ACNA/Bishop Stewart Ruch
On this page you’ll find all of our investigative reporting on the situation with the Anglican Church of North America and Bishop Stewart Ruch.
Ep. 546: All Things ACNA with Religion News Service’s Kathryn Post
MinistryWatch has published more than 30,000 words about ACNA in the past five years, and many of those words have come from Kathryn Post. Kathryn Post is a reporter for RNS and she has done a great job covering a number of controversies in the young and growing denomination. Her words have appeared in outlets including The Washington Post, Sojourners, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, and – of course – MinistryWatch. Post joined RNS full-time…
Acting ACNA Archbishop Faced Past Claims of Financial Misconduct
ACNA cleared Bishop Julian Dobbs in two separate accusations of financial mismanagement
(RNS) — Bishop Julian Dobbs, who was appointed last month to serve as acting archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, was previously investigated — and reportedly cleared — of two instances of financial misconduct, both allegedly involving tens of thousands of dollars. Dobbs is leading the troubled denomination as it faces a broader reckoning over bishop misconduct. He has denied the claims against him. “I stand by the integrity of my ministry and…
A CHRONOLOGICAL EXPLAINER
The Archbishop Steve Wood Controversy
ANALYSIS–The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), founded in 2009 as a conservative alternative to the more progressive Episcopal Church and Anglican Church of Canada, has long positioned itself as a beacon of orthodox Anglicanism. With roots in evangelical and charismatic traditions, the denomination emphasizes biblical inerrancy, traditional marriage, and opposition to progressive social shifts like same-sex blessings. By 2025, ACNA boasted over 1,000 congregations across North America, serving as a spiritual home for disaffected…
ACNA Bishop Stewart Ruch Found Not Guilty
On Tuesday, Ruch was found not guilty on all counts after tumultuous months-long church trial
Bishop Stewart Ruch, an Anglican bishop accused of mishandling abuse allegations and failing to safeguard parishioners in his care, was found not guilty on all counts after a tumultuous trial that spanned more than four months.
ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood Suspended
Suspension comes after 140+ ACNA clergy called for Wood’s inhibition amid sexual misconduct allegations
Archbishop Steve Wood, who leads the Anglican Church in North America, has been temporarily suspended from his ministry.
ACNA Archbishop Faces Second Sexual Harassment Claim
Questions also arise about interim leader
A second woman has come forward with allegations of sexual harassment against the leader of the Anglican Church in North America.
ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood Takes Leave of Absence
Church investigation will determine if church trial is warranted amid sexual misconduct claims.
Archbishop Steve Wood, who heads the Anglican Church in North America, is taking a voluntary leave of absence in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment, bullying and plagiarism.
ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood Accused of Sexual Misconduct
It’s the latest in a string of crises to rock the small, conservative denomination.
Archbishop Steve Wood, who heads the Anglican Church of North America, faces allegations of sexual harassment, bullying and plagiarism, according to an explosive report released by The Washington Post.
ACNA is Tested and Chaplains Scramble as Chaplain-Endorsing Nonprofit Exits
Break comes as Bishop Derek Jones declined to participate in investigation he and his lawyers deemed unlawful.
On Sunday, Archbishop Steve Wood, who heads ACNA, temporarily restricted Bishop Derek Jones, who oversees the JAFC, from ministry, citing “credible complaints” alleging “abuse of ecclesiastical power.”
Third Prosecutor Appointed in ACNA Trial of Bishop Ruch
'Bringing justice to victims is my sole interest in this case,' said new prosecutor Thomas Crapps.
Three weeks after proceedings began in the Anglican Church in North America trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch, another prosecutor has been appointed — the third named to the role.
Amid Trial Crisis, ACNA Pushes Forward With Clergy Misconduct Overhaul
Process encourages feedback and participation from fellow Anglicans.
Amid mounting accusations of procedural misconduct in the church trial of one of their own bishops, members of the Anglican Church in North America attended a virtual town hall where a plan was unveiled for overhauling the denomination’s clergy misconduct policies.
ACNA Bishops, Leaders Weigh in on Turbulent Ruch Trial
Executive Committee remains ‘confident’ court will bring matters to ‘just resolution’
The long-awaited trial of Bishop Stewart Ruchof the Anglican Church in North America continues to face serious setbacks
New Prosecutor in ACNA Trial of Bishop Ruch is Named, and Accused of Conflict
Seven-member court issued public response contradicting claims made by former prosecutor.
