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May God grant you courage, wisdom and hope – message of solidarity with people of Ukraine

By
Press Release
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The Bishop of Worcester, Hugh Nelson, shared a message from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, as he joined Ukrainian church leaders, other religious leaders and government officials at the national prayer breakfast in Kyiv this morning.

The message renews the Church of England’s commitment to “stand in prayerful solidarity” with Ukraine and acknowledging the “immense sacrifices” made “in defence of your country, its people and the values of freedom and human dignity”.

It also celebrates Ukraine’s rich religious pluralism, commends the constitutional commitments to freedom of religion and conscience and rejects the language of “holy war” used to justify the attempts to occupy and subjugate Ukraine by the current regime in Moscow.

Quoting the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew, Archbishop Sarah writes: “As His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch has reminded us, ‘There has never been, nor will there be, a ‘holy war’.

“War is always a tragedy, never an expression of God’s will. We pray for peace.

“We pray for those who have lost their lives, for those who mourn, for the wounded, the displaced, and all who live under the daily shadow of violence and fear.”

She concludes: “May God grant you courage, wisdom and hope, and may the peace of Christ, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in the days ahead.”

Bishop Hugh arrived in Kyiv on Saturday after travelling overnight from Poland.

He met the leader of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphany, at St Michael’s Monastery complex in Old Kyiv and also visited the ancient Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Monastery (above) – a world heritage site which was badly damaged in a Russian drone and missile attack in June.

During his visit Bishop Hugh, who is the Church of England’s Bishop to the Armed Forces, also hopes to meet Ukrainian military chaplains and combat veterans as well as a range of church and civic leaders.

Archbishop of Canterbury’s sermon at the Installation of the Archbishop of Burundi

By
Sarah Mullally
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Eraste Bigirimana

Joshua 1:3-9, I Peter 5:1-4, John 21:15-17

‘I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’ Joshua 1:9

May I speak in the name of God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

It is a joy to be with you. We do not just celebrate the Installation of Archbishop-Elect, Eraste, but we give thanks for the church in Burundi. And I give thanks for the ministry of Archbishop Sixbert. Thank you. It is a reminder to us that we are part of one family.

My brother in Christ, Eraste, as Archbishop and Primate, you will have to undertake many important tasks and ministries in your vocation. There is much for you to consider, great challenges to face, as well I pray – great joy along the way.

Amidst all the responsibility that rests on your shoulders, and all the many things you must do, I urge you to remember that your ministry, and the church, does not depend on you, but on the one who has called and commissioned you. Jesus Christ said, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’ (John 14.6). Hold fast to Christ, do not lose sight of Him, and He will guide you in all things.

Following your election as Archbishop, you shared these words: ‘As I look forward to my installation, my hope is that it will mark a new season of unity, spiritual renewal and faithful service to God’s people’. Praise Jesus!

Archbishops are called to share with the whole people of God in the ministry of the Gospel of Christ. Each one of us is called to proclaim Christ’s promise of hope and eternal life in a world of death and despair. Bishop Eraste, this is the hope to which you are called. And in a broken world, God calls you to be a servant leader. Guard the flock; exercise the ministry of a shepherd; contend for and uphold the unity of the church, guiding it in witness and service.

This is the unity of the church for which Christ prays, and for which you long – a new season of unity and spiritual renewal. I pray that Christ strengthen you to faithfully live out the vocation to which God has called you and the church in Burundi.

I pray for the church and for you that God may guide you in building deeper and closer relationships with your neighbours across this Province, and across the Anglican Communion. It is in our unity and in our fellowship that the world will know that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Bishop Eraste, I pray that you may share in collegial leadership with your fellow overseers. May you discern with them, and others, the future shape of the church, praying for its spiritual renewal.

1 Peter speaks of the call of the shepherd working in partnership to tend, protect, teach, and care for those in their charge.

1 Peter exhorts elders to shepherd the flock within their charge. It echoes the command to the disciple, Peter, in our Gospel reading, to shepherd and tend the flock of Jesus Christ.

And there is Peter, on the beach, following the death and resurrection of Jesus. Peter might remember his first encounter with Jesus. Jesus called him to leave the fishing boat. And all the beach, there are all the reminders of that first encounter: the smell of the sea, his boat, overloaded nets full of miraculous fish, and Jesus’ words: “Follow me”, “and I will make you fishers of men”.

