The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia recently released an updated statement of alleged offenses against Episcopal priest Cayce Ramey, reflecting additional potential misconduct. Ramey briefly gained notoriety after refusing to participate in Holy Communion to object, he claimed, to the denomination’s refusal to repent for its role in slavery.
Among the additional charges against Ramey are allegations that he:
- Refused to cooperate in the original Title IV proceedings against him, including by engaging in witness tampering and by failing to provide discovery as required by the Title IV hearing panel.
- Failed to abide by the restrictions on ministry imposed upon him by Bishop Diocesan Mark Stevenson, including by appearing at General Convention dressed in clericals and holding himself forth as an Episcopal priest.
- Failed to obey Stevenson’s direction to meet with him quarterly to discuss the case.
Thus, Ramey is accused, inter alia, of failing to obey his bishop and conduct unbecoming.
Our reaction
As we’ve previously reported, this is a knotty situation, but one in which we support the Diocese of Virginia and its efforts to defrock Ramey. That said, we have some concerns about the situation.
On the one hand, the Diocese appears to have played right into Ramey’s hands. Specifically, Ramey clearly wants to transition out of priestly ministry, and he’s trying to credential himself with outrageous and deceitful claims that he’s being tried for being a “heretic.”
To be clear, no one has accused him of being a heretic. We’ve accused him of being a liar and a jackass, and we suspect he has a mental illness, based on comments from former Ecclesiastical Authority Susan Goff. Meanwhile, the Diocese accuses him of conduct unbecoming and more. But no one says he’s a heretic.
We also have mixed feelings about the claim that Ramey is required to participate in Mass. We know lots of clergy who haven’t said Mass in years, and there’s no canonical provision that requires it. That said, the Diocese finally came around and issued a pastoral direction telling Ramey he has to take communion, so that matter is now off the table. But to be clear: Susan Goff’s thing about “I don’t know how you can be a priest and not take Communion,” was clearly not binding.
We also disagree with two aspects of the Court of Review’s decision, which overturned the previous decision to defrock Ramey. Specifically: Read it all at Anglican Watch