Biography

James Anthony Ramsay, the current reverend for the Church of the Resurrection, has16 years experience of ordained parish ministry, church-related community development work, and ecumenical involvement.

Having visited Romania twice before becoming chaplain at the Church of the Resurrection in August 2002, James feels he now "has the opportunity to deepen his interest in the country, build on previous knowledge, and explore new areas of ministry".

James is married to the painter Celia Ward. James and Celia are blessed with 2 daughters, Sophie and Iona, "who are a joy and delight (though everyone assures us they will be a great worry)". As well as spending time with family, James enjoy playing the piano, learning Romanian, and reading. James feels his chronic "lack of interest in sport" is a handicap.

On a personal note, and in his own words, James has always had a strong sense of the spiritual, although he only started attending church at the age of 27. At times James experienced the sense of divine reality, more as a painful and mystifying "absence of God". At different points in his spiritual journey, James declined to be rebaptised in the bath at a house church, declined to become Orthodox, disagreed with a catholic about his eligibility for hell, I endeavoured to continue in dialogue and prayer with evangelicals who would only pray "for" me. I have been inspired by Quakers, Liberation base communities, Pentecostals, and "ordinary" members of their local church, whatever that was. Perhaps the centre-ground is more exacting than we think. I believe unity reflects and proclaims the Oneness of God. The search for unity is guided by discernment of what we have in common, yet starts at the point of irreconcilable conflict. The cross. Official ecumenism and party churchmanship alike balk at Good Friday. We all do, God forgive us! since only our Saviour does not. Come, Lord Jesus!

CV/Resume: Born in Nairobi (Kenya) 1952. Read French and German at Wadham College, Oxford. Taught English as a foreign language and worked as freelance translator and interpreter in Italy, France, and UK before ordination. Theological college: Westcott House, Cambridge. Worked 9 months as church community worker in West London (White City estate). Ordained 1986. Curacy served in the market town of Olney, Buckinghamshire. 1989-2002 Anglican priest at the ecumenical church of the Holy Family, Blackbird Leys (Oxford). Moved to Bucharest in August 2002.