The leadership crisis in the Anglican Church in North America escalated dramatically this week, as Archbishop Steve Wood announced he is taking a temporary leave of absence amid allegations of sexual misconduct and bullying. His appointed replacement, however, immediately faces scrutiny after an explosive open letter from alleged victims of another embattled bishop accused him of dismissing whistleblower complaints for years.
The denomination, already reeling from dual misconduct crises at its highest levels, now finds its interim leadership implicated in the very crisis it has been tasked to solve.
Stephen D. “Steve” Wood
On Nov. 3, the ACNA announced Wood would take a voluntary, paid leave of absence from his duties as archbishop and as bishop of the Diocese of the Carolinas “pending the resolution of proceedings to address recent allegations.”
Those allegations, previously reported by BNG and first published by the Washington Post, include a formal complaint accusing Wood of sexual harassment, bullying and financial impropriety.
In a letter to the church, Wood reiterated his denial of the accusations, particularly “the particular accusation of attempted physical contact,” but said he was stepping aside “for the health and witness of the church.”
Bishop Ray Sutton
Bishop Ray Sutton, dean of the province, will assume all canonical responsibilities as acting archbishop. In his own letter, Sutton noted a Board of Inquiry is being formed to investigate the charges against Wood and asked for prayers “in a challenging and painful season for our church.”
The transition to new leadership was immediately complicated by the publication of a scathing, anonymous open letter from alleged victims of Bishop Derek Jones, published on Anglican Ink Nov. 4. Jones, the former head of the ACNA’s chaplaincy jurisdiction (JAFC, for short), is currently engaged in a $1 million lawsuit against the ACNA after being inhibited by Wood over “credible complaints” of abuse of power.
The authors of the new letter, identifying themselves as “The Chaplains,” allege ACNA’s accountability systems are “compromised” and “have been for a long time.”
The letter directly implicates Bishop Sutton, Wood’s replacement. In 2021, a whistleblower priest reported Jones’ alleged misconduct to then-Archbishop Foley Beach, alleging Jones attempted to evade ACNA oversight by claiming chaplaincy jurisdiction under the Anglican Church of Nigeria. The matter was reportedly given to Sutton.
Bishop Derek Jones
According to the letter, Sutton, “talking only to the bishop-abuser,” sided with Jones. The letter quotes Sutton’s findings, which allegedly chastised the whistleblower: “As for violation of ordination vows, part of those is submission to your bishop. Bishop Jones asked the chaplains not to speak to other bishops about the subject matter. … Contrary to your bishop’s directions, by your own admission you secretly involved the archbishop.”
The chaplains call this a “miserable failure” and “just one example in our opinion of the pervasive clericalism that exists within the province, which favors the claims of clergy over laity and the claims of bishops over priests.”
The letter corroborates previous reporting on Jones’ alleged “pay to play” tithing system and details his alleged use of inhibitions and forced psychological evaluations to silence and “crush” chaplains who questioned him.
The authors claim they repeatedly brought evidence of Jones’ “malign behaviors” to leaders for years, long before the young denomination finally took public action this summer.
“The right people were confronted at the right time with the right arguments, over and again, and they all failed to act,” they allege.
The victims’ letter illustrates the ACNA is grappling with an unprecedented leadership crisis and profound dysfunction. The denomination’s primate, Wood, is currently on leave. Adding to the turmoil, Jones, the former chief chaplain endorser, has disaffiliated and initiated a lawsuit against the church. Furthermore, Sutton, who was appointed to rectify the situation, is now facing allegations of contributing to the original problem.
According to the chaplains, these problems are not just personal failures but “systemic issues” rooted in the “unresolved DNA” of the fledgling denomination that left the Episcopal Church over LGBTQ issues and women in ministry.
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