Some traditionalists have reacted to the consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson with outrage, announcing that they refuse to recognize him as a bishop.
Jesus said you will know them by their fruits. From everything I've read, Bishop Robinson is a good man and a fine priest; his fruits so far appear to be pretty good.
Like it or not, Gene Robinson was consecrated a bishop after having been duly elected and confirmed according to the canons. He is certainly no less a bishop than Bishops Chuck Murphy and John Rodgers of the Anglican Mission in America.
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--D. C.
Actually he is only a priest if Christ makes him one. He is in name only. As a person who left his wife and children, moved in with a man, lives with this man, and continues to do so...how can he be consecrated if the vows that he took, he breaks every day?
sorry, but I feel he is a Bishop in name only. When he starts to hold his vows and promises he made to God, I'll start to listen, but not before...
Posted by: | December 17, 2003 at 07:37 AM
Would your view be different if Robinson had been divorced and then had been remarried to a woman?
Here's an extract from a BBC profile that seems relevant:
Robinson said, in an on-camera interview, that "We ended our marriage in church. We took a priest with us to the judge's chambers, for the final divorce decree; we went back to his church, and then returned our wedding rings to each other as a symbol of the vows that we no longer held each other to. My wife was remarried, already remarried before I ever met my partner."
At the national church's Consecration Committee, one of Robinson's daughters read a statement from his ex-wife. According to this transcript of a PBS News Hour piece (which apparently showed video of her doing so), she said, "Gene Robinson is a good man, a good priest, a good husband and partner and good father. That's my mom's story and here's mine. Divorce is never a good time but it was through love and dedication that both my sister and I were able to come away with more happy experiences and memories than sad ones."
I also read that Robinson's ex-wife and daughters participated in his consecration as bishop, along with his now-partner.
--D. C.
Posted by: DCT | December 17, 2003 at 04:17 PM