Anglican Bishop Faces Multiple Canonical Charges Amid Chaplaincy Dispute
Bishop Derek Jones, leader of a breakaway chaplaincy within the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), is being charged with serious violations of church law according to a recent statement by an internal church court. The charges include disobedience and causing schismatic divisions, as well as allegations of abusing ecclesiastical power.
The ACNA Board of Inquiry declared on Tuesday that Bishop Jones, who oversees the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JAFC), is facing four specific charges: “Refusal to follow a Godly Admonition,” “Disobedience to, or willful contravention of the Canons of the Church,” “conduct giving cause for scandal or offense, including the abuse of ecclesiastical power,” and “promoted and caused schism within this Church.” The court may proceed with trial proceedings even if Bishop Jones opts out of participation, as noted by Anglican Ink.
JAFC, which originated from the Anglican Church of Nigeria, was founded in 2014 to serve as an endorsing agency for Anglican chaplains. Recent tensions escalated when ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood issued a letter addressing complaints about Bishop Jones’s misuse of ecclesiastical authority. The allegations, however, did not involve any physical, sexual, or doctrinal misconduct.
In a counterclaim, JAFC has challenged the validity of the accusations, suggesting that Bishop Jones was targeted due to his criticisms of Archbishop Wood’s office. JAFC subsequently cut ties with ACNA, a decision formalized by Chairman David van Esselstyn in a letter sent to the archbishop, wherein he demanded that the denomination cease using JAFC’s trademark.
ACNA has disputed JAFC’s disaffiliation, opting to appoint new leaders for the chaplaincy group instead. This led to a legal battle, with JAFC filing a complaint alleging an attempted takeover by ACNA.
A recent judicial ruling by U.S. District Judge Bruce Hendricks partially favored JAFC by granting a temporary restraining order against ACNA, particularly concerning the use of JAFC’s registered trademarks. Hendricks noted that the court should not delve into canonical disputes but affirmed the legitimacy of JAFC’s trademark claims.
“After hearing arguments from the parties, counsel for Defendant effectively conceded that Defendant would refrain from using Plaintiff’s service mark ‘Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy,’ Plaintiff’s trademark, ‘Anglican Chaplains,’ and Plaintiff’s trademarked logo,” Hendricks stated. However, the court ruled against JAFC on issues such as alleged slander.
Judge Hendricks noted, “very little about this case is clear,” highlighting the complexity and factual disputes present in the proceedings, and refrained from addressing these disputes based on the existing record.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
