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ENGLAND:
Civil partnership for
gay Bishop Gene Robinson
By Ed Beavan, Church
of England Newspaper August 24, 2007
Posted by David
Virtue on 2007/8/22 10:10:00
THE BISHOP of New Hampshire, the Rt
Rev V Gene Robinson, is to enter into a Civil Partnership with his long-term
partner just weeks before next year's Lambeth Conference.
The openly gay cleric, whose consecration as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003
caused outrage among traditionalist wings of the Anglican Communion and has
placed the Church on the brink of schism, unveiled his intention during an
interview to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 next week, in a programme entitled the
Choice.
Interviewed by Michael Buerk, Bishop Robinson denied the plan to hold the
ceremony next June had been chosen to be deliberately provocative.
He said: "The decision to take advantage of the new law that will come
into effect in New Hampshire on January 1 is simply our taking advantage of the
kinds of rights which are now being made open to gay and lesbian people in New
Hampshire.
"I am certainly not doing that to rub salt into anyone's wounds, but no one
should expect me to penalise me and my partner when these rights are being
offered.
"We were looking for a three-day weekend which would allow people to travel more
easily, and that happened to be the fifth anniversary of my election as the
Bishop of New Hampshire and thought that would be an appropriate date.
"I think the fact is my critics would find any date impermissible."
He also tells about his love for the Anglican Communion, but said he would never
stand down from his role as it would be going against God's call on his life.
He said: "I love the Anglican Church and I value the Communion and I will
do everything short of standing down to benefit the Communion.
"But I will not reject God's call to me. If I were to disappear tomorrow
does anyone think these questions are to go away either for the Episcopal Church
or the Anglican Communion? I don't think so."
When asked about his thoughts on how his consecration as Bishop had placed the
Church on the road to schism, Bishop Robinson admitted that the Episcopal Church
may have got it wrong.
He said: "This was not just my doing this was an entire community's doing,
and that community tried its very best to discern the will of God, and we may be
wrong, I am ready to admit to you that I cannot be sure that this is the right
thing or the right time or the right way.
"I believe that Peter Akinola, the Archbishop of Nigeria, one of the primary
spokespeople against my election, I believe he is following his call from God as
best as he can, I just wish he could believe I am following my call from God as
best I can."
The interview is on Radio 4 on Tuesday August 28 at 9am.
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