Bishop Robinson on Daily Show

13 December 2012 Bishop Robinson on Daily Show

Former Presidents Forum speaker Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson recently appeared on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. An outspoken advocate for civil rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, Robinson discussed current religious, political and cultural views of same-sex marriage. This is also the topic of his new book, God Believes in Love: Straight Talk About Gay Marriage, (Alfred Knopf) published in September.

Noting the book was recently released at a time when the U.S. Supreme Court is about to take up the case of whether the defense of marriage act is constitutional or not, Stewart asked Robinson if such timing was kismet.

Robinson replied, The timing is amazing, but were reaching a time where even people of faith especially people of faith are seeing theres a way forward on this gay marriage issue. And, were seeing it in all ages, all races, all denominationsThey are looking at our families, our relationships, at how we raise our kids and what theyre seeing is all American family values. Youd think the Conservatives would be for that, wouldnt you?

Working at the state, national and international levels, Robinson has lobbied for equal protection under the law and full civil marriage rights. Robinson made headlines in 2003, when he became the first non-celibate gay clergyman in the Anglican Communion to become bishop. At his controversial consecration, he wore a bulletproof vest under his gold vestments because he had received death threats.

Since his ordination, Robinson has been featured in numerous newspapers and magazines, as well as the 2007 documentary For the Bible Tells Me So. In 2009, Robinson was the recipient of the Stephen F. Kolzak Media Award, an honor bestowed by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. In addition to God Believes in Love, he is the author of In the Eye of the Storm: Swept to the Center by God which was released in 2008. In 2009, Robinson was invited by President Barack Obama to give the invocation at the opening inaugural ceremonies at the Lincoln Memorial. He is also a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. He holds a bachelors degree in American studies from Sewanee: the University of the South and a masters of Divinity from the Episcopal General Theological Seminary.

He was a Presidents Forum speaker on the topic Beyond Inclusion: Its a God Thing, in April of 2011.

The full segment of his appearance on the Daily Show is online.