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During one hour of open discussion, a number of liberal bishops stressed that the house should not fear the consequences of approving Robinson.

"As I looked over my lists, I noticed that the reasons not to confirm were much longer than the reasons to confirm," said Bishop Ted Eastman, retired from the Diocese of Maryland. But the reasons not to confirm were "tinged with fear," he said, while the other reasons were those of "hope and promise."

"I realize what a moment this is—what a difficult moment this is for some of you," Griswold said after he announced the vote.

Douglas LeBlanc is an associate editor of Christianity Today.

Copyright © 2003 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

See LeBlanc's earlier dispatches from the General Convention:

The Bitter Harvest of Sexual Ideology | No one wanted the Gene Robinson bishopric debate to take this sad turn (August 5, 2003)

Deputies Slice into the Gordian Knot | The Episcopal Church's House of Deputies approves Gene Robinson as New Hampshire Bishop. The House of Bishops will vote today. (August 4, 2003)

Praise the Lord and Pass the Condoms | Southern Hemisphere primates warned that approving Gene Robinson would place the church outside most of the world's 72 million Anglicans. "You'll get over it," responded about 60 percent of the House of Deputies. (August 4, 2003)

Gene Robinson Takes Questions in a Church called Gethsemane | Speaks on reparative therapy, potential schism, and whether he really "/left" his wife for his male lover. (August 4, 2003)

What in the World Is God Doing? | For Episcopalians, the night may be darkest before the dawn. (August 4, 2003)

Integrity Doles Out God's Not-So Inclusive Love | The Integrity Eucharist has become a triennial sort of mass pity party. (August 1, 2003)

Gay Rites Would Not Bless Ecumenism | Could also impair Anglican work overseas. (August 1, 2003)

Gene and Me | My history with the openly gay man elected bishop of Rochester. (July 31, 2003)

More coverage of the General Convention is available from the ECUSA website, which has streaming video. Conservative and orthodox perspectives are available from Classical Anglican Net News, the American Anglican Council's A Place to Stand, and David Virtue's Virtuosity.

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August (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47