New Hampshire’s gay Bishop Gene Robinson might’ve announced he’s leaving the Anglican Church before his mandatory retirement, but he’s not letting the winding down of his career keep him in the way of the spotlight: He’s just launched an attack on Canterbury’s Archbishop Rowan Williams.
Though Williams — head of the Anglican Church — is a wonderful person, Robinson says Williams’ dealing with gay clergy was an absolute fail. “I pray for him every day,” says Williams. “‘I have clergy friends who literally studied at Archbishop Williams’ feet and who have said to me it is almost as if aliens have come and taken Rowan away from us. They have left something that looks like him but we don’t recognise him any more.”
Williams has been both celebrated and faulted for making compromises about gay and female clergy in order to keep the Anglican community from further splintering, a problem it continues to face in light of Pope Benedict XVI’s call for conservative Anglicans to join the Catholic Church. Already bishops are taking the pope up on his offer.
Depending on which camp you’re in, the archbishop’s decision to welcome gay clergy so long as they’re celibate has been seen as both a pussying out (by caving to conservatives) or a pussying out (for caving to liberals). “I’m not at all sure that his attempts to hold us together as a communion at all costs is the kind of leadership that this time calls for,” says Robinson.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
gregger
Please, Williams has been bending to every whim of the reactionary African Bigots, err Bishops. Sanctioning the US church for ordaining gays and lesbians, turning his back on people whom he has known for years, and behaving like a jackass. When he was the Bishop of Wales he was much more of a progressive, now he’s an apologist.
Equal Rights Now
Williams looks like he’s possessed by demmons! What’s with all the hair and whacky eyebrows? Pluck/trim those brows girl!
Pat Duffy
Williams is pretty Standard. GLBT-folk are ALWAYS considered after those of Otherfolk.
The Church , which Williams is keeping the policy up made a discision decades ago that they would Sacrifice GLBT members for the chance at expanding Influence in Africa. After all, with Breeders once you get the parents, they make more members without any expendature on the Church’s part….
REBELComx
@Equal Rights Now: That’s his Albus Dumbledore impression.
Joe
Hey Queerty, what’s with the snarky passive-agressive tone against Robinson?? Robinson is “not letting the winding down of his career keep him in the way of the spotlight.” and Williams “is a wonderful person”??? Did the Anglican Women’s League write this article for you?
Daez
I don’t really get this. The church I am a pledging member of is an Episcopalian very gay friendly church that is led by mostly gays and lesbians. Our assistant rector has a baby with her partner that was baptized in the church.
Where as Africa might have more members, I think it is proven time and time again that gays have more disposable income to give to things like church tithes.