The words of Jesus on that first encounter are words to us. Jesus calls each one of us to follow him. Maybe today that is the first time you have heard that call. Maybe you have a life, long lived in faith. But hear the words to you this morning, Jesus calls you by name. Not just archbishops or bishops and priests, each one of us, known and loved by God. Hear the words of Jesus again: Come, follow me.

There is a simplicity of that first call of Peter. He dropped everything and followed Christ. On the beach after the resurrection, much more has happened. When Jesus calls Peter, he knows a lot more about what it means to follow Christ. On the beach after the resurrection, Peter knows that Jesus sees him just as he is. He is vulnerable and transparent.

Before the resurrection, Peter talked tough in the face of risk. He pledges never to fall away; he vows that he’s ready for prison and even death; he offers to lay down his life for Jesus. But in that moment of test and darkness, he denies Jesus.

Yet, on the beach, Jesus knowing everything that he knows, not only comes to meet him but to love him and continues to nurture his vocation and call. Praise Jesus!

Having denied Jesus three times, Peter is now asked on the beach, three times “Do you love me”?

And when Peter said that he loved the Lord, Jesus tells him: “Feed my lambs”; “Shepherd my sheep”; “Feed my sheep” (Jn. 21:15-17NIV). In Peter’s struggle, Jesus makes him who he is.

Jesus calls Peter with all his weaknesses and his strengths. He calls him to nurture his flock. Jesus calls each one of us, with our weaknesses and our strengths, to follow him. Bishop Eraste, Jesus calls you with all your weaknesses and your strengths, to nurture his flock.

Sharing the gospel comes from the place where we know our own need for the gospel. To bring others to Christ can only come when we ourselves have come to him. To bring people before God in prayer can only come when we are people rooted in prayer.

The images of shepherd and sheep are woven throughout the Bible. They give us a picture of the way God cares for us.

Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd. Jesus is the one who cares for His flock. He knows us by name. He has laid down His life for us. And he is the One whom the sheep know and trust and follow.

Jesus asks Peter to become a shepherd. But he does so in a way which demonstrates that Peter can only do this with the help of Jesus.

We can only live our lives as disciples with the help of Jesus. Bishops, priests and archbishops can only live out their calling with the help of Jesus. We do it not in our own strength, but in the one who came to die for us.

So what is the model of service that we and archbishops are called? We are called to tend the flock not by compulsion or gain, nor by lording it over those in our charge, but rather willingly, eagerly, and by setting an example.

We are called to love like Jesus loved. To love in relationship, to love by washing feet.

What does that love look like for us?

We are called to follow the pattern of Christ: to care for the sick, the hungry, the imprisoned, the stranger and the orphan around us. In so doing, we proclaim the Good News of God who came to live among us that we might know and share His love for us here on earth.

Jesus, who loved all, alike, Jesus who loves everyone the same, invites us to bring all people to Christ’s table. He calls us to build a church where every living stone is valued. Where every person knows that they are known by name.

We are called to lay places at our table for both the young and the elderly, for those who are poor and wealthy, for those with power and who are powerless, for those whom society loves and those whom society despises alike.

The Church is called to be a safe place where God’s children may gather in all its glorious diversity and difference. A church where we can celebrate the image of God in one another.

We are called to follow the pattern of Christ, who washed the feet of those He came to serve, count others better than ourselves, pay attention to power, and to tend to those in our care.

Archbishop-Elect, may you recognise and empower the gifts of those whom you are called to serve. Encourage lay people and clergy alike in their journeys of discernment.

Archbishop-Elect, you do not do this alone but with the people of God.

1 Peter reminds us, ‘Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received’ (1 Peter 4:10).

Archbishop-Elect Eraste, may you draw out the unique and remarkable gifts of your flock.  In partnership, serve the Lord and His church, for the sake of the Kingdom of God and the world.

Finally, Archbishop-Elect, you are called, first and foremost, to carry the cross. Its weight, its roughness and its burden will vary, but it will always be heavy and require sacrifice. Prepare yourself in deep prayer and contemplation of the crucified Christ.

