In New Hampshire Gene Robinson and longtime partner tie knot

Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson was united in a civil union ceremony with longtime partner Mark Andrew yesterday afternoon at St. Paul’s Church in Concord. Attorney Ronna Wise, a justice of the peace, performed the private ceremony before about 120 friends and family.

The day marked the five-year anniversary of the New Hampshire election that, once ratified, made Robinson the first openly gay bishop in the Anglican church.

Robinson had made public his intent to get a civil union but had purposely kept the date and the details quiet. He did so, said spokesman Mike Barwell, out of respect for next month’s worldwide Anglican church conference in England. Although there were undercover police officers at the ceremony, Barwell said, there were no problems or protesters.

Robinson has been excluded from the Lambeth Conference because of the divide his sexuality has caused in the church. But he will make the trip to England and host his own events. Barwell said Robinson didn’t want to inflame the controversy by making his civil union a public event.

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Culture-Watch, --Civil Unions & Partnerships, Episcopal Church (TEC), Lambeth 2008, Same-sex blessings, Sexuality, Sexuality Debate (in Anglican Communion), TEC Conflicts

13 comments on “In New Hampshire Gene Robinson and longtime partner tie knot

  1. CStan says:

    Hey, that’s neat – a civil ceremony that takes place in a church. One used to have to find a Justice of the Peace or go down to the courthouse for these.

  2. Cennydd says:

    Didn’t I hear that this wasn’t going to be a “Wedding in a church?” How can a civil ceremony take place in a church, or was it held in the parish hall and not the sanctuary?

  3. Chris Hathaway says:

    You could “consecrate” cheetos and root beer in a church. That wouldn’t make it a eucharist.

    This is just a stage show. But, besides tearing down real religion, that’s all these guys are interested in anyways.

  4. Oldman says:

    My thoughts: Read 1John:1-4

  5. Oldman says:

    Sorry, should be 1John1:4-6

  6. Oldman says:

    Man, am I ever tired. See 1John4:1-6

  7. drummie says:

    This imitation of a Christian ministeer is a total abomination. He takes a church which has been consecrated and set apart for holy purposes and prostitutes it on the altar of pansexual license. He is no Christian, he can’t be orthodox anything other than pansexualist. He has brought nothiong but shame, disrepute, and heartache on a once great church and it’s people and has blasphemed at every opportunity. As judges say when they pass some sentences, May God have mercy on his soul.

  8. Hugh says:

    Cennydd, Chris: The civil ceremony is happening outside the church, at the state capitol. The church ceremony is a Eucharist and blessing of the union. The blessing is a form that’s been used in NH since before +Robinson became bishop.

  9. plinx says:

    Congratulations, Mark and Gene!

  10. Cennydd says:

    Yes, I KNOW about the Eucharist and the blessing in the church……..and it’s STILL a desecration!

  11. nwlayman says:

    Are there any sacraments that are “secret”? Does ECUSA still call marriage one? I notice it was OK to *end* his actual marriage (you know, the one to a woman?) in a eucharist; why not the new one? Has anyone at all recalled the Eucharist (in a 2000 year old Church) is also known as the *Marriage* Supper Of The Lamb? To make a eucharist into a divorce ceremony or a same-sex union….Well, Anglicans don’t learn Theology 101 so it’s replaced with Blasphemy 101, and 102. If they had a garment they should rend it.

  12. Already left says:

    How can you “undo vows”? I’m sure glad God doesn’t “undo” any of the promises he’s made to us!!!

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