Gay bishop consecrated

2003-11-02 22:29

Durham - The US Episcopal Church has consecrated its first openly gay bishop, which threatens a permanent schism within the Anglican faith's 70 million adherents world-wide.

The ceremony in the small New Hampshire university town of Durham was tense.

At the centre of the controversy is Gene Robinson, 56, a divorced father-of-two, who became the first bishop of a major Christian denomination to openly live with a same-sex partner.

Despite warnings from the church of a permanent split within the Anglican community, Robinson has refused to step down and repeatedly predicted that his consecration will open the doors for other homosexual bishops. "I'm actually feeling very calm about this," Robinson said.

"There are extraordinarily gifted gay and lesbian people in serious positions of leadership throughout our church. They will be nominated as well. My stepping aside would not stop this one bit," he said.

So vehement is some of the opposition to the idea of an openly sexually active gay bishop that Robinson, 56, has been given police protection, having received numerous death threats. At that point several protesters are expected to rise and read a statement expressing their objection.

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