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CNN Live Sunday

Bishop Robinson Returns to New Hampshire

Aired August 10, 2003 - 11:00   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with a homecoming, both joyful and painful, for members of the Episcopal Church. Reverend Gene Robinson has returned to his New Hampshire parish as the first openly gay man to be elected as bishop. Reporter Tara Mergener, with affiliate WMUR, has more on the homecoming from Manchester.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TARA MERGENER, WMUR REPORTER (voice over): The nation's first openly gay bishop stepped off the plane and into the arms of supporters.

REV. GENE ROBINSON, BISHOP-ELECT, EPISCOPAL CHURCH: It's so great to be home. I can't believe it.

MERGENER: Members of New Hampshire's Episcopal community welcomed their new leader back home.

ROBINSON: This is the end of a very long and wonderful process for us, and now I get to do what I was called to do.

MERGENER: Gene Robinson's road to bishop has been paved with controversy. Just before the final vote last week, a Vermont man claimed Robinson touched him inappropriately three years ago. He was also accused of having ties to a website with pornographic links.

ROBINSON: I knew the allegations were untrue, and I knew that it was just a matter of time until we could, in fact, clear it all up.

MERGENER: But Robinson's confirmation is being met with protest. After the election in Minneapolis, conservatives walked off the floor and called on Anglican leaders to intervene. Back home, some parishioners have even threatened to worship elsewhere.

REV. DAVID JONES, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH: A part of what Gene's ministry with us will be is helping to make sure that those people who are struggling with this decision, and may continue to struggle, can hopefully feel at home in the church and that there is a place for them.

MERGENER: Robinson is convinced he has more supporters.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was such a relief when everything was over.

ROBINSON: When I came out as an openly gay man, I thought my life as an ordained person in the church was over. And so this has been an extraordinary experience, and it's a very humbling thing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Thanks to affiliate WMUR for that report.

Episcopalians are said to be divided on the issue of homosexuality in the pulpit. Church conservatives are already seeking to create a separate province after Robinson's election. CNN's Jane King is live from an Episcopal church in New York, with more reaction from there. Jane?

JANE KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Fredricka. We are at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in New York this morning. This is the first Sunday of services since the controversial vote approving Gene Robinson as bishop last week.

We do have a member of the congregation with us this morning. Elissa Mraz is with us. If you could start off by telling us, what's your opinion of the vote last week?

ELISSA MRAZ, EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH MEMBER: I think it's great. I'm part of being in this church and it's knowing that no matter who we are, we are welcomed as a human being. And that's the most important thing in any church, in any congregation, that you're welcome. It's all about the love, and the first commandments are to love your God with all your heart and soul, and second is to love your neighbor as yourself. That's the most important thing.

KING: There are some gay priests in this particular church. Have you noticed a difference in leadership?

MRAZ: Not in leadership at all, other than they are all great leaders equally. Every one of them is supportive of each person in the congregation, no matter what we're going through in life, and that has been wonderful.

KING: The Episcopalians have been on the cutting edge of many of the controversial issues, one of the first churches to approve women priests. Do you find that to be a coincidence, or is there a certain philosophy in the church that would lead to that?

MRAZ: It is part of the Anglican faith that we actually look at what the issues are of today and to grow as a community from those issues. And to continue to find out what the best thing is for the church around the world.

KING: OK, thank you very much. Elissa Mraz, member of St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church.

Fredricka, several other churches are also debating this issue. The United Methodists, also Presbyterians, conservative Jews, and the Evangelical Lutherans are also discussing right now where their church stands on homosexuality. Back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jane King, thanks very much from New York. 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 10, 2003 - 11:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with a homecoming, both joyful and painful, for members of the Episcopal Church. Reverend Gene Robinson has returned to his New Hampshire parish as the first openly gay man to be elected as bishop. Reporter Tara Mergener, with affiliate WMUR, has more on the homecoming from Manchester.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TARA MERGENER, WMUR REPORTER (voice over): The nation's first openly gay bishop stepped off the plane and into the arms of supporters.

REV. GENE ROBINSON, BISHOP-ELECT, EPISCOPAL CHURCH: It's so great to be home. I can't believe it.

MERGENER: Members of New Hampshire's Episcopal community welcomed their new leader back home.

ROBINSON: This is the end of a very long and wonderful process for us, and now I get to do what I was called to do.

MERGENER: Gene Robinson's road to bishop has been paved with controversy. Just before the final vote last week, a Vermont man claimed Robinson touched him inappropriately three years ago. He was also accused of having ties to a website with pornographic links.

ROBINSON: I knew the allegations were untrue, and I knew that it was just a matter of time until we could, in fact, clear it all up.

MERGENER: But Robinson's confirmation is being met with protest. After the election in Minneapolis, conservatives walked off the floor and called on Anglican leaders to intervene. Back home, some parishioners have even threatened to worship elsewhere.

REV. DAVID JONES, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH: A part of what Gene's ministry with us will be is helping to make sure that those people who are struggling with this decision, and may continue to struggle, can hopefully feel at home in the church and that there is a place for them.

MERGENER: Robinson is convinced he has more supporters.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was such a relief when everything was over.

ROBINSON: When I came out as an openly gay man, I thought my life as an ordained person in the church was over. And so this has been an extraordinary experience, and it's a very humbling thing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Thanks to affiliate WMUR for that report.

Episcopalians are said to be divided on the issue of homosexuality in the pulpit. Church conservatives are already seeking to create a separate province after Robinson's election. CNN's Jane King is live from an Episcopal church in New York, with more reaction from there. Jane?

JANE KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Fredricka. We are at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in New York this morning. This is the first Sunday of services since the controversial vote approving Gene Robinson as bishop last week.

We do have a member of the congregation with us this morning. Elissa Mraz is with us. If you could start off by telling us, what's your opinion of the vote last week?

ELISSA MRAZ, EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH MEMBER: I think it's great. I'm part of being in this church and it's knowing that no matter who we are, we are welcomed as a human being. And that's the most important thing in any church, in any congregation, that you're welcome. It's all about the love, and the first commandments are to love your God with all your heart and soul, and second is to love your neighbor as yourself. That's the most important thing.

KING: There are some gay priests in this particular church. Have you noticed a difference in leadership?

MRAZ: Not in leadership at all, other than they are all great leaders equally. Every one of them is supportive of each person in the congregation, no matter what we're going through in life, and that has been wonderful.

KING: The Episcopalians have been on the cutting edge of many of the controversial issues, one of the first churches to approve women priests. Do you find that to be a coincidence, or is there a certain philosophy in the church that would lead to that?

MRAZ: It is part of the Anglican faith that we actually look at what the issues are of today and to grow as a community from those issues. And to continue to find out what the best thing is for the church around the world.

KING: OK, thank you very much. Elissa Mraz, member of St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church.

Fredricka, several other churches are also debating this issue. The United Methodists, also Presbyterians, conservative Jews, and the Evangelical Lutherans are also discussing right now where their church stands on homosexuality. Back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jane King, thanks very much from New York. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com