The College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America deposed Derek Jones from the Sacred Ministry on September 23, 2026.

This is in response to his guilt of four canonical charges against him, as determined by the Court for the Trial of a Bishop. The facts now established show that over a period of many years he has offended against God and the Body of Christ through acts of wickedness, cruelty, and abuse of power against chaplains with limited recourse.

The pain and destruction to these chaplains and their families is loathsome, and we are deeply ashamed and lament that members of this body who knew about this behavior neither urgently nor robustly addressed concerns and complaints regarding Mr. Jones.

Having read the affidavits and victim statements, we commit to continual prayer for victims known and unknown, pleading for God’s healing and hope. We also commit as a College to do everything in our power to address these injustices.

While we understand that we are unable to fully expunge the pain, destruction, and despair inflicted upon the lives of those who suffered, the College is undertaking a process by which chaplains may obtain canonical and pastoral restoration.

As part of our collective repentance, we recognize the culture of our College must change and we are seeking to understand how this abuse was allowed to happen.

Finally, the goal of disciplining a bishop is to protect the sheep and to invite the fallen shepherd to repent. Let us all fix our eyes on Christ Jesus the Good Shepherd under whose authority and care we all stand.

ACNA News: The College of Bishops has deposed Derek Jones, former chaplaincy bishop, from the ministry. "… we are deeply ashamed and lament that members of this body who knew about [his] behavior neither urgently nor robustly addressed concerns and complaints regarding [him]." pic.twitter.com/bf4kDRoymY

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) September 24, 2026

As part of those concrete steps to rebuilding trust, I hope that the CoB is considering these questions:

What is the plan for releasing the Lathrop report? This report examines the Provincial Office’s handling of the disciplinary process for Bp. Stewart Ruch, and its publication (with appropriate redactions) would increase transparency and display a desire for accountability. (Additionally, thoughtful preparation will avoid the problems that plagued the release of the Husch-Blackwell report during the investigation into Bp. Ruch.)

Will the transcripts of the Ruch trial be released? Given the many irregularities in that trial, making the transcripts available would show that the province is willing to be transparent about its own processes.

Will the College release the presentment against Bishop Edgar? As of now, we do not know what charges were brought against Bp. Edgar, nor who brought them, which shrouds the disciplinary process in secrecy and veils potential conflicts of interest on the part of the presenting bishops.

As the province transitions to the new disciplinary process outlined in the recently passed revisions to Title IV of the canons, how specifically does the province intend to care for reporters and whistleblowers? What are the protections against retaliation for those who raise concerns?

What specific steps will the province take to rebuild trust after the Wood trial concludes? Regardless of the outcome, the ACNA must grapple with how to move forward and demonstrate its commitment to caring for reporters and keeping the disciplinary process transparent….

What message does it send to the province that a presentment could be filed so swiftly against Bp. Chip Edgar for blessing a school chapel [as I have noted elsewhere this is NOT the heart of the issue it is participation in and reception of the Eucharist] alongside an Episcopal priest, while it took significantly longer—and much persistence from reporters—for presentments to be filed against Bps. Ruch, Jones, and Wood?

Read it all.

Today on Substack, we’re naming questions we hope the College of Bishops addresses as it convenes this week. Which questions would you prioritize?https://t.co/dFw7dfdeys

— anglicanrenewal (@anglicanrenewal) September 21, 2026

Did it not trouble her conscience that, as the beneficiary of several generations’ work invested in female emancipation, which have culminated with her being the very first woman to hold the Archbishopric of Canterbury, she gave a tacit endorsement to those who would be contemptuous of women holding any such exalted office in church or state?

Did she not think, being the beneficiary of these hard-won liberties, that she should be at pains to advocate for them fearlessly, rather than turning a blind eye when others are denied them?

Perhaps she forgot the Christian insistence on the inalienable dignity of all humans, made as they are in the image of God, which runs so strongly through scripture that – for the modern Church of England – it outdoes even St Paul’s demand that women should remain covered and silent in church. Or the dignity of women in the Christian story – the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, the women who first discovered the Resurrection. How could she appear at such ease when other women around her are denied the respect due to their dignity?

This whole affair leaves serious questions for Lambeth Palace to answer. If none of these questions came to the Archbishop’s mind, then she must answer for her naïveté, and her advisers must explain why she was put in this position.

Read it all.

New @Telegraph I've written on the fiasco of Sarah Mullally and the award to bin Laden supporter Tahir Ashrafi. Gift access in next post… pic.twitter.com/UWjNYmEBNv

— BijanOmrani (@BijanOmrani) September 17, 2026

MPs have voted against proposals to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales, bringing the latest effort to change the law to an end.

Following a debate in which both sides made emotional speeches, the House of Commons voted 286 to 270 – a majority of 16 – against the proposed legislation.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would have allowed adults with fewer than six months to live to apply to be given help to end their own life, subject to certain safeguards.

A similar bill in the last parliamentary session was supported by MPs before stalling in the House of Lords. The decision from MPs on Friday rules out the prospect of changes to the law on assisted dying in the short term.

Read it all.

The assisted suicide Bill is dead. After two years of debate, MPs have rejected it by 286 votes to 270.

A victory for vulnerable people — and a reminder that bad legislation becomes harder to defend the more closely it is scrutinised, writes @AdamPollockhttps://t.co/d7JZTQ5iiU

— The Critic (@TheCriticMag) September 12, 2026

 What is happening?

On October 23, 2025, The Washington Post reported that Archbishop Steve Wood, leader of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), is the subject of a formal presentment—a canonical complaint alleging sexual misconduct and other violations of church canons.

