Attorneys for the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JAFC) filed suit on Monday in the Federal District Court for South Carolina against the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), accusing it of trademark infringement, unfair competition, and tortious interference in the internal affairs of the ACNA’s chaplaincy arm and with the Federal government.
The 6 October 2025 complaint (2:25-cv-12848) alleges the ACNA acted unlawfully by misappropriating its registered trademarks—including “Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy” and “Anglican Chaplains”—and falsely presented itself as the legitimate endorsing authority for military chaplains. The pleading states the dispute reached its peak when the ACNA issued a letter suspending the Rt. Rev. Derek Jones, JAFC’s longtime leader, installing a new bishop for the jurisdiction.
The JAFC claims that ACNA then informed chaplains and government agencies that it had assumed endorsement authority, a move the attorneys for Bishop Jones said was unlawful according to federal regulations. The complaint alleges the dismissal of Bishop Jones has had immediate consequences. Paragraph 64 stated: “ACNA’s campaign to replace Plaintiff has caused confusion among Plaintiff’s partners, and on information and belief has already harmed Plaintiff by reducing Plaintiff’s income by at least fifty percent and causing 25 of Plaintiff’s approximately 30 missions, parishes and chapels to disaffiliate with Plaintiff.”
The complaint notes the income in 2024 for the jurisdiction had been $1.2 million.
The JAFC maintained that ACNA’s actions amount to “identity theft,” causing reputational and financial harm and threatening the ministry’s viability.
The filing claims that ACNA’s September communications to the JAFC chaplains and the jurisdiction misrepresented its authority but also backdated documents and “wrongfully charged” Bishop Jones under church disciplinary canons. The JAFC alleges the ACNA’s disciplinary process failed to comply with due process and overstepped constitutional bounds, igniting a power struggle that has spilled into U.S. federal agencies responsible for overseeing chaplain endorsements.
The lawsuit seeks damages, injunctive relief, and punitive compensation of at least $1 million. JAFC contends that its relationship with chaplains and defense agencies has been “irreparably harmed,” with the potential to disrupt the provision of pastoral care to military personnel.
This conflict comes amid broader ongoing disputes in ACNA over clergy misconduct protocols, bishop accountability, and women’s ordination. Recent months have seen repeated clashes about church discipline and governance, reflecting underlying tensions over authority and transparency since ACNA’s formation in 2009. Bishop Derek Jones, arguing that he and JAFC are no longer under ACNA’s jurisdiction, insists that chaplaincy endorsements must remain with the JAFC as the official ecclesiastical agency recognized by the federal government.
Meanwhile, ACNA has announced the Rt. Rev. Jerome Cayangyang as its new leader for the military chaplain jurisdiction.
On 7 October 2025 attorneys for the JAFC filed a motion for a Temporary Restraining Order or, in the Alternative, for Preliminary Injunction. The complaint and motion seek to prevent the ACNA from using the “Service Mark” Jurisdiction of the the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy, stop the ACNA from saying Bishop Jones is no longer the bishop of the JAFC, stop the ACNA from telling the federal government that Bishop Jones is no longer the endorser for the ACNA, stop slandering BIshop Jones, prevent any JAFC chaplains from going to the ACNA without Bishop Jones’ approval, in addition to fees, costs and treble damages.
The case continues.