All goodness comes from God alone. Tend to your own spiritual life in prayer and study, that you may hear His word, receive His spirit, and do His work. Nurture and pay attention to your family, to Consolate and other members. Tend to the relationships with your friends, those which support you in your ministry. Fashion your household according to Christ.

And, finally, may the Lord of heaven, who gives you the will to undertake these things, give you also the strength to perform them, and by His divine providence may His own holy angels succour and defend you; and may His grace and blessing be upon you at all times. And the people said: Amen. 

Archbishop of Canterbury meets Primate and Archbishop of Kenya

By
Press Release
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The Archbishop of Canterbury has met with the Primate and Archbishop of Kenya, the Most Revd Dr Jackson Ole Sapit.

Meeting over breakfast in Archbishop Jackson’s official residence in Nairobi, they discussed the joys and challenges of the Anglican Church in Kenya and the Anglican Communion, and committed to continue to pray for each other.

Archbishop of Canterbury with the Archbishop of Kenya

Photo credit

Lambeth Palace

They exchanged gifts, with Archbishop Sarah presenting Archbishop Jackson and his wife, Mama Esther Sapit, with an Icon of the Annunciation and a jar of honey from Lambeth Palace. Archbishop Jackson presented Archbishop Sarah with a pectoral cross featuring the colours of the Kenyan flag and a necklace from the Maasai region. She was gifted a shawl on behalf of the Mother’s Union from the Province of Kenya.

Archbishop of Canterbury with the Archbishop of Kenya

Photo credit

Lambeth Palace

They also planted a tree in the grounds of Archbishop Jackson’s official residence. 

Following the meeting, the Archbishop of Canterbury travelled to Bujumbura in Burundi, to preach at the Installation service of the Rt Revd Eraste Bigirimana, the sixth Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in Burundi.

Second Circuit bars former priest’s defamation suit under church-autonomy doctrine

By
George Conger
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Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia

The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that the First Amendment’s church-autonomy doctrine bars a defamation action brought by a former Russian Orthodox priest against the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and its leaders. The decision, issued on 18 August, comes after six years of litigation arising from a disputed episcopal election and subsequent ecclesiastical discipline.

In Belya v. Metropolitan Hilarion, the court ruled that a church’s selection, supervision, and discipline of its clergy are inherently religious acts. A civil defamation claim cannot be used as a collateral means of challenging those decisions where adjudication would draw the courts into questions of internal church governance.

The plaintiff, Fr Alexander Belya, had been a priest of ROCOR. The dispute arose amid an internal controversy over his eligibility and qualifications for election as Bishop of Miami. Diocesan leaders sent a letter to ROCOR’s Synod setting out complaints concerning his conduct, asserting that he had not been elected in accordance with the church’s ecclesiastical requirements, and calling for his suspension and investigation.

Fr Belya subsequently left ROCOR and brought suit, alleging that the church entities and individual leaders had defamed him by accusing him of forging letters connected with his proposed appointment to the episcopate. The church responded that the case arose from matters of faith, discipline, and internal government that are constitutionally reserved to religious bodies.

The court held that “a church’s selection and supervision of its religious leaders are inherently religious acts,” and that allowing the former priest’s claim to proceed would threaten a collateral attack upon those acts. Where a claim grows out of a church’s protected investigation into a minister’s conduct and implicates internal governance, the church-autonomy doctrine bars the claim, the court held.

The church-autonomy doctrine, sometimes called ecclesiastical abstention, is rooted in the First Amendment’s protections for the free exercise of religion and against governmental establishment of religion. Its central principle is that secular courts may not decide questions of doctrine, worship, discipline, or the appointment and removal of clergy.

This does not mean that churches are immune from all civil claims. Courts may resolve disputes involving religious institutions through neutral principles of law where they can do so without deciding a theological question or reviewing an ecclesiastical judgment. The dividing line is often whether a court can determine the case without having to decide what a church’s teaching, law, or governing authority requires.

Defamation claims pose a particular difficulty. A plaintiff ordinarily asks the court to determine whether a statement was false. When the alleged statement arises from a disciplinary process, however, determining falsity may require a civil judge or jury to assess the validity of a ministerial investigation, a church tribunal’s procedures, or the qualifications for holy orders.

In Belya, the Second Circuit concluded that the alleged defamatory statements were bound up with the church’s examination of a priest’s fitness for episcopal office and its authority to investigate and discipline him. That connection placed the case within the protected sphere of internal religious governance.