Summary of Allegations

• The presentment, filed October 20, 2025, centers on claims by Claire Buxton, a former children’s ministry director at St. Andrew’s Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
• Buxton alleges that between 2021 and 2024, Wood made inappropriate comments and gestures toward her, culminating in an unwanted advance in April 2024, when he allegedly attempted to kiss her.
• She also reported receiving about $3,500 in unsolicited payments from church funds over a 13-month period.
• Additional accusations in the presentment include plagiarized sermons, bullying of staff, and misuse of church resources.
• On November 7, 2025, The Washington Post reported that a second woman had come forward with allegations of sexual harassment, and the presentment was amended to include her affidavit and additional testimony from former colleagues.

Wood has stated he believes the allegations “lack merit” and has expressed trust in the ACNA’s canonical process.

2. What is the ACNA doing about it?

Upon receiving the presentment, ACNA initiated its disciplinary process, referring the case to a Board of Inquiry to determine whether an ecclesiastical trial is warranted.

November 4, 2025, the ACNA reported that Archbishop Wood took a voluntary, paid leave of absence from his roles as Archbishop and Bishop of the Carolinas. Bishop Ray Sutton, Dean of the Province, was appointed to oversee the Archbishop’s duties during the investigation. To help ensure objectivity in the proceedings, Bishop Sutton formally recused himself from all matters pertaining to Archbishop Wood’s Board of Inquiry and any subsequent disciplinary process, according to the ACNA.

Bishop Sutton appointed Bishop Julian Dobbs, who is serving as Dean of Provincial Affairs, to form a three-member panel of bishops to represent Bishop Sutton in any action he may be required to take in the disciplinary process against Archbishop Wood. This newly formed panel will review and approve the composition of the Board of Inquiry (BOI) to ensure its impartiality, and receive its report.

Wood also announced his retirement as rector of St. Andrew’s, describing it as previously planned.

November 16, 2025, Bishop Julian Dobbs, with the written consent of the five senior diocesan bishops of the College, determined by date of admission, Bishop Julian Dobbs inhibited Archbishop Stephen D. Wood from the exercise or ordained ministry in the Anglican Church in North America, in accordance with the canons of our Church. This inhibition does not determine guilt or innocence, nor does it pre-judge any allegation or any step that may follow. The canons provide for the imposition of an inhibition when it is determined to be in the best interests of the Church to do so. The inhibition document may be found here: [link to inhibition document].

As stipulated in the Constitution of the Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas, Bishop David Bryan, as Bishop Suffragan, is now assuming the duties of Acting Bishop of the Diocese of the Carolinas for the duration of this period.

The ACNA has emphasized that Archbishop Wood is accountable to the same canonical standards and disciplinary process as any other leader accused of misconduct.

Read it all.

The Anglican Church in North America (@The_ACNA) has never put a sitting archbishop on trial.

That changes next week when the trial of Steve Wood begins. He faces charges of sexual immorality, abuse of church power and violating his ordination vows.https://t.co/9dP3rILsAF

— Roys Report (@ReachRoysReport) September 4, 2026

CHARLESTON, SC — At long last Archbishop Steve Wood goes to trial for allegations that could derail his future hopes and aspirations and lead to a future of ignominy and shame. Exonerated, he will go back to leading a denomination struggling over the ordination of women and distrust by a growing number of laity disillusioned by his leadership. He faces a split among his fractious military chaplains, unresolved lawsuits and much more. 

No archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America has ever stood in the dock of his own church. Wood is the first. The denomination that was born in 2009 out of a flight from the Episcopal Church — a flight undertaken in the name of holiness, orthodoxy, and the plain reading of Scripture — now finds itself asking whether it can hold its own primate to the standard it once demanded of Canterbury. That is the real question the six-day trial in Charleston will answer, and it is far larger than the fate of one man. 

The court will not make it easy to watch. The proceedings, seated September 7 through 12 with extension dates reserved for September 21 through 26, are closed to the public. The Court for the Trial of a Bishop, presided over by the Rt. Rev. Ryan Reed, has given each side fifteen hours — no more — to lay out its case, examine and cross-examine witnesses, and argue before the bench. 

The Charges

Wood answers three formal charges: violation of his ordination vows; conduct giving just cause for scandal or offense, including the abuse of ecclesiastical power; and sexual immorality. They are among the gravest a bishop can face, and they carry, on conviction, the prospect of deposition. 

The Allegations

Behind the three charges lies a presentment that ranges wider still.

The case broke into public view in October 2025, when The Washington Post reported that Wood had been accused of sexual harassment during his long tenure as rector of St. Andrew’s Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina — the flagship parish he built over twenty-five years and the platform from which he rose to the archbishopric. Claire Buxton, a divorced mother of three who served as the parish’s children’s ministry director, alleges that Wood began behaving inappropriately toward her in the fall of 2021, showered her with attention and with money — more than three thousand dollars, she says, drawn from church funds — called her by a pet name, and, in April 2024, attempted to kiss her in his office. 

A presentment — the canonical instrument by which charges are brought — was filed that same month by a group of Wood’s former colleagues, among them four presbyters and seven lay people. It carried not only Buxton’s account but allegations that Wood bullied his staff and plagiarized sermons. In November it was resubmitted to add the account of a second woman, who said Wood had pressured her into situations that made her uncomfortable and had invited her to drink with him, and to add the claim of the province’s former communications director that Wood had conspired with other senior leaders to tilt the church’s investigative machinery in a “bishop-friendly” direction. 

Wood has denied the allegations, declining to comment on the most recent.

Read it all.

The Anglican Church in North America (@The_ACNA) has never put a sitting archbishop on trial.

