Outrage as Gay Anglican bishop Gene Robinson to preach at London church
Pastor Dale Morgan
Outrage as Gay Anglican bishop Gene Robinson to preach at London church*
By Laura Clout
Last Updated: 2:01AM BST 02/07/2008
A gay bishop, whose consecration in New Hampshire threatens an Anglican
schism, is to preach to a Church of England congregation.
Bishop Gene Robinson has been invited to speak at a London church just
two days before a worldwide conference of church leaders, from which he
has been barred.
His appearance will embarrass and outrage the Archbishop of Canterbury,
Dr Rowan Williams, who has banned the American bishop from the Lambeth
Conference in Canterbury to try to appease traditionalists.
However the bishop has been invited to speak at the historic church of
St Mary's, Putney, in the diocese of Southwark, by the church's team
rector, the Rev Giles Fraser.
Rev Fraser said: "I am delighted that Gene Robinson is preaching in
Putney. His exclusion from the Lambeth Conference, a meeting for
listening, is an absolute scandal. He is a gracious and deeply
courageous man of God."
The rift in the Anglican Communion caused by the homosexuality debate
has been widening steadily ever since the ordination by its American
wing of the openly-gay Rt Rev Robinson in 2003.
The venue for his speech has long been associated with the Church of
England's gay lobby.
Earlier this year Rev Fraser said gay marriage is not culture wars or
church politics