Gay bishop sets off talk of Episcopal schism

The Episcopal House of Bishops last night elected the denomination’s first declared homosexual bishop, one day after his candidacy was threatened by accusations that he fondled a male parishioner and condoned pornography.

By a 62-45 vote at the denomination’s session in Minneapolis, the Rev. V. Gene Robinson, 56, was elected bishop of New Hampshire, provoking talk of an Episcopal schism.

“God has once again brought an Easter out of Good Friday,” Mr. Robinson said after the votes were tabulated, his daughter Ella and his partner of 13 years, Mark Andrew, standing nearby.

Episcopalians follow the United Church of Christ as the second mainline Protestant denomination to endorse actively homosexual clergy. Mr. Robinson’s supporters hailed his election as a human rights triumph of major proportions, but others said it was a tragic turning point in the Episcopal Church that could lead to schism.

The Rev. Robert Duncan, bishop of Pittsburgh, in a speech from the podium just after the results were announced at 8 p.m., said he and other conservative bishops were “filled with sorrow.” The Episcopal Church, he said, “has departed from the historic faith and order of the Church of Jesus Christ.”

Bishop Duncan called on the archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, and other bishops in the Anglican Communion “to intervene in the pastoral emergency that has overtaken us. May God have mercy on this church.”

Over the next few days, archbishops of the Anglican Communion are expected to line up in opposition to Mr. Robinson’s election.The Episcopal Church, with 2.3 million members, is the U.S. branch of the communion, which has 77 million members worldwide.

Archbishop Williams, leader of the Anglican Communion, had opposed the Robinson election. His spokesman said early today in London that the archbishop foresees “difficult days” ahead.

Mr. Robinson, who divorced his wife in the 1980s, will be consecrated early next year.

A group of conservatives called Anglican Mainstream, said to represent more than a quarter of all Anglicans, issued a statement expressing regret at Mr. Robinson’s installation. The statement was signed by church leaders from Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America and followers from England, India and elsewhere.

“We expect that primates of the Communion will be meeting soon to consider what action to take,” they said. “Dioceses and parishes in the United States who wish to remain loyal to the Anglican Communion will also be considering their position in the coming weeks.”

One group of conservatives has scheduled a meeting in Dallas in October to discuss their next move.

Five bishops of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and 25 British and European clergy, had issued a statement Monday anticipating the American bishops’ vote and chiding the Episcopalians for their “errant leadership.” The Anglican archbishops of Sydney and Melbourne in Australia also had condemned the expected decision.

Last month Archbishop Williams persuaded a candidate for bishop of Reading to withdraw after it became public that the candidate had been a practicing homosexual years ago. He had repudiated those activities.

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