(RNS) — A new prosecutor has been appointed in the long-awaited trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch of the Anglican Church in North America to replace the original church lawyer who resigned Saturday (July 19), claiming the process had been tainted. But advocates for abuse survivors in the denomination say the new prosecutor, the Rev. Job Serebrov, has a conflict of interest that “raises serious concerns” about his suitability for the role. Ruch is accused of…
Prosecutor Resigns From Trial of ACNA Bishop Stewart Ruch
Calls trial ‘irreparably tainted’
The long-awaited church trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch, a leader in the Anglican Church in North America, is facing a crisis in the wake of the sudden resignation of a lawyer who represented the denomination in the proceedings.
Church Trial of ACNA Bishop Stewart Ruch Starts Today
Ruch accused of neglecting bishop duties, turning church into ‘target for predation.’
A long-awaited church trial will begin for Bishop Stewart Ruch of the Anglican Church in North America, alleging in part that he neglected the duties of his office.
Where the ACNA has Been, and Where it’s Headed
A conversation with Archbishop Steve Wood
On the heels of denominational dustups over women’s ordination to the priesthood and accountability for the misconduct of clergy, Steve Wood is beginning his five-year term as archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America.
In Scandal’s Wake, ACNA Adopts New Rules on Reporting Misconduct
At its June meeting in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the Anglican Church in North America’s governing bodies added two sections to church bylaws about safeguarding and reporting misconduct.
More Than 300 ACNA Clergy and a TX diocese Call for Male-Only Priesthood
‘The Augustine Appeal’ calls on College of Bishops to resolve issue of women’s ordination
At an Anglican theological conference in January, UK priest and political commentator The Rev. Calvin Robinson stirred up a long-simmering controversy when he called women’s ordination a “slippery slope” akin to a “Trojan horse” and to “cancer.”
When Churches Find out About Alleged Abuse, Calling the Police is Not Enough
While churches have made progress in recent years toward addressing abuse, including contacting law enforcement when learning about allegations of sexual abuse, they can still be reluctant to inform people in the pews about abuse that may have happened in their midst.
When it Comes to Preventing Abuse, are All Churches Equal?
As an Anglican bishop faces a church trial for allegedly minimizing abuse and misconduct, observers are wondering: Could this have happened anywhere?
The Anglican Church in North America will soon begin a high-profile church trial against a beloved bishop who is accused of welcoming men with histories of predatory behavior into church leadership.
ACNA Bishop Stewart Ruch Will Face Church Trial
A 10-person board of inquiry found there was probable cause to present Ruch for trial for violating denominational bylaws.
Bishop Stewart Ruch, a controversial figure in the Anglican Church in North America, will be brought to a church court trial, according to an announcement published to the denomination’s website Aug. 15.
Anglican Denomination Erupts Into Power Struggle After Bishop Stewart Ruch’s Return
The struggle broke into the open last week when ACNA’s archbishop accused his denomination’s highest court of attempting to stop an investigation into charges against Ruch.
Archbishop Foley Beach, the primate of the Anglican Church in North America, accused his denomination’s highest court of attempting to stop an investigation into an Illinois bishop’s alleged misconduct.
Mark Rivera Pleads Guilty to Felony Sexual Assault, Sentenced to 6 More Years
Mark Rivera, a former lay pastor at the center of several sexual abuse allegations in a conservative Anglican denomination, pled guilty to one count of felony criminal sexual assault on Wednesday, April 12.
Mark Rivera, a Former Anglican Lay Pastor, Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison
Mark Rivera, a former lay pastor in a conservative Anglican denomination who was convicted in December of felony child sexual abuse and assault, was sentenced on Monday afternoon (March 6) to 15 years in the department of corrections.
Returning from Self-Imposed Hiatus, ACNA Bishop Stewart Ruch Works to Regain Trust
After 16 months of a self-imposed hiatus after admitting to mishandling sexual abuse allegations in his diocese in Wheaton, Illinois, Bishop Stewart Ruch — a charismatic, controversial figure in the Anglican Church in North America — is taking steps to revive trust in his leadership.