While it looked to the same legal standards that governed the Episcopal Church cases of the past two decades, the Belya court addressed clergy defamation claims rather than property, diocesan separation, and the authority of the General Convention and diocesan bishops.

Beginning with disputes surrounding dioceses and parishes that sought to withdraw from the Episcopal Church, civil courts were regularly asked to determine who held title to parish property and who represented the continuing Episcopal diocese. The Episcopal Church generally prevailed where courts applied neutral principles and found that governing documents, deeds, canons, and the Dennis Canon created or recognized a trust relationship in favor of the wider church, while state courts that followed neutral principles of law theories sided with dioceses.

After decades of litigation, the emerging patter of jurisprudence was that civil courts may apply secular legal rules to deeds, trusts, corporations, and titles, but they may not substitute their judgment for that of a church on questions of doctrine, polity, clerical status, or canonical discipline.

The Second Circuit’s reasoning in Belya reinforces that distinction. It does not create a blanket exemption for religious bodies from civil accountability. It does, however, make clear that a clergy plaintiff may not frame an internal dispute over discipline or episcopal selection as a tort action if deciding the claim would require a civil court to re-examine the church’s religious decision-making.

The case is also notable for its focus on the process of choosing a bishop. The court treated the investigation of a priest’s qualifications for episcopal office, and the church’s internal communications concerning that process, as part of the religious community’s protected authority to select its leaders.

For hierarchical churches, including the Episcopal Church, the decision is a reminder that canonical processes are not merely voluntary association procedures. They form part of a religious body’s constitutionally protected ordering of its common life, provided that the dispute truly concerns ministry, discipline, doctrine, or governance rather than an unrelated civil wrong.

At the same time, the judgment leaves unresolved the difficult cases at the boundary: allegations of fraud, abuse, financial misconduct, or statements made outside a disciplinary context. Courts have frequently held that church autonomy does not automatically foreclose every tort claim against a religious institution.

The importance of Belya for ecclesiastical lawyers lies in its reaffirmation of a familiar constitutional boundary. Civil courts remain open to litigants with ordinary legal claims, but they may not become appellate tribunals for ecclesiastical decisions about who may exercise the church’s ministry, who may be disciplined, and who may be called to the episcopate.

Anglican Church deploys Ford Foundation grant to combat GBV across 122 Dioceses

By
Anon
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The Anglican Compassion and Development Initiative (ACADI) has launched a sweeping internal mandate to enforce a zero-tolerance policy against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) within the Church of Nigeria. Backed by a strategic partnership with the Ford Foundation, the initiative exposes the uncomfortable reality of domestic abuse hiding behind religious facades and demands structural accountability from faith leaders.

During a high-level dialogue session in Abuja titled “Dialogue to Action: Advocating GBV Prevention and Advancing Organisational Sustainability,” ACADI Governing Council Chairman Professor Adesegun Farusi issued a stark warning to religious institutions that turn a blind eye to the crisis. For policymakers in Kenya, Uganda, and the broader global diaspora, the Anglican Church’s unprecedented move offers a blueprint for weaponizing faith-based networks to dismantle entrenched patriarchal violence.

Confronting Cultural Roots Within the Church

Historically, religious spaces have struggled to adequately protect survivors, often weaponizing scripture to enforce endurance over justice. Professor Farusi confronted this legacy directly, acknowledging that GBV is deeply rooted in cultural norms that inevitably bleed into congregational life.

“Gender-based violence happens in churches across the world. Sometimes, the challenge is that when you discuss GBV in church communities, people are surprised. But the Bible is about truth, and Christians are about truth,” Farusi argued, insisting that institutional denial is no longer tenable.

This sentiment was amplified by Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, who previously condemned the weaponization of religion at an ACADI summit. She declared GBV a “public sin,” noting that survivors are too often instructed to pray harder or endure abuse to protect family reputation, effectively utilizing theological misinterpretation to excuse physical harm.

The ‘CON Prevent GBV’ Strategic Framework

The cornerstone of the Church’s response is the “CON Prevent GBV” project, a comprehensive three-year operational plan designed to fundamentally alter how the Anglican Communion handles abuse. Funded by the Ford Foundation, the program is migrating from awareness campaigns to actionable, structural interventions.

