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Report, Vote on Robinson Due This Afternoon

Aired August 05, 2003 - 14:00   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Up first, shocking allegations, a quick investigation, now a resolution. Sources say charges against the Reverend Gene Robinson is over. And a vote to install Robin as the first actively gay bishop in the Episcopal Church could go forward.
Our Jeff Flock is in Minneapolis where the national church meeting has been definitely in turmoil -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Indeed, Kyra. As CNN's Susan Candiotti reported just a short time ago in fact the investigation has been complete, and we have now learned that we will get the report from the bishop who was conducting the investigation, Bishop Scrutin (ph) of Massachusetts, at 2:30 local time. That's 3:30 Eastern. So I'm guessing, unless my watch is wrong, that's about an hour and a half's time.

At that point, the vote then goes forward on Reverend Robinson. We have all gotten to know Reverend Robinson, at least his picture, over the course of the past week or so. And now I want to bring in both sides. A remarked before we came live here that despite strong difference of opinion on this issue as to whether or not the should be an openly gay man elected bishop in the Episcopal Church, there is great collegiality, at least in most circles.

I'm first of all with Michael Hopkins who is president of an organization called Integrity which advocates for gay and lesbian rights in the church. You happy that this has gone forward -- is going forward now and we're going to get a resolution today?

MICHAEL HOPKINS, INTEGRITY: Well, I think we're all glad when an investigation like this can conclude and the church can get back on with it's business. So, yes, I'm happy and I suspect everyone here is.

FLOCK: Ellis Brust, archdiocese of Florida, you have been on record as saying you don't think is such a hot idea, the concept of an openly...

REV. ELLIS BRUST, FLORIDA ARCHDIOCESE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that I believe that Candidate Robinson is not an appropriate candidate for an ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church.

FLOCK: Without having heard the result of the investigation, has this gone too quickly for you? BRUST: Sometimes investigations go very quickly, sometimes they don't. On part of our pastoral response team in the diocese of Florida as canon (ph) of the and ordinary, and some investigations can move very quickly, some, in fact, take quite sometime. And I have confidence that the House of Bishops has taken the appropriate actions to up hold the Episcopal Church's tradition of thorough investigation for the both the alleged and the victim.

FLOCK: based on what you know about these allegations, are they serious allegations that should preclude him independent of your own opinions prior to?

BRUST: If he's been cleared -- I wouldn't want to comment on the investigation. I haven't seen the results of the investigation, so I wouldn't want to comment on that at this time.

FLOCK: I've got to ask you, we're about now an hour and a half away from this report and vote. You two men are standing close together. Is there going to be a time when you stand apart as a result of this issue, which ever way it goes? If Bishop Robinson is turned down, will you say, I will no longer be in this church?

HOPKINS: Absolutely not. I'm in this church to stay. It's my church as well as everyone else's and I will continue to serve God in my ministry.

FLOCK: And I've got to ask you, sir, if, in fact, Bishop-Elect Robinson become as bishop, there's a talk around the conference perhaps some more conservative bishops would get up and walkout. Will you be one of those?

BRUST: Well, first of all, I'm not a bishop so I won't be walking out of the House of Bishops. But it's very nice for you to promote me.

FLOCK: To promote you at this point. Yes. But would you walk out of the church?

BRUST: I'd continue to work for the historic faith and unity of the church. I'd continue to work for the unity of the Episcopal Church in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and that's my commitment.

FLOCK: You'll stay with the church regardless of what happens here?

BRUST: I'm going to stay with the church. I don't know how the church will look at the other side of this. We're -- we may be in for rocky times. But we continue to work for the unity of the church.

FLOCK: I've got to ask you what you hearing about these reports of a walkout. Do you think it's possible that some of the bishops may elect to do that? They feel strongly enough about it?

BRUST: What I've heard is that some of the bishops may request a recess to go for a time of prayer, which I think any of us would support, I know Michael would support on such a significant event. Christians hang together and we all find that we're equal on our knees.

FLOCK: Gentlemen, I appreciate the time very much. Thank you, thank you for your time. I know it's a difficult one but we'll be with you in the next hour and a half, two hours or so. Gentlemen, thank you.

That is the very latest from here. As we said 2:30 local time. That is 3:30 Eastern time, Kyra, we are going to get the report. Then they will move to the vote. And presumably a short time after that we will know whether, in fact, there is an openly gay man who has been elected a bishop of the Episcopal Church in the U.S. It would be the first main-line Christian faith in the U.S. to elect such a man. Back to you.

PHILLIPS: Jeff Flock, we'll see you then. We'll bring it to everyone live.

