wfn.org | Episcopalians: Mixed reaction to New Hampshire bishop election

[dmack@episcopalchurch.org]

June 8, 2003

2003-127

Episcopalians: Mixed reaction to New Hampshire bishop election

by Jan Nunley and James Solheim

(ENS) Reaction to the June 7 election of the Rev. V. Gene 
Robinson, an openly gay priest who is living in a committed 
relationship, as the ninth bishop of New Hampshire has ranged 
from joy to outrage. Yet all parties have one thing in 
common--concern for how the election is handled at this summer's 
General Convention in Minneapolis.

That's where Robinson's election may be either ratified or 
rejected, first by the House of Deputies and then by a subset of 
the House of Bishops composed of bishops "with 
jurisdiction"--those who head dioceses in the Episcopal Church. 
Both houses must concur for the election to be validated and the 
consecration to proceed this fall.

Robinson's will not be the only episcopal election coming before 
the triennial convention. Nine other episcopal elections occur 
within 120 days of the convention. That triggers a provision of 
the church's canons that requires ratification of the election 
by the House of Deputies rather than the standing committees of 
each of the church's dioceses, plus a majority of all diocesan 
bishops.

Failure to ratify a bishop's election is a rare event in the 
history of the church. In 1874, George Franklin Seymour, the 
Anglo-Catholic dean of the General Theological Seminary in New 
York, was elected third bishop of Illinois.  Seymour was widely 
perceived as a "ritualist," introducing what were then 
considered "dangerous" Roman Catholic liturgical innovations, 
such as candles on the altar, into what was then a very 
Protestant-oriented denomination. According to historians, his 
election was refused by a technical majority of the House of 
Deputies during a vote by orders, although the numerical 
majority was favorable.

Another "ritualist" whose election was denied, and who is now 
commemorated on March 22 in the church's yearly calendar, was 
the Rev. James deKoven, nominated as bishop for the dioceses of 
Massachusetts and Wisconsin and elected bishop of Illinois in 
1875, just one year after Seymour.  His election was not 
confirmed by a majority of diocesan standing committees.

Two years later the diocese of Illinois was split into three: 
Chicago, Quincy, and Springfield. Seymour was unanimously chosen 
bishop of the new Diocese of Springfield and his election was 
confirmed by the diocesan standing committees and bishops. But 
Seymour declined the election. The next year, 1878, he was again 
unanimously chosen in Springfield and became its first diocesan 
bishop.

'A fine bishop'

"Canon Robinson is a fine priest and, we believe, will make a 
fine bishop," said the Rev. Michael Hopkins, president of the 
lesbian and gay affinity group Integrity, in a statement 
released by email shortly after the news of Robinson's election 
broke. "We do not believe it was primarily about sexuality. 
Nevertheless, we rejoice that this threshold--the election of an 
honest and open gay person living in a committed 
relationship--has been crossed. The emphasis should be on the 
words 'honest and open.' Canon Robinson will certainly not be 
the Church's first gay bishop.

"We regret that this election is the source of pain and 
controversy to some in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican 
Communion," the statement continued, but it called on the 
leadership of General Convention to "enable a fair process for 
the confirmation hearings and votes in the two Houses of the 
Convention."

The president of Province I, Bishop Chilton Knudsen of Maine, 
described Robinson as "a man of prayer who lives intimately with 
the Good Shepherd to whom he has given his life. God has blessed 
him abundantly with gifts of wisdom, skill, vision and courage. 
His extensive experience in parish, diocesan and national church 
ministry has repeatedly revealed his greatest gift: that of 
drawing people together in the mission of Jesus Christ. 
Reconciliation happens when Gene is present; the movement of 
grace is apparent in every dimension of his ministry."

'Holy Spirit moment'

>From the opposite coast, the first to welcome Robinson's 
election was the first openly gay priest elected dean of an 
Episcopal cathedral. The Rev. Robert Taylor of St. Mark's 
Cathedral in Seattle called it "a Holy Spirit moment."

"Our God is a God of generous love and hope, always embracing 
those who the Church might not fully embrace. While the 
institution of the Church has often battled over who to keep 
out, the story of God is a different one--God is always 
inviting, including, and celebrating the richness of all people, 
be they black, white, gay, straight, rich, or poor," said 
Taylor, who was an anti-apartheid activist in his native South 
Africa.

Robinson's election will cause angst on the part of some in the 
Episcopal Church, Taylor acknowledged, but will also be 
celebrated by many as a sign of God's mercy, hope, and love for 
all people and their gifts. He noted that there have always been 
gay priests and bishops throughout the history of the Church, 
and said Robinson's election means that there will come a day in 
which no one in the Church feels they have to deny the God-given 
gift of their sexuality. He added, "Robinson was not elected 
because of his sexuality but because of the gifts he has been 
given by God and the depth of his ministry as a pastor, 
reconciler, and proclaimer of the good news of Jesus Christ." 

A dangerous man?

Those accolades for Robinson were sharply contrasted by the 
statements of conservative renewal leaders and advocacy groups.

