Homophobia is alive and well in the Diocese of Texas

The following article was sent to me by my friend Dwight in Texas. The bishops of Texas have a long history of homophobia, which I have personally felt the brunt of.
42Ak *** Houston Chronicle Thursday, June 12, 2003

Area clergy to vote
against gay bishop

Anglican leaders fear division in church

By RICHARD VARA
Houston Chronicle Religion Editor
Episcopal Diocese of Texas Bishops
Claude E, Payne and Don A.
Wimberly said Wednesday they plan
to vote against confirmation of an
openly gay priest as bishop of New
Hampshire.
"We have consistently opposed
ordination of noncelibate
homosexuals, and we oppose the
confirmation of the New Hampshire
election," the bishops said in a
statement.
Saturday's election of the Rev. V.
Gene Robinson by the New
Hampshire diocese has created a
firestorm in the 2.3 million- member
Episcopal Church in the United
States, as well as in the worldwide
Anglican Communion.
Bishops-elect are usually confirmed
by a majority of standing
committees of the nearly 100 dio-

ceses in the U.S. church. But be-

cause Robinson's election fell within
120 days of the church's biennial
General Convention, he must be
approved by the House of Bishops
and the House of Deputies.
Wimberly said he and Payne issued
the statement after church members
and other bishops called diocesan
headquarters in Houston for their
reaction to Robinson's election.
Payne will retire in June but
will be a voting member at the July
30 convention in Minneapolis.
Wimberly will succeed Payne as
diocese leader.

Their statement criticized
Robinson’s election because "it
simultaneously funnels the
creative energy of the faithful
away from mission into internal
conflict. The issues of gay
ordination and the blessing of
same-sex unions have embroiled
the Episcopal Church in a more
than 20-year debate between
traditionalists and liberals. It has
also caused a growing rift
between more progressive
Western churches and the more
conservative churches of Asia,
Africa and South America.
The Rev. Laurens "Larry"
Hall, rector of St. John the
Divine Episcopal Church in
River Oaks, said he agrees with
Payne and Wemberly’s
decision.
Robinson's election "initiates a
confrontation with the world
communion," Hall said. "So for
the first time in history, I think
the Anglican Communion will
be divided."
In 1998, a worldwide meeting
of Anglican bishops in
Canterbury, England, approved
a stance describing
homosexuality as incompatible
with Scripture.
However, Archbishop of Can-
terbury Rowan Williams and
U.S. Presiding Bishop Frank
Griswold have ordained openly
gay priests.