The Episcopal Church should be proud of its vote to confirm the election of the Rev. Canon Gene Robinson as Bishop Coadjutor of New Hampshire, and should offer no concessions to the shrill voices within the community who have subsequently denounced the General Convention vote, according to the Rt. Rev. John Spong, noted author and retired Bishop of Newark.

“I don’t wish anybody to leave the church. But I don’t want them to try to blackmail the church into being unfaithful to its vision to rise to a humanity that does not know prejudice. I am not willing to pay that sacrifice to keep angry members of the Christian community. They’ve got to live with that.”

Bishop Spong made his comments in response to questions following his speech Sept. 6 to an audience of about 350 at Trinity Church in Reno. He had just finished leading a clergy conference for the Diocese of Nevada.