Helpful Articles1

Bishop Stewart Ruch’s Actions in Light of the ACNA’s Ordinal

This article examines the actions of Bishop Stewart Ruch concerning Joshua Moon through the lens of the ACNA’s Ordinal — particularly focusing on the standards for clergy and the bishop’s responsibilities of care and discipline.

Ruch Verdict Gives Bishops Free Pass, Blames ACNA Org

The article critically examines the Anglican Church in North America’s (ACNA) 71-page acquittal of Bishop Stewart Ruch III, highlighting the court’s decision to blame “the institution” rather than Ruch, the verdict’s praise for Ruch, and the dismissal of secondhand evidence without proper evaluation.

Are Abuse Survivors Best Served When Institutions Investigate Themselves?

This article helps people understand the critical differences between a truly independent investigation into abuse allegations and an internal one controlled by the institution. It provides a clear framework for assessing whether an institution is genuinely committed to transparency and accountability or merely managing its reputation.

The Golden Thread — or the Golden Calf?

This article examines the contemporary Church’s response to internal crises and allegations. It analyzes the language used in official communications and explores how canonical law and procedural rules are applied in these situations.

It describes the Church’s use of legal principles such as “due process,” “natural justice,” and the “presumption of innocence,” comparing their historical origins in both civil and canon law to their modern-day function within the institution. It also scrutinizes the leadership’s reaction to public and media scrutiny, particularly the phenomenon described as “trial by media.”

Furthermore, the article looks at the dynamic between the accusers and the accused within the Church’s internal processes, and the role that secrecy, “pastoral confidentiality,” and private counsel play in how these matters are handled. It contrasts the Church’s methods of investigation and deliberation with precedents for transparency and impartiality established in secular jurisprudence.

When the Blindfold Becomes a Vestment

This article critiques the contemporary Christian church’s institutional response to internal crises, particularly allegations of misconduct; contrasting the modern church’s procedural mindset with a “sacramental” or “Eucharistic” imagination drawn from early Christian sources. It explores how figures like Chrysostom and Augustine understood the church as a political body constituted by vulnerability and the centering of the wounded rather than by the securing of power. This vision is juxtaposed with the current reality, which the author argues has borrowed its habits of fear, secrecy, and managed power from secular states.

  1. We think these articles are worth wrestling with as part of the conversations around truth, accountability, and renewal. Being in this list is not an endorsement of the articles and/or their authors. ↩