That changes next week when the trial of Steve Wood begins. He faces charges of sexual immorality, abuse of church power and violating his ordination vows.https://t.co/9dP3rILsAF

— Roys Report (@ReachRoysReport) September 4, 2026

The Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, Steve Wood, will face a church trial starting on Monday (Sept. 7). It’s the young denomination’s first trial of a sitting archbishop.

He faces three charges: violation of ordination vows, abuse of church power and sexual immorality.

“Our young Province finds itself in a challenging and uncomfortable season,” Julian Dobbs, who has taken over the archbishop’s duties, wrote in an email to the denomination on Tuesday. “Our unity, fervor, and faith are surely being tested.”

Read it all.

(RNS) — ‘Our young Province finds itself in a challenging and uncomfortable season,’ Julian Dobbs, who has taken over the archbishop’s duties, wrote in an email to the denomination on Tuesday. ‘Our unity, fervor, and faith are surely being tested.’ https://t.co/eyrrP5OR4I

— RNS (@RNS) September 8, 2026

The Rt. Rev. Chip Edgar, bishop of the ACNA’s Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, has been canonically charged with misconduct a week after he apologized for publicly dedicating a school chapel together with his counterpart in the Episcopal Church.

“I share this with heaviness of heart but in obedience to the truth Christ calls us to proclaim,” wrote the Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs, acting primate of the ACNA, in an announcement of the charges against Bishop Edgar on September 2.

On August 18, Edgar had joined the Rt. Rev. Ruth Woodliff-Stanley, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, in dedicating St. Timothy’s Chapel at the Porter-Gaud School in Charleston. The bishops, who both sit on the board of the independent Episcopal school, blessed the chapel’s furniture and distributed the Holy Communion to the mixed congregation. Photos of the event circulated widely and prompted a wave of public criticism.

The following week, Edgar expressed regret that his participation alongside Woodliff-Stanley had caused “anger and pain.” In response, Dobbs denounced the event as an occasion of “great offense,” adding that the denomination’s College of Bishops would consider the matter further at their next meeting in September.

Instead, formal charges were filed against Edgar by August 30, according to a September 2 letter from his standing committee. Dobbs’s same-day announcement stated that “the seriousness of the situation led a complement of Bishops” to file the charges, which Dobbs did not describe, but which the standing committee said accused Edgar of conduct giving “just cause for scandal or offense” at the chapel dedication.

Read it all.

New for @Livng_Church: ACNA Bishop Chip Edgar has accepted charges of "scandal or offense" made confidentially after joining his Episcopal counterpart in blessing a school chapel.https://t.co/3k15eoVR5S

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) September 4, 2026

The joint blessing of a chapel at a historic school by an Episcopal bishop and an Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) bishop has stirred up deep controversy in the ACNA, with an August 26 statement from its acting primate sharply criticizing the service and promising that the church’s College of Bishops would rule on the situation next month.

Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina and Bishop Chip Edgar of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina participated alongside each other at the August 18 blessing of St. Timothy’s Chapel, a 600-seat church on the campus of Charleston’s Porter-Gaud School.

Photos of the event circulating on social media show the two bishops leading prayers together, draping a hanging over the chapel’s altar, laughing, and embracing warmly.

Both bishops are members of the independent Episcopal school’s Board of Trustees, and worked together early in their episcopates to resolve remaining tensions from the 2012 division of the original Diocese of South Carolina

“We took our seats on the board and we pretty quickly built trust,” Woodliff-Stanley said. “We’re not naïve; we know there are differences.”

Differences aside, they blessed the chapel jointly. The event included a Eucharist celebrated by the Rev. David A. Madison, Executive Director of the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES), of which Porter-Gaud is a member. The school’s chaplain, the Rev. Palmer Kennedy, a priest of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, preached.

Read it all.

Significant progress in church safeguarding is being undermined by resistance from senior officers, INEQE, the company auditing safeguarding in every diocese and cathedral, has said.

INEQE said in its 2025 audit that the Church of England was experiencing a “dangerous” period of institutional “drift” regarding future safeguarding structures.

The company also said that unprecedented engagement from more than 10,000 contributors showed “a maturing safeguarding culture, though critical structural inhibitors remain at the senior level”.

The findings are set out in INEQE’s 2025 Annual Report on the Independent Safeguarding Audits of Church of England Dioceses and Cathedrals, alongside two companion reports, Chorister Safeguarding and Victim and Survivor Engagement.

The audit highlighted “tangible” improvements in safeguarding, increasingly understood as a “gospel and theological imperative” rather than as merely an administrative requirement. The report also speaks of growing confidence among individuals in raising concerns without fear of reprisal.

Read it all.

I admire these students’ Zen-like ability to enjoy today in spite of tomorrow. But their powerlessness saddens me. In 2024, an Emory University professor, Stephen Nowicki, observed that his college seminar students felt less control over their lives than the average prisoner felt in 1966. The belief that you shape your own destiny strongly tracks with health, income and happiness. People who feel they have agency tend to eat better, apply for more jobs and recover more easily from setbacks. It’s true that in times of uncertainty, despair is a rational response. But when young people stop believing that long-term effort will improve their lives, something larger is lost: the capacity to imagine a meaningful future….

Ms. Perez and Mx. Durhal have a lot in common. Neither cares about prestige or job titles. Both want the income and flexibility to live according to their personal values. Timothy Judge, a professor at Ohio State University and an author of the foundational ambition study, told me that compared with previous generations, his current students think harder about what they want out of life. “Now’s the time to question it — early in your career, when you’re in the formative stage,” Dr. Judge said. “I think it’s a good thing.”

