GAY BISHOP-DIVORCE
First openly gay Episcopal bishop divorces husband
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal church and the global Anglican Communion has announced he is divorcing his husband.
Retired Bishop Gene Robinson announced that he is divorcing Mark Andrew in an email to the Diocese of New Hampshire and an article for The Daily Beast.
The couple entered into a civil union in 2008 that converted to a marriage when New Hampshire legalized gay marriage in 2010.
Robinson’s election in 2003 as the first openly gay Anglican bishop created an international uproar and led conservative Episcopalians to break away from the main church in the United States.
He writes that details of his divorce are private and that he can’t repay the debt he owes Andrew “for his standing by me through the challenges of the last decade.”
Robinson had previously been married to a woman and had two children before he and his wife divorced.
Sound:
137-a-12-(David Virtue, Anglican blogger and editor of VirtueOnline.org, in AP interview)-“the Anglican Communion”-David Virtue, Anglican blogger and editor of VirtueOnline.org, says Gene Robinson’s gay advocacy has severely damaged the Episcopal Church and the global Anglican Communion. (4 May 2014)
< 136-a-14-(David Virtue, Anglican blogger and editor of VirtueOnline.org, in AP interview)-“to the church”-David Virtue, Anglican blogger and editor of VirtueOnline.org, says Gene Robinson has been married twice, first to a woman and then to a man, and is now divorcing for the second time. (4 May 2014) < 134-v-31-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor)–The first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal church has announced that he’s divorcing his husband. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (4 May 2014) < 138-a-14-(David Virtue, Anglican blogger and editor of VirtueOnline.org, in AP interview)-“south is inestimable”-David Virtue, Anglican blogger and editor of VirtueOnline.org, says Bishop Gene Robinson has ruptured the global Anglican Communion. (4 May 2014) < 135-c-22-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor)-“President Barack Obama”-AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports that retired Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson wrote about divorcing his husband in The Daily Beast. (4 May 2014) < BRYAN COLLEGE-EVOLUTION Bryan College losing nearly 25 percent of faculty DAYTON, Tenn. (AP) — Student dissent is heating up in a controversy over Adam and Eve at Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee. The dispute began in February when trustees clarified the school’s statement of belief to state that Adam and Eve were historical people who were not created from previously existing life forms. Since then, the conflict has escalated with a majority of professors voting “no confidence” in the school’s president. The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that in a day of action last week, students wrote notes to the Board of Trustees, signed petitions, wore black armbands and expressed their opinions on social media. The protest was prompted by the loss of at least nine of the college’s 44 full-time professors, two of whom were fired after rejecting the college’s clarified statement of belief, and statements by Bryan College President Stephen Livesay, who has downplayed the controversy. BOX OFFICE Moviegoers still seeing ‘Heaven is for Real’ and “God’s Not Dead’ NEW YORK (AP) — In its third weekend, “Heaven is for Real” continues to draw audiences to the nation’s theaters. The family drama about a toddler’s near-death encounter with Jesus and deceased relatives sold another $8.7 million in tickets over the weekend, making it the third most popular film behind “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” and “The Other Woman.” “God’s Not Dead” also remained among the weekend’s Top 10 films, ranking ninth with another $1.8 million in ticket sales. MINISTER’S FATAL SHOOTING Houston-area minister found fatally shot in garage HOUSTON (AP) — Authorities are investigating the shooting death of a Houston-area minister who was killed in his garage while preparing for a community yard sale. An autopsy performed Sunday confirmed that Magnus Scott Hjalmarson died from a gunshot wound to the head. His body was found Saturday morning in his north Harris County garage. Neighbors told deputies with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office that the 53-year-old Hjalmarson had been preparing for a community yard sale that morning. Hjalmarson, known as “Minister Mike,” worked with a Christian organization known as Care and often coordinated community projects in the area. NIGERIA-KIDNAPPED GIRLS Nigerian leader: New order to free abducted girls ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — An adviser says Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has directed that “everything must be done” to free 276 girls kidnapped by Islamic extremists. Presidential adviser Reuben Abati told reporters that Jonathan met all night with security service chiefs, officials from the affected Borno state and Chibok town and the principal of the school where the victims were kidnapped. Some of the girls been forced into “marriage” with their abductors according to a federal senator from the area whose report is unverified. Child marriage is common in northern Nigeria, where it is allowed under Islamic law that clashes with the country’s Western-style constitution. Nigerians’ outrage at the failure to rescue the students and protest marches last week in Nigeria as well as in New York City have spurred to action Jonathan’s government, which many see as uncaring of the girls’ plight. Sound: 199-a-13-(Jessica Chibueze (CHEE-bway-zay), Nigerian-American woman who coordinated, “Bring Back Our Girls” rally at the Lincoln Memorial, in AP interview)-“they’re also in”-Jessica Chibueze, who organized a rally in Washington to highlight the plight of the missing Nigerian girls, says the kidnapping cannot be tolerated. (4 May 2014) < 