A top United Methodist official says he is happy the Episcopal Church formalized the election of Gene Robinson as its first openly homosexual bishop last week. Pastor Bruce Robbins, general secretary of the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns of the United Methodist Church, says approving the election of Robinson was a "graceful step" for the Episcopal Church.

Although conservatives believe the denomination has chosen to reject the authority of scripture, Robbins sees things quite differently. He believes the election of Robinson in no way undermines Bible teaching.

"The kind of relationship that we envision of two adults -- both of whom are mature and understanding, deeply in love with one another, being of the same sex, choosing to enter into a life together in a committed relationship -- is unlike the illustrations and examples that we find in the New Testament that are labeled as 'homosexual,'" Robbins says.

In contrast, Dr. Bill Merrell, a vice president on the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, says Robinson's confirmation as bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire is tragic.

"I believe that no denomination, no fellowship, no communion of people committed to the authority of scripture and to the holiness of God will be drawn into that circumstance," Merrell says.

"We think ... it is an extreme tragedy that any church that identifies itself as a Christian church, that says [it] represents God in the world and that [He] is the reason for its being ... and selects as one of its primary leaders a practicing deviate, has forfeited their right to the name of Christ."

But according to Robbins, the authority of scripture is not at issue. He says Bible teaching on homosexuality is not applicable in this day and age. "What Bishop Robinson experiences in a committed relationship that's a life-long relationship with another man, is quite different than many of the references which we find in the New Testament," he says. "How to read scripture in that larger context is a very challenging question."

Merrell says as a result of Robinson's confirmation, Episcopalians who are committed to the authority of scripture will probably have to leave the denomination.

"I expect ... that there will be a schism in the Episcopal Church [and that] those who are committed to the necessity of Christians manifesting the life of Christ in themselves will have to break from the American, Canadian, and British wings of the Episcopal Church."

According to Merrell, Christians need to be educated about the true agenda of homosexual activists. He adds that more mainline denominations are headed down the same road as the Episcopal Church.

In fact, Robbins says recent activities in the Episcopal Church show Episcopalians and Methodists just how much their communions are alike, in that they are both deeply mired in disagreements over human sexuality. The move, he says, will only strengthen a "careful, close, and growing" relationship between his denomination and the Episcopal Church.

But Robbins admits that even though there may have been several homosexual bishops in the United Methodist Church already, it will be more difficult for his denomination to successfully elect an openly homosexual bishop than it was for the Episcopal Church.

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