Would-be gay bishop 'dismayed' at sex allegations

The clergyman seeking to become the first openly gay bishop in America’s Anglican Church was “surprised and dismayed” by eleventh-hour allegations questioning his reputation, a spokesman said today.

The allegations emerged just as Episcopalian bishops convened last night to consider approving Canon Gene Robinson as the next Bishop of New Hampshire.

An e-mail sent to bishops claimed that Robinson had inappropriately touched a man and that he is connected to a group whose Web site can indirectly link users to pornography.

Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold said Robinson, with current New Hampshire Bishop Douglas Theuner and representatives of his diocese, decided together “that a thorough investigation be undertaken before we proceed.”

Robinson’s spokesman, Mike Barwell, said the canon learned of the claims yesterday morning and that ”nobody is falling apart.”

“He’s been amazingly calm,” Barwell said today. “We are not afraid.”

The inquiry threw the national church meeting in Minneapolis into turmoil after several days of intense debate over whether Robinson’s election would strengthen or shatter the church – which has close ties to the Church of England.

“There is no precedent for this,” said Jim Solheim, a church spokesman. “The church’s canon lawyers are still sorting out the implications.”

The denomination has been deeply divided for decades over homosexuality and the pending vote on Robinson, a 56-year-old divorced father of two, only fuelled the tensions. The church has no official rules – either for or against - ordaining gays.

The American Anglican Council and like-minded bishops in the Anglican Communion, the 77 million member global association that includes the Episcopal Church, have said they will consider severing ties with the denomination if Robinson wins.

Solheim said he did not know how long the investigation would take or if a vote on Robinson would come before the church’s national meeting ends on Friday.

The claim of inappropriate touching was e-mailed by David Lewis of Manchester, Vermont.

A family friend said that Lewis never intended the allegations to go public. Lou Midura said Lewis sent the e-mail so it could be conveyed privately to bishops, not debated in the media.

Barwell would not comment on the allegations, but noted that Robinson had already undergone extensive background checks in New Hampshire and was elected by his diocese after a very public, 16 month process.

The New Hampshire diocese issued a statement expressing “continued confidence” in the clergyman.

In the e-mail, Lewis said Robinson “does not maintain appropriate boundaries with men.” He said he met Robinson at a church event and “he put his hands on me inappropriately every time I engaged him in conversation,” which Lewis termed “sexual harassment.”

Seth Bongartz, a lawyer in Manchester, said Lewis is married with two children and apparently training to become an Episcopal priest.

State Representative Judy Livingston described Lewis as “very intelligent,” adding: “He is not the person who would make wild accusations.”

The church’s investigation also includes scrutiny of separate concerns raised about Robinson’s connection to the Web site of Outright, a secular outreach programme for gay and bisexual youth that Robinson helped found.

A member of the group’s board of directors said Robinson hasn’t been involved with the group for several years and had no role in developing its Web page.