James Tramel went from convicted murderer to priest while in prison, a transformation that the Episcopal Church used to successfully lobby for his parole and celebrate him before politicians and the press.
But the church is now grappling with the sexual abuse of a parishioner under his care. Tramel has been suspended for sexual misconduct, temporarily stripped of his priestly authority and left searching for a new job.
The San Francisco-based Episcopal Diocese of California now faces questions of whether, in its haste to proclaim Tramel’s story, it redeemed and promoted him too quickly.
Convicted of second-degree murder in a 1985 slaying, Tramel went to seminary and was ordained a priest while incarcerated in a state prison in Solano County. After he was paroled early in 2006, at the urging of the Episcopal bishop of California, Tramel was quickly placed at the helm of the historic Trinity Episcopal Church in San Francisco.
It’s there that the victim said Tramel, who is married and has a young child, took advantage of her during counseling sessions.
There is something about people in prison which makes them either very convincing, or alternatively makes people want to be convinced by them. Both Norman Mailer and William F. Buckley were taken in by murderers who killed again after their releases. Bad as this is, at least it wasn’t fatal.
Can’t we just accept this fine man as the murdering adulterer God made him? Besides, only a demonic demand for reading scripture a certain way says those a bad things anyway. And, even though some of this abuse could likely have happened on the church premises, the diocese bears no responsibility since the property ownership we claim via the Dennis Cannon only applies when it is to our advantage. Much like the traditions of the church.
I believe in redemption and forgiveness. But this man should not have been placed in a position of authority so quickly. Actually, I don’t think he should have been ordained until he’d been out a while and demonstrated truly redeemed behavior — which he hasn’t.
And then there’s this:[blockquote]When Tramel was placed at Trinity, Andrus approved the decision. Yet Lossing said Andrus had no power in the situation involving Tramel.
“Obviously, Andrus is nothing but the representative, the titular head of the diocese,” Lossing said. “He doesn’t have any individual legal investment here.”[/blockquote]I thought TEC was insisting that all parish property belongs to the diocese and the national church. If it does, then the legal liability goes with ownership.
Katherine said:
[blockquote]Actually, I don’t think he should have been ordained until he’d been out a while and demonstrated truly redeemed behavior—which he hasn’t.[/blockquote]
“By their fruits, ye shall know them.” As I said last Sunday, the fruits aren’t produced immediately. They must be patiently awaited. It’s not the immediate and momentary words or deeds of one that is the true indicator. It’s their fruits. This is why we must “lay hands suddenly on no man.”
We’re not capable of reading another’s heart, as Jesus can. We have only the outward and visible indications to rely on. That’s why we’re told to judge those who come to us by their fruits. It’s not a snap judgment.
I may be mistaken, but I am fairly certain this gentleman was a featured writer for Forward Day by Day for some time, not long before FDD added to its luster by having one of its writers catalogue the sanctity of her lesbian daughter and proclaim the riches of worship at the local Metropolitan Community Church.
This is so wrong on so many levels: That the bishops of our church have made holy orders into a pawn in their grandstanding and publicity-seeking; that they have so little regard for the faithful they would spring a murderer onto a parish with no supervision; that they would show contempt for the victim in this, as well as for the victim’s family from the first crime! Can you imagine how the murder victim’s family must feel about a church springing one of their son’s killers and making him a priest when he steps out of the pen?!
Should the church minister to the imprisoned and other wretched souls? Yes, of course! But why does THIS church feel that they should be ordained?! My God, psychology 101 would tell them that they’re giving narcissistic personalities an assist — not redemption — when they elevate them to positions of prominence because of their beguiling and manipulative characteristics! First McGreevey, then the (former) pornographer, now a murderer.
Well, that didn’t take long.
I’m really saddened by this news. I was one of the people praying for him, despite having some of the same doubts expressed above, and to see him throw it all away so easily is beyond disappointing.
If the Rev. Tramel had had the same parole board as St. Peter(Acts 12) the diocese wouldn’t be in this mess.
I remember the flap and the attacks on the governor from the pulpit by Bishop Swing. If these allegations bear out, I believe the Bishop owes a huge mea culpa to Arnold.
Redemption and forgiveness do not mean putting other vulnerable people in jeopardy. Someone high up needs to answer for this.
My prayers are for the person who was taken advantage of.
Symbolism over substance.
California is a large state…and apparently only 1/2 inch deep: shallow and shifting.