My letter to Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire

Dear Gene

I am so pissed off at the way you and Mark are being treated in the Episcopal
Church, and in the Anglican Communion.



It offends me that the Bishop of South West Florida (where I am licensed to
serve, but happily am not canonically resident) has nixed the plan for your
visit to St. Boniface Church in Sarasota.

I am angry and appalled by his cowardice. He has surrendered to conservative bullies.

He has not, as far as I know, had the courtesy to reply to those who have written him (including
me) to protest his decision.

It offends me that the Archbishop of Canterbury will not invite you to the 2008
Lambeth Conference of Bishops. Does he not understand that your election and
consecration was canonically proper in the Episcopal Church, unlike the
consecrations of Bishop Minns and other conservatives.

A nixing of Bishop Minns as a quid pro quo of a nixing of you does not make for
Gospel math. He was chosen and consecrated without reference to any canonical
law! You were elected, confirmed and consecrated in full compliance with our Episcopal Church canonical
law.

It makes me sick that + Rowan has single you out, but has invited some corrupt
Bishops from Africa and South East Asia.

Is it not a "sin" when African Bishops have multiple wives, and/or visit
prostitutes? But they are invited to Lambeth!

Is it not a "sin" when Bishops in South East Asia and in parts of Africa are "in
bed" with corrupt and un-democratic regimes? But they are invited to Lambeth!


Is it not a sin of omission that the Archbishop singles you out as
"unacceptable" when he knows full well of other Bishops who have secret gay
partners?

And why does the Archbishop not recognise your fidelity to Jesus Christ, our
Lord and Saviour; to Bobbie, your former wife; to your daughters; and to Mark?

I am so angry that you will not be here or at Lambeth b next year. You are a
man of God with a Gospel voice. That voice has been silenced in South West
Florida. Shame upon shame.


Love

Michael Povey

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