There’s a lot for us still to learn from the way Gen Z approaches work. Years of research have shown that extrinsic motivators like money and fame make people miserable while intrinsic motivators like enjoyment or self-mastery fuel satisfaction. In Dr. Judge’s study, the most ambitious people died slightly younger than those with less drive. He thinks it’s because those who focused on accomplishment experienced more stress and neglected their health and relationships.

While talking to students, I found myself questioning my own choice to worship at the altar of work. I wrote much of this article on weekends, sometimes while my toddler begged for me; I have chronic pain triggered by sitting too long; I don’t know how to turn off my drive. Before talking to these students, I never really considered what “success at any cost” actually cost me.

At the same time, ambition isn’t just about personal accomplishments. It’s also about having faith in our ability to shape the future. Speaking to Mx. Durhal and other young adults for whom tomorrow seems uncertain, I see a generation that’s learning not to hope too hard. Humans are future-oriented creatures. Not being able to look ahead deprives us of what matters most. Data collected in an ongoing study on people’s well-being showed that young adults across the world score low not just on happiness but on eudaemonistic well-being, including meaning, purpose and fulfilling relationships.

As an adolescent, I took solace in the saying “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” This aphorism, often attributed to Martin Luther, wasn’t about the joy of digging holes. It represented defiant optimism in the face of uncertainty. In the hardest moments of my youth, my goals gave me dignity and agency. When the present felt unbearable, my aspirations allowed me to transcend my surroundings. I think about sitting in the back seat of my rusty car, clutching an SAT book. I still bear the scars of my work ethic; I wish I’d known, like today’s youth, how to give myself more grace. But I also wish they understood how the dream itself illuminated the path a few feet ahead of me, until I stood on solid ground.

Read it all.

Fascintating piece by @eminietfeld about GenZ views on success and work: Gen Z Has Lost Its Ambition. Maybe It’s Found Something Better. https://t.co/BX1nigICFX

— Jason Ryan (@jasonryanmd) July 23, 2026

Finally, gambling must be recognized as wrong because it corrupts our society. The legal gambler and the corrupt politician have ever been close friends. Some would suggest that gambling should be legalized because its taxes will help to support our government, but gambling is a social leech; it has no product of value to offer. The revenues of the gambler have first been created by some legitimate business venture and should have found their way to another. The money received by the gambler means less business for the grocer, the clothing store, the gasoline station.

Then too, the fact is that gambling always corrupts government. The report of the Senate crime commission indicated that 20 percent of the gambler’s “take” is used as a fund to corrupt public officials. Responsible public officials always agree that wherever illegal gambling is conducted openly, it can be done only at the expense of the corrupted character of public officials.

At one time, former mayor William O’Dwyer of New York City proposed that legal gambling be permitted in New York State. Governor Thomas Dewey made a powerful response:

It would be an indecent thing for a government to finance itself so largely out of the weaknesses of the people which it had deliberately encouraged. … The entire history of legalized gambling in this country and abroad shows that it has brought nothing but poverty, crime, and corruption, demoralization of moral and ethical standards of living, and misery for all the people.

Read it all.

(Christianity Today from 1962 [!]) George Desmond–'Gambling Is a Moral Crime gambling must be recognized as wrong because it corrupts our society. The legal gambler and the corrupt politician have ever been close friends. Some would suggest that gambling should be legalized…

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) July 22, 2026

…The Government stresses that the “permanence” of marriage will be strengthened by enabling more questioning of candidates ahead of their weddings.

“Many couples have a religious-only wedding that reflects their faith and traditions, followed by a separate legal ceremony — or no legal ceremony at all. Research shows around two thirds of women who had a religious-only Muslim wedding did not also have a separate legal ceremony,” the consultation document says.

“To protect against forced, predatory and sham marriages, couples must complete a two-stage process, including in-person interview, to verify their identity and demonstrate eligibility to marry.”

Anglican banns of marriage would continue “as an important part of the established Church”, the document says.

Read it all.

Couples will be able to marry almost anywhere, including forests, beaches, cruise ships at sea, canal boats, and at home, under Government proposals that “shift the focus from bricks and mortar to people and promises”. https://t.co/1C2vRDXkpE

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) July 17, 2026

Secondly, unless something almost miraculous happens, there will remain deep divisions over where those boundaries of legitimacy are to be drawn and over the implications for church teaching and discipline of drawing them in different places. Related to this are the questions noted above concerning our disagreement about the level of disagreement that we are having to navigate. Here the recent FAOC work must not be forgotten and in particular the implications need to be considered of its strong and clear statement (GS Misc 1406, paper 1, para 139), that 

it is a failure of Christian love for one side to declare what kind of disagreement is being experienced by the other. It must surely be the case that those who disagree with a given decision are themselves determinative of what kind of disagreement is in view, not the content majority. Those who dissent from the majority view or decision get to define the nature of their disagreement: if it is widely held that such-and-such a belief or practice calls into question apostolic communion or ecclesial communion, then the disagreement simply is a first- or second-order disagreement, regardless of whether the majority think it merely strains communion (third order).

This is the deeper problem with the approach of the amendment: it appears that those who conscientiously have come to a position which represents a rejection or expansion or development of traditional teaching seem to be demanding that those who are not convinced by their arguments should nevertheless accept that their view is now within a “legitimate range of theological perspectives” and/or that if a majority can be shown to hold this view as to what is legitimate then church practice needs to adapt to embrace the full range of perspectives. There is an attempt to jump from acknowledgment of an indisputable pluralism in reality (a range of views clearly exists) to a pluralism that recognises that range of views as acceptable, indeed, legitimate.

