Church 'to split in a week' over gay bishop

The Independent (UK) ^ | 26 October 2003 | Andrew Johnson

[ahadams2]

Church 'to split in a week' over gay bishop

By Andrew Johnson

26 October 2003

Implacable statements from two of the Anglican church's leading archbishops yesterday put the Church of England on a seven-day countdown to a permanent split.

The comments from the Archbishop of the West Indies and the Archbishop of the Southern Cone - a slice of South America from Peru to Argentina - came in the wake of equal determination from the gay bishop-elect at the centre of the controversy not to give way.

Canon Gene Robinson, who will become the church's first openly gay bishop on 2 November, told a conference of gay clergymen in Manchester yesterday that his consecration will go ahead - in defiance of pleas from leading churchmen for him to stand down.

But the Most Rev Gregory Venables, primate of the Southern Cone, told The Independent on Sunday the consecration would amount to a "declaration of independence" by the US church. He said the Church of England may have been living with two different views of Christianity for at least 25 years, and the time may have come for a permanent parting of the ways.

Homosexuality, rather than being the cause of the split, was merely bringing the crisis to a head, he said. "[This situation] has risen not because we have differences about sexuality but rather because what was a once a consensual view of Christianity ... is no longer the case."

Archbishop Drexel Gomez, Primate of the West Indies, said that his church was only in "technical" communion with Canon Robinson's New Hampshire. A decision on how to proceed will be taken in Antigua next month, he said. That is likely to result in a formal breach of communion.

[ahadams2]

Ping.

[Friend of thunder]

Archbishop Drexel Gomez, Primate of the West Indies, said that his church was only in "technical" communion with Canon Robinson's New Hampshire. A decision on how to proceed will be taken in Antigua next month, he said. That is likely to result in a formal breach of communion.

Sad, but not unexpected, it will be interesting to see what happens.

[secret garden]

I'm thinking of how nice it would be to go to Antigua or the West Indies for the holidays and visit a supportive church. Can you tell a cold front just came through our area today? ;)

[longtermmemmory]

The bishop to be was interviewed on this week with stephanopoilis. he made several points:

1. That his appointment will only be a temporary upset. The church will continue even if allong parallel tracks. Only a few will be upset, but they will leave.

2. Several times he made a point of stating that those who disagree are leaving or will leave. The church will remain. (This is a set up for inevitable court litigation. Who is leaving whom?)

3. The impression was that he has been put under a significant amount of pressure. He was on the attack.

4. He comes across as an arrogant person. Not very likeable. Perhaps this is due to the recent pressure.

5. He truly believes this issue is really no biggie. Just the ruckus raised by people who need to be re-educated to the new religion reality.

[secret garden]

I admire your ability to sit through a Georgie interview without gagging. Hard to believe his dad was an Episcopal minister. Or is it?

[mel]

I honestly think the liberals are underestimating the impact this is going to have. Some people simply will not leave because old habits are hard to break, some will stay because they don't want to be pushed around. But, for the life of me I can't imagine a young family or a young couple wanting to join that church.

[mel]

I honestly think the liberals are underestimating the impact this is going to have. Some people simply will not leave because old habits are hard to break, some will stay because they don't want to be pushed around. But, for the life of me I can't imagine a young family or a young couple wanting to join that church.

[mel]

I honestly think the liberals are underestimating the impact this is going to have. Some people simply will not leave because old habits are hard to break, some will stay because they don't want to be pushed around. But, for the life of me I can't imagine a young family or a young couple wanting to join that church.

[ahadams2]

Personally I think vicki gene is terrified - he had all kinds of people telling him that all he'd do would be to chase out a few antiquated fundamentalists, and now he's been told personally by several Primates that *he* will be the cause of the shattering of the Anglican Communion. As with most homosexuals, much less demonized ones, his psyche is at best confused and at worst irrational. He is following the script given him by the folks on his side of the issue and while he isn't good for much else, vicki gene is quite good at staying focussed on his message no matter what the actual topic of conversation might be.

[AnAmericanMother]

You think there's any chance he's going to back down before November 2?

[trad_anglican]

He is following the script given him by the folks on his side of the issue and while he isn't good for much else, vicki gene is quite good at staying focussed on his message no matter what the actual topic of conversation might be.

I believe he, and his supporters, have gravely confused serving his church with serving God.

[ahadams2]

some of his supporters certainly have confused the issue, but I'm not entirely convinced that vicki gene and those clergy who are continuing to support him, aren't doing exactly what they've planned to do, all along.