Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson

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barryschoedel

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Did anyone read this AP story about Obama’s selection of Robinson to say a prayer at his inaugural event (after much outcry from the gay community over his choice of Rick Warren to lead prayer)? I thought it was interesting because Robinson says he won’t use the Bible to pray and that he will be careful not to make his prayer “especially Christian.”

*"Robinson, 61, said both Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will attend the event, and Obama is expected to speak. As for himself, Robinson said he doesn’t yet know what he’ll say, but he knows he won’t use a Bible.

“While that is a holy and sacred text to me, it is not for many Americans,” Robinson said. “I will be careful not to be especially Christian in my prayer. This is a prayer for the whole nation.”

Robinson said his prayer will be reflective of the times.

“I think these are sober and difficult times that we are facing,” he said. “It won’t be a happy, clappy prayer.”(taken from AP story published 1/12/09 titled Gay NH bishop to offer prayer at inaugural event) *

The way I see it, Robinson, first, obviously is living a lifestyle contrary to the gospel, and doing so publicly, as a ‘bishop.’ How naturally then does it follow that if you can deny Christ in one part of your life it becomes easier and easier to do it in other parts (like prayer). For all intents and purposes Robinson is a Unitarian-Universalist theologically and morally. What is so scandalous about what he is saying is that he, a recognized Christian leader, is willing to deny Christ in a public event of such proportion.

I know there are some solid Anglo-Catholics who post on here and I pray for your reunification with Rome but as far as I can tell this Episcopal community is imploding from within.
 
barryschoedel said:
I know there are some solid Anglo-Catholics who post on here and I pray for your reunification with Rome but as far as I can tell this Episcopal community is imploding from within.
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There is a new anglican province in North America, and most traditionalist breakaway sects have joined it, along with dioscese from the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada.
The anglican Church of Ireland is growing in numbers, and in the developing world the church is strong. Just because revisionists have taken over North American anglicanism doesn’t mean it’s happening throughout the communion. Even the Church of England, with its quite numerous theological liberals has a very strong evangelical base.

The ‘Episcopal community’ as you call it is not imploding from within, as people are leaving it to join a new province. It’s not just the liberalism, it is the forcing of those views on the whole province, whereas in the CofE people on all sides of the table are willing to understand the other person’s point of view.
 
Has it been confirmed that Rev Robinson will be giving the invocation yet?
 
grampben said:
The anglican Church of Ireland is growing in numbers, and in the developing world the church is strong. Just because revisionists have taken over North American anglicanism doesn’t mean it’s happening throughout the communion. Even the Church of England, with its quite numerous theological liberals has a very strong evangelical base.
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Interesting perspective, thanks.
 
Apparently Rick Warren is giving the invocation but Robinson was called on to do an opening prayer after weeks of criticism of Obama by his leftist-pagan constituency for choosing Warren.
 
barryschoedel said:
Apparently Rick Warren is giving the invocation but Robinson was called on to do an opening prayer after weeks of criticism of Obama by his leftist-pagan constituency for choosing Warren.
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So anyone left on the spectrum is a ‘pagan’?
 
*Robinson, 61, said both Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will attend the event, and Obama is expected to speak. As for himself, Robinson said he doesn’t yet know what he’ll say, but he knows he won’t use a Bible.

“While that is a holy and sacred text to me, it is not for many Americans,” Robinson said. “I will be careful not to be especially Christian in my prayer. This is a prayer for the whole nation.”

Robinson said his prayer will be reflective of the times.

“I think these are sober and difficult times that we are facing,” he said. “It won’t be a happy, clappy prayer.”(taken from AP story published 1/12/09 titled Gay NH bishop to offer prayer at inaugural event)

And this guy calls himself Christian? I don’t get it…:confused:
*
 
BlestOne said:
And this guy calls himself Christian? I don’t get it…:confused:
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It doesn’t sound great, does it? But I think what he means is that he will pray about things universal to America, and doesn’t mean to alienate non-christians. No provision for atheists or satanists though :rolleyes:
 
There are quite a few elements in the Episcopal hierarchy who worship Robinson’s consecration as their god. Such a tragedy. It’s people like this who make it increasingly difficult to be an American Anglican. Good thing the Anglicans in the developing world still worship Jesus rather than Robinson and Schori. I’ll be changing channels during his “prayer” at the inauguration. Maybe I’ll get out an inflatable raft and float around in the Tiber until he’s done. 😃
 
grampben said:
So anyone left on the spectrum is a ‘pagan’?
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So anyone left of the spectrum isn’t a ‘pagan’? I daresay you will find pagans at both ends of the spectrum - communists and nazis proved that during the last century - so the question is not pertinent.