Thirdly, as noted in the first proposed amendment, part of the remit of the new group set up by the bishops is “pastoral reassurance”. This points to the fact that our disagreements over the previous two areas are such that some form of ecclesial reconfiguration will most likely prove to be necessary if any way is to be found, within the Church of England, for opposing views to be able to be officially approved and for the opposing sides in votes such as that this week in Synod, to be able to co-exist well, even flourish. This might be understood as institutionally enabling some recognised form of principled pluralism that comes to terms with both the pluralist reality and the impossibility of sufficiently widespread acceptance of that pluralism being formally accepted as legitimate within the current episcopal and synodical structures. 

It was the refusal of the bishops to seriously address these matters of “pastoral reassurance” or “good differentiation” that in large part contributed to the winding up of the LLF/PLF process. We could continue with a “head in the sand” refusal to grapple with the ecclesiological implications of our deep disagreements about discipleship and about the legitimate range of discipleship options the Church of England can recognise and bless. The experience of this last, short debate in this recent Synod is, however, a further pointer to the fact that if we do not face this question head-on and with honesty and theological rigour early in the new Synod then, barring a sea-change one way or the other in the election results, and perhaps also now in the House of Bishops, we are simply preparing for continued unresolvable conflict and pain in the next five years.

Read it all.

Andrew Goddard on the Helen King motion discussion at CofE General @synod 'This is the deeper problem with the approach of the amendment: it appears that those who conscientiously have come to a position which represents a rejection or expansion or development of traditional… pic.twitter.com/U3ZkfLUbBN

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) July 20, 2026

An investigation into why the public have lost confidence in the Church of England is required, the General Synod heard on Monday afternoon.

The Rector of St Bartholomew’s, Smithfield, Fr Marcus Walker (London), speaking during a debate on the report Trust and Trustworthiness in the Church of England, observed that all 16 members of the laity interviewed for the report were involved in the Church’s structures (News, 3 July). They comprised six diocesan secretaries, and ten lay chairs or members of General Synod.

“The elephant in the room — the elephant herd harrumphing around the report — is all of those who are outside, alongside, walking with the household of faith,” he said.

“The people who have not lost faith from within the institution of the Church, but who have lost trust in the institution of the Church. Who have lost trust in the Church and its mission. . .

Read it all.

An investigation into why the public have lost confidence in the Church of England is required, the General #Synod heard on Monday afternoon#trust #churchnews #churchtimeshttps://t.co/mJy7udBTA3

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) July 14, 2026

Finally, I wanted to update you on Provincial Council and Assembly with a particular eye towards the Resolutions our Diocese presented to the Provincial Council.

You likely heard that our two resolutions to Provincial Council that came from a meeting of our Standing Committee and the Executive Committee of the ACNA, were withdrawn without prejudice on the day they were to be debated and voted upon. This withdrawal was not the result of any attempt to thwart the purpose of these resolutions, nor did it represent a lack of resolve on our part. God opened a door for us to gain an even fuller access to the proceedings of the Ruch trial through an agreement with the Court for the Trial of a Bishop. We are now in a very favorable position with our chancellor Ben Hagood taking the lead in an inquiry into those proceedings.

This all happened on the ground in Tulsa. It began with an offer that answered what we had originally requested—a review of the courts process. It became a conversation about the nature of the review and how this inquiry would proceed. I kept Shay Gaillard, President of the Standing Committee, informed of these matters, and he offered his counsel and advice. After Provincial Council, I went on a retreat and haven’t had the opportunity to update you until now. I believe, and the Standing Committee has affirmed this, that the work of this inquiry and its future release to the Standing Committees of the Province represents a large step forward in our quest for transparency.

I wanted to send this letter before I leave town so that you would be up to date on these matters. I also want you to pray for the trial of the Archbishop currently set to begin on September 7, for the health and welfare of the ACNA, and for our Diocese.

Read it all.

ACNA legislative news: Bp Chip Edgar (South Carolina), joined by Bp Chris Warner (Mid-Atlantic), withdrew the diocese's 2 resolutions seeking the release of the Ruch trial transcripts & the eventual third-party report on the Ruch investigation. 🧵 https://t.co/lYhxW83zqL pic.twitter.com/NH7xhk0rsG

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) June 18, 2026

The Court for the Trial of a Bishop is aware of recent commentary within the wider church concerning
the Court’s proceedings and communications. The Court does not intend to respond to every public
statement, nor will it litigate this matter in the public square. The Court does, however, believe it is
right to remind the faithful of the solemn foundation upon which its work rests.

At its commissioning and seating, this Court was constituted in prayer and sworn before Almighty
God by the Acting Ecclesiastical Authority of the Province. Each member of the Court solemnly
declared, in the presence of Almighty God, a willingness to serve to the very best of his or her ability.
Each member promised to support, defend, and be guided by God’s Holy Word and the Constitution
and Canons of the Anglican Church in North America in all deliberations. Each member promised to
approach every matter before the Court with an open heart and mind, without prejudice, malice, or
guile. Each member promised to treat every person who comes before the Court with the respect and
dignity due a Child of God washed in the blood of the Lamb.

These are not ceremonial formalities. They are binding oaths, made before God and His Church, and
the Court will conduct these proceedings accordingly. The Court was commissioned with the prayer
that it be saved from all error, ignorance, prejudice, and pride, and that the order and discipline of
Christ’s Church may be maintained. That prayer governs the Court’s work each day.

Read it all.

The ACNA's Court for the Trial of a Bishop has stated awareness of commentary on its proceedings and communications ahead of the trial of Abp Steve Wood, and requests refraining from "speculation and public contention." pic.twitter.com/yMiClmAm2z

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) July 10, 2026

THIS MATTER is set for trial beginning September 7, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. EDT.
Counsel for all parties shall also appear at a calendar call via Zoom at 1:30 p.m. EDT on
September 4, 2026. The trial will be held in Charleston, South Carolina from September 7-12,

2026. The specific courtroom location will be provided in advance of the calendar call.

Read it all.