  • Scale of Deployment: Implementation spans 122 Dioceses across Nigeria over a three-year period.
  • Capacity Building: Training of 737 GBV Master Trainers across 67 dioceses by the close of 2024.
  • Core Objectives: Prevention, aggressive advocacy, formalized referral systems, and secure knowledge management for survivor protection.
  • Integration: Partnering with Medical Ambassadors International to deploy the Community Health Evangelism (CHE) program at the grassroots level.

Government and Civil Society Synergy

ACADI’s strategy relies heavily on dissolving the traditional boundaries between the pulpit and the state. Mrs. Nneka Ifeoma Onyea, a legal practitioner and advocate, emphasized during the dialogue that the burden of eradicating violence cannot fall solely on the government or civil society organizations (CSOs).

By establishing faith-based organizations as formal legal entities within each diocese, ACADI enables local parishes to seamlessly interface with government law enforcement, the judiciary, and specialized CSOs. This interconnected approach ensures that perpetrators face legal prosecution rather than just internal church discipline, shifting the paradigm from quiet mediation to public accountability.

A Model for the Global Faith Community

The scale of the Anglican Church’s intervention resonates far beyond Nigeria’s borders. In East Africa, where institutions like the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) possess massive societal influence, ACADI’s Ford Foundation-backed methodology provides a replicable, data-driven framework for addressing systemic abuse.

The initiative forces religious hierarchies globally to answer a fundamental question: are their sanctuaries functioning as safe havens for the vulnerable, or as shields for perpetrators? As ACADI pushes its mandate into 122 dioceses, the Church of Nigeria has firmly chosen the path of radical transparency.

For many the world feels more unsafe and uncaring: Bishop Rosemarie reflects on Jason Arday’s death

By
Rosemarie Mallett
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The Prime Minister has called for a period of reflection in the wake of the tragic and avoidable death of Jason Arday. These past days have been filled with reflection – on the culture of British academia, on culture and standards in our media, on race and truthfulness… Some of this ‘reflection’ has been helpful, some opportunistic and shallow – some blatantly harmful. 

As a Christian leader and a person of colour, I feel compelled to respond. Still, I find myself asking what may be said most faithfully, compassionately, and helpfully at this time.

For me – and for many – the circumstances of Jason’s final weeks and his death have understandably prompted despair, sadness, shock and fear. I fear for all those for whom the world feels a little more unsafe and uncaring, for those struggling with oppression, with prejudice or mental health. I fear for young people who have witnessed the cruelty to which Jason was subjected – and who may now no longer dare to hope or dream of what they may be able to achieve. I fear for a culture and a Britain that is lowering its standards – not of academic rigour but of basic human decency. 

It is important to recognise and name our fears. But we cannot – we must not – allow fear to rule us.

As Christians, when we feel lost and bewildered, the only thing to do is to look again to Christ, to seek his peace and his guidance. As St John reminds us, perfect love casts out fear – and we find perfect love in the person of Christ our saviour.

When we turn to Christ, we inevitably notice how he treats people and who it is that he prioritises – those who are maligned, those who are overlooked, those who have failed, those who are treated as ‘nothing’ by the rest of the world. The God we follow is the God who sees us for all that we are – and who loves us powerfully and wholeheartedly in the face of those truths. When we turn to Christ we receive our calling afresh, as compassion, care and mercy come into focus.

And in that turning, may we also find hope: not a shallow optimism that ignores pain, but the deep Christian hope that insists death, fear, cruelty and injustice do not have the final word. Hope is what enables us to keep loving when love is costly, to keep speaking truth when truth is contested, to rise when others would have us brought low, and to keep building communities where every person is seen, honoured and cherished as made in the image of God. 

So may we continue to reflect – to name our fears but not allow them to rule us or determine our futures. 

May we give thanks for Jason and for all that was good in his work and his legacy. May we continue to pray for his family and friends, for those he mentored and inspired. 

May we turn again and again to Christ when we feel lost – and doggedly pursue our calling to seek and to show Christ’s compassion for ourselves and for one another.

Clergy Discipline complaint against Bishop Paul Butler

By
Press Release
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[17 Aug 2026] At the commencement of the hearing before the Court of the Vicar General of York to consider a complaint brought against him by the National Director of Safeguarding, Mr Alexander Kubeyinje, the Rt Rev Paul Butler entered admissions to the allegations of misconduct. 

