From news releases
ELMHURST, Ill., September 20, 2012 —Gene Robinson is the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire. Ordained in 1973, he made history three decades later when he became the first openly gay person to be consecrated a bishop in the worldwide Anglican communion.
Since then Robinson has been a staunch and outspoken advocate for civil rights and marriage equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. He also has led retreat programs, coordinated youth ministries, started mentoring programs for clergy, and worked with AIDS patients in the United States, Uganda and South Africa.
He will present Justice and Compassion in an Age of Demonization on Thursday, October 4, at Elmhurst College. His appearance, part of the College's Speaking of Faith lecture series, is presented in cooperation with The Episcopal Church of Our Saviour, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary in Elmhurst.
Robinson is the co-author of three AIDS education curricula for youth and adults, and has been an advocate for anti-racism training in his diocese and the wider Church. He has lobbied at the state, national and international levels for equal protection under the law and full marriage rights for LGBT people.
In 2010 Robinson announced plans to retire next January, citing the toll that has been taken on him, his family and the diocese since his consecration—an event that led to death threats against him and that set off a historic rift in the Anglican communion, whose churches are in more than 160 countries. But those who know Robinson say he will not be retiring from public life.
Robinson is the subject of a new documentary film, Love Free or Die: How the Bishop of New Hampshire is Changing the World, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. The Bishop's latest book, God Believes in Love: Straight Talk about Gay Marriage, was released on September 18 by Alfred Knopf.
Justice and Compassion in an Age of Demonization will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 4, in Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel (190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst, www.elmhurst.edu/campusmap&. Admission is $10 for the general public and free for Elmhurst College students, faculty, staff and alumni. Tickets are available at the door or by visiting www.elmhurst.edu/tix. After the lecture, Robinson will sign copies of his book, which also will be for sale in the Chapel. For more information, call (630) 617-3390.
Elmhurst College is a leading liberal arts college located eight miles west of Chicago. The College's mission is to prepare its students for meaningful and ethical work in a multicultural, global society. Approximately 3,400 full- and part-time students are enrolled in its 23 undergraduate academic departments and nine graduate degree programs.
Second appearance added, hosted by Women & Children First, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. Gene Robinson, author God Believes in Love: Straight Talk About Gay Marriage, Random House will speak at St. Paul's United Church of Christ, 2335 N. Orchard (one block east of the intersection of Lincoln and Fullerton). www.spucc.org .
Opposition to same-sex marriage from the conservative right rests primarily on the claim that the practice is prohibited by Christian beliefs and values. In God Believes in Love, openly gay New Hampshire Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson shows that this logic is inherently wrong. A vital tool for anyone who is grappling with what they believe their religious faith demands and what they know about the gay people in their lives, God Believes in Love addresses several key questions:
-What's Wrong with Civil Unions?
-Does Gay Marriage Undermine Marriage?
-What if My Religion Doesn't Believe in Gay Marriage
-Doesn't the Bible Condemn Homosexuality?
In a culturally polarized election year, God Believes in Love will help readers of all stripes and convictions better understand why full marriage equality is so important and why it is a violation of civil rights to deny access to marriage because of sexual orientation. That the struggle for marriage equality is not about denying religious freedom; it is about commitment, compassion, acceptance, and the right to love.
This event is hosted by Women & Children First and hosted by St. Paul's United Church of Christ. We thank St. Paul's for their enthusiastic support of this event. Books will be available for sale on site, or order at the store in advance. You can also order by phone (773-769-9299) or online atwww.womenandchildrenfirst.com . First-come, first-served parking is located a half block from the church at the old Children's Memorial Hospital parking garage.
