A Sermon for Our Times: Bishop Gene Robinson in the Face of Fear

Watch this clip from the BBC.

Really. Stop now and watch it. It's less than two minutes. And it brought me to tears.

If you don't recognize the clergyman who is speaking, you have surely heard of him. He's the Right Rev. Gene Robinson, the ninth bishop of the diocese of New Hampshire and the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church. This is the man who stands, as his recent memoir puts it, "in the eye of the storm" that has engulfed the global Anglican Communion since his consecration as bishop five years ago.

In the video clip, taken last Sunday, Bishop Robinson is preaching at St. Mary's Church, Putney, in south London. He was on his way to the Lambeth Conference, the once-a-decade meeting of Anglican bishops convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. The conference opens on Wednesday (July 16).

Not that he will be allowed inside. To appease those who oppose the ordination of gay clergy and leaders, the Archbishop has excluded Bishop Robinson from attending. Bishop Robinson instead will stand on the margins, in an adjacent space called "the Marketplace," where products are sold and new ideas get a hearing. He intends to put a face on the controversy, a face of love in a climate of fear.

Fear was the subject of Bishop Robinson's sermon on Sunday in London. As the clip shows, he had hardly begun speaking when a protestor rose from the congregation, shouting "Repent!" Yes, lamentation is called for, but not from Bishop Robinson. Rather, it is the church itself -- not just the Anglican Church, but many faith traditions, both Christian and non-Christian -- that should lament, to consider with regret, how it has marginalized gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people. Sexual and gender oppression can no longer be portrayed as virtuous and morally defensible. That is a worthy sermon for our times.

But the incident in south London calls another sermon to mind. In Matthew's telling of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you." (Matt 5: 43-44).

In St. Mary's Church on Sunday, the Sermon on the Mount came to life. Parishioners responded to the heckler first with clapping hands, then with voices joined in a hymn of praise. There was no shouting back, no shoving, just an outpouring of love that overwhelmed the voice of fear. When the incident was over, Bishop Robinson continued. "Pray for that man," he said.

Pray for him. Love him. Pray for the Bishops gathered in England. Pray for Bishop Robinson, excluded from the table.

We are all challenged to create loving, respectful relationships, and to honor the many ways that people live and love. An inclusive, embracing love leads us to affirm sexual and gender diversity as a blessing in our lives.

Comments

[Jonahson]

I thought catholic priest are not suppose to marry and take a vow on the abstinence from sex.
So what's the big deal wether that guy is gay or not?
Correct me if I am wrong.

[sparkandy]

Anglicans are not Roman Catholics. It's the Church of England, NOT the Church of Rome. But don't feel bad. Unless you were raised Anglican (like me) or Roman Catholic, it's hard to tell the difference.

[Jonahson]

Thanks for the information.

[BubbaC33]

No one other than my wife and mistress know if I am straight orr gay, I don;t believe my sexual orientation is anyone's business. So I don't discuss it. Which is what I don;t understand about thsi issue. Why is it important for anyone to share their sexual orientation? It is a private matter, not a public issue to be discussed. I am not advocating that anyone should be ashamed, just a little more private. If folks followed that notion this issue would not be important.
The Episcopal Church has a much more serious issue to be resolved, its official and enthusiastic anti-Semitism. According to the Episcopal Church everything the Jews and Israel do is wrong. And everything the Arabs do is almost perfect. My wife attends an Episcopla chruch, we're and Episca-Jew family. But open support of groups like Hamas and Hezbollah make it impossible for me to attend with her. And I no longer allow my daughter to attend, she does not need to be subjected to such hatred.
Bottom line- sexual orientation is not important. But I also believe it is a private matter that is the business of no one outside the immediate family.

[DavidHealy]

It's funny how supposedly private matters become very public indeed, when it turns out that one's wife is actually one's husband, even harder when one heads a parish. Who is that man who always sits alone in church and goes home with the priest? Well that's his . . . . . .

[SILVANUS]

It's NOT important in the grand scheme of caring for our abused world, but sexual orientationis essential to one's being in the realm of human love and loving, and one should not HAVE to hide one's orientation. Abuse of this notion led to decades of blackmail, scapegoating and the rest.

You don't have to look further back than Reagan, or the current don't ask dont tell hypocrites.

Disingenious Republicans, some conservatives and the nutcase arm of this church and any churches thrive on having someone to demonize in order to consolidate a power base of primieval idoits who respond to superstition and fear-mongering... and send money!!!

We WILL arrive at a time when orientation truly doesn't matter.... but it still DOES because of fear and bigotry and the lowlife creeps who EXPLOIT that to gain power ...and avoid getting a real day job.

[BubbaC33]

My thinking is this, who cares who goes home with the Vicar? I do not. My only concern is how well are the needs of the congregation served. Sexual orientation doesn't matter if he/she is acting as the leader of the church in an effective and Christian manner.