The ACNA's Court for the Trial of a Bishop has issued a new scheduling order regulating more discovery ahead of Abp Steve Wood's trial, which is set for September 7. pic.twitter.com/VXY8dGP1Vz

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) July 9, 2026

Adroit, acerbic, and dry in his selective use of examples, Norman instanced Dr Robert McAfee Brown, Professor of World Christianity at Union Theological Seminary in New York. Addressing the World Council of Churches in 1975, in the guise of a penitent who now realised that he was a sinner, the Professor confessed his embodiment of “racism, sexism, classism, and imperialism”, and spoke of Jesus as a “liberator”, to be “identified with the demands of oppressed people”.

Another instance nearer to home was that of a sincere Anglican cleric interviewed on the radio, extolling the Sex Pistols’ song to change the world order as a model of true “Christian prophecy”.

Unconvinced by this unlikely juxtaposition, Norman highlighted the lacunae in the punk-rock gospel: nothing about the Christ who was the Lord of history or the sin that affects liberator and oppressor alike; silence concerning the need for the repentance and forgiveness, which are fundamental to prayer and spiritual maturity, or any acknowledgement of the final judgement of all human actions. Absent, too, was the unique Christian teaching concerning the place and ultimate end of humanity, along with any serious critique of secular visions of the future for the forsaken of this world.

The lecture series was praised for its clarity, intellectual depth, and the way in which it had facilitated a serious discussion of the relationship between Christianity, politics, and contemporary society.

Read it all.

Edward Norman, who died in April, deplored the politicisation of Christianity, writes Rod Garner https://t.co/Bs176KKzH4

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) July 10, 2026

A pediatrician recently asked one of Emily Harrison’s children a logical question during pre-exam paperwork: Do you have a smartphone?

Doctors often ask children practical questions, such as whether they’re getting enough sleep, have seen changes in their appetites or have started playing sports. These days, they may ask about anxiety or depression.

A smartphone question makes sense after years of research into how these devices, and social media programs, affect mental and physical health. The question is why are church leaders not discussing these issues in sermons and education programs, said Harrison, author of the Dear Christian Parent online newsletter. 

“This is a safety issue, yet we’re hesitant to say it’s a safety issue,” she said, reached by Zoom.

Read it all.

Mental health professionals and parents say they're worried about children spending too much time on devices. What we know about potential harm and how to start making changes.https://t.co/LvDFwuypix pic.twitter.com/YzF5BmmbwC

— WMUR TV (@WMUR9) July 8, 2026

[Gavin] Francis consistently challenges the labelling effect of standard diagnostic manuals, and the danger of “diagnostic creep”. “If we were able to hold the labels more lightly, aware of the human tendencies they oversimplify, would we be able to create a society more accepting of difference? Might it be less stigmatising, but also more hopeful, and more open to recovery?”

Religion appears from time to time. People who attend religious services evidently have a 20 per cent lower rate of depression than others. There is something priestly in the role of psychiatrist, “in that it concerns questions of doubt, faith and love”. More fundamentally, the author conveys a marvellous sense of wonder at the miracle and mystery of the human body and mind: “Wonder fosters humility, compassion and reverence for life — the cornerstones of all the major world religions, and fundamental qualities for the effective practice of medicine.”

Those involved in pastoral care can learn much from Francis’s account of his practice, and not least his insistence on the central place of kindness and compassion.

Read it all.

"Those involved in pastoral care can learn much from Francis’s account of his practice, and not least his insistence on the central place of kindness and compassion"

📚 Philip Welsh welcomes a GP’s reflections on mental-health issues#books https://t.co/LHAmMaRnUM

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) July 7, 2026

Rules accompanying the new Clergy Conduct Measure will come before General Synod next month. This follows a vote in the House of Lords on Wednesday to send the Measure to the King for Royal Assent.

Notes accompanying the Rules state that the “overriding objective” at their core, “mandates that all complaints must be dealt with justly, fairly, expeditiously, and proportionately, alongside a strict duty for all parties to co-operate with the proceedings”.

A report from the Clergy Discipline Commission, also published last week, records a “significant increase” in the number of cases being referred for formal investigation — from 12 in 2024 to 25. In 2025, 119 allegations of misconduct were made under the Measure against priests or deacons, compared to 71 in 2024.

Read it all.

Rules accompanying the new Clergy Conduct Measure will come before General Synod next month. This follows a vote in the House of Lords on Wednesday to send the Measure to the King for Royal Assent#clergydiscipline #Tribunal #churchnews #ChurchTimes https://t.co/x1WTYLknx3

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) July 5, 2026

Clerical accountability must be “vigorously tackled” and is “the key issue for the Church to tackle and should not be a protracted debate”, a report on trust in the Church of England concludes.

The report, Trust and Trustworthiness in the Church of England: Listening and responding to usual and unusual challenges, was produced by Professor Veronica Hope Hailey, a former Dean of the Business School at the University of Bristol, drawing on 74 interviews with bishops, clergy, lay people, and members of the national church institutions.

“Whilst no one wants to return to the feudal patriarchal structures of the past, if the institution is to restore trust with the society it is meant to serve, clerical accountability must be vigorously tackled,” Professor Hope Hailey writes.

“It’s not simply about formal control but also the need to change the culture of individualism some clergy seem to think they deserve. That love of autonomy means that they can be inconsistent and unpredictable in their promises to implement policy.”

Read it all.

