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CNN Live At Daybreak
Interview With WOKQ Waking Crew: A Divided Faith
Aired October 20, 2003 - 05:48 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's head to New Hampshire now, shall we, gay Episcopal bishop-elect Gene Robinson is facing division within the Anglican community, taking questions from his parishioners. Robinson said he agonizes over the turmoil greeting his selection.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. GENE ROBINSON, EPISCOPAL BISHOP-ELECT: I think this is one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do. And I can assure you I wouldn't be doing it if I weren't pretty sure that God wanted me to do it at this time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The Reverend Robinson is to be consecrated next month.
We want to get more on this controversy from New Hampshire. Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier, better known as the WOKQ Waking Crew in Portsmouth and Manchester, on the phone with us right now.
Good morning -- guys.
DANIELLE CARRIER, WOKQ WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Morning, Carol.
MARK ERICSON, WOKQ WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Good morning -- Carol.
COSTELLO: This must have been a very moving mass.
CARRIER: It was very emotional, I think.
ERICSON: The first openly gay Episcopal bishop has said that he believes he is being called by God and that in spite of the controversy, he is pressing ahead as planned.
COSTELLO: Yes, I was reading some of his other quotes, he said if I step down, do you really think other qualified gays and lesbians wouldn't be elected?
ERICSON: Well, plus, and you have to sort of balance the what's happening worldwide with what's happening in Gene Robinson's world here in New Hampshire. The flock, if you will, in New Hampshire strongly elected him to this position and he doesn't want to let those folks down.
COSTELLO: What did he say about the possible split within the church as a whole?
ERICSON: Well it's a question of what's going to happen with the New Hampshire faithful. And over the weekend in Dallas, there was a vote that was taking place.
CARRIER: Yes, actually the diocese of Dallas annual meeting was this past Saturday and 53 percent of the delegates voted in favor of withholding money that's budgeted for the national church and they are going to take that money instead and use it for missionary work.
COSTELLO: Well there's talk overseas, too, within the Anglican Church that there is going to be a split.
ERICSON: Well there may indeed be a split. And in fact locally what they are going to have to contend with shortly here is there is -- there are some plans for some protests when we get to the point of consecrating Gene bishop.
COSTELLO: Do you think that there is a chance, even a remote chance that he will resign?
ERICSON: Well it's tough to say. As it stands right now, he says that he believes he has been called by God, that this is his duty to the Lord and that he is going to carry it out. I don't see anything right now that says that he will step down. However, as this controversy continues to brew, and certainly all indications are it will, things may change.
COSTELLO: All right, thanks to you both for joining us this morning live from New Hampshire. We appreciate it.
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 October 20, 2003 - 05:48 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's head to New Hampshire now, shall we, gay Episcopal bishop-elect Gene Robinson is facing division within the Anglican community, taking questions from his parishioners. Robinson said he agonizes over the turmoil greeting his selection.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. GENE ROBINSON, EPISCOPAL BISHOP-ELECT: I think this is one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do. And I can assure you I wouldn't be doing it if I weren't pretty sure that God wanted me to do it at this time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The Reverend Robinson is to be consecrated next month.
We want to get more on this controversy from New Hampshire. Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier, better known as the WOKQ Waking Crew in Portsmouth and Manchester, on the phone with us right now.
Good morning -- guys.
DANIELLE CARRIER, WOKQ WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Morning, Carol.
MARK ERICSON, WOKQ WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Good morning -- Carol.
COSTELLO: This must have been a very moving mass.
CARRIER: It was very emotional, I think.
ERICSON: The first openly gay Episcopal bishop has said that he believes he is being called by God and that in spite of the controversy, he is pressing ahead as planned.
COSTELLO: Yes, I was reading some of his other quotes, he said if I step down, do you really think other qualified gays and lesbians wouldn't be elected?
ERICSON: Well, plus, and you have to sort of balance the what's happening worldwide with what's happening in Gene Robinson's world here in New Hampshire. The flock, if you will, in New Hampshire strongly elected him to this position and he doesn't want to let those folks down.
COSTELLO: What did he say about the possible split within the church as a whole?
ERICSON: Well it's a question of what's going to happen with the New Hampshire faithful. And over the weekend in Dallas, there was a vote that was taking place.
CARRIER: Yes, actually the diocese of Dallas annual meeting was this past Saturday and 53 percent of the delegates voted in favor of withholding money that's budgeted for the national church and they are going to take that money instead and use it for missionary work.
COSTELLO: Well there's talk overseas, too, within the Anglican Church that there is going to be a split.
ERICSON: Well there may indeed be a split. And in fact locally what they are going to have to contend with shortly here is there is -- there are some plans for some protests when we get to the point of consecrating Gene bishop.
COSTELLO: Do you think that there is a chance, even a remote chance that he will resign?
ERICSON: Well it's tough to say. As it stands right now, he says that he believes he has been called by God, that this is his duty to the Lord and that he is going to carry it out. I don't see anything right now that says that he will step down. However, as this controversy continues to brew, and certainly all indications are it will, things may change.
COSTELLO: All right, thanks to you both for joining us this morning live from New Hampshire. We appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
