Thursday, July 31, 2008

The Bishop and the Book

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gene,

Thank God for you and your work. I admire your courage so much and thank God everyday for people like you who are leading the cause that God loves all of us. My partner and I are blessed to have found a church who accepts us for who we are. I pray that the Anglican Communion can someday do the same.

Jason Kamrath
Baltimore, MD

Anonymous said...

You seem like a really nice guy, Gene.

Genuine, sincere, sweet, human. When I read your posts, I feel like giving you a hug! :-)

But you are wrong! Achingly, deeply, crushingly wrong! Dangerously, ludicrously wrong!

John Bartik,
Moore Theological College (student)
Sydney, Australia

Father Albert said...

You are the rock in a sea of shifting sand. For those who have a personal relationship with Jesus, your voice rings strong and true. We must continue our work for inclusion of all God's children in all faith communities. We are dealing with a highly politicized institution which disregards God's work in the present and future world.

Brian R said...

John Bartik
It is you who is being indoctrinated into the very wrong teachings of our poorly led diocese. I have had the great privilege of being hugged by Bishop Gene in my church not far from your college. A church which provides a refuge from the hate filled teachings found in much of the rest of Sydney
Brian Ralph
Parishioner, St James King Street.

Anonymous said...

Gene:

We've met, we've hugged, and I love listening to you. The words you speak never cease to entrance me, because it is clear as you preach that you truly believe what you say and it comes from your heart. We need more like you in this rapidly deteriorating Church of ours. I'm growing dangerously close to the point of no return when it comes to leaving the Church (though I will always believe in God), but I'm young. If one day they give people like you more in the Church, so shall people like me return with glad hearts.

Chaz from KCMO

Anonymous said...

Dear Beloved Gene;

It is with great sadness that I am writing this short note to you. I would like to begin by saying that I have probably been one of your most avid supporters over the past 5 years and have followed your progress with great concern and love.

Your personal challenge to be our Bishop and spiritual leader in New Hampshire without becoming known as the “Gay Bishop” has been an inspiration to myself and others who had great doubts of that ever happening after your election.

I also have been faithfully following your wanderings in Canterbury the past couple of weeks and have become disappointedly aware of your drift into worldly social activism. It appears that you have become the “poster boy” for such diverse activist groups as Integrity, Claiming the Blessing, the Chicago Consultation, Inclusive Church, Changing Attitudes, and that rather strange group called the Modern Churchperson’s Union (Do you really agree with their radical theology?) It even appears from some of your “blogs” that other sexually unusual groups (i.e. those who claim to have a loving sexual relationship with their siblings) will soon be clamoring to be part of “your activities”.

It has become readily apparent from your actions and statements at Canterbury that you have now firmly established yourself and have become the “Gay Bishop” of the world. A position that you seem to relish and delight in. It will be extremely difficult for you to come back to New Hampshire, limit yourself, separate yourself form the world stage, and again act as our plain spiritual leader. The fact that you state in your log that you are “proud” to be part of these groups and this world movement is also very disturbing. As you know pride is always the first step and the gateway to a myriad of other worldly sins.

In reading your daily log, it seems to me that you have had more than a few opportunities to really spread the gospel. During your speech to the MCU, did you admonish the group for their constant attacks on your church and attempts to change the basic creeds of your beloved church? You boasted during one of your interviews that you have a “personal” ministry of visiting prisons. Did you visit any prisons during your visit to Canterbury? When the “kids” were coming out of the nightclub across the street from your room in the morning did you go to them and proclaim the “good news” of salvation? You could have appeared with your videographer and interviewer when they were on the streets conversing with the locals. With your visibility and recognition what a great opportunity that would have been to proclaim the gospel.

Also, it was apparent to me that God was at work trying to get your attention during these two weeks on at least two occasions as follows: 1.) Your acknowledgement and inclusion of the “heckler” at your speech would have been a great opportunity to show your “infinite respect and radical hospitality” by inviting him into the conversation rather than throwing him out. He was probably only doing as he felt “God would have him to do”. If Peter and John had interrupted your speech to proclaim the divinity of Christ and the healing power of God, they to would probably have been immediately escorted to the door and expelled; and 2.) The Indian bishop, at one of your Wednesday sessions, in his comments to you was trying to tell you something important about “truth”. Spiritual truth (Christ) is NOT relative to a specific culture and social context. A discussion, constant prayer, and deep spiritual debate needs to take place until one true path appears. Nothing will ever happen by “just listening” and sitting back and being “in awe” at the wonder of the infinite different versions we perceive as “worldly truths”.

Also, the venues at which you selected to attend from time to time were friendly and safe and did not really open up any challenges, real discussions, or meaningful debates on the basic issues threatening our beloved communion. They appeared to be chosen only for show and mutual admiration.

I am hoping that you are true to your own words, “open up my heart for mutual learning”, and “ready to learn what they have to teach us”, and accept this little bit of gentle loving criticism and benefit from it. I think that a lot of us are deeply saddened at this turn of events and will be praying for you upon your return.

In the spirit of true love, from a faithful brother in Christ,

JT of Portsmouth

Lucia said...

Dear Brother Gene,
Please get in touch with me about the possibility of excerpting some of your comments for use on "This Way Out: The International Gay & Lesbian Radio Magazine."
Lucia Chappelle
Lachapp@aol.com
Associate Producer
"This Way Out"
www.thiswayout.org

Anonymous said...

Dear Gene,

Thank you for being who you are, a Bishop who is gay. And having the courage to say it out loud and minister to all people.

Kathleen Peterson
Norwich, VT

Anonymous said...

Beloved Bishop Gene,
It makes me sad to note that you are going to conclude your blog very shortly. I am from India and your writings gave me so much of reassurance and inspiration, today at last, I am at peace with myself. Bishop Gene, please don't go away, you have fans all around the world.

viagrajakarta said...

thnak you for sharing
obat kuat viagra
viagra asli
jual viagra
viagra usa