Chaplains attempt to break from Anglican Church in North America

The archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, Stephen Wood, said on Tuesday that an agency for chaplains could not leave the denomination after the agency’s leader was accused of abusing church power. The Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy, which endorses Anglican chaplains, on Monday sent a letter to ACNA saying it was terminating its affiliation with the denomination. But Wood said the agency could not legitimately do so under church law.

What sort of abuse is the agency’s leader accused of? Wood did not confirm the nature of the alleged abuse but did clarify that it was not physical or sexual, nor did it involve doctrinal concerns. The archbishop said that the leader, Bishop Derek Jones, refused to cooperate with a formal investigation into the claims against him. Wood on Sunday issued a rule restricting Jones from ministry for 60 days. The agency attempted to withdraw from the denomination the following day.

Wood appointed two clergy members to temporarily replace the bishop who led the agency until an official successor could be elected. Anglican chaplains would keep their endorsements and positions in the military during the transition, he said.

What does Jones have to say about the claims? The Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy letter didn’t include reasons for the withdrawal, but the chaplains’ agency told The Christian Post that Archbishop Wood targeted its leader, Bishop Jones. The group claimed that Jones was disciplined for calling out mismanagement and errors in the archbishop’s office. Along with its notice of disaffiliation, the chaplains’ agency said ACNA could no longer meet with or contact the agency’s chaplains, nor use the trademark Anglican Chaplains.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on a new prayer campaign for the Democratic Republic of Congo, spurred by violence there.