A reverend of the rebellious kind

Warm, approachable and kind, Bishop Gene Robinson seems like an unlikely rebel. But they don’t come more revolutionary than this American priest. This is a man about whom books will be written and movies made.

As the first openly gay bishop in all of mainstream Christendom, the Right Reverend Gene Robinson is a game-changer not only for the Episcopal Church (the main Anglican denomination in the USA) but all Christianity.

US President Barack Obama signified as much by choosing him to deliver the opening prayer at his inauguration in January 2009.

Early this year, Rev Robinson retired as Bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire after almost a decade in the role – but he continues to speak around the world, spreading his message of tolerance and acceptance, and is an advisor to Obama on same-sex marriage.

Currently visiting Australia, he has a message for our own leader, Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who remains opposed to marriage equality, claiming it conflicts with Australia’s Christian heritage, despite being an atheist herself.

“The Australian Government has allowed the religious right to hijack the debate on same-sex marriage,” Rev Robinson tells City News.

“I would remind the Prime Minister that not all Christians are against same-sex marriage – far from it – and I would remind her that leadership is important on this issue,” he says, when asked what he would tell Ms Gillard if given the chance.

“The progress towards marriage equality is inevitable, but timing is important. We still have young LGBT kids killing themselves because they’re brought up to believe they’re inferior and faulty.

“Marriage equality says to these kids that they’re OK, that they can fall in love, have their relationships valued and be equal members of society.”

Marriage equality is a personal issue for Rev Robinson, who is legally married to his same-sex partner, Mark Andrew. The couple have been together for a quarter of a century, and joined in civil union in 2008, and marriage in 2010.

Same-sex marriage is far from Rev Robinson’s only social justice interest; he advocates social justice of all kinds, and is particularly known as a supporter of women’s rights, including abortion rights.

But breaking down barriers for gay people, and particularly gay Christians, is the focus of this Australian visit, which has included talks at the Paddington and Pitt St Uniting Churches here in Sydney, and an official welcome by the NSW Parliament.

“I don’t see any conflict between being gay and being a Christian,” he says.

“There are only six or seven passages in the Bible that possibly refer to homosexuality, and they cannot be taken in a modern day context.

“God made gay people and God never gets it wrong. It’s the church that needs to get things right.”