For those of you who do not follow all things Episcopal/Anglican, the House of Bishops met this past week in Texas and it was revealed at this time that Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire is not invited to the Lambeth Conference this year. Lambeth is the once every 10 year gathering of all the Episcopal/Anglican bishops in the world. It seems that some bishops object to +Gene and his lifestyle. If you do not remember he is the bishops that is living in a open relationship with another man. Now I will say this, I don’t necessarily agree with his lifestyle but he was canonically elected, consecrated and rules a diocese. I am sorry but just because you disagree with someone stand on issues does not mean they should not be invited. It seems that small minded people in the Anglican world are running the table here.
At the meeting in Texas when it was announced they told this bishop of the church that he could not pray and meet with them but that he was invited to set up a boot in the exhibition area of the meeting, like he is on display of some kind. I find this repugnant that the church would treat one of her bishops this way. Regardless of how you feel about +Gene personally you have to feel his pain in this situation. I for one feel very bad for him and for the Church in New Hampshire. I hope that wisdom prevails here and he is in fact invited to the meeting.
In charity please pray for +Gene and the Episcopal Church in New Hampshire.
UPDATE: I was giving some thought to this posting and I have come to a slightly different conclusion. Although I do not agree with the lifestyle choice of the bishop, it is his lifestyle and not mine. I am not in any position to judge him or anyone for that matter that is not my job that is for the Lord alone to do. Sometimes I think this world would be a much better place if everyone just worries about how they are living their lives and not how others do!
Nasty comments are not welcome and will be deleted!
i think that since the episcopal/anglicans knew he was an openly gay person when they made him a bishop they have no right to treat him badly and turn their backs on him. this whole issue should have been voted on and an agreement made before they made him a bishop not after he was already made one. now that he is a bishop they need to treat him just has they treat any of their other bishops and be christian toward him. anne
I agree with you 100% Thanks for the comment.
Have they don’t anything about changing his status as a bishop…if not, then that seems hypocritical to me.
I agree that we are not the one’s to judge. I have plenty to do keeping my own house in order.
I agree that, as +New Hampshire is a sitting Anglican bishop, it’s hypocritical not to invite him whilst inviting his consecrators: the national church that approved him.
The issue is simply another on top of the heap separating Catholics (by this I include the Orthodox) from Protestants including credally orthodox, high-church, liturgical Protestants.
All the Controversial Issues™ – such as this and women’s ordination (the ones about sex are the only ones the secular mainstream cares about) – are symptoms of the one big difference: is the church infallible or not? Catholics say yes, Protestants no, which is why the latter think they can change these things.
A conclusion I’ve come to about this row:
If the worst outcome for the liberals happened – the Episcopalians are expelled from the Anglican Communion as would be understandable; most Anglicans don’t agree with them on this matter… and the little conservative American groups replace them in that communion – it wouldn’t affect most Episcopalians in any way.
As both the liberal and conservative sides commune all baptised Christians this doesn’t affect most laymen at all.