Story Archives of 'Episcopalians'

To celebrate NHPR's twenty-fifth anniversary, The Exchange is producing a series called 25 in 25. We'll talk with twenty-five Granite Staters who have topped our headlines, shaped our state and made us think over the past quarter-century that NHPR has been on the air. We continue our series with New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, the church’s first openly gay and non-celibate Bishop. We'll talk with him about his time with the church and what his role as Bishop has meant to him, to the state and the church in general. We’ll also get his perspective on how the Granite State has grown and changed over the last 25 years in not only faith and religion, but in general.

Father Henry Atkins has been an Episcopal priest and advocate for the poor and oppressed for more than 40 years. He believes there is a direct connection between spirituality and responsibility for social justice- a belief that began when, as a kid in the south, he witnessed his preacher grandfather stand up to the KKK. Fr. Atkins worked in the civil rights movement in the 60's and in the 70's, focused his attention on El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. In the 80's, he came back to the US and worked at Rutgers University. While there, he led his church in participating in a refugee program for people from Guatemala. He feels strongly that as white people have an obligation to show solidarity with people in need. He?s currently serving at St. Thomas Church in Hanover.

The election of Rev. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire's Episcopal Diocese has rocked the church here and abroad. He's openly gay and the controversy that has arisen following his election may cause a schism in the Episcopal Church according to some sources. John talks with Rev. Robinson about faith, sexuality, and church politics.

The audio available here is an extended version of the interview. If you would like a copy of the broadcast show, you can order a tape or CD by clicking on the link at the top of this page.

Garrett Keizer is an Episcopal priest and writer, as well as a former teacher, in Vermont?s Northeast Kingdom. He?s written on a variety of subjects- about his two careers as teacher and priest, a novel about teenagers and alcohol in rural Vermont, and most recently, The Enigma of Anger: Essays on a Sometimes Deadly Sin. He thinks unconventional thoughts on many topics and expresses them very- and often- in print.

This weekend, the Reverend Gene Robinson was elected to be the new bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire.

Robinson is the first openly-gay priest to be elected an Anglican Bishop.

He will not be ordained until he receives approval at the General Convention in Minneapolis later this summer.

Reverend Robinson joins Morning Edition Host Lisa Peakes to talk about his election and what it means for the Church.