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CNN Live Sunday
Rev. Eugene Robinson Consecrated Today
Aired November 02, 2003 - 18:41 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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: In a ceremony full of pomp and circumstance and a large measure of controversy the New Hampshire Diocese of the Episcopal Church has elevated Reverend Gene Robinson to be their bishop.
With us from Durham, New Hampshire is CNN's Susan Candiotti who witnessed the event. Susan, what was it like?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the ceremony is still going on and it has been a very colorful one and certainly I think you could say an emotional one for Bishop Gene Robinson who is now officially the 993rd bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church, an action which could prompt a split within the worldwide Anglican Communion, which is made up of about 73 million people worldwide.
Right now behind me you can hear just a bit from supporters who are outside, a great number of them and just a handful of those who oppose it who have been out here throughout the ceremony.
Now just within the last half hour as part of the ceremony Bishop Gene Robinson received his vestments as part of the ceremony. That happens - he happened to have received them from his family, including his children and his long time partner all of this to the thunderous applause of many people in the audience, 4,000 supporters.
Now before his consecration he did hear objections. It's built into the ceremony from three people, some of whom said they agreed with the majority of Anglican primates outside the United States who oppose Bishop Gene Robinson's election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEREDITH HARWOOD, ROBINSON CRITIC: If this consecration goes forward the Anglican family will be torn, not only torn but torn at its very fabric and even there the language does not stop. It will tear us apart at our deepest level.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Once Bishop Robinson was consecrated he did speak to the audience there present and he told them that he felt he was "honored to be called to be a bishop." He said that he also opened his arms he said to those he said who are in pain and confusion over his ordination. And then he heard these words from an outgoing bishop from New Hampshire.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) THE REV. DOUGLAS THEUNER, BISHOP OF NEW HAMPSHIRE: Because of who you are, Gene, you will stand as a symbol of the unity of the church in a way in which none of the rest of us can. Your very presence in the Episcopate will bring into our fellowship the presence of an entire group of Christians hitherto unacknowledged in these councils of the church.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: And now of course all of the world, certainly the U.S. Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion will be watching to see what happens next. Will there be a breakaway as many people have predicted? For his part, Bishop Gene Robinson says that he hopes that all of this publicity he hopes in some small measure will ultimately help people learn more about the Episcopal Church, hopefully he said in a positive light - back to you, Carol.
LIN: All right, thank you very much Susan Candiotti.
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 November 2, 2003 - 18:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: In a ceremony full of pomp and circumstance and a large measure of controversy the New Hampshire Diocese of the Episcopal Church has elevated Reverend Gene Robinson to be their bishop.
With us from Durham, New Hampshire is CNN's Susan Candiotti who witnessed the event. Susan, what was it like?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the ceremony is still going on and it has been a very colorful one and certainly I think you could say an emotional one for Bishop Gene Robinson who is now officially the 993rd bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church, an action which could prompt a split within the worldwide Anglican Communion, which is made up of about 73 million people worldwide.
Right now behind me you can hear just a bit from supporters who are outside, a great number of them and just a handful of those who oppose it who have been out here throughout the ceremony.
Now just within the last half hour as part of the ceremony Bishop Gene Robinson received his vestments as part of the ceremony. That happens - he happened to have received them from his family, including his children and his long time partner all of this to the thunderous applause of many people in the audience, 4,000 supporters.
Now before his consecration he did hear objections. It's built into the ceremony from three people, some of whom said they agreed with the majority of Anglican primates outside the United States who oppose Bishop Gene Robinson's election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEREDITH HARWOOD, ROBINSON CRITIC: If this consecration goes forward the Anglican family will be torn, not only torn but torn at its very fabric and even there the language does not stop. It will tear us apart at our deepest level.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Once Bishop Robinson was consecrated he did speak to the audience there present and he told them that he felt he was "honored to be called to be a bishop." He said that he also opened his arms he said to those he said who are in pain and confusion over his ordination. And then he heard these words from an outgoing bishop from New Hampshire.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) THE REV. DOUGLAS THEUNER, BISHOP OF NEW HAMPSHIRE: Because of who you are, Gene, you will stand as a symbol of the unity of the church in a way in which none of the rest of us can. Your very presence in the Episcopate will bring into our fellowship the presence of an entire group of Christians hitherto unacknowledged in these councils of the church.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: And now of course all of the world, certainly the U.S. Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion will be watching to see what happens next. Will there be a breakaway as many people have predicted? For his part, Bishop Gene Robinson says that he hopes that all of this publicity he hopes in some small measure will ultimately help people learn more about the Episcopal Church, hopefully he said in a positive light - back to you, Carol.
LIN: All right, thank you very much Susan Candiotti.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
