Despite death threats, gay bishop plans civil union

Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop, speaks with TODAY's Matt Lauer about his plans to enter into a civil union with his partner of 20 years.

Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson knows he is inviting death threats by entering into a civil union with his gay partner on the eve of his church’s biggest ecclesiastical conference. And he says it is worth it, because he is doing what God asks of him.

“When your life is at stake, you learn that there are things in life that are much worse than death,” Bishop Robinson told TODAY’s Matt Lauer Thursday in New York. “That’s the great reward of being a Christian. Not living your life — that’s worse than death. And if something were to happen to me, I would know that I am doing what I discern God is calling me to do.”

In 2003, Robinson became the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church when he was elected by the congregations of New Hampshire. Dubbed “the most controversial Christian in the world,” he faced death threats then and wore a bulletproof vest during his consecration. Now, he has announced that he will “marry” Mark Andrew, his partner of some 20 years, a move sure to outrage conservatives in his religion.

Despite death threats, gay bishop plans civil union
MSNBC

Gay bishop plans to marry
May 8: Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop, speaks with TODAY's Matt Lauer about his plans to enter into a civil union with his partner of 20 years.