A detailed letter from the deputy prosecutor, Rachel Thebeau, published by Anglican Ink on July 25, has heightened scrutiny of the Anglican Church in North America’s (ACNA) handling of the Rt. Rev. Stewart Ruch III’s trial, raising fresh allegations of court misconduct and casting doubt on the integrity of the denomination’s disciplinary process.
The Thebeau letter supports and expands the concerns first raised by C. Alan Runyan, who resigned as Provincial Prosecutor on July 18 in protest over what he called procedural violations during Ruch’s ecclesiastical trial. Both Runyan and Thebeau allege a member of the Court for the Trial of a Bishop inappropriately questioned witnesses with materials never formally admitted as evidence, contravening explicit court orders and compromising the fairness of the proceedings.
Thebeau argues that the court’s refusal to acknowledge or rectify this misconduct undermines both the legitimacy of the process and the trust of survivors and church members alike. She and Runyan have pressed for the release of a full, redacted trial transcript as a step toward transparency and accountability.
Bishop Stewart Ruch of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest has been under scrutiny since it emerged that he delayed responding to allegations of sexual abuse by lay leader Mark Rivera, who was later convicted of child sexual assault. Additional allegations of misconduct by clergy and lay leaders in the diocese have generated intense debate about oversight failures, safeguarding, and transparency.
As only the second trial of a bishop in ACNA’s history, the Ruch case has prompted widespread calls for reform across the denomination. Ruch faces charges of habitual neglect, abuse of ecclesiastical power, and violations of ordination vows and church canons.
Following Runyan’s resignation and Thebeau’s publicly raised concerns, the ACNA has appointed the Ven. Job Serebrov as the new Provincial Prosecutor. ACNA primate, the Most Rev. Steve Wood, has expressed the need for renewed confidence in the process, stating that Archdeacon Serebrov’s immediate task is to ensure the fairness and credibility of the church’s judicial proceedings.
Despite these efforts, the President of the Court, the Rt. Rev. David Bryan, maintains that all procedural actions were appropriate and that no formal objections were raised at the time. Nevertheless, the concerns outlined by Runyan and Thebeau have led to growing demands for transparency, including public release of the trial record.
The Ruch trial has laid bare profound challenges for the ACNA regarding justice, survivor support, and institutional transparency. With Archdeacon Serebrov now leading the prosecution and Thebeau’s letter bringing new revelations to light, church leaders are under increasing pressure to demonstrate meaningful accountability and reform. The denomination’s next steps will likely have lasting consequences for the credibility and direction of its leadership at every level.