News and Updates on The Special Jurisdiction for the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy
Updates
- On November 6, 2025, the court ruled on the plaintiff’s motion for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO). In the ruling:
- The court noted that since the ACNA had previously indicated it would voluntarily refrain from using three marks the JAFC had registered, the court granted the plaintiff’s motion to order the ACNA not to use those three marks).
- The court stated, “As to the remainder of Plaintiff’s motion, however, and after careful consideration, the Court finds that Plaintiff has failed to make a clear showing of a likelihood of success on the merits.” Accordingly, the court “denies Plaintiff’s motion in all other respects.”
- The court’s denial covered seven specific requests for injunctive relief.
- The Court order allows for the ACNA to re-establish the Special Jurisdiction, including electing a new Bishop of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy, replacing the JAFC as the endorser of ACNA chaplains, and recruiting chaplains previously endorsed by the JAFC to remain with the JAFC. All of these actions have now been accomplished.
- The merits of the case remain to be considered. Any speculation about potential damages (i.e., financial or other penalties) would be both inappropriate and premature at this early stage in the proceedings, particularly as the ACNA has not yet filed its answer and no evidentiary hearings have taken place.
- Notably, the November 6 order stated, “there is some concern that certain of Plaintiff’s requests wade into ecclesiastical matters that are not appropriate for this Court to resolve.”
- The November 6 court order is publicly available online via PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records), the U.S. federal courts’ online system for accessing case records and documents. Registered users can access it by looking up Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy v. Anglican Church in North America, Civil Action No. 2:25‑cv‑12848‑BHH, in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, Charleston Division.
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- On October 17, 2025, the court held a hearing on the motion noted below. At the hearing, counsel for the ACNA stated that the ACNA would voluntarily refrain from using the federally registered marks (items 1, 2 and 3 below).
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- On Oct 7, 2025, a day after it filed its initial complaint, the plaintiff filed a motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) asking the court to order the ACNA to refrain from the following:
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- Use the registered service mark “Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy,”
- Use the registered trademark “Anglican Chaplains,”
- Use the trademarked JAFC logo,
- Use the name “Special Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy,”
- Use the title “Bishop of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy,”
- Represent that Bp. Jones is no longer Bishop of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy,
- Represent that the ACNA has replaced Bp. Jones as Bishop of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy,
- Represent that JAFC lacks the capacity to endorse ACNA chaplains,
- Slander JAFC or Bp. Jones, or
- Recruit or threaten to recruit chaplains, missions, chapels or parishes that are in or under the jurisdiction of the JAFC.
- On October 6, 2025, the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JAFC), an Alabama non-profit organization that has separated from the Anglican Church in North America, filed a complaint against the ACNA in federal district court seeking a preliminary injunction and monetary damages.
Summary of Events
This summer, the Office of the Archbishop* of the Anglican Church in North America received a report from its Safeguarding Office of credible complaints against Bishop Derek Jones who, until recently, was serving as the Bishop Ordinary for the ACNA’s Special Jurisdiction for the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (SJAFC). The complaints alleged abuse of ecclesiastical power. They do not involve any accusations of physical or sexual abuse or doctrinal concerns. The Safeguarding Office determined that the complaints were considered credible enough to require further investigation to determine if any rose to the level of a presentable offense.
To safeguard that process, and in compliance with the disciplinary procedures outlined in Title IV of the ACNA canons, on September 12, 2025, Archbishop Steve Wood and Dean of the Province and Presiding Bishop of the REC, Bishop Ray Sutton, issued a Godly Admonition to Bishop Jones that included a directive for him and his subordinates within SJAFC to cooperate with an investigation. After refusing to comply with this directive, on September 21, 2025, Archbishop Wood temporarily inhibited Bishop Jones from ministry for 60 days. The next day, on September 22, 2025, the Executive Committee of the Special Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy announced its withdrawal from the Province.
