A Definitive Portrait of the Struggle in the Episcopal Church
Date: 14 June 2007

Bishop Martyn Minns
Bishop of the Convocation of Anglicans of North America, a group of churches trying to secede from the Episcopal Church

In this first interview, we hear from Martyn Minns, leader of about 35 churches trying to secede from their parent body, the Episcopal Church. He was consecrated a bishop by Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, although both the Archbishop of Canterbury and Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori requested that the ceremony not go forward.

He says that the separation has been difficult, but in his view necessary. He says that the Episcopal Church has abandoned traditional notions of authority, often treats truth as relative, and even puts in doubt the centrality of Christ. The election of Bishop Gene Robinson as the openly gay bishop of New Hampshire was, he says, merely symptomatic of the larger problems about truth and authority.

He has not engaged in direct dialogue with Bishop Robinson, but has been part of many dialogues over the years in the church. However, using Bp. Robinson as an example, he says that Bp. Robinson regards gay sex as sacred, but he regards it as sinful, and there is no room for compromise.

Archbishop Akinola endorsed legislation in Nigeria (which did not pass) that would jail gays and lesbians who gathered or touched in public. Bp. Minns defended Akinola, but not the law itself. the rest

h/t BabyBlueOnLine