What does seem clear is that there is an intention to have a festival of religious buffoonery, since one of the most prominent of religious buffoons has been tapped to participate.

Robinson says there will be nothing “Christian” about the prayer he offers. Well, what more needs be said about his commitment to the Christian faith, or for that matter, to assertions he might make about being a practicing Christian himself?

Blessings,

Gerry
 
Argent said:
There are quite a few elements in the Episcopal hierarchy who worship Robinson’s consecration as their god. Such a tragedy. It’s people like this who make it increasingly difficult to be an American Anglican. Good thing the Anglicans in the developing world still worship Jesus rather than Robinson and Schori. I’ll be changing channels during his “prayer” at the inauguration. Maybe I’ll get out an inflatable raft and float around in the Tiber until he’s done. 😃
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You heard about the new Anglican Province in North America?
 
So I read the story and I was sad. I read the postings here and I was and am sad.
I’m a life long episcopalian, granted I lean very much in the anglo-catholic direction but I’m an episcopalian non the less. I just wanted to offer my thoughts on the matter.
1: I am sad that Bishop Robinson was selected, not sad because of who he is but sad because of why he was chosen. The Pres. Elect said he was chosen because of his role in the Church, well I guess if you want someone who can’t unite anyone then he was a great choice…no really my bigger issue is that I hate it when people play politics and use the church as a means to do it.
2: I am sad because of what people here have said about the Bishop. While I in no way agree with his actions he is the rightly elected bishop of NH and that means he ought to be treated with the respect of the office.
3: I am sad because the episcopal church seems to be killing itself. While I would not go so far as to say that people in the church “worship” the Bishop, I would go so far as to say that this issue has clouded the eyes of many and made it so that real issues facing the church cannot be addressed.

just my two (three?) cents
 
**
“While that is a holy and sacred text to me, it is not for many Americans,” Robinson said. “I will be careful not to be especially Christian in my prayer. This is a prayer for the whole nation.”**

It’s very easy not to be especially Christian in your prayer when you’re not especially Christian in your faith.
 
Gerry_Hunter said:
So anyone left of the spectrum isn’t a ‘pagan’? I daresay you will find pagans at both ends of the spectrum - communists and nazis proved that during the last century - so the question is not pertinent.
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I am using the word leftist-pagan referring particularly to the constituency that was up in arms over the selection of Rick Warren to give the invocation. This particular political group (which is not negligible in terms of size or political influence) tends to be both left of center and pagan. When I say pagan I mean the sort of religious understand that sees Jesus at best as an avatar or manifestation of the divine and not unique. Thus his teachings have little moral relevancy for this age and are not binding unless they can be used to justify a leftist political platform. I realize this is a generalization. I agree that it is possible to be pagan at any end or in the middle of the political spectrum.
Gerry_Hunter said:
Robinson says there will be nothing “Christian” about the prayer he offers. Well, what more needs be said about his commitment to the Christian faith, or for that matter, to assertions he might make about being a practicing Christian himself?
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I think it was the tone that bothered me the most about this statement. Why even make it?

Is he ashamed of his faith? Any Christian leader should be able to lead people closer to God without having to make the statement that he is not using the Bible and his prayer won’t be Christian. I understand that using certain forms of piety won’t be recognized by the whole and may not be effective at leading people to God and being prophetic, but it seems natural to trust that a Christian leader could recognize how to effectively respond to the situation he is called to pray in without denigrating his own faith and source of inspiration. How can his prayer not be Christian as a bishop? Are bishops encouraged to pray to false gods? The statement itself is absurd and makes no sense from a bishop.
 
So aside from his being gay how is he not Christian? Can I have an answer? Please?
 
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