Gene Robinson on response to Windsor
The gist of Gene Robinson’s address to the House of Bishops on the response to Windsor. This does not claim to be verbatim.
I have never spoken ill of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s request not to travel to any province till after Windsor Report.
I constantly and consistently point to God’s grace. My agenda will continue to be Jesus. I want to help you. I have been up since 4 a.m. worrying and praying about the Anglican Communion. I am wanting to stay a part of this beloved church. I cannot do so at the expense of my own integrity and those of my brother and sisters lesbian and gay. Will I exercise caution in giving consent? Absolutely. But I cannot promise to withhold consent from a whole category of people sight unseen. I have agonised over these days about how to reconcile two conflicting desires – to commitment to gays to lead this church and my commitment to the Anglican Communion. How can we enable gays and lesbians in leadership and also show commitment to the communion. We have allowed forces outside our church to influence this decision. The Pharisees posed questions to Jesus and tried to trap him into the only right answer. Can we not shape our own answer? Perhaps they are not the right questions. The Windsor Report is the beginning not the ending of a conversation. Cannot we see a way forward that preserves integrity and commitment to communion?
I do not know what humility looks like. I am looking for a faithful way forward. We have responded to 10 out of 11 of the questions of Windsor. What would be wrong with saying to our Anglican Partners, we have with one exception come to a mind. On this one question we are not of one mind. This church speaks only when all of this church speaks. A great part of this church has responded no. The deputies said no. We have made an extraordinary effort to be as honest as we can be. We are not of a mind and cannot come to a mind between HoD and HoB. Listen to one another to see where the spirit might be leading us. I cannot vote for any kind of resolution that by category excludes part of our church.
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