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CNN Live At Daybreak

Gay Bishop Approved

Aired August 06, 2003 - 07:03   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The Episcopal Church has its first openly gay bishop. The Reverend Gene Robinson was elected by the House of Bishops, meeting last night in Minneapolis, but the fight is not over. Opponents are appealing to the archbishop of Canterbury.
Jeff Flock is live this morning now in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Hello to you -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, good morning to you, Heidi.

Live from outside the convention center, where it all got done yesterday. You're right. They are appealing to the archbishop of Canterbury, but, of course, he does not have direct control of the U.S. Episcopal Church. So, the question facing the church this morning is being so far out in front on this issue something that is going to end up like the ordination of women back in the mid-1980s, something that makes the church stronger, or is this something that is going to tear the church apart?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK (voice-over): Reconciliation after the vote -- hugs, even among those who differed on whether to make V. Eugene Robinson a bishop.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sixty-two of the 107 bishops with jurisdiction have given their consent.

FLOCK: Consent to Robinson as the first openly gay bishop in church history.

REV. EUGENE ROBINSON, NEW HAMPSHIRE BISHOP-ELECT: God has, once again, brought an Easter out of Good Friday.

FLOCK: Before the vote, Robinson was cleared of an e-mailed allegation that he had inappropriately touched a Vermont parishioner.

BISHOP GORDON SCRUTON, WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS DIOCESE: I asked him whether he wanted to bring a formal charge of harassment. He said very clearly no. He regretted having used the word "harassment" in his e-mail.

FLOCK: But that wasn't enough for more than a dozen bishops, who rose in opposition immediately after the vote. BISHOP ROBERT DUNCAN, PITTSBURGH DIOCESE: This body, who willfully confirming the election of a person sexually active outside of holy matrimony, has departed from the historic faith and order of the church.

FLOCK: Robinson hasn't been shy about his relationship.

ROBINSON: This is my partner, Mark Andrew (ph).

FLOCK: But emphasizes it is a committed one.

ROBINSON: I'd get married in a minute if the state would allow me to.

FLOCK (on camera): Are you going to leave your church?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, the church has left me.

FLOCK (voice-over): Kendall Harmon (ph), an outspoken opponent of Robinson's elevation, tells us that a breakup of the Episcopal Church in the U.S. is possible.

And in what may be a precursor for what is to come for the Episcopal faith, those opposed to Robinson left the convention and went across the street to the Lutheran Church to sing and pray.

BISHOP JOHN-DAVID SCHOFIELD, SAN JOAQUIN, CALIFORNIA DIOCESE: What has happened today has revealed the cancer in the body of Christ.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK: Strong words, Heidi, from those in opposition. The question is: What do they do with that? Do they perhaps recognize themselves as what they call the true Episcopal Church and try to split off in some way? That remains to be seen what they'll do.

Back to you.

COLLINS: It certainly does. Our Jeff Flock, thanks so much, live from Minneapolis this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired August 6, 2003 - 07:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The Episcopal Church has its first openly gay bishop. The Reverend Gene Robinson was elected by the House of Bishops, meeting last night in Minneapolis, but the fight is not over. Opponents are appealing to the archbishop of Canterbury.
Jeff Flock is live this morning now in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Hello to you -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, good morning to you, Heidi.

Live from outside the convention center, where it all got done yesterday. You're right. They are appealing to the archbishop of Canterbury, but, of course, he does not have direct control of the U.S. Episcopal Church. So, the question facing the church this morning is being so far out in front on this issue something that is going to end up like the ordination of women back in the mid-1980s, something that makes the church stronger, or is this something that is going to tear the church apart?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK (voice-over): Reconciliation after the vote -- hugs, even among those who differed on whether to make V. Eugene Robinson a bishop.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sixty-two of the 107 bishops with jurisdiction have given their consent.

FLOCK: Consent to Robinson as the first openly gay bishop in church history.

REV. EUGENE ROBINSON, NEW HAMPSHIRE BISHOP-ELECT: God has, once again, brought an Easter out of Good Friday.

FLOCK: Before the vote, Robinson was cleared of an e-mailed allegation that he had inappropriately touched a Vermont parishioner.

BISHOP GORDON SCRUTON, WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS DIOCESE: I asked him whether he wanted to bring a formal charge of harassment. He said very clearly no. He regretted having used the word "harassment" in his e-mail.

FLOCK: But that wasn't enough for more than a dozen bishops, who rose in opposition immediately after the vote. BISHOP ROBERT DUNCAN, PITTSBURGH DIOCESE: This body, who willfully confirming the election of a person sexually active outside of holy matrimony, has departed from the historic faith and order of the church.

FLOCK: Robinson hasn't been shy about his relationship.

ROBINSON: This is my partner, Mark Andrew (ph).

FLOCK: But emphasizes it is a committed one.

ROBINSON: I'd get married in a minute if the state would allow me to.

FLOCK (on camera): Are you going to leave your church?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, the church has left me.

FLOCK (voice-over): Kendall Harmon (ph), an outspoken opponent of Robinson's elevation, tells us that a breakup of the Episcopal Church in the U.S. is possible.

And in what may be a precursor for what is to come for the Episcopal faith, those opposed to Robinson left the convention and went across the street to the Lutheran Church to sing and pray.

BISHOP JOHN-DAVID SCHOFIELD, SAN JOAQUIN, CALIFORNIA DIOCESE: What has happened today has revealed the cancer in the body of Christ.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK: Strong words, Heidi, from those in opposition. The question is: What do they do with that? Do they perhaps recognize themselves as what they call the true Episcopal Church and try to split off in some way? That remains to be seen what they'll do.

Back to you.

COLLINS: It certainly does. Our Jeff Flock, thanks so much, live from Minneapolis this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.