Clerical accountability must be “vigorously tackled”, a report on trust in the Church of England has concluded. It is “the key issue for the Church to tackle and should not be a protracted debate”, it says ⚖️#Clergy #churchnews #report https://t.co/oyP7wJBq8p

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) July 1, 2026

 “Strong frustration” that a report on the seal of confession remains with the House of Bishops and has “effectively been paused for over a year” has been expressed by members of the Task and Finish Group for the Makin report.

The group has requested that the issue be escalated to the National Safeguarding Steering Group.

The group was established to “scrutinise, challenge and advise” on the Church of England’s response to the 27 recommendations arising from Keith Makin’s review of the Church’s handling of allegations of abuse perpetrated by John Smyth.

Last year, it reported that all 27 would be accepted — 24 in full, and the other three “partially” (News, 7 November 2025).

Read it all.

“Strong frustration” that a report on the seal of confession remains with the House of Bishops and has “effectively been paused for over a year” has been expressed by members of the Task and Finish Group for the Makin report.https://t.co/y7QCdyTY0t

— Madeleine Davies (@MadsDavies) June 24, 2026

Read it all.

Young working-class men are significantly less happy & hopeful than their college-educated peers:

✔️ 1/3 of that "hope gap" traces back to a single variable: the quality of their relationship with their father.

New @FamStudies: https://t.co/DBuVi51HBd pic.twitter.com/BkBt2hSGqd

— Brad Wilcox (@BradWilcoxIFS) June 23, 2026

The Golden Result is a corollary to the Golden Rule, which calls us to do to others as we would have them do to us. The Golden Result says that people will usually treat us as we treat them. If we blame others for a problem, they will usually blame in return. But if we say, “I was wrong,” it is amazing how often the response will be, “It was my fault too.” I have seen this result in hundreds of cases over the past twenty-one years. Whether the dispute involves a personal quarrel, divorce, lawsuit, or church division, people generally treat one another as they are being treated.

When one person attacks and accuses, so does the other. And when God moves one person to start getting the log out of his or her own eye, it is rare that the other side fails to do the same. The Golden Result occurs most often with people who understand and cherish the gospel. When we admit that our own sins are so serious that Jesus had to die for us, and remember that he has forgiven us for all our wrongs, we can let go of our illusion of self-righteousness and freely admit our failures. When we do this, we experience the wonderful gift of God’s forgiveness. And in many cases, he will be pleased to use our confessions to help others see the logs in their eyes.

Ken Sande, The Peacemaker (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991)

A proposal that would require ordained clergy to be monogamous is on the docket at the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s general assembly this summer.

The overture, CON-10, has generated strong reactions online but has not yet earned broad support from PCUSA groups. A separate proposal, highlighting the denomination’s commitment to the inclusion of different familial realities, asks for theological studies on gender and sexuality, life-giving relationships, and the Christian vocation of family. Together, these overtures show that as polyamory gains visibility in broader culture, it may have policy implications, especially in theologically progressive Christian denominations.

“I think it is the next big conversation that most mainline denominations will have,” said Claudia Aguilar Rubalcava, director of engagement for the LGBTQ-affirming nonprofit More Light Presbyterians.

The board and staff of More Light Presbyterians released a statement last month, saying the proposal on monogamy targets queer communities.

“It centers a single model of relationship as the only faithful expression of Christian life, ignoring both the breadth of biblical witness and the lived realities of many faithful people,” the statement says. “Scripture speaks richly about covenant, mutuality, justice, and love but does not prescribe one uniform relational structure across all contexts.”

Read it all.

(RNS) — A separate proposal calls for a broader theological framework on human relationships. https://t.co/EqBtKfvcmn

— RNS (@RNS) June 9, 2026

The Christian faith is by nature conservative—in a theological sense. The Scriptures are replete with verses pointing to the unchanging and enduring nature of God and the Bible. Revelation 1:8 says, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty’” (ESV throughout). Malachi 3:6 says, “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” These verses do not mean that the biblical text cannot be distorted or manipulated by self-serving people, but it does mean that the Bible is not a party platform that gets updated every four years.

Thankfully, there are countless others who are faithfully preaching and teaching God’s word. These congregations are often small and do not receive any media attention. Many are led by pastors more concerned with preparing their members for eternity in heaven than getting souls to the polls on Election Day. Some of these churches have vibrant ministries for men, women, and families. They are committed to remaining faithful to biblical ethics regarding sex, sexuality, marriage, family, and the sanctity of life without any concern for whether elected Democrats—or Republicans—agree.

Liberation-minded pastors who reject the biblical definitions and descriptions of sex and marriage are incapable of doing the work needed to rebuild the Black family. They fashion themselves as brave prophets, but they make race and politics twin idols that draw their hearts—and pulpits—away from God.

Christians are often told to beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing. That is wise counsel, but what’s even more dangerous is a wolf in shepherd’s clothing. The former can devour a few sheep before the others scatter, but the latter can lead an entire flock over a cliff.

One ray of hope is the biblical theme of God’s mercy on those who turn from their wicked ways and trust him. The pattern in both the Old and New Testaments is quite familiar. God’s people rebel. He rebukes them. They reflect on their sin and repent. He restores them. This is my prayer because the Black family needs the church to function in its God-given role now more than ever.

Read it all.