The hearing was then adjourned and a further hearing to consider a penalty will be listed in due course. 

  • The complaint related to information contained in the Makin Review which looked at the Church’s handling of allegations against the late John Smyth. 

ACNA court finds Bishop Derek Jones guilty on all charges

By
George Conger
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The Court for the Trial of a Bishop of the Anglican Church in North America has unanimously found the Rt. Rev. Derek Jones guilty of all four canonical offenses charged in the Presentment of October 21, 2025. In a Final Judgment issued August 19, 2026, the Court granted the Province’s Motion for Summary Judgment and determined that Bishop Jones, formerly Bishop of the Special Jurisdiction for the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (SJAFC), had willfully refused a lawful Godly Admonition, willfully contravened the Canons of the Church, engaged in conduct giving just cause for scandal or offense (including abuse of ecclesiastical power), and promoted and caused schism.

The Court referred its findings to the College of Bishops for sentencing after the canonical thirty-day appellate period under Canon IV.5.5.1. The applicable canons are those ratified by the 2024 Provincial Assembly.

Bishop Jones filed no Answer. The Summons and Presentment were served by process server on April 24, 2026; the Answer deadline of May 26 passed without response. The Provincial Prosecutor moved for summary judgment on July 7. After a hearing on August 10 at which the Court heard the prosecutor’s argument and deliberated, the verdict was rendered.

Established by Canon I.11 in 2014, the SJAFC was created to provide a unified means of ecclesiastical endorsement for ACNA clergy serving in governmental and institutional chaplaincies, particularly the U.S. Armed Forces, the Veterans Administration, and the Department of Justice. Unlike a diocese, it consists of individual clergy rather than congregations and contains no laity. Oversight rests with the Archbishop.

Bishop Jones was consecrated in 2007, received into the ACNA in 2010, and elected Bishop of the SJAFC by the College of Bishops. In that office he held authority to endorse chaplains. The Reformed Episcopal Church retained parallel endorsement authority until approximately 2023, when consolidation under the SJAFC took effect.

The Court’s findings describe an environment within the SJAFC that “promoted isolation, authoritarian submission, doubt, hopelessness, and deceit.” Bishop Jones required virtually all ACNA chaplains—including medical and prison chaplains who did not need military-style endorsement—to transfer into the SJAFC rather than remain resident in their local dioceses. “Good Standing” demanded Ember reports, attendance at annual convocations, and a mandatory financial contribution (styled a tithe or donation and ranging from 5 to 10 percent of reported income) paid directly to the SJAFC, frequently before any gift to a local parish. Failure to comply could result in the withholding of endorsements or of permission to transfer orders, with direct consequences for career advancement and livelihood. Chaplains seeking pastoral care were often directed to counselors of Bishop Jones’s choosing; contact with other ACNA bishops or the Archbishop without his knowledge risked loss of Good Standing or Title IV proceedings.

On September 12, 2025, Archbishop Steve Wood, with the required consents, issued a Godly Admonition citing nine credible complaints under investigation that, if substantiated, could support a charge of scandalous conduct and abuse of ecclesiastical power. The Admonition directed Bishop Jones to restrict communications about the matter, refrain from retaliatory behavior, and cooperate fully with investigators.

He did not comply. On September 16 the SJAFC Chancellors protested the Admonition and signaled non-cooperation. Two days later staff emails, including one from Bishop Jones’s daughter (an administrator in the jurisdiction), instructed chaplains not to respond to Provincial investigators. On September 20 Bishop Jones wrote claiming withdrawal from the ACNA and the College of Bishops and declaring he would not cooperate with any investigation.

The following day Archbishop Wood inhibited him. The Inhibition barred him from functioning as clergy, wearing clerical attire or vestments, attending SJAFC gatherings, or contacting members of the jurisdiction without prior written permission.

On September 22 Bishop Jones directed a letter purporting to withdraw the SJAFC from the Province under Article II.3 of the Constitution—an article the Court noted applies only to dioceses. The next day he convened an “All Hands” video conference, displayed and discussed the Godly Admonition at length, announced that the SJAFC was no longer part of the ACNA, and described the Province as a “sinking ship.” The recording was later posted publicly on YouTube.

