Gay Episcopal bishop sees hope for progress

Matthai Kuruvila, Chronicle Religion Writer
Saturday, July 5, 2008

Almost exactly five years after he was elected as the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson remains the most controversial Christian in the world.

His consecration as the first openly gay, partnered Anglican bishop launched a global conversation about sexuality in Christianity and divided the Anglican Communion, the largest Protestant body in the world with 77 million members.

Yet what he is doing now may be more radical: Robinson is traveling the country and the world to talk more openly and more publicly than ever about his faith.

"The principal identity that I have is as a follower of Jesus," said Robinson, who was in San Francisco this weekend. "I think I'm so 'dangerous' because I'm so normal. ... What terrifies (conservatives) is that people will get to know me and find me to be not all that extraordinary and, indeed, find out how theologically orthodox I am. And then all of their arguments fall apart." the rest