Church panel sides with Virginia priest who was disciplined for Eucharistic ‘fast’ protesting racism

[Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Church’s Court of Review has ordered the reversal of the Diocese of Virginia’s discipline of a priest over his refusal to administer Communion – a so-called “Eucharistic fast” that the priest, who is white, said he felt called to as a kind of protest against racial injustice.

Under the church’s Title IV disciplinary canons, the Rev. Cayce Ramey faced possible deposition, or removal from the priesthood, for his actions. The churchwide Court of Review, however, has responded to Ramey’s appeal with an opinion this week that largely sides with the priest. It said diocesan leaders erred in their interpretation of church canons, adherence to disciplinary procedures and conclusions.

“Our decision does not reflect an endorsement of Ramey’s actions or his theological views,” the Court of Review’s majority opinion said. “At issue here is the church’s responsibility to uphold the standards and procedures that we have collectively affirmed as essential to our life together in the Body of Christ.

“Consequential procedural errors occurred here. The hearing panel misinterpreted or misapplied the Canons, engaged in a decision-making process inconsistent with Title IV and made findings that are not supported by substantial evidence when viewed in light of the whole record. These errors substantially prejudiced Ramey.”

The opinion and order overruling the diocese was signed by a 10-member majority of the Court of Review, out of the 16 participating in this case. Two members in the majority submitted an additional concurring opinion. The other six members signed a separate opinion saying they dissented in part and would have ruled mostly against Ramey’s appeal. All three opinions are collected in a 37-page document.

The Diocese of Virginia, in sharing the news July 2 on its website, quoted a response from Virginia Bishop E. Mark Stevenson calling the Court of Review’s decision “complex and nuanced” and adding it “will take time to fully digest.”

“Throughout this matter, Dr. Ramey and I have been in substantial agreement regarding the need to address issues of racial justice and systemic racism in The Episcopal Church and/or the Diocese of Virginia,” Stevenson said. “Confronting racism remains mission critical for me and for the Diocese of Virginia. Each of us must work to secure justice and human dignity and I welcome every member of the Diocese, including Dr. Ramey, to join together in this holy and life-giving work.”

Episcopal News Service reached out to Ramey for this story, and he declined to comment at this time, saying he was still processing the outcome.

Ramey began his Eucharistic fast in June 2021, while he was rector at All Saints Episcopal Church in Alexandria, also known as Sharon Chapel. He stepped down as rector in December 2022, a month after then-Bishop Suffragan Susan Goff initiated disciplinary proceedings against him. Stevenson also was consecrated in December 2022 and soon after taking office barred Ramey from performing any priestly duties or serving on any diocesan bodies while the disciplinary case proceeds.

Ramey has insisted previously that he did not choose to stop being a priest and suggested he was only being punished because church leaders have wrongly accepted the history and legacy of white supremacy as “separate from our faith and our theology.”

The Diocese of Virginia, however, argued that Ramey was neglecting his core duties as a priest and disregarding “the doctrine, discipline and worship of the church.” Diocesan leaders said they agreed with Ramey about the problem of racism in the history and structures of the church, but they argued that he had overstepped his authority by refusing after more than three years to end his Eucharistic fast or even say when he might end it.

Ramey clarified that his parish never was deprived of the Eucharist, because during his fast, all of All Saints’ worship was conducted with neighboring congregations at joint services involving multiple priests, through a partnership that had deepened with the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, several of the partner congregations have merged. All Saints chose to remain a separate congregation and has since called a new priest who is willing to fully celebrate Holy Eucharist.

Under The Episcopal Church’s Title IV clergy disciplinary canons, a diocesan hearing panel ruled in May 2024 mostly in favor of diocesan leaders against Ramey. He appealed to the churchwide Court of Review, a mix of lay and ordained members from all nine of the church’s provinces.

Clergy Title IV cases typically end at the diocesan level. The Court of Review was first tasked to receive clergy appeals in 2018 under canonical changes approved by the 79th General Convention. It heard arguments on Ramey’s appeal in November 2024.

In its majority decision, the Court of Review ordered reversal of several of the diocesan hearing panel’s actions, including its finding that Ramey had violated his ordination vows. It concluded that neither Goff nor Stevenson had issued a clear pastoral directive telling Ramey to end his Eucharistic fast.

The Court of Review’s majority opinion also reversed the hearing panel’s conclusion that Ramey had “habitually neglected the Holy Communion,” one of the core responsibilities of a priest.

“The record here is undisputed that Ramey attended and participated in the Eucharist in every way save two: receiving the Holy Communion himself and presiding at the Eucharist,” the Court of Review said. “Ramey regularly participated in the Eucharist by preaching, by proclaiming the Gospel, by baptizing and by giving the dismissal, all functions normally reserved to ordained clergy.”

And the Court of Review reversed the hearing panel’s finding that Ramey was guilty of conduct unbecoming a member of the clergy, based on similar evidence. “The hearing panel provided no rationale explaining why this charge should constitute a separate violation, nor did it identify any different conduct that would justify its inclusion,” the order says.

The Court of Review’s six-member dissent, however, says it would have upheld part of the hearing panel’s findings, including that Ramey had violated his ordination vows and neglected Holy Communion, and the dissenters also concluded that Ramey had violated the rubrics and doctrine of the church.

“Ramey’s unilateral and unequivocal decision to abstain from celebrating the Holy Eucharist … sets a dangerous precedent,” the dissenting opinion says. “Condoning his behavior without sanction could permit any priest to do the same regarding various human sins in which the church, despite its strenuous efforts toward repentance, will remain inextricably implicated until the coming of Christ’s Kingdom.”

– David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.