The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), a denomination that once prided itself on its strict adherence to traditional Christian values, now finds itself embroiled in a deepening crisis. On October 23, 2025, The Washington Post published a detailed exposé outlining a series of allegations against the church’s top leader, Archbishop Stephen Wood. The charges—sexual harassment, bullying, plagiarism, and misuse of church resources—have rocked the small but influential denomination, raising urgent questions about leadership, accountability, and the future of a church already struggling with internal rifts and declining membership.
At the heart of the scandal is Claire Buxton, a former children’s ministry director at St. Andrew’s Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, where Wood also serves as rector. According to The Washington Post and The Roys Report, Buxton accused Wood, 62, of attempting to kiss her in his office in April 2024, just two months before his election as archbishop. "I was in shock," Buxton told The Washington Post. "It’s just bizarre to me how far we—the Anglican Church in North America and its leadership—have gotten away from basic morals and principles."
Buxton’s account, corroborated by at least ten signatories on a formal church presentment (a document outlining canonical offenses), described a pattern of behavior that escalated from affectionate nicknames and unsolicited financial gifts to an unwanted advance. She said Wood gave her at least $3,500 over 13 months, including a $1,500 check marked from the "Rector’s Mercy Fund," a $500 bank transfer, and another $1,500 in cash. These payments, Buxton explained, were accompanied by excessive praise and physical gestures that left her uneasy. She recounted how, during the alleged incident, Wood "put his hand on the back of my head and tried to turn it up towards him while he slowly brought his face towards my face to kiss me." Buxton said she resisted and quickly left the office, resigning from her position two months later.
Wood, a married father of four, has forcefully denied all allegations. In a written statement to Religion News Service and The Roys Report on October 23, he said, "I do not believe these allegations have any merit. I place my faith and trust in the process outlined in our canons to bring clarity and truth in these matters and respectfully decline to comment further at this time." Church spokeswoman Kate Harris noted that the misconduct claims predate Wood’s tenure as archbishop, and a Board of Inquiry will determine if the case proceeds to an ecclesiastical trial. If found guilty, Wood could become the first archbishop in ACNA’s 15-year history to be defrocked.
The allegations against Wood are not isolated. The presentment also accuses him of plagiarizing sermons, bullying staff, and misusing diocesan funds—including the purchase of a $60,000 truck, reportedly used for hunting trips. A 2019 letter from Rev. Hamilton Smith questioned whether Wood had "the moral authority required to hold the office of Bishop." These concerns, it seems, were never fully addressed, even as Wood’s name circulated as a potential archbishop.
While the ACNA claims around 130,000 members across more than 1,000 congregations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, it remains a relatively small denomination compared to the worldwide Anglican Communion, which counts over 80 million adherents. ACNA was born out of a schism with the Episcopal Church U.S.A., largely over issues such as the ordination of gay clergy and the authority of scripture. The denomination has positioned itself as a bastion of orthodoxy, but as recent events reveal, it is far from immune to the same scandals that have plagued larger, older churches.
The Wood allegations come at a particularly fraught moment for ACNA. Membership is declining, and its relationships with African archbishops—a key source of support—have become strained as the church grapples with how to adapt to 21st-century America. The recent election of Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury has deepened the divide between ACNA and the broader Anglican Communion. According to a local source familiar with the schism, "ACNA is really at a turning point. Its membership is declining, and its relationship with the African archbishops is very strained as ACNA tries to adapt to 21st-century America. They have to do something. They have to redefine themselves."
Compounding matters, ACNA is also awaiting the outcome of an ecclesiastical trial involving another senior leader, Bishop Stewart Ruch III, who has been accused of enabling men with histories of violence or sexual misconduct to serve in church roles. Testimony concluded in October, with a verdict expected later this year. These scandals, according to Andrew Gross, the denomination’s former communications director, represent a crisis "deeper, wider and more entrenched than many of its own parishioners realize. This is a crisis without precedent, and how these concerns are handled will determine the future trajectory of the denomination and its credibility."
The church’s handling of abuse allegations has also come under fire. The Rev. Rob Sturdy, an Anglican chaplain at The Citadel, criticized the church’s response to victims, saying, "A church that can’t do right by victims of sexual abuse should not exist." Others, like the Rev. Austin Becton of Nashville, who resigned after being suspended for calling on the church to repent for excluding LGBTQ+ believers, have described a "system designed to protect itself at all costs." Becton wrote, "Instead of compassion and action, these victims received delay. Defensiveness. Silencing. Retaliation."
For many within and outside the denomination, the Wood allegations are symptomatic of a broader pattern of institutional failure. The presentment against Wood, signed by multiple clergy and laypeople, alleges not only personal misconduct but also a culture of intimidation. After the accusations became public, church officials reportedly required all signatories to re-certify their statements "under penalties of perjury," a move some saw as an attempt to discourage whistleblowers.
Despite the turmoil, Wood told clergy in June 2024 that he was committed to strengthening "safeguarding" policies. "I take it seriously," he said. "It’s why you’re going to hear a lot about safeguarding from me this year." Yet, for critics, these assurances ring hollow against the backdrop of repeated failures to address abuse and hold leaders accountable.
The ACNA’s future now hangs in the balance. As one local observer put it, "They like to issue these proclamations and declarations to make it sound like they are leading some big second reformation, but in reality it’s a pretty small universe they are working in." Whether the church can rise to meet this moment—by embracing transparency, accountability, and genuine reform—remains to be seen. For now, the faithful and the watching world await answers, and perhaps, a reckoning long overdue.
