Supreme Leader of Anglican Church in North America He faces church prosecution after an investigative panel said Friday it found probable cause to bring formal charges including abuse of power and sexual immorality.
Archbishop Stephen Wood He had already been suspended from ministry in November by his fellow bishops after accusations against him surfaced publicly. Wood, a married father of four, denied any misconduct.
The Anglican Church in North America was formed in 2009 by conservatives who broke away from the US Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church in Canada due to liberal tendencies in those churches, including the ordination of openly gay bishops. The church says it has about 130,000 members in about 1,000 congregations in the United States and Canada.
The Board of Inquiry issued its ruling after a group of church members filed a plea – a formal set of charges – against him in October. Under church rules, such accusations are subject to review by a board of inquiry before being sent to a formal trial. If a bishop is found guilty of a church charge, remedies can range from censure to suspension to removal from ministry.
Wood faces three charges, according to the board: violation of ordination vows, sexual immorality, and conduct giving just cause for scandal or crime, including abuse of ecclesiastical authority. The council’s statement did not mention any details about the accusations.
Investigation report by The Washington Post Wood was accused of sexual misconduct before he became archbishop last year, during his role as priest and provincial bishop, the complaint said.
The show also included allegations that he intimidated staff and plagiarized speeches, according to The Washington Post, which later reported that a second woman had formally accused Wood of sexual harassment.
The current dean of the church, Bishop Julian Dobbs, will assume Wood’s duties as archbishop during his suspension.
Wood is the bishop of the Diocese of the Carolinas. During his suspension, that diocese will be headed by Acting Bishop David Bryan. Wood also retired from his position as rector of his parish, St. Andrews in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, after the allegations became public.
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