Thank the Lord

The Rev. Cn. Gene Robinson was cleared today of the ridiculous on their face charges against him. On Sunday, Rev. Robinson won confirmation in the first of two votes required for him to become the first gay Bishop of the Episcopal Church. That victory led to last minute charges of inappropriate contact and porn-linkery.

Though he denies involvement in one of the two last-minute smears, the Rev. David Anderson, president of the American Anglican Council (AAC) is apparently the leader within the church of the anti-Robinson faction. Rev. Anderson basically said that he would oppose Robinson by any means necessary and that, should Robinson be confirmed, the Episcopal church would split:

“There are apparently many in the Episcopal Church who have decided that homosexuality is more important than remaining a part of the vibrant and growing Anglican family. Sadly they are willing to divide the family over an issue that the vast majority of the Communion has already concluded to be inconsistent with the Biblical faith.

We will see at Convention if their voices win out. If they do, the Anglican Communion will see one of its family members leave the fold. As for the AAC, we are committed to remaining very much a part of the Anglican family. We’re staying.”

Curious about Rev. Anderson, and mindful of how easy it is to find wacky quotes from conservative Christians, I took a quick look and found this:

“The Episcopal Church needs people who are called to stand, and perhaps even to suffer, for doing the right thing. This is the most exciting time to be an Anglican since the days when Bloody Mary was burning people at the stake every day.”

Bloody Mary was known, among other things, for turning the English Church over to the Vatican and executing many Anglicans along the way, including the Archbiship of Canterbury. (Hence the “Bloody” appellation). Seriously, is one gay Bishop, or even a host of them, really that bad?

AB

UPDATE: OK of Gay Bishop May Split Anglicans.