The American Anglican Council (AAC) issued a statement declaring 
itself "deeply saddened" by the election of Robinson, calling it 
"a clear illustration of the deep dysfunction in our "anything 
goes" Episcopal Church, and is a witness that is not consistent 
with the global Anglican Christian Church. It also shows us 
again just how far much of the Episcopal Church has moved out of 
the thriving mainstream of worldwide Anglicanism... We would 
strongly urge Convention to act in accordance with scripture, 
tradition, reason and the mind of the Anglican Communion and 
withhold consent."

The Rev. Todd H. Wetzel, executive director of Episcopalians 
United, said, "Several years ago, I called the Rev. Gene 
Robinson 'the most  dangerous man in the Episcopal Church.' I 
did so, not because Canon  Robinson was inept or because he was 
lacking in compassion.	On the	contrary, he is one of the most 
talented clergy in the church and a powerful candidate for 
Bishop in any diocese. Were it not for the fact  that  he is 
engaged in an immoral lifestyle and openly displays his  
commitment to another man, he would in all other areas be 
qualified."

Wetzel argued that Robinson's "exemplary capabilities do not 
warrant an exception to 2000 years of  the teaching of Scripture 
... Clearly, Canon Robinson's behavior is a scandal, not only to 
the overwhelming majority of Christians in the world, but to 
Moslems as well."

Wetzel concluded by urging the General Convention to "override 
sentiment and refuse to certify the election" of Robinson, while 
at the same time asking conservatives to avoid "rancorous 
debate.  The arguments are clear on both sides."

Change in doctrine

In another statement entitled "Grave Concern over a Great 
Crisis," the bishops of the Diocese of South Carolina seemed to 
turn the focus of their objection from Robinson's sexual 
orientation to the fact that his 13-year relationship with 
partner Mark Andrew is "outside the bounds of marriage." The 
statement was signed by Bishop Edward Salmon, Jr. and Bishop 
Suffragan William Skilton.

While acknowledging that "to his credit, Canon Robinson made no 
secret of his involvement in a relationship with his same sex 
partner, whom he named but didn't make a focus of the election 
process," they warned that if the church ratifies Robinson's 
election, "we would clearly be approving of the relationship in 
which Gene Robinson is involved. This is not about a person or a 
diocesan election process; it is about a radical change in 
church doctrine.

"The union in which Canon Robinson participates is not Holy 
Matrimony but an intimate relationship outside the bounds of 
marriage. This would be true whether he were cohabiting with a 
man or with a woman," the statement said. "For the church 
implicitly to sanction such a partnership will be a clear 
repudiation of the teaching of Holy Scripture and the tradition 
of the church; it also would signify a massive overhaul of the 
Christian theology of marriage by the Episcopal Church."

An approval of the election, they said, would fly in the face of 
the will of the Anglican primates expressed in a recent pastoral 
letter, as well as "a whole host of General Convention 
resolutions on this subject dating back several decades. If Gene 
Robinson's election is confirmed by General Convention, it would 
bring through the back door a practice that the Episcopal Church 
has never agreed to approve through the front door. How can this 
be considered doing justice?" said the South Carolina bishops. 
"We do NOT have a theology for same sex relationships, and to 
agree to the Robinson election would be tacitly to sanction 
relationships still searching for a theology. We do not believe 
such a theology is possible without doing violence to Holy 
Scripture."

'A grievous wound?'

Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh issued his own statement 
terming the election a "grievous wound" to the Episcopal Church, 
the Anglican Communion, and to "Christians everywhere, though 
some wholeheartedly rejoice, and many others are uncertain." But 
Duncan called for restraint and understanding on both sides of 
the issue.

"My prayer is--and my efforts will be--that the election not be 
confirmed," Duncan said. "I have, quite carefully, used the 
adjective 'well-meaning' about those who have (and who will) 
support this election. Equally true is that most Christians 
desire to love and to serve those with whom they disagree, even 
on something as basic as the boundaries of human sexual 
expression. Actions which are body-rending can still be actions 
that both sides meant for good. However this present drama plays 
out, we need to continue to see these values in each other."

Internet busy with reactions

As news of the election spread, reactions also began to sizzle 
across the Internet. A Midwestern man announced that the 
election was "the last straw" and he was leaving the Episcopal 
Church immediately. A man from Florida said that "a queer is a 
queer and always will be," charging that the election proves 
that Episcopalians don't believe in God's teachings and "you are 
deserting God." On the other hand, a woman said, "You are a 
forward-looking religion, not dwelling thousands of years in the 
past, as so many religions seem to do."

Another called homosexuality "unnatural and wrong," pleading for 
the church's leadership to block the consecration. Those 
sentiments were echoed by a General Convention deputy from 
California, who asked if it was possible for "sinful human 
wilfulness, either personal or collective, to thwart the leading 
of the Spirit?" But a man from Michigan asked, "What has this 
world come to? It's a pretty sad day in the church."

A church member from Tennessee was "thrilled" to hear of the 
election and said that "gay Episcopalians everywhere will see 
hope for the church in this small glimmer of light." A Roman 
Catholic said that he welcomed the election "with hope for my 
own faith. This is a brave and inspirational step, and it can 
serve as a message of inclusion worldwide."

Others said they were "so proud to be an Episcopalian." One 
reported, "I just called my gay son and he wept when I told him 
the news. He even said he might come back to church."

------

--James Solheim is director of Episcopal News Service. The Rev. 
Jan Nunley is deputy director.