Gay Anglican bishop rejoices in N.H. same-sex marriage vote
Pastor Dale Morgan
Gay Anglican bishop rejoices in N.H. same-sex marriage vote*
Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the U.S. Anglican/Episcopal Church's first openly
gay bishop, right, shakes hands with Mo Baxley in the gallery of New
Hampshire statehouse after representatives voted in favor of gay
marriage in Concord, N.H.
By David Tirrell-Wysocki, Associated Press
CONCORD, N.H. — It was tough enough to get New Hampshire's lawmakers and
governor to approve gay marriage, but Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson
says there's an even tougher job ahead: getting churches to fully
embrace gay marriage and gay people.
"What we have to work against is countless centuries of tradition which
has judged homosexual people to be an abomination before God," said
Robinson, the Episcopal church's only openly gay bishop.
Robinson sat in the front row of the gallery in the House of
Representatives on Wednesday, hands clasped at times, praying for
lawmakers to push a little green button that indicates a "yes" vote.
In the end, there were 198 green lights to legalize gay marriage, and
176 red ones.
The gallery erupted and Robinson was caught up in a sea of hugs, which
continued as he walked through the Statehouse to a rally outside.
"There are a lot of people standing here who, when we grew up, could not
have imagined this," Robinson said. "You can't imagine something that is
simply impossible. It's happened, in our lifetimes."
But Robinson, who was elected bishop six years ago this month, said more
must happen to change attitudes in churches.
"The law says that every church gets to choose what it will do," he
said, meaning they can refuse to perform gay marriages. Robinson
approves, saying the law protects religious freedom.
"But now we need to be working in our religious institutions to come to
this new place about what is God's will about this," Robinson said. "I
think a close look at that will reveal God loves all of God's children,
not just certain ones, and that's the harder work."
The law spells out that churches, their employees and religious groups
cannot be forced to officiate at gay marriages or provide other services.
They were key elements pushed by Gov. John Lynch to win his approval.
But gay marriage opponents said the constitution already provides those
protections to religious institutions. They argued the protections
should be expanded to cover commercial vendors, such as photographers
and caterers. That drew fire from gay marriage supporters who said the
state's anti-discrimination laws would be unraveled by allowing people
to discriminate at will.
The law goes into effect in January.
In a speech in Washington last month, Robinson said despite recent
momentum, the struggle continues for gay rights supporters in churches.
"Religion in general still presents the greatest obstacles we face in
full equality," he said. "Ninety-five percent of the oppression that we
know in our lives comes from the religious community."
Robinson's election in 2003 caused a rift in the global Anglican
Communion, intensifying a long-running debate over what Anglicans should
believe about salvation, sexuality and other issues. The Episcopal
Church, the Anglican body in the U.S., is more liberal than growing
Anglican churches in Africa and elsewhere.
Meeting in Egypt in February, Anglican leaders requested their churches
continue a temporary ban — enacted after Robinson's election — on
consecrating openly gay bishops and writing prayers for gay unions.
New Hampshire legalized civil unions for gay couples last year, but in a
pastoral letter, Robinson told Episcopal clergy he would prefer they not
preside at civil unions, instead, presiding over a blessing, afterward.
"It is my hope that we will be able to provide for the private, pastoral
needs of the faithful people entrusted to our care, while causing a
minimum of further furor in the Church," he wrote in February, 2008, a
month after civil unions became legal in the state.
But he said he would be "personally and institutionally supportive" of
clergy who did not want to bless a civil union.
Robinson and his partner of 20 years were united in a civil union a year
ago this month.
He said legislators recognized that gay marriage is more than a policy
question and hopes churches will do the same.
"A lot of New Hampshire families have come to know people in their
families who are gay, co-workers, former classmates and that's what
really made this difference. We are no longer talking about an issue,"
he said. "We are talking about people."