Anglican Church Archbishop Wood Accused Of Misconduct
The Anglican Church in North America, formed after a conservative break with the Episcopal Church over gay clergy and the authority of Scripture, today confronts a dual crisis at the top.
Allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power have engulfed two of its senior leaders, threatening to shake the relatively young denomination’s credibility.
According to The Washington Post, Archbishop Stephen Wood, 62, the denomination’s top official, has been accused by a former children’s ministry director of attempting to kiss her in his office in April 2024. This was two months before he was elected to lead the denomination.
The woman, Claire Buxton, also claimed that Wood, a married father of four and rector of St. Andrew’s Church near Charleston, South Carolina, gave her thousands of dollars from church funds before the alleged advance. A church “presentment,” a formal report of canonical offenses obtained by the newspaper, outlines the accusations and could trigger an ecclesiastical trial that may result in Wood’s removal.
Wood, who also oversees a diocese of more than 40 churches, denied wrongdoing.
“I do not believe these allegations have any merit,” he said in a written statement to the publication. “I place my faith and trust in the process outlined in our canons to bring clarity and truth in these matters.”
A senior warden at St. Andrew’s informed congregants of the complaint, describing the development as “a painful and very personal process for all involved.”
Church spokeswoman Kate Harris told the newspaper that the misconduct claims predate Wood’s tenure as archbishop. Once validated, a Board of Inquiry will decide if the case proceeds to trial. If found guilty, Wood would become the first archbishop in the denomination’s 15-year history to be defrocked.
Multiple scandals
The Post’s 3,351-word story, bylined by one of the newspaper’s investigative reporters instead of its staff religion writer, centered on South Carolina, home to some of the country’s most historic Anglican buildings. Wood’s parish, St. Andrew’s in Mt. Pleasant, dates back to 1835.
Buxton, 42, said in an interview that the alleged advance capped months of discomfort. She said Wood’s behavior escalated from affectionate nicknames and unsolicited payments to the attempted kiss, which she resisted. “I was in shock,” she told the Post. “It’s just bizarre to me how far we—the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and its leadership—have gotten away from basic morals and principles.”
The allegations against Wood come as the denomination also awaits the outcome of an ecclesiastical trial involving Bishop Stewart Ruch III, who leads a diocese in the Midwest.
Parishioners and clergy accused Ruch of enabling men with histories of violence or sexual misconduct to serve in church roles. Testimony concluded in October, and a verdict is expected later this year. Ruch has not commented publicly, citing court restrictions.
“Unfortunately, the problems at the highest levels of the ACNA are deeper, wider and more entrenched than many of its own parishioners realize,” Andrew Gross, the denomination’s former communications director, told the newspaper. “This is a crisis without precedent, and how these concerns are handled will determine the future trajectory of the denomination and its credibility.”
Founded in 2009, the ACNA claims approximately 130,111 members in more than 1,027 congregations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Conservatives within the Episcopal Church were sparring with its more liberal members over theological differences for years. But the final straw was the 2003 consecration of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop.
The new denomination pledged fidelity to traditional Christian teaching on sexuality and marriage, declaring same-sex relationships sinful and forbidding the ordination of clergy who engage in homosexual behavior.
While ACNA has sought to present itself as a bastion of orthodoxy, it has faced multiple scandals involving senior leaders. One bishop was removed from ministry in 2020 for “sexual immorality.” Another was defrocked in 2024 after sending thousands of text messages to a married woman. And two prominent Virginia clergy were admonished for mishandling abuse allegations.
More recently, the Rev. Austin Becton of Nashville said he was suspended for a Facebook post urging repentance for excluding LGBTQ+ believers. He resigned, calling the denomination’s leadership structure “a system designed to protect itself at all costs.”
Buxton’s allegations continue that pattern of concerning behavior surfacing. In her affidavit, she described Wood’s frequent compliments and physical gestures that made her uncomfortable. She said he gave her at least $3,500 over 13 months in checks and cash, including a payment from a “Rector’s Mercy Fund.”
She also said he called her “Claire Bear” in front of colleagues and offered to send her to a luxury resort, an offer Buxton said she declined.
The alleged April 2024 encounter, Buxton said, occurred when she went to Wood’s office to express her overall fatigue. According to her account, he told her, “You know how special you are to me. You’re my favorite person in the world.”
Then, she said, “He put his hand on the back of my head and tried to turn it up towards him while he slowly brought his face towards my face to kiss me.” She pulled away and left. “I dropped my face down towards his shoulder so he couldn’t,” she said. “Then I said, ‘Ok, bye,’ and ran out of his office.”
Buxton resigned two months later, after Wood’s election as archbishop.
“I was devastated when he became archbishop,” she said. “Now, I just want the truth to come out so other people don’t get hurt.”
Other complaints about Wood
Beyond the sexual misconduct claim, the presentment also accuses Wood of plagiarizing sermons, bullying staff, and using diocesan funds for personal benefit, including a $60,000 truck partly used for hunting trips.
A 2019 letter from a fellow South Carolina priest, obtained by The Washington Post, questioned whether Wood had the “moral authority required to hold the office of Bishop.” Wood replied briefly, asking for continued prayers.
It is unclear why Wood’s foes within the diocese did not raise objections earlier when his name was being bandied about in early 2024 as a possibility as archbishop-designate. At least one other Anglican group posted a public letter urging that their bishop not be elected because of “poor judgment and poor leadership.”
After Buxton’s accusations became public, a group of clergy and laypeople filed formal charges supported by six affidavits alleging abusive behavior. But they said church officials added an uncanonical requirement that all signatories re-certify their statements “under penalties of perjury.”
The Rev. Rob Sturdy, an Anglican chaplain at The Citadel, told the newspaper the new demand felt like intimidation. “A church that can’t do right by victims of sexual abuse should not exist,” he said.
In June 2024, after his election, Wood told clergy that he wanted to strengthen “safeguarding” policies. “I take it seriously,” Wood said. “It’s why you’re going to hear a lot about safeguarding from me this year.”
Still, many in ACNA say the latest turmoil has reopened old wounds and questions of accountability. On a popular Anglican podcast, co-host Kevin Kallsen said, “You have evolved from something glorious into something hideous.” As the Post story noted, the episode’s title captured the uncertainty facing the movement: “Is the ACNA Past Tense?”
This article was originally published at The Roys Report.
Mark A. Kellner is a reporter based in Mesquite, Nevada. He most recently covered statewide elections for the New York Post and was for three years the Faith & Family Reporter for The Washington Times. Mark is a graduate of the University of the Cumberlands and also attended Boston University’s College of Communication.