Gay bishop calls for firmer leadership

But Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the 450-year history of the church, remained convinced that the world's 77 million Anglicans could still avoid schism.

He also felt it was time for the church, whose leaders congregate next week for a once-a-decade conference, to stop agonising over sexuality and start ministering to their flock.

Robinson, disappointed at not being invited to the Lambeth conference, called for a stronger stance from Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the world's Anglicans.

"He has been clear in the past that God's love extends to all God's children and that includes God's gay and lesbian children," he told Reuters in an interview in the grounds of a London church where he came to preach over the weekend.

He also called on Williams to be more public in response to "statements around the Anglican Communion about gays and lesbians".

"There is no place in the Christian Church for someone to say Satan has entered the church with my consecration or that gay people are lower than dogs," the 61-year-old bishop said.

But he had sympathy for Williams, walking a tightrope between liberals and conservatives. "He is in such a difficult place and I want to be supportive of him," Robinson said.

It was the U.S. church's 2003 consecration of Robinson that jolted the global church, already divided over biblical interpretation, the ordination of women and the blessing of same-sex unions.

Conservative Anglican leaders, meeting in Jerusalem last month, vowed to stay in the Anglican communion but pledged to form a council of bishops to provide an alternative to churches they say are preaching a "false gospel" of sexual immorality.

But Robinson was still convinced the church would not split.

"There is no one on the liberal side threatening to leave and every time the folks on the conservative side say that we are about to come to that point . they pull back," he said.

He forecast that Anglicans, whose leader has none of the hierarchical discipline behind him that the Catholic pope does, would in time-honoured fashion opt for a fudged consensus.

"Our great contribution to Christendom is a little bit of this and a little bit of that," he said. "I could have far worse written on my tombstone."

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Added: Tuesday, July 15, 2008, 5:25 (BST)

"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Cor 12) You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Cor 19) Would someone please explain how men using the dirty end of business, can be passed of as a good thing? 'dirty' as in the 'excrement' canal, as in an 'unclean' part of the body, as in containing items dangerous to health... if it wasn't for this activity, gay men would just be called 'dear friends' and AIDS wouldn't be a plague. Usually the CDC condems such dangerous weapons as could cause epidemic death such as this activity does. but in this case, the state is teaches this behavior to public school children on purpose.... (a speaker in a LAUSD middle school, and I quote, "try it"). State mandated genocide, same as China... between HIV, abortions and the destruction of marriage, America will be worse off than China. God created woman, to be the helper of man. Homosexuality says what God deliberately made for you, isn' t good enough. God made a 'set' of genders with complimentary bodies and minds, to procreate and raise their children in love and balance. IF we WANT to follow the God of the bible, we must take up our cross, deny ourself and follow Him. But it's totally optional. Message to Gene - be as Gay as you want - no problem - build your own church - no problem, write your own 'bible' - no problem, but your god is not my God. and I don't 'hate' homosexuals any more than I 'hate' my own children when they choose things I see will hurt them or hurt others. but I do 'hate' the 'drug pusher' that would ensnare my kids in their dangerous devices and the thief that would steal away from them that which is beneficial and productive.

B, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Added: Monday, July 14, 2008, 22:05 (BST)

This guy has a perverted addiction that is not natural! (no procreation) Since he can't overcome his addiction, he wants the church to tell him it's not a sin even though the Bible is perfectly clear in stressing how much God abhors this perversion. "Glorying in his shame" We might as well ordain self proclaimed child molestors. It's a perverted addiction many of them can't shake!

Alan, Elberton, GA USA

Added: Monday, July 14, 2008, 19:58 (BST)

Firm leadership should get rid of Gene Robinson.

Chris Maguire, Ventnor, IoW

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