On October 6 a civil suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina on behalf of the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy against the ACNA. In December 2025 Bishop Jones, together with Bishops MacClellan, Nordstrom, and Williams, founded the Anglican Reformed Catholic Church. On June 10, 2026, while still under Inhibition, he consecrated Andrew Hayler while fully vested—an act the Court found in direct violation of the Inhibition.

The Court received sworn affidavits from three chaplains, anonymized in the Judgment.

Chaplain A, a military chaplain who left the SJAFC in 2023, reported that after informing ACNA leaders of Bishop Jones’s efforts to transfer the jurisdiction as a diocese to the Church of Nigeria North American Mission, he was threatened with a Godly Admonition, inhibited, and made the subject of a Title IV presentment. After his departure he alleged that Bishop Jones contacted his subsequent employer and spread unfounded claims of financial misconduct.

Chaplain B, a hospice chaplain, compared his experience to life in a cult. When he sought transfer of orders amid unemployment and personal hardship, authorization was withheld until unpaid tithe pledges were satisfied, despite written permissions for absence from convocations. The Court found a pattern of escalating harassment by email, text, and telephone, culminating in the hand-delivery of an inhibition by process server to his residence. The Archbishop ultimately recommended the transfer, which then occurred.

Chaplain C, a military chaplain endorsed by the Reformed Episcopal Church and never canonically resident in the SJAFC, received a Godly Admonition and attempted inhibition from Bishop Jones after declining to complete an application and join the tithing system. Metadata established that the document had been backdated. Bishop Jones contacted the Anglican Mission in America—to which Chaplain C was transferring—and threatened to dissolve a concordat. The matter was resolved only after Chaplain C placated the demand.

The Court noted additional unsworn reports of similar conduct but confined its decision to the sworn evidence before it.

On the first count—willful refusal to follow a lawful Godly Admonition (Canon IV.2.1.12)—the Court held that Bishop Jones disregarded the communication restrictions, directed non-cooperation, attempted withdrawal, filed suit, and established a rival denomination.

On the second—disobedience to or willful contravention of the Canons (Canon IV.2.1.9)—the Court found that he violated the Inhibition by convening the September 23 meeting, continuing to wear vestments, performing episcopal acts, and holding himself out as a bishop through the new body.

On the third—conduct giving cause for scandal or offense, including abuse of ecclesiastical power (Canon IV.2.1.4)—the Court detailed the use of Title IV processes against clergy both under and outside his authority, the linkage of mandatory financial contributions to endorsement and career security, improper withholding of transfers, sustained harassment, retaliation against those who raised concerns, interference with employment, and the backdating of at least one official document. While affirming tithing as a spiritual discipline, the Court observed that connecting a required contribution so tightly to livelihood constitutes an abuse of power.

On the fourth—promoting and causing schism (Canon IV.2.1.2)—the Court concluded that the formation of the Anglican Reformed Catholic Church, the targeting of ACNA chaplains, interference with relationships with other Anglican jurisdictions, the attempted severance of the SJAFC, and the unauthorized consecration all advanced schism.

In closing, the Court expressed particular concern for the chaplains who had served under or encountered Bishop Jones, quoting one affidavit: “Surely a pastoral response to a wolf involves the protection of sheep.” While acknowledging the limits of its jurisdiction over earlier disciplinary actions taken by Bishop Jones, the Court respectfully asked the College of Bishops to consider a biblical and canonical response and, where warranted, the reversal of any undue measures.

The members of the Court recorded their deep regret for the pain caused and their prayer for healing, peace, and restoration.

The Judgment was signed by Bishop Ryan Reed (President), Bishop David Bryan, Bishop Allen Kannapell, the Rev. Canon Jonathan Millard, the Rev. Canon Dr. Kathleen Rankin, Mr. Larry Doyle, and Ms. Katherine Grosskopf (Presiding Officer).

As of the date of the Judgment, Bishop Jones had not been released from the governance or discipline of the ACNA. The College of Bishops will determine sentence after the appellate period. The South Carolina civil litigation remains pending.

2026-08-19-FINAL-Jones-Final-JudgmentDownload

Kaziimba urges MPs to put Uganda above politics, personal interests

By
Press Release
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The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, has urged Members of the 12th Parliament to uphold integrity, accountability and unity in their service to the country.

