There is a good critique of this book here.
I do not know a lot about him but he seems to represent the many reasonable people I met and worked with while teaching in a Senior Catholic High School including another Auxiliary Bishop, now retired.
Such people cannot be too public while still actively working due to the suppression of ideas by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy especially as seen in the current Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Pell.
Now we have a new Bishop-Elect of Canberra & Goulburn, Stuart Robinson.
I have been suspicious of him from the start, he was a rector in the Diocese of Sydney and not from one of the recognised Anglo-catholic and/or liberal parishes.
I have read that "He has been influenced by a variety of Christian traditions, has greatly benefited from Sydney's evangelicalism, and is proud to call himself an Anglican"
and
"Stuart has also served as National Mission Facilitator for the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia. This role has enabled him to encourage mission in 19 of Australia's 23 dioceses. He has planted churches in Sydney's West, in Belgium, and in Sydney's inner-city. He has served on Boards that promote evangelism and church planting. He has spoken and written about mission and evangelism. His ministry has been characterized by training others, both clergy and lay, to be involved in mission, and to do evangelism better. His role with the General Synod and Church Army has seen him promote 'fresh expressions' of Church throughout Australia, in order to see Christ's mission continued more effectively."
However the same article called his election a 'pendulum swing' for the Diocese.
Now I read an interview he conducted with the Canberra Times
The most important statement for me.
'On whether he would ordain homosexual people, he said that outside marriage, sexual congress was inappropriate.
But celibate people who had a same-sex attraction may well be ordained ''as long as they take the notion of being celibate seriously''.
''If somebody, in a discreet way, tells me they have same-sex attractions and are not in any way seeking to be in a same-sex relationship and are seeking to honour Christ in their life, that is a person I can confidently ordain and confidently encourage to be involved in Christian ministry.''
In principle, he believed a register of same-sex unions would be fair and just. But people on that register would effectively be denied ordination.'
Oh Thank you very much, Bishop. My sexuality is acceptable as long as I never practice it but force myself to a loveless life. Oh yes and be discreet about it. From what I read, there are a number of these discreet bishops around and most of them cause more trouble than they are worth.
Yes Stuart, you come from and are a child of Sydney and represent their Gospel of Hate views and I will have none of it.
On the other hand there is another Bishop, Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.
I do not need to introduce him except to say that he is a true Bishop of the Gospel Of God's Love. I have included his wonderful blessing. I had seen this before but it has recently been posted by both Franiam and Grandmere Mimi. I am posting it on my own blog largely so I can regularly find it and receive this blessing when I need it most.
My mother's maiden name was Robinson and I am currently researching her ancestry but doubt there is any connection to any of the Bishops. :-)
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