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 5, 2003 - 14:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Up first, shocking allegations, a quick investigation, now a resolution. Sources say charges against the Reverend Gene Robinson is over. And a vote to install Robin as the first actively gay bishop in the Episcopal Church could go forward.
Our Jeff Flock is in Minneapolis where the national church meeting has been definitely in turmoil -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Indeed, Kyra. As CNN's Susan Candiotti reported just a short time ago in fact the investigation has been complete, and we have now learned that we will get the report from the bishop who was conducting the investigation, Bishop Scrutin (ph) of Massachusetts, at 2:30 local time. That's 3:30 Eastern. So I'm guessing, unless my watch is wrong, that's about an hour and a half's time.

At that point, the vote then goes forward on Reverend Robinson. We have all gotten to know Reverend Robinson, at least his picture, over the course of the past week or so. And now I want to bring in both sides. A remarked before we came live here that despite strong difference of opinion on this issue as to whether or not the should be an openly gay man elected bishop in the Episcopal Church, there is great collegiality, at least in most circles.

I'm first of all with Michael Hopkins who is president of an organization called Integrity which advocates for gay and lesbian rights in the church. You happy that this has gone forward -- is going forward now and we're going to get a resolution today?

MICHAEL HOPKINS, INTEGRITY: Well, I think we're all glad when an investigation like this can conclude and the church can get back on with it's business. So, yes, I'm happy and I suspect everyone here is.

FLOCK: Ellis Brust, archdiocese of Florida, you have been on record as saying you don't think is such a hot idea, the concept of an openly...

REV. ELLIS BRUST, FLORIDA ARCHDIOCESE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that I believe that Candidate Robinson is not an appropriate candidate for an ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church.

FLOCK: Without having heard the result of the investigation, has this gone too quickly for you? BRUST: Sometimes investigations go very quickly, sometimes they don't. On part of our pastoral response team in the diocese of Florida as canon (ph) of the and ordinary, and some investigations can move very quickly, some, in fact, take quite sometime. And I have confidence that the House of Bishops has taken the appropriate actions to up hold the Episcopal Church's tradition of thorough investigation for the both the alleged and the victim.

FLOCK: based on what you know about these allegations, are they serious allegations that should preclude him independent of your own opinions prior to?

BRUST: If he's been cleared -- I wouldn't want to comment on the investigation. I haven't seen the results of the investigation, so I wouldn't want to comment on that at this time.

FLOCK: I've got to ask you, we're about now an hour and a half away from this report and vote. You two men are standing close together. Is there going to be a time when you stand apart as a result of this issue, which ever way it goes? If Bishop Robinson is turned down, will you say, I will no longer be in this church?

HOPKINS: Absolutely not. I'm in this church to stay. It's my church as well as everyone else's and I will continue to serve God in my ministry.

FLOCK: And I've got to ask you, sir, if, in fact, Bishop-Elect Robinson become as bishop, there's a talk around the conference perhaps some more conservative bishops would get up and walkout. Will you be one of those?

BRUST: Well, first of all, I'm not a bishop so I won't be walking out of the House of Bishops. But it's very nice for you to promote me.

FLOCK: To promote you at this point. Yes. But would you walk out of the church?

BRUST: I'd continue to work for the historic faith and unity of the church. I'd continue to work for the unity of the Episcopal Church in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and that's my commitment.

FLOCK: You'll stay with the church regardless of what happens here?

BRUST: I'm going to stay with the church. I don't know how the church will look at the other side of this. We're -- we may be in for rocky times. But we continue to work for the unity of the church.

FLOCK: I've got to ask you what you hearing about these reports of a walkout. Do you think it's possible that some of the bishops may elect to do that? They feel strongly enough about it?

BRUST: What I've heard is that some of the bishops may request a recess to go for a time of prayer, which I think any of us would support, I know Michael would support on such a significant event. Christians hang together and we all find that we're equal on our knees.

FLOCK: Gentlemen, I appreciate the time very much. Thank you, thank you for your time. I know it's a difficult one but we'll be with you in the next hour and a half, two hours or so. Gentlemen, thank you.

That is the very latest from here. As we said 2:30 local time. That is 3:30 Eastern time, Kyra, we are going to get the report. Then they will move to the vote. And presumably a short time after that we will know whether, in fact, there is an openly gay man who has been elected a bishop of the Episcopal Church in the U.S. It would be the first main-line Christian faith in the U.S. to elect such a man. Back to you.

PHILLIPS: Jeff Flock, we'll see you then. We'll bring it to everyone live.

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