Sunday Salute VII

Bishop Gene Robinson  is a brave man.  His life has been threatened almost on a daily basis because he is an openly gay man serving as a Bishop in the Episcopalian Church.  I remember seeing him give a prayer called the Franciscan Fourfold Blessing (at the bottom of this post) and it impressed me greatly.  I admire his courage and his willingness to serve his people in his church.  I admired President Obama for including him in the Inauguration Ceremonies almost as much as I was disappointed in him for including Rick Warren as a participant.  The Bishop did a better job and it is unfortunate that his part was not publicized more widely.

“If we were to start talking about the racism that continues to exist in this country, our legacy from slavery, do you think that wouldn’t make people mad? I think if you scratch just below the surface of the Tea Party movement, what you find is racism. But if we started talking about that, we’d be in trouble.”

— Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, talking to the Boston Globe about his scheduled retirement in 2013 and the issues he still plans to speak out on.

My conservative brothers and sisters seem to argue that God revealed everything to us in scripture. Ever since, it has simply been our difficult but straightforward task to conform ourselves to God's will revealed there and to repent when we are unable or unwilling to do so. For me, there is something static and lifeless in such a view of God. Could it be that even the Bible is too small a box in which to enclose God?
Interview for the Guardian.. Dated: 12th July 2008

I believe God is doing a new thing in the world. God is always moving us to include more people in the kingdom. God has taught us that about people of color, about women, and now I think God is teaching that about gay and lesbian folk. And I am humbled and privileged that I might be playing a very small part in that grand and wonderful plan of God's.


It's not about me. It's about not having to be ashamed.


Sometimes there are things worth risking your life for. It was Jesus who said if you want to save your life, you have to lose it.


The bees learn where they live by landmarks. If they're moved within their home range, they get confused.