Anglican Church in North America Leader Accused of Abuse

Strategic Insights -

Archbishop Stephen Wood, the highest-ranking prelate in the Anglican Church in North America, has been formally accused of sexual harassment, plagiarism, and bullying by former employees. The accusations come amid continuing turmoil in the denomination, which has been plagued by accusations of mishandling abuse and slow responses to allegations of abuse and grooming against lay leaders. A former employee, Claire Buxton, has accused Archbishop Wood of giving her an "intimate" hug and trying to kiss her in his office, and of offering her unexpected cash and checks totaling $3,500.

Key Takeaways:

  • Archbishop Stephen Wood, 62, has been formally accused of sexual harassment, plagiarism, and bullying by former employees, including Claire Buxton, a former children's ministry director at St. Andrew's Church in Mount Pleasant, S.C.
  • The accusations against Archbishop Wood come amid continuing turmoil in the Anglican Church in North America, including the ecclesiastical trial of a bishop and other accusations of mishandling abuse.
  • A document submitted to the denomination by Claire Buxton, known as a presentment, has not been made public but has initiated an ecclesiastical trial that could end in Archbishop Wood's defrocking and forced resignation.
  • The Anglican Church in North America was founded in 2009 by former members of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada, and currently includes over 1,000 congregations with about 128,000 members.
  • The denomination has been accused of having a culture of silence and inaction on abuse allegations, with over 120 reported cases of abuse spread across 17 of its 27 dioceses.

Statistics:

  • 1,000 congregations in the Anglican Church in North America, mostly in the United States, with about 128,000 members.
  • 17 denominational dioceses where over 120 abuse cases have been reported by the watchdog group ACNAtoo.
  • 16 years since the founding of the Anglican Church in North America, which was established by dissenting congregations from the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada.
  • 1.5 million active baptized members in the Episcopal Church, a member of the global Anglican Communion.
  • 27 dioceses in the Anglican Church in North America.

Sources:

  • The Washington Post
  • The Post and Courier (include photograph credit)
  • ACNAtoo