GENE IS IN

Consecrated today as the first openly gay Bishop in any major Christian denomination.

Finally, some Christians who act, well, Christian. Except for these guys:

Assistant Bishop David Bena of Albany, N.Y., spoke for 36 opposing bishops in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada. They said they and most bishops in the international Anglican Communion will not recognize Robinson as a fellow bishop.

Reading from a statement, Bena said Robinson’s “’chosen lifestyle’ is incompatible with Scripture and the teaching of this church.”

Bena spoke after Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold asked if there was “any reason why we should not proceed,” a traditional part of Episcopal consecration services.

The Rev. Earle Fox from the Pittsburgh Diocese also objected. But when he began citing specifics of same-sex behavior, Griswold politely cut him off, saying “please spare us the details and come to the substance.”

In all, the objections took about 10 minutes.

You know, if you graphically described missionary heterosexual intercourse in a church, those would be spare-worthy details in church as well. Heck, same if you described your last bowel movement. Even Jesus shat!

Soon enough, Falwell will be predicting more terrorist attacks, of course.

Anyway, kudos to the Episcopal Church! If this is what it takes to drag a faith out of the dark ages of sexual bigotry, then so be it.