*NOTE OF CLARIFICATION: The Provincial Intake Officer began receiving and confirming complaints against Bishop Jones dating back to last year. In the Spring of this year, the Province hired a Director of Safeguarding and Canonical Affairs who reviewed the history of complaints and, in July, informed the Archbishop that these were credible complaints requiring disciplinary action.
Timeline of Events
In July, 2025, the Safeguarding Office, based on multiple allegations of ecclesiastical abuse of power (deemed to be credible) against Bishop Jones, recommended to the Archbishop that a Godly Admonition be given to Bishop Derek Jones, accompanied by an Inhibition if necessary, and that an investigation into the credible complaints be initiated.
- These complaints were reviewed by the prior and current provincial safeguarding reports receiver, the Archbishop
- Three senior diocesan bishops (senior by date of admission to the College of Bishops)also reviewed the complaints, which is necessary for the Archbishop to issue a Godly Admonition.
- None of the complaints pertain to physical or sexual abuse.
- None of the complaints refer to doctrinal concerns.
- Bishop Jones has not been formally presented for anything at this time.
- The complaints were deemed credible enough to merit further investigation.
Based on these complaints, on September 12 the Archbishop, along with Dean of the Province and Presiding Bishop of the REC, Bishop Ray Sutton, met virtually with Bishop Jones and issued him a Godly Admonition. The Godly Admonition directed Bishop Jones to take, or refrain from taking, certain actions to ensure the integrity of an investigation into the validity of the complaints to determine if they rose to the level of a presentable offense.
On September 18, SJAFC Chancellor Job Serebrov sent an email to all SJAFC chaplains instructing them not to comply with the Archbishop or provincial staff or any investigator and to withhold all records and documents related to any investigation.
On September 21 at 5pm EST Bishop Jones refused to join a Microsoft Teams call with the Archbishop and the Dean of the Province as instructed by Archbishop Wood. In the absence of Bishop Jones’s attendance at that meeting, Archbishop Wood sent an email notification to Bishop Jones and his Chancellors to temporarily inhibit Bishop Jones from ministry for 60 days. This Inhibition was signed by four of the five senior diocesan bishops (determined by date of admission to the College of Bishops) necessary for the Archbishop to issue an Inhibition.
On September 22 the Chair of the SJAFC Executive Committee sent a message to Archbishop Wood and Chancellor Bill Nelson indicating the Jurisdiction was withdrawing from the ACNA pursuant to Article II.3 of the ACNA Constitution. Also on September 22, the College of Bishops convened virtually at 5PM EST to address some of the immediate canonical concerns raised by this letter of withdrawal and under the authority of the canons nominated Bishop Jay Cayangyang to serve as the new bishop of the SJAFC.
On September 25, the ACNA College of Bishops voted to elect Bishop Jay Cayangyang as the new bishop of the SJAFC.
FAQs
Q: Bishop Jones has shared with several media outlets a Settlement Letter his lawyers sent to Archbishop Wood and other provincial leaders. How is the Province responding to this?
A: The settlement letter does not require a formal legal response. The Province is focusing its efforts on ensuring the utmost protection and security for its chaplains and on the effective transition of leadership of the chaplaincy to the Rt. Rev’d Jay Cayangyang.
Q: Are my orders still intact? What bishop should I be reporting to?
A: Yes. The Special Jurisdiction is a canonical ministry of the ACNA and will continue notwithstanding the withdrawal of Bishop Jones or entities under his control. While Bishop Jones and his JAFC are free to withdraw from the ACNA, the existence of the Special Jurisdiction within the ACNA is required by our canons and cannot be altered without canonical amendment.
Q: Is my endorsement with my branch of the military or government still intact? Will I still get paid?
A: Yes. SJAFC chaplains’ endorsements are not immediately affected by the actions of Bishop Jones, but will need to be confirmed by a successor endorser within 30 days. This process is already underway with the U.S. Department of War Office of Chaplaincy Services. Chaplains’ pay should not be affected.