200-a-04-(Jessica Chibueze (CHEE-bway-zay), Nigerian-American woman who coordinated, “Bring Back Our Girls” rally at the Lincoln Memorial, in AP interview)-“angry and confused”-Jessica Chibueze, who organized a rally in Washington to highlight the plight of the missing Nigerian girls, says she feels the same emotions as the demonstrators in Nigeria who are demanding action to rescue the kidnapped students. (4 May 2014) < 201-a-15-(Jessica Chibueze (CHEE-bway-zay), Nigerian-American woman who coordinated, “Bring Back Our Girls” rally at the Lincoln Memorial, in AP interview)-“actually do something”-Jessica Chibueze, who organized a rally in Washington to highlight the plight of the missing Nigerian girls, says she hopes that the growing international response to the kidnapping forces the Nigerian government to do more to find the captives. (4 May 2014) < 100-c-15-(Michelle Faul (mee-SHEHL’ fawl), AP correspondent)-“New York City”-AP correspondent Michelle Faul reports protests against the student’s abduction have taken place in Nigeria as well as the U.S. (4 May 2014) < 099-c-15-(Michelle Faul (mee-SHEHL’ fawl), AP correspondent)-“still help captive”-AP correspondent Michelle Faul reports Nigeria’s president has told key officials to increase efforts in finding and freeing the 276 girls held captive by Islamic extremists. ((watch for dating)) (4 May 2014) < 101-c-14-(Michelle Faul (mee-SHEHL’ fawl), AP correspondent)-“email on Friday”-AP correspondent Michelle Faul says American officials are worried that an international hotel chain could be targeted, as insecurity worsens in Nigeria. (4 May 2014) < POPE-POLAND Pope looking forward to pilgrimage to Poland ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has told Poles who live in Rome that he’s looking forward to visiting Poland. The pontiff made the remarks during a Sunday morning visit in tribute to St. John Paul II. Francis visited St. Stanislaus Church, which serves Rome’s Polish community and where John Paul prayed more than 80 times. Francis quipped that his own visit to the church was “the first leg of my trip to Poland.” He is expected to go to Krakow in 2016 for a church youth jamboree. He said of John Paul: “In moments of sadness and discouragement, when everything seemed lost, he didn’t lose hope” because of his solid faith. Francis noted that Polish people have suffered much in their history. Last week, Francis proclaimed John Paul and another pope, John XXIII, as saints. Sound: 107-r-25-(Sound of Pope Francis, in a tribute to St. John Paul II, in remarks at Saint Stanislaus Church)–Pope Francis says that John Paul II was “a big stone, anchored to a big rock,” and that “a week after the canonisation of John Paul II and John XXIII, we gather to say thank you to God for the gift of the bishop of Rome, son of your country.” (4 May 2014) < VATICAN-CHURCH ABUSE Pope sex abuse panel highlights accountability VATICAN CITY (AP) — Members of Pope Francis’ sexual abuse advisory board say they will develop specific protocols to hold bishops and other church authorities accountable if they fail to protect children from pedophile priests or report suspected abuse. The eight-member committee met for the first time last week at the pope’s Vatican hotel to discuss the scope of their work and future members. Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley says current church laws could hold bishops accountable if they fail to do their jobs to protect children. But he said those laws haven’t been sufficiently applied and that “clear and effective protocols” are now necessary. Marie Collins, a committee member and survivor of sexual abuse, said she came away from the inaugural meeting of the commission feeling “hopeful.” Sound: 036-a-11-(Barbara Blaine, president and founder, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP),, in AP interview)-“denounce and defrock”-SNAP president and founder Barbara Blaine says the Catholic church already has laws in place to hold bishops and other church authorities accountable if they fail to report suspected abuse, or fail to protect children from pedophile priests. (4 May 2014) < 035-a-06-(Barbara Blaine, president and founder, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP),, in AP interview)-“the sex crimes”-SNAP president and founder Barbara Blaine says the pope’s sexual abuse advisory board doesn’t need to develop protocols, but instead, needs to take action. (4 May 2014) < 146-a-11-(Barbara Blaine, president and founder, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP),, in AP interview)-“denounce and defrock”-SNAP president and founder Barbara Blaine says the Catholic church already has laws in place to hold bishops and other church authorities accountable if they fail to report suspected abuse, or fail to protect children from pedophile priests. (3 May 2014) < 144-a-10-(Barbara Blaine, president and founder, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), in AP interview)-“to 15 years”-SNAP president and founder Barbara Blaine says she hopes the protocols developed by Pope Francis’ sexual abuse advisory board will make a difference, but she’s not convinced. (3 May 2014) < VATICAN-REFORM Pope backs his Vatican economy czar VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is publicly backing his new economy czar, who has been overhauling the Vatican bureaucracy amid grumblings from Holy See bureaucrats about his abrasive style. Francis acknowledged Cardinal George Pell’s “tenacity” Friday, calling the imposing Australian the Vatican’s resident rugby player. Francis backed Pell in urging Vatican workers to embrace a “new mentality of evangelical service.” Pell has only been in office for a month but he has already ruffled feathers inside the Italian bureaucracy. A week after arriving, he issued a statement saying Francis had signed off on a new proposal for the troubled Vatican bank that was approved by two study groups when no such agreement had been reached. The bank’s cardinal advisers later issued their own statement asserting their independent oversight role.
