-elect, Canon Robinson, have asked that a thorough investigation be undertaken before we proceed with seeking the consent of the bishops," he said.
The email was sent by a "David Lewis" who accused Gene Robinson of being a "skirt-chaser" who had fondled him two years ago.
"My personal experience is he does not maintain appropriate boundaries with men. I believe this is an alarming weakness of character that alone makes Gene unsuitable for the office of bishop," said the note, dated Aug 3.
Canon Robinson was not immediately available for comment.
Officials said they still hoped a vote on the appointment could take place before the end of the General Convention on Friday. Clergy and lay delegates at the convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, voted by a clear majority to affirm him in the post on Sunday. The bishops' ballot represented the final hurdle.
Canon Robinson's daughter Ella, 21, appeared before the convention to tell the bishops that she and her mother supported his election.
If the delayed vote is passed, it will plunge the worldwide Church into disarray and place the Archbishop of Canterbury, its nominal head, at the centre of the storm.
Dr Rowan Williams was instrumental in forcing another homosexual cleric, Canon Jeffrey John, to step down as the new Bishop of Reading last month and he has urged the Episcopal Church to put unity before innovation.
Traditionalists have been warning that confirmation of Canon Robinson's election would "shatter" the 60-million-strong Communion.
I have gay men on both sides of my family.. people that I love and one nephew that I would give a kidney too.....not an evil person among them that I know.....
but then again, none of them are forcing themselves on society....
This guy here must have an ego the size of France, to demand so much conflict in HIS name....
FWIW....my impression of Jesus is that he never forced HIS beliefs on anyone...HE simply drew people in by HIS presence and HIS word....so I don't think Jesus would be telling anyone to force a schism in the Church just to make a point.....imo only....
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