wfn.org | Episcopalians: Canon Gene Robinson elected bishop of New Hampshire

[dmack@episcopalchurch.org]

June 7, 2003

2003-125

Episcopalians: Canon Gene Robinson elected bishop of New 
Hampshire

BULLETIN

(ENS) The Rev. V. Gene Robinson was elected bishop coadjutor of 
the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire today on the 2nd ballot.

Robinson is the first openly gay man in the Episcopal Church to 
be elected as a bishop.

The other nominees were: the Rev. Ruth Lawson Kirk, rector of 
St. Peter's Church in Glenside, Pennsylvania; the Rev. Canon 
Pamela Mott, pastor at Trinity Cathedral in Portland, Oregon; 
and the Rev. Robert Tate, rector of St. Martin-in-the-Fields 
parish in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A fifth nominee, the Rev. 
Joe Goodwin Burnett, was elected bishop of Nebraska in May.

The leadership of the national Episcopal Church now must ratify 
Canon Robinson's election during the General Convention, meeting 
in Minneapolis in late July. Both the House of Bishops and the 
House of Deputies will need to approve his election by a 
two-thirds majority. 

Robinson has served as canon to the ordinary in New Hampshire 
since 1988 where he coordinates diocesan staff and ministry of 
the current bishop, the Rt. Rev. Douglas E. Theuner. Since 1983, 
Robinson has served as executive secretary of the Episcopal 
Province of New England, and since 2001 on the Board of Trustees 
of the General Theological Seminary in New York City. 

A 1969 graduate of the University of the South, Sewanee, 
Tennessee, he has a B.A. in American Studies/History. In 1973, 
he completed the M. Div. at General Theological Seminary; after 
ordination he served as curate at Christ Church, Ridgewood, New 
Jersey. Upon moving to New Hampshire in 1975, Robinson co-owned 
and directed an accredited girls' summer camp and horse farm. As 
founding director of Sign of the Dove Retreat Center in Temple, 
New Hampshire, he facilitated spiritual direction and designed 
programs for a variety of groups. He also managed the diocesan 
Living into Our Baptism program of spiritual growth and 
development.

Robinson enjoys entertaining and cooking, gardening, music, and 
running. The father of two grown daughters, Jamee and Ella, he 
lives with his partner Mark Andrew, employed by the N.H. 
Department of Health and Human Services.

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A summary of TITLE III, CANON 22:

Of the Election and Ordination of Bishops

If the date of the election occurs within 120 days before a 
meeting of the General Convention, the Standing Committee of the 
Diocese shall forward to the Secretary of the House of Deputies 
evidence of the election of the Bishop-elect by the Convention 
of the Diocese, together with evidence that the Bishop-elect has 
been duly ordered Deacon and Priest, evidence of acceptance of 
election, and a testimonial signed by a constitutional majority 
of the Convention, a summary of biographical information 
relating to the Bishop-elect, and certificates from a licensed 
medical doctor and licensed psychiatrist, appointed by the 
Ecclesiastical Authority with the approval of the Presiding 
Bishop, that they have thoroughly examined the Bishop-elect as 
to that person)s medical, psychological and psychiatric 
condition and have not discovered any reason why the person 
would not be fit to undertake the work for which the person has 
been chosen. Forms and procedures agreed to by the Presiding 
Bishop and the Church Pension Fund shall be used for this 
purpose.

The Secretary of the House of Deputies shall present the 
testimonials to the House, and if the House consents to the 
ordination of the Bishop-elect, notice of its consent shall be 
sent to the House of Bishops.

If a majority of the Bishops exercising jurisdiction consent to 
the ordination, the Presiding Bishop shall notify the Standing 
Committee of the Diocese electing and the Bishop-elect of the 
consent.

Upon receipt of the consents and assurance of the acceptance of 
the election by the Bishop-elect, the Presiding Bishop shall 
take order for the ordination of the Bishop-elect either by the 
Presiding Bishop or the President of the House of Bishops of the 
Province of which the Diocese electing is part, and two other 
Bishops of this Church, or by any three Bishops to whom the 
Presiding Bishop may communicate the testimonials.

In case a majority of all the Standing Committees of the 
Dioceses do not consent to the ordination of the Bishop-elect, 
the Presiding Bishop shall declare the election null and void 
and shall give notice to the Standing Committee of the Diocese 
electing and to the Bishop-elect. The Convention of the Diocese 
may then proceed to a new election.

No person shall be ordained Bishop unless the person shall at 
the time, and in the presence of the ordaining Bishops and 
congregation, subscribe to and make the declaration required in 
Article VIII of the Constitution.

Constitution, Article VIII Declaration:

No person shall be ordained and consecrated Bishop, or ordered 
Priest or Deacon to minister in this Church, unless at the time, 
in the presence of the ordaining Bishop or Bishops, the person 
shall subscribe and make the following declaration:

I do believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments 
to be the Word of God, and to contain all things necessary to 
salvation; and I do solemnly engage to conform to the Doctrine, 
Discipline, and Worship of the Episcopal Church.

Summary of Constitution, Article III

No one shall be ordained and consecrated Bishop until the 
attainment of thirty years of age; nor without the consent of a 
majority of the Standing Committees of all the Dioceses, and the 
consent of a majority of the Bishops of this Church exercising 
jurisdiction. But if the election shall have taken place within 
three months next before the meeting of the General Convention, 
the consent of the House of Deputies shall be required in place 
of that of a majority of the Standing Committees. No one shall 
be ordained and consecrated Bishop by fewer than three Bishops.

A Bishop shall confine the exercise of such office to the 
Diocese in which elected, unless requested to perform episcopal 
acts in another Diocese by the Ecclesiastical Authority thereof, 
or unless authorized by the House of Bishops, or by the 
Presiding Bishop by its direction, to act temporarily in case of 
need with in any territory not yet organized into Dioceses of 
this Church.