From the Herald today.
“Rev Holdsworth said: “The congregation is delighted to be able to welcome him. It is an uncontroversial invitation from the congregation. Bishop Gene Robinson is one of the best preachers in the world and we are looking forward to hearing him.
“The good news of the gospel is that everyone is welcome at Jesus’s table and that is something we live out at St Mary’s.”
Although refused permission to celebrate communion at every Anglican altar in England, the Rt Rev Gene Robinson will preach the Gospel and celebrate the Eucharist here in St Mary’s on 3 August 2008 at 1030.
See +Gene’s own blog for details of what was happening to him over the weekend in Putney.
There is a facebook event page set up for facebookites which can be used to indicate who is coming on 3 August and specifically to invite other people.
Incidently, my tabloid comment wasn’t in jest. I think it would be a victory of sorts if the formely deeply homophobic Scottish tabloid press acknowledged +Gene’s visit, and an interview with your good self in, say, The Evening Times would reach far more people (in a good way) than the Herald, and I think it’s of enough interest to warrant inclusion (weren’t you and Gadgetvicar on telly in scotland a few years ago? ).
Fr Gadgetvicar was indeed on the telly in Scotland a few years ago. I declined the offer, not least as it was Holy Week and I thought there were other more pressing matters. We had an impending crucifixion on our hands at the time.
An interesting snippet which is probably not widely known, is that Fr Gadgetvicar received the call inviting him to go on Newsnight Scotland whilst supping tea in my [then] dining room.
Am impressed with the number of stereotypes shattered by that post :-).
@ Raymond – Since by your standard we are taking Paul as our advisor, then have you told any women in church to shut up?
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 (KJV)
34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
Just thought I’d throw that in there.
@ Alistair Mackenzie
“….sodomite “Archbishop” ,who left his wife, preaching in your “church”…”
+Gene is a Bishop, ++Rowan is an Archbishop, glad to see you actual read the article and know who we’re talking about….
Interesting comment Doug but i do believe that the headship principle is throughout Scripture and not just from Paul, the apostle. ‘All scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in Righteousness’ 2 Timothy ch 3 v 16
The challenge must be where is the scriptural authority for Women bishops or Elders in Presbyterianism. There clearly is none and there it stands. Biblically correct or Politically correct – which do we go for ?
The real question is: ‘Fundamental understanding, or response to a moment of culture?’ For it was St Paul who also told us that there is neither Jew or Greek, free or slave, male or female in Christ.
Why are we all quoting form the AV??
I was very interested to read Raymond’s comments on Bishops. I was reading recently 1 Timothy 3:2 which reads, ‘A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,…’
It seems that Bishop Gene Robinson has got this wrong as he has for the last twenty years been
the husband of one husband!
Why was he not disciplined and ejected by the US Episcopal Church twenty years ago?
It is little wonder that the cause of Christ is at such a low ebb in our nation.
Sodomy is a sin that is clearly abominable in the sight of God, as declared in Romans 1. and other portions of God’s Holy Word. – Some sections of the church seem to completely ignore both the authority and supremacy of Holy Scripture. Let God’s Word be right and every contradicting thought of man be clearly seen to be lies and error. The love of God indeed covers a multitude of sins, when forgiveness of that sin is sought through genuine biblical evangelical repentance in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and is covered by His shed blood. “Without the sheding of blood there is no remission of sins” Hebrews 9v22.
On the contrary the “love of man” that is contrary to scripture, (eg) the acceptance of the “sodomy” under that false blanket of love, will not find favour in the sight of God and our nation will reap the clear retribution and judgement of God, that befell Sodom in the past.
One can be assured that the ordinary man and woman in the streets of Glasgow will be absolutely aghast at this news, and will certainly not be an encouragement for them to flock back to the empty pews of our churches.
Don and John – bless you in your anger and puzzlement at all this.
May your passion for the Scriptures be a blessing to both of you.
As to whether or not people will be flocking back to the empty pews of our churches, you’ll be interested to hear that the attendance at St Mary’s is currently up, year on year, by 14%. However, we all know, this is about passionate truth telling, not about numbers at all.
Why does the congregation of St.Mary’s not hold an open discussion evening on this subject; we could then have a real time debate on the subject ?