NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Two Episcopal leaders in Virginia say they are getting hate mail from people angered by the church’s decision to allow an openly gay man to become New Hampshire’s bishop.

Bishop Peter James Lee, head of the Diocese of Virginia, said he has received about 200 e-mails and letters since the Rev. V. Gene Robinson was ratified as bishop-elect of New Hampshire. At least three of the communications called for his resignation and two consigned him to hell.

The head of the Diocese of Southern Virginia, Bishop David C. Bane Jr., said he has also received about 150 “hateful” messages in the week since the Episcopal General Convention’s decision. One e-mail closed with “See you in hell.”

Clergy and lay delegates from the Diocese of Virginia (north of the James River) and the Diocese of Southern Virginia (south of the James) voted 14-2 for confirmation.

Lee voted for confirmation, while Bane voted against.

Lee told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that he has responded to each letter and e-mail, telling those who are unhappy, “What a wonderful witness if we can live together in love while we have room to disagree.”

Bane said the nasty outpouring is unlike anything he has encountered since taking charge of the 33,000-member Diocese of Southern Virginia in 1998. He said many of the e-mail messages are from out of state and aren’t aimed specifically at him.

“Most of them are just blasting anyone who represents the church. I don’t think they knew how I voted on it,” he said.

Bane said he is optimistic about the denomination’s future, despite the backlash over the ratification of Robinson. Some who opposed the move have said they might break away from the denomination in protest.

Retired Bishop Charles Vache, who lives in Portsmouth, recalled similar threats and hot emotions in the 1970s when the church debated the ordination of women. But he said that controversy generated only a few angry letters to him as bishop.

Bane, who served a church in New Hampshire for four years, said he knows Robinson well. “He’s a really good man who has all the qualities to make a good bishop,” Bane said.

He said he has no problem with Robinson’s sexual orientation but is concerned that he has lived intimately with a gay man for years.

“I still have a fairly traditional view of sexual relationships, and my understanding of the Episcopal Church’s official position with regard to sexual relationships is that they are to be between a man and woman — Christian marriage. Period,” Bane said.