Quote, "millions of Christians the world over are convinced - absolutely assured - that this man is the Antichrist". Er, actually, no they're not, though it makes a great piece of 'purple prose'. At worst, they think of him as a wolf in sheep's clothing (bad enough, but pretty commonplace).

Quotes: "Internet sites commonly refer to him as ... Beelzebub's Boy." Er, actually, if you Google "Beelzebub's Boy" and "Gene Robinson", you'll find there are precisely two. One is a comment left on a webpage at freerepublic.com. The other is ... this article at the Scotsman!

So, an average interview with Gene Robinson is reduced by the writer's over-enthusiasm to possibly the worst piece of 'journalism' on this issue I've read.

From a comment found today on Stand Firm (with greetings to Mr Richardson):

Now what in Gehenna is he doing in London? Rabble-rousing in the C of E? This man has absolutely no shame. The Communion is collapsing because of his agenda and ambition and he still feels the need to take his show to the UK?

I hope it all backfires on him. I hope his presence and this article irritate the C of E into action, like a piece of sand in the oyster’s shell.

Posted by teatime on 07-27-2007 at 09:00 PM [link]

Clearly JR RIchardson does not understand that the journalist who writes the feature does not compose the headline - that is the job of the sub-editors - but acusing Andrew Collier, a colourful character to be sure, of being guilty of purple prose is a bit lenten to my taste. I thought the piece gave great insight into a man who is at once blessed and cursed for his belief that God doesn't judge us on the basis of our sexuality. I hope Bishop Robinson will visit the Scottish Episcopal Church in Edinburgh - Old St paul's would be ideal - and that we have the chance to welcome him ourselves.

No, Bishop Gene Robinson is not the Anti-Christ. But I have another candidate for the title to offer you: Bishop Akinola of Nigeria. In his rage against a decent, loving man, he has tampered with the work of the Holy Spirit in the Episcopal Church of the United States. In his lust for power, Akinola has set up headquarters in the US to recruit congregations into his Nigerian church. No, Gene Robinson is not the Anti-Christ: he is a beautiful, gentle, holy Christian man.

#4: bingo. The debate rages between those who blame +Robinson for existing, and those who think you don't have to make a fuss about it.

I actually thought this article reasonably well summarizes the state of play in the Anglican Communion, without passing much opinion. (Work out for yourselves who the judgementalists are.)

This is the most ludicrous piece of propaganda masquerading as journalism I have ever seen. In a word, it is unbelievable.

"Millions" of Christians do NOT believe Robinson is the "Antichrist". Few if any Anglicans are believers in a literal Antichrist. The author if this article is attempting to portray us as fundamentalists, either because he can't be bothered to get his facts straight, or because he is deliberately trying to distort the truth in order to create sympathy for his subject. Hardly a hallmark of objective journalism.

Many of us do believe that Robinson is a soul-deadening dweeb with a persecution complex and a talent for self-dramatization, but that is hardly the same as the Antichrist. As for Akinola, whatever you think of his policies it is still a fact that the church in Nigeria is growing and thriving under his leadership.

Under Robinson and his ilk, the US church is in a state of rapid and catastrophic decline. The numbers are in, and (unlike Mr Collier) they don't lie.