V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay and non-celibate bishop in the Episcopal Church, is retiring in January 2013, after nine years as a bishop. Mandatory retirement age for Episcopal bishops is 72, and Robin is an energetic 63-year-old who led “a relatively stable and healthy diocese,” but he said “death threats and the now worldwide controversy surrounding [the] election of me as bishop have been a constant strain, not just on me, but on my beloved husband, Mark.” Robinson gave the invocation for the inauguration of President Obama, and he plans to remain in public life. In his resignation speech in New Hampshire, he said: “This is the one place on Earth where I am not ‘the gay bishop.’ I believe that you elected me because you believed me to be the right person to lead you at this time. The world has sometimes questioned that, but I hope you never did.” Well, let’s raise a glass to Gene. Nine years is a good run.