“Instead, liberation theology has transformed the Black church from a religious institution dedicated to the pursuit of righteousness to the religious wing of the Democratic Party.”https://t.co/Bh1V8SBXWw

— TheQueenofLA 🇺🇸 (@Queenofla2) June 17, 2026

Monday, 15 June 2026
The Commemoration of Evelyn Underhill

To the Faithful of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina,

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Beth and I are in Tulsa as we begin meetings of the College of Bishops today and tomorrow and then Provincial Council meets Wednesday evening through Friday at noon. We have a strong delegation from the diocese—Canon Bob Lawrence, John Benson, and Justin Johnson—making the trip to Tulsa as well, and I write to ask your prayers for us as we head into these meetings. There is also an upcoming specially called Provincial Assembly which will be held as a Zoom gathering on Thursday, June 25. Again, we have a strong delegation for that meeting, including a strong Youth Delegation. The people representing our diocese at that gathering will be clergy delegates, Canon Laura Bowman, John Burwell, Claudia Carucci, Dean Shay Gaillard, Ryan Landes, Cindy Larsen, Canon Jim Lewis, Zach Miller, and Hamilton Smith; lay delegates, John Benson, Janis Breazeale, Anna Bruner, Katherine Cannon, Dr Ashley Bryant Harbin, Joy Hunter, Cathy Jacobs, Justin Johnson, Jessica Smith; and youth delegates, Elliott Arscott, Gabriel Collier, Edward Hart, Ben Shelton, Amelia Cannon, Cole O’Keefe, and Julia Dubay.

Title IV Revisions

There are three significant issues to be dealt with by the Provincial Council, which, if passed there, would go to the specially called Assembly for ratification in order to take effect. The first is the well-publicized and widely discussed Title IV revision, really a complete overhaul, of our disciplinary canons. The result of this process is a set of disciplinary canons addressing everything from making it easier to bring a charge against a bishop or a priest (the current ACNA canons make it unbearably complicated) all the way to clearly defined and canonically required procedures for how the courts must conduct their business. Such canonical requirements, absent until now, contributed to the level of distrust and frustration marking our Province today. I completely support these revisions, and have been impressed with the rigorous and transparent process undertaken by the Province to get us to this point—a year-long process with several cycles of revision and feedback that was open to the entire Province and resulted in thousands of suggestions that were considered and resulted in significant improvements from revision to revision.

Winston Churchill once said, about architecture: “First we shape our buildings. Afterwards our buildings shape us.” Similarly, I am hopeful to see how these new canons will shape us in the days to come into a stronger and more transparent Province.

Title I Changes

A second change, again necessitated by the weakness of our current canonical structure, concerns the succession of authority when an Archbishop is unable to carry out his duties for any reason, health, or, as we have been enduring, inhibition from ministry due to disciplinary proceedings. This change will clarify not only who is next in line to take on the responsibilities of that office, but who is next after that; this is precisely the situation we have recently had to deal with, and our Canons were not helpful. This change will clarify that process, as well as the scope of authority that accompanies the succession, and, again, I am fully supportive of it.

Ratification of the Provincial Constitution and Canons Committee

It’s the third proposal about which I have some concern, and I ask your prayers for God to be at work, guiding all of us who will be voting. This proposal involves changing—more precisely ratifying a first vote of a change approved by last year’s Provincial Council—to our current Governance Task Force (GTF), making it a Provincial Constitution and Canons Committee, ensconced in the Canons, and not simply a policy of the Province. My concern is that this is being done by this Provincial Council—well and good—to be ratified by the specially called Zoom Assembly (mentioned above).

When the College of Bishops voted to hold this specially called Assembly, the understanding was that the purpose of it was simply to ratify the Title IV revisions (again, see above) so they could take effect immediately and correct the many problematic aspects of the current canons. In the past few weeks, this Assembly has been laden with more than that. I worry that we, as a Province, have not had enough  time to reflect on, and perhaps, offer constructive feedback, to these proposed changes. What was the great strength of the process of Title IV revision, has not been as robust for this revision.

Resolutions Proposed By the ADOSC

In addition to these Canonical changes, our diocese has proposed two resolutions for Provincial Council’s consideration and vote. One is a call to have the transcript of the court proceedings in the recent trial of Bishop Ruch released publicly (with necessary redactions to protect witnesses as needed) and the other is to have the final report of the Lathrop investigation—looking into the whole investigative process leading up to that trial—released publicly as well, when it is complete. Our goal in proposing these resolutions is simple: we hope to see trust that has been deeply eroded over the past few years restored in the Province as it continues to navigate challenging waters. 

As we head into these meetings, I am aware that we, as a diocese, have not been afforded the luxury, as most other dioceses have, of thinking of these things in the abstract. People in our diocese have been directly affected by the insufficiencies in our current canons and have been negatively affected by them. 

So, I’m writing to ask you to pray, to give you some important insight into what you can be praying about, and to let you know how I, as your bishop, am processing all that we are facing in these upcoming two weeks. Pray that God’s will be done, and that, however the matters are resolved, the witness of the Province to the gospel of Jesus will increase and grow, and that the Church would be strengthened.

Blessings,

(The Rt. Rev) Chip Edgar

On May 7, 2026 and June 2, 2026, the Court held hearings to consider a number of pending
motions from both parties. On June 10, 2026, the Court issued the following rulings:
o Respondent’s Motion for In Camera Trial was GRANTED;
o The Province’s Motion for the College of Bishops to Observe the Trial was DENIED;
o Respondent’s Motion to Dismiss was DENIED;
o Respondent’s Supplementary Motion to Dismiss was DENIED; and
o The Province’s Motion for the Court to Re-establish Fairness, etc. was GRANTED IN
PART.

Read it all.

More ACNA news, on the coming trial of Abp Steve Wood: the Court for the Trial of a Bishop has granted Wood's motion for a non-public trial, denied his motion to dismiss, and denied a motion to allow the College of Bishops to observe the trial. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/QkpdxSnqpm

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) June 15, 2026