Musical tribute to Bishop Gene Robinson makes Indiana debut

The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the first elected openly gay bishop in The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, presided a special May 3 worship service at Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis, Indiana. During the service, the cathedral’s Chancel Choir performed the Indiana debut of “Our Wildest Imagining,” a choral piece by Dominic DiOrio that features snippets of sermons, stories and sayings by Robinson. Photo: Screenshot

[Episcopal News Service] A choral piece honoring the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the first elected openly gay bishop in The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, made its Indiana debut May 3 at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Indianapolis during a special morning worship service. The cathedral’s Chancel Choir performed, and Robinson presided.

“This is the honor of a lifetime,” Robinson said in an April 29 press release posted by Christ Church Cathedral. “The words and uplifting music of this remarkable composition point to something the world needs to hear, especially right now –  that the most important assertion of faith is that we are all welcomed, cherished and loved by God – yes, beyond our wildest imagining.”

The piece, “Our Wildest Imagining,” by Dominic DiOrio, includes a four-part chorus, organ and brass quintet. Variations include arrangements for men’s chorus and solo voice. Its libretto features snippets of sermons, stories and sayings by Robinson, who served as bishop of New Hampshire from 2004 until his 2013 retirement. The libretto also includes quotations from Psalm 27. The piece debuted in 2025 and has been performed at church venues, including the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York, New York, and All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California, and Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

The New Hampshire diocesan convention’s election of Robinson as bishop coadjutor on June 7, 2003, and the 74th General Convention’s consent on Aug. 6, set off protests within The Episcopal Church and worldwide by those who opposed his ordination because of his sexuality.

In response to his election and other theological differences, some conservative Episcopal bishops and clergy led some members of their congregations and dioceses out of The Episcopal Church. The election was also one factor in rising tensions in the communion over the ordination of women and human sexuality. Conservative bishops in the Anglican Communion opposed his consecration, and Robinson was excluded from official meetings of the 2008 Lambeth Conference of Anglican Communion bishops, although he did attend as an observer.

The Episcopal Church’s General Convention in 2006 affirmed the church’s support for gay and lesbian persons, and in 2018 it authorized trial rites for the marriage of same-gender couples.

When he resigned, or retired, as bishop, Robinson became a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and then served as vice president of religion and senior pastor at the Chautauqua Institution. He retired in 2021 and now serves as bishop-in-residence at St. Thomas’ Parish in Washington, D.C.

DiOrio is a professor and chair of Indiana University Bloomington’s Jacobs School of Music’s choral conducting department. In his notes on composing “Our Wildest Imagining,” DiOrio shared how Robinson’s election and episcopate were personally significant to him:

“As a young gay man growing up in the Catholic Church, I often felt that there was no place for me. … I remember fondly the news in 2003 of Gene’s election as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal church. Suddenly, I felt like there was hope. If one of the major Christian denominations in the world could welcome him as a faith leader, surely there were paths for my own life that I had not yet imagined.”

DiOrio “jumped at the opportunity” to compose “Our Wildest Imagining” in 2024 after discussing the idea to compose a piece honoring Robinson with Michael Pettry, executive director of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir. Christ Church Cathedral, St. John the Divine and All Saints were among 10 institutions that helped DiOrio with funding and creating “Our Wildest Imagining.”

“[Robinson] provided a strong model for me about how to live openly a life of truth and pride,” DiOrio said in his composer’s notes. “My fervent hope for this work is that it celebrates the man who has left a legacy of hope and possibility for so many in this strange, beautiful, fractured world.”

Robinson joined a discussion at Christ Church Cathedral following the worship service.

“It is an honor to have Bishop Robinson in our midst and to celebrate his ministry and mission through music,” the Very Rev. Gray Lesesne, dean of Christ Church Cathedral, said in the press release. “Our mission is to glorify God, serve our neighbors and transform our city, and we can’t think of a more joyful representation of how to do that than through his words and witness.”