Episcopalians Delay Vote on Gay Bishop

Episcopalian leaders delayed a vote Monday on whether to confirm the church’s first openly gay elected bishop after allegations involving “touching” and “pornography” emerged against the clergyman, a church spokesman said.

Jim Solheim, the spokesman, would not elaborate on the allegations against the Rev. V. Gene Robinson.

The presiding bishop of the 2.3 million-member Episcopal Church, Frank Griswold, was expected to make a statement later Monday, Solheim said.

Robinson’s spokesman Mike Barwell said he would comment only after Griswold released his statement.

Robinson needs approval from delegates to the church’s General Convention to become bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire. His candidacy drew intense opposition from conservatives, who said they would consider breaking away from the church if he was confirmed.

Robinson, a 56-year-old divorced father of two, has been attending the convention with his daughter and partner of 13 years, Mark Andrew.

On Sunday, the House of Deputies, a legislative body comprised of clergy and lay people from dioceses nationwide, approved Robinson by a 2-to-1 ratio; a committee endorsed him by secret ballot Friday.

The House of Bishops, comprised of bishops from around the country, had been scheduled to vote on whether to ratify the election on Monday. It is not known when the vote would now be held. The national meeting of the church ends Friday.

Robinson’s chances were unclear. It is rare for the General Convention to reject a diocese’s choice of bishops, but the denomination has been deeply divided for decades over homosexuality.

The American Anglican Council, which represents conservative bishops and parishes, plans a meeting in October to decide whether to break away from the church or take some other action if Robinson is seated.

Like-minded bishops in the Anglican Communion, the 77-million-member global association that includes the Episcopal Church, said they, too, will consider severing ties with the denomination if Robinson wins.

“If this is approved, it takes the Episcopal Church out of the Anglican Communion,” Canon David Anderson, the council president, said before the bishops’ scheduled vote. “We are not wanting to threaten anyone. We are wanting to say, clearly, `Iceberg ahead.’”

The 1998 Lambeth Conference, a once-a-decade gathering of Anglican leaders, approved a resolution calling gay sex “incompatible with Scripture.” But the Episcopal Church has no official policy either for or against ordaining gays.

Some Episcopal parishes already allow homosexual clergy to serve and gays who did not reveal their sexual orientation have been elected bishop. But Robinson is the first clergyman in the Anglican Communion to live openly as a gay man before being elected.

Conservatives who believe gay sex is a sin contend that confirming Robinson is a tacit endorsement of ordaining homosexuals.

Robinson was elected by his diocese in June, but the church requires that a majority of convention delegates ratify his election.

Robinson has rejected calls from conservatives that he withdraw from consideration to prevent a breakup of the church, as a gay clergyman did recently in England.

If Robinson is rejected, he could try to run again in his next diocesan election, but it was unclear whether he would do so. Asked about his plans if he loses, he said only that he “may do some talking with God and the people of New Hampshire about what to do next.”

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