Skip to main content.
Religion News Blog is a non-profit service providing academics, religion professionals and other researchers with religion & cult news
ReligionNewsBlog

Religion news articles about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues

Navigation:
A Random Image


Related

More news articles & news archive on Anglican / Episcopal Church


Translate



Advertisements *

What is a cult: Cult Definition
Simple steps to financial health and a good credit score


Elsewhere

'If you grew up in India, you'd be a Hindu'


Anglican / Episcopal Church:

New members like church’s inclusiveness

Associated Press, USA
July 25, 2004
cbs4boston.com

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 8002 • Posted: Sunday July 25, 2004  

  • Google Bookmarks
  • Google Reader
  • Gmail
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Digg
  • Delicious
  • Blogger Post
  • Evernote
  • Facebook
  • Share/Bookmark
Click here... More articles on this topic: Anglican / Episcopal Church

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) Unable to accept their bishop’s homosexuality, some Episcopalians have left their church.

To others, Gene Robinson’s consecration last year served as a powerful magnet.

“It was a very strong symbol to us of the inclusiveness of the Episcopal Church, and that is important to us,” said Martha McCabe.

McCabe of Bow said she left the Catholic church over the priest sex abuse scandal. She and her husband, who was raised a Methodist, had started looking at other denominations for a church their family could attend.

Robinson’s consecration drew them in as it did Maria Easton of Hillsboro.

Easton had stopped coming to the church, but returned after Robinson became bishop. Her sister is gay, which made the decision personal.

“For me, it was really a reminder of one of the things I like so much about the church: its inclusiveness,” she said. “I always loved the fact that women could be leaders in the Episcopal Church.”

Church officials say don’t have a count, but they don’t think a large number have joined because of Robinson.

“It’s a mix,” said the Rev. David Jones, rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Concord. “Some are old members who have just started attending again. Others have never been to the Episcopal Church, or to church at all.”

Robinson’s election and consecration last year as the Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire caused a stir inside and outside the Anglican community. Religious leaders and church goers in several denominations denounced the move and said it would cause the church to split.

So far, about nine of the country’s 107 dioceses and more than 30 congregations have joined the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes, a traditionalist group opposed to Robinson’s consecration.

Members of the Church of the Redeemer in Rochester cut ties to the diocese and now hold services in the basement of a nearby Baptist church.

A small group continues to meet every Sunday at the Church of the Redeemer and several faces are new.

April Pirsig of Dover has been attending services for a month, ever since the majority left. Raised a Lutheran, Pirsig had attended Unitarian churches for years, but decided to start attending the Episcopal Church to show support for Robinson. Last week, she filled out a card to become a member.

Pirsig says the furor over Robinson is a growing pain similar to the outrage over women becoming ministers.

“It makes me angry that people would leave the church over something like this,” Pirsig said. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s the kind of attitude that goes back to the Civil War, when blacks weren’t considered real people, or women weren’t allowed to do certain things.”

Years ago, her mother was forced to give up her position as a Lutheran pastor when it was discovered she was gay.

“To me, it doesn’t make any sense,” said Pirsig. “God loves all his children. I’ve never seen it written, ‘Unless they’re bisexual or gay.”’

McCabe said she definitely likes what she’s seen of Robinson. As far as she’s concerned, he is a quintessential spiritual leader: wise and thoughtful, kind and well-spoken.

“I think people’s obsession with his homosexuality is so out of proportion it borders on ridiculous,” she said.

  • Google Bookmarks
  • Google Reader
  • Gmail
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Digg
  • Delicious
  • Blogger Post
  • Evernote
  • Facebook
  • Share/Bookmark


What You Can Do From Here

Read More Articles On These Topics
more religion news aboutmore Religion News Blog articles about
Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article
Subscribe
Follow Religion News Blog on Twitter


Read Another Article
Find Related Information
cult research search enginecountercult information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults
Find Related Books


Most Popular Today


Share This Article

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:





Counter Cult Search

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.


Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.


Apologetics Search

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.


Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

About Religion News Blog
Religion News Blog (RNB), published by Apologetics Index, highlights news items and other resources on world religions, cults, religious sects, alternative religions and related issues. RNB's non-profit news clipping service is used by - among others - Christian apologists, countercult professionals, anticult organizations, cult experts, teachers, religion professionals, reporters and other researchers.

Home
Latest Headlines
RSS news feed [?]
Headlines by Email
News Trackers
Free content for your site
About RNB
Privacy Policy
Contact RNB
Link to RNB
Advertise on RNB
Apologetics Index
Cult FAQ
Apologetics Search Engine
CounterCult Search Engine