This summer, the Office of the Archbishop received credible complaints regarding Bishop Derek Jones, alleging abuse of ecclesiastical power. These complaints did not involve physical or sexual misconduct, nor did they involve any doctrinal concerns. Nevertheless, they were concerning because abuse of ecclesiastical power violates the trust that is essential for effective ministry.
After prayerful discernment, and in accordance with Title IV of our canons, on September 12, Bishop Ray Sutton, Dean of the Province and Presiding Bishop of the REC, and I met with Bishop Jones to issue a Godly Admonition. This directive required Bishop Jones and his subordinates to cooperate with a formal investigation to determine if any of the complaints against him rose to the level of a presentable offense, a step that is in accordance with the standard disciplinary procedures outlined in Title IV of the ACNA Constitution and Canons. Regrettably, Bishop Jones refused to comply with this directive. On September 21, I issued a temporary inhibition to Bishop Jones that restricted him from ministry for sixty days.
The following day, September 22, the Executive Committee of the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JFAC)sent a letter to the Archbishop announcing its withdrawal from the Province. While this action is deeply disappointing and particularly unsettling for our chaplains, I want to be clear: the Special Jurisdiction itself remains a canonical ministry of the Anglican Church in North America that was created and is sustained by our canons. The JFAC has purportedly withdrawn from the ACNA under Article II.3 of the Constitution, which pertains to dioceses or groups of dioceses organized into distinct jurisdictions. However, because the Special Jurisdiction is not a diocese, but a canonical ministry established under Title 1, Canon 11, it does not have canonical authority to withdraw from the Province. The Special Jurisdiction, under which the chaplains serve, continues to exist within the ACNA regardless of Bishop Jones’s withdrawal or the withdrawal of any entities under his control.
"The Special Jurisdiction itself remains a canonical ministry of the Anglican Church in North America that was created and is sustained by our canons."
— ACNA (@The_ACNA) September 23, 2025
Read Abp Wood's full letter to the Province on the JAFC & Bp Jones's inhibition https://t.co/zI4T8IHvMh