He reminded the legislators that their election to Parliament carries greater purpose beyond personal advancement, and urged them to continually reflect on why their constituents chose them as representatives.

“Why are we still on this planet Earth? We are here to ensure that we may promote God’s Kingdom. Political offices should not be an avenue for personal enrichment, but for the benefit of citizens. We are here to build our country,” he said.

The Archbishop made the call while preaching at the inaugural welcome Service for MPs held at Parliament on Thursday, 13 August 2026, under the theme, “Called to Serve”.

Kaziimba encouraged legislators to use their positions to speak for vulnerable members of society, particularly the poor, widows and those without hope, noting that public office requires integrity, accountability and responsible stewardship.

“We are the voice for the voiceless, which is a great calling. We are here to make laws that can help the displaced, misplaced, and all those people who have no hope at all. As MPs, your conduct in and outside Parliament should reflect the honor attached to your offices,” the Archbishop said.

He also challenged MPs to remain connected to their constituencies despite the demanding nature of parliamentary work, picking on one of four key roles of legislators which is representation.

“Do not forget your people back home. You must strike a balance between your parliamentary responsibilities and your obligations to the people who elected you. You should not forget your families either, you have responsibilities at home and all the pressures over here are just temporary,” Kaziimba warned.

On governance, the Archbishop encouraged lawmakers to always seek divine guidance in their deliberations and ensure that laws and decisions contribute to justice and the wellbeing of Ugandans.

“Please discuss matters which will save Uganda, which will bring justice, which will ensure God is in charge of everything. Let us look for things that will build our country and make us forget our differences,” he said.

During his preaching, the Archbishop quoted Proverbs 3:5, 31:8 – 9 and Micah 6:8, which focus putting God first in all tasks, living a life of integrity and honor, as well as promoting justice, love and mercy for all people.

The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, appreciated the Archbishop for leading the prayers at Parliament, noting that Parliament is a prayerful institution that has established prayer spaces for Muslims, Catholics and Anglicans.

“We are a community of believers and we believe that we can only succeed if we dedicate this institution into the hands of the Lord. That is the only way we will progress. And it is not just about just prayer, but also about putting what we pray for into action,” Tayebwa said.

He asked the Archbishop to keep Parliament in his prayers, and urged MPs to pray for unity to work as a team despite their differing party affiliations.

Bishop of St David’s to be Dean of the Royal Chaplaincy for Wales

By
Press Release
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Dorrien Davies

The Right Reverend Dorrien Davies, Lord Bishop of St Davids, will be installed as the Dean of the Royal Chaplaincy for Wales during a service to mark Accession Day at his Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew & Saint David, on Tuesday 8th September at 3.00pm.

Bishop Dorrien has been appointed by The King as Dean of the new Chaplaincy, which comprises six King’s Honorary Chaplains, one for each of the six dioceses of the Church in Wales.

Six senior clerics have been appointed to the roles in recognition of their distinguished service and they received their insignia of office directly from The King at a historic Royal Maundy service at St Asaph cathedral in April.

Honorary King’s Chaplains have traditionally been appointed for the Church of England and the Church of Scotland, but can also include other denominations. This is the first time clerics of the Church in Wales have been appointed.

St Davids cathedral has historic links with the Royal Family through the Tudor dynasty. It is unique among cathedrals in the United Kingdom in that since the Reformation the Sovereign has held the stall of the First Canon Cursal, which is among the stalls, or seats, of the Cathedral Chapter members in the Quire.

The Chaplains wear a distinctive scarlet cassock and a badge with the Royal cypher. Each will be invited to preach at a Royal Chapel during their period of appointment. They may also be invited by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for each county to participate in national, civic and local events and Royal visits in each of the Lieutenancies of Wales.

The appointment of the Dean recognises the special relationship of His Majesty The King with Wales. His Majesty was the longest-serving Prince of Wales and has ensured that the language and culture of Wales is given prominence in Royal occasions, including by using the Welsh language in the Coronation, commissioning the processional Cross of Wales, and continuing with the tradition of Royal Harpist.

The service at St Davids Cathedral will not be attended by any Members of the Royal Family, however, members of the public wishing to attend the service will be admitted once invited guests have been seated.

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