Anglican Bishop Who Called Abuse Probe ‘A Witch Hunt’ Starts New Denomination
An Anglican bishop who called an investigation into his alleged abuse of power “a witch hunt” announced the formation of a new denomination on Christmas eve: The Anglican Reformed Catholic Church.
“We seek to provide a stable church home,” the new denomination’s website says, “characterized by clear leadership accountability … and an abiding connection to Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.”
Derek Jones, who has overseen the chaplaincy program for the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) since 2014, is facing trial in church court on charges of “abuse of ecclesiastical power.”
The 64-year-old former Air Force fighter pilot shared details of the allegations with more than 120 Anglican chaplains on a video conference call in September. According to the official letter Jones received, four people accused him of bringing false charges against clergy and instigating disciplinary proceedings as punishment or manipulation.
Several said Jones falsified church documents that were used as evidence. And six ACNA clergy claimed the bishop is generally guilty of “inflicting financial, emotional and psychological stress” on people in his episcopal care.
In the hour-long video, later posted on the chaplaincy’s YouTube channel, Jones dismissed the investigation. He responded to the idea that he was causing clergy pain and stress with sarcasm.
“Thank you woke U.S.A. Thank you, woke,” he said. “Frankly, I’m sure some of you don’t care for me and I may not care for some of you, but that’s not my job. That’s not my responsibility.”
Conflict over status of chaplaincy jurisdiction
According to Jones, leaders of the Anglican church have targeted him for removal, in part because of an ongoing dispute about the status of the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JAFC). It is officially an endorsing agency and a canonical residence for the ACNA’s roughly 300 chaplains. Jones wanted it to be its own diocese. He said he was promised that would happen when he joined the ACNA, but leadership has delayed and stonewalled.
Jones and his supporters also say he has been targeted because of his conservative criticism of more progressive leaders in the ACNA.
Ryan Davis, chief operations officer of the chaplaincy jurisdiction, wrote that the ACNA has ignored warnings of “dioceses drifting into heterodoxy.” He didn’t name names, but said denominational leadership knew that some of the denomination’s 28 dioceses have ordained people who “openly reject biblical teaching” on issues including abortion and homosexuality.
“These same dioceses were … knowingly ordaining such individuals, and then attempting to force the JAFC to receive them,” Davis said. “We cannot in conscience cooperate with an extra-canonical process designed to silence dissent.”
ACNA leaders said Jones was suspended because of “credible complaints.”
Archbishop Steve Wood, who is facing charges of his own in a separate case, wrote an open letter explaining the need to investigate Jones in September. Wood said it was his duty to see the complaints were investigated fairly and thoroughly and that the complaints were serious.
The conservative Anglican news site Anglican Ink published a statement from self-identified “victims of Derek Jones” in November. The statement alleges the bishop weaponized the denomination’s disciplinary rules against people who crossed him.
They say Jones gave them the option of pleading guilty or “no contest” or submitting to an investigation that he controlled, telling them that whatever they did, he would crush them.
“This system, used time and time again by Derek Jones was always heads, I win and tails, you lose. No one to our knowledge questioned its canonicity,” the statement says.
‘You will be remembered as a scoundrel’
Jones not only rejected the allegations, he rejected the ACNA’s investigation into the allegations. He announced his separation from the denomination shortly after being suspended.
According to the ACNA, however, Jones is not allowed to leave. Church law does not permit a bishop to resign while under discipline.
The denomination has appointed a replacement to run the chaplaincy jurisdiction. But Jones doesn’t accept that, either, claiming the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy is now an independent entity. He has sued the ACNA in federal court, claiming the denomination is infringing on the trademark, “Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy.”
The first archbishop of the ACNA, Robert Duncan, wrote Jones a letter in September urging him to reverse course.
“Instead of ending as a hero, you will be remembered as a scoundrel,” Duncan wrote. “Retire now. … End as one who shaped and led a great movement or be remembered as a villain.”
Jones called it a “very vicious email.” Three months later, he and two other bishops affiliated with the military chaplaincy formed the new Anglican denomination.
The Anglican Reformed Catholic Church has organized into three dioceses — one covering the Western U.S., one the Eastern U.S., and one the U.S. Armed Forces.
It is unclear how large the denomination is or how many Anglican congregations might be interested in joining.
The chaplaincy jurisdiction has 10 affiliated parish and mission churches, along with a dozen chapel services held regularly at military bases, senior centers, a college prefatory school and a public park. They are attended by an average of about 250 people, according to the ACNA records.
“The road ahead for ACNA appears rocky, and further schism cannot be ruled out,” Anglican journalist David Virtue wrote on Christmas day. “Whether this development is an isolated event remains to be seen.”
Despite the announcement of a new denomination, the ACNA plans to move ahead with its investigation of Jones.
“If Bishop Jones declines to participate,” the church said in a statement on its website, “he will be tried in abstentia.”
A trial date has not yet been set.
This article was originally published by The Roys Report.
Daniel Silliman is senior reporter/editor at The Roys Report. He began his two decades in journalism covering crime in Atlanta and has since led major investigations into abuse and misconduct in Christian contexts. Daniel and his wife live in Johnson City, Tennessee.