ACNA Bishop Stewart Ruch, Accused of Spiritual Abuse, Ends Voluntary Leave
A controversial and popular bishop in the Anglican Church of North America has decided to return from a voluntary leave of absence by the end of October, despite an ongoing investigation into spiritual abuse allegations.
Third-Party Report Details ACNA Leaders’ Inaction on Sexual Abuse Allegations
(RNS) — A long-awaited third-party report on sexual abuse reveals that leaders in an Anglican Church in North America diocese failed to act on tips about sexual misconduct and abuse and defended an alleged abuser as innocent while questioning reported survivors’ credibility.
Lawsuit Accuses ACNA Church of Negligence that Resulted in Child Sexual Abuse
When Cherin Marie joined Christ Our Light Anglican Church in 2013, she couldn’t imagine filing a lawsuit against the close-knit Anglican church plant in Big Rock, Illinois, where many of her relatives attended.
ACNA Bishop, Alleging ‘Spiritual Attack,’ Makes Appeal for His Return
(RNS) In July 2021, Stewart Ruch III, bishop of the Anglican Church in North America’s Upper Midwest Diocese, went on leave after making what he called “regrettable errors” in handling cases of abuse in the diocese.
Alleged US Anglican Abuse Victims Break with ACNAtoo and Support Bishop
At least four self-identified survivors of abuse by Mark Rivera, a former Anglican Church of North America lay minister, spoke out against ACNAtoo, the anti-abuse advocacy group that has advanced charges against Rivera since last year, saying in a statement released Saturday (March 12): “ACNAtoo does not speak for us. We would like to be heard for ourselves.”
ACNA Moves Forward with Investigation Amid Concerns from Survivors and Advocates
As investigations into sexual abuse and abuse of church power get underway in the Anglican Church in North America’s Upper Midwest Diocese, at least five individuals who say they experienced sexual or spiritual abuse in the diocese say they will not participate in one or both of the investigations due to concerns about transparency.
Former ACNA Lay Pastor Charged with Additional Sexual Assault Felonies
A former lay pastor in a conservative Anglican denomination was charged Dec. 29 with two felony counts of criminal sexual assault in the Kane County, Illinois, circuit court. The charges come a year after Joanna Rudenborg reported Mark Rivera, her former neighbor, to Kane County police, accusing him of raping her in 2018 and again in 2020.
Hundreds Sign Petition Asking ACNA for ‘Survivor-Centric’ Abuse Investigation
More than 350 people have signed a petition calling the Anglican Church in North America to honor abuse survivors’ wishes regarding an investigation into the handling of abuse allegations.
With Abuse Allegations, Conservative Anglican Diocese Faces Questions about Structure
A lay leader of a second Chicago-area church in a conservative Anglican diocese has been accused of sexual abuse, according to a statement from church leaders.
Alleged Victims Say ACNA Church Leaders Failed to Acknowledge Their Abuse Allegations
Ten people in all have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against a volunteer leader in the Anglican Church in North America.
Ten people in all have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against a volunteer leader in the Anglican Church in North America.
In ACNA Abuse Case, Mother of an Alleged Victim Says She Paid a Price for Coming Forward
The mother says leaders in the Anglican Church in North America pressured her not to report her daughter’s abuse allegations.
In May 2019, Cherin’s 9-year-old daughter told her that she had been abused by Rivera. She reported the alleged abuse to York, believing that her great uncle and the others in church leadership would protect her daughter.
Abuse Prevention Advocates Want Input into ACNA Investigation of Bishop
A group of advocates named #ACNAtoo wants input on an investigation into how allegations of abuse were handled.
A group of abuse prevention advocates believes there are serious questions about the future of a prominent Anglican bishop accused of mishandling abuse allegations.
Prominent Anglican Bishop Takes Leave of Absence Amid Ongoing Accusations of Mishandling Abuse Allegations
Bishop Stewart Ruch III of the Anglican Church in North America’s Upper Midwest Diocese has taken a leave of absence after admitting he mishandled sexual abuse allegations.
A prominent Anglican bishop has announced a leave of absence after admitting he mishandled allegations of abuse.
Anglican Diocese Now Seeks Long Delayed Transparency, Accountability for Arrested Lay Leader
Anglican Diocese Now Seeks Long Delayed Transparency, Accountability for Arrested Lay Leader