Gay bishop returns to work after alcohol treatment

The first openly gay bishop of the Anglican Church has returned to work after a month’s rehabilitation from an alcohol problem.

Gene Robinson, The Episcopal Church’s New Hampshire bishop returned from treatment last week. He was catching up with work and not granting interviews. His spokesman Mike Barwell, told the Press Association, “He is going to kind of ease back into things.”

“We are going to keep a low profile.”

There will soon be an announcement on the minister’s website.

Bishop Robinson caused surprise when he checked into an alcohol treatment centre last month, he said, “I will be dealing with the disease of alcoholism which for years I have thought of as a failure of will or discipline on my part rather than a disease over which my particular body simply has no control, except to stop drinking altogether,” he said.

Mr Barwell added that the bishop would attend a national gathering of Episcopal bishops later this month.