by David Virtue, VOL
The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) now faces a sobering reality: ten of its bishops—past and present—have been inhibited, deposed, placed on leave, or departed the College of Bishops under contentious or controversial circumstances. In a relatively small communion with just 49 active bishops (out of 86 living bishops total), that number represents over 20% of its current episcopal leadership—a deeply troubling proportion for any ecclesial body, let alone one still in its formative decades.
A Growing List of Departures
Currently Under Discipline or Suspension:
Archbishop Steve Wood (III, ACNA Primate) — Inhibited in 2025
Bishop Stewart Ruch (I, Upper Midwest) — On leave since 2021; awaiting final verdict in his canonical Trial of a Bishop
Deposed for Canonical Offenses:
Bishop Ronald Jackson (II, Great Lakes) — Deposed in 2020
Bishop Todd Atkinson (I, Via Apostolica) — Deposed in 2024
Voluntary Withdrawals or Transfers:
Bishop Chuck Murphy (AMiA) — Withdrew from ACNA in 2010 (d. 2018)
Bishop Amos Fagbamiye (CANA suffragan) — Resigned ACNA College of Bishops membership in 2019 to serve exclusively under the Church of Nigeria
Bishop Derek Jones (I, Armed Forces) — Withdrew from ACNA in 2025
Departures to Other Jurisdictions:
Bishop David Blane (IX, Southern Virginia, retired) — Returned to The Episcopal Church (TEC) in 2015
Bishop Sam Seamans (REC Mid-America suffragan) — Entered the Antiochian Orthodox Church in 2015
Bishop George Fincke (REC Mid-America assistant) — Joined the Anglican Province of America in 2015 (d. 2016)
A Systemic Failure in Selection
These departures are not isolated incidents. Nor do they reflect a single type of failing—moral, canonical, theological, or administrative. Rather, they point to a deeper, systemic issue: how ACNA identifies, vets, and elevates its episcopal leaders.