Source:  The Institute on Religion and Democracy

July 20, 2010

By Jeff Walton

. . .  Robinson asked the congregation if they were going to be “part of a revised and transformed understanding of what God wants” or instead opt for chaos.

The Episcopalian noted that Jesus and his disciples frequently got into trouble with the authorities for their actions.

“Don’t think that God’s blessing falls just on you,” Robinson said. “You start preaching God’s love for all of God’s children and you will get into trouble.”

Robinson then recounted how he charged those who he ordained to the deaconate to get into “Gospel trouble” and that if they’re not in trouble; it’s not the Gospel that they are preaching.

“In this moment of discernment, think about what you will do,” Robinson charged the congregation, recalling the story of his consecration as bishop, in which he wore a bulletproof vest.

“Death isn’t the worst thing – not living your life is the worst thing. We don’t have to be afraid, ever again.”

“During this period of discernment, are you going to be an admirer only of Jesus, or will you be a disciple?” Robinson asked. “You get to choose. Amen.”

“We belong to a living and breathing church that is better and better discerning God’s will,” Robinson said, outlining his belief that God was expanding the church’s understanding of inclusion.

“As soon as we get through this LGBT issue, there will be someone else,” the bishop posited.

Robinson suggested that if the church somehow lost its status in the denomination, that they continue preaching their message, certain of the end result of history. The bishop said that they would be welcomed back into the United Methodist Church with open arms when the denomination also reached that conclusion.

“It’ll all come tumbling down,” Robinson said, clarifying that he meant the church’s policy, not the United Methodist Church itself.

“You may have some people leave over this,” Robinson cautioned, naming the Falls Church, a large conservative Anglican parish in nearby suburban Virginia that departed the more liberal Episcopal Church along with other congregations. “I hate that, but people have to make their own decisions.”

The Episcopal bishop also explained his views on scriptural prohibitions on homosexual behavior. Episcopalians, Robinson explained, examined the meaning of scripture in its immediate context and only then asked if it applied to them in present day. Robinson claimed that the seven verses specifically prohibiting homosexual behavior were each addressing an understanding of what homosexuality was perceived to be: a disordered action of a heterosexual “behaving badly”, rather than a different orientation. In that context, Robinson said, scripture’s authors were not aware of monogamous committed homosexual partnerships, and thus those were not addressed in scripture.

The New Hampshire bishop did not speak to the wider themes in the Bible about husband and wife, marriage, or the traditions of the church and Hebrew people. He was insistent, however, that Foundry’s decisions in regards to same-sex marriage and homosexuality in general would lead the denomination in a new direction.

“When a church like Foundry stands up, do you think others around the country won’t notice?” Robinson asked. If the sought for changes in Methodism did not result, “you can always come home to the Anglican church,” the bishop said to laughter and clapping.

Read the entire article here.