City welcomes controversial gay bishop

Published on Thursday 7 August 2008 10:49

CONTROVERSIAL Bishop Gene Robinson was given a warm welcome when he visited into a city church.

Following high-profile appearances in Edinburgh and Glasgow the openly gay bishop, who was barred from the recent Lambeth Conference, attended St Columba's-by-the-Castle Episcopal Church and was welcomed with applause.

He was invited to preach and to lead the Communion service, something which he had been prohibited from doing in England.

He told church goers: "This is not St Columba's Church's table, it is Gods' table. No-one is excluded from God's Table" before saying he was looking forward to meeting his greatest critic, Archbishop Akinola from Nigeria in Heaven. "I tell you , we're both going to be there," he said.

The 61-year-old Episcopalian Bishop of New Hampshire has, since 2004, been described as 'the most controversial Christian in the world', having been elected as a Bishop in spite of his open admission that he lives in a same-sex relationship.

A church spokesman said: "Like thousands of visitors who have found the small door off Castle Terrace open, the Bishop had come to worship with an ecumenical congregation, which has always expressed a non-judgemental sharing of faith."