Q: Can we be punished by our Bishop for attending meetings hosted by the Archbishop?
A: The Province cannot know or predict how Bishop Jones may engage with his current or previous chaplains; however, Archbishop Steve Wood has appointed Archbishop Emeritus Bob Duncan and Bishop Jay Cayangyang to provide temporary episcopal and pastoral oversight of the Special Jurisdiction during this leadership transition, so all chaplains who remain with the ACNA will be protected under their oversight.
Q: I want to do the right thing, but I am worried I am in danger of violating one set of canons or the other, no matter what I do. Whose instructions do I follow?
A: According to the ACNA canons, all diocesan and jurisdictional canons must be consistent with the Provincial canons. Any contradiction or deviation between the two will default to the Provincial canons.
Q: What steps do I need to take to ensure I stay in good standing as a chaplain with the military?
A: The Executive Director of the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Board (AFCB) has indicated that all ACNA chaplains in the U.S. Armed Forces will receive instructions about next steps directly from the personnel officer for their branch or division, and that endorsements for all ACNA chaplains are secure. Those who wish to indicate their desire to stay within the ACNA or to separate from it and reaffiliate elsewhere will have the opportunity to indicate such through the process outlined by their personnel board.
Q: I have information to share regarding the conduct of Bishop Jones. Who should I contact within the Provincial Office?
A: If you have information or concerns that you would like to share regarding Derek Jones and the Special Jurisdiction, you are invited to submit them to the Director of Safeguarding and the Vice Chancellor at misconduct@acna.org. All submissions will be handled confidentially.
Q: Why does the ACNA continue to have so many challenges with discipline?
A: Unfortunately, discipline is a difficult, but normative part of any healthy church. While it is always unsettling to be reminded that our leaders are fallible, whenever complaints are brought against a leader of the church, it is the duty of the church to investigate and address them appropriately. Our disciplinary process, outlined in Title IV of the ACNA canons, provides guidance for the ACNA’s disciplinary process, and we are continually working to strengthen and refine these canons to better serve the church. Additionally, we have initiated a new Bishop’s orientation and training program to better equip and support our episcopal leaders for ministry, and are currently revising our episcopal election process to ensure all candidates for bishops, and those nominating them, understand the duties and demands of the role.
Q: What was the nature of the complaints against Bishop Jones? Are they public?
A: The complaints filed against Bishop Derek Jones alleged abuse of ecclesiastical power. None of the complaints were about physical or sexual abuse or doctrinal concerns. No formal charges or accusations have been brought against Bishop Jones. No complaints filed against Bishop Jones will be made publicly available by the province.
Q: Did Archbishop Wood adequately follow the canons in his discipline of Bishop Jones?
A: Yes. Archbishop Wood and Dean of the Province and Presiding Bishop of the REC, Bishop Ray Sutton, acted in a manner consistent with both the disciplinary process outlined in Title IV of the ACNA’s Canons and with established customs of the province.
Q: What is a Godly Admonition?
A: Title IV, Canon 2 describes a Godly Admonition as “a written directive from (a) a Bishop with jurisdiction to a member of the Clergy under his jurisdiction, (b) the Archbishop to a Bishop, or (c) the Dean of the Province to the Archbishop.” A Godly Admonition is issued to direct behavior in response to theological or canonical complaints. A Godly Admonition may be given with or without additional disciplinary action.
Q: What is an Inhibition?
A: An Inhibition is a temporary suspension of a Bishop (including the Archbishop), a Presbyter, or a Deacon from the exercise of ministry, in whole or in part, when one who has authority under the canons believes, upon reasonable grounds, that the accused has engaged in conduct upon which the accused may be presented. An inhibition is public and is only made when there are reasonable grounds for believing that the bishop or clergy has engaged in presentable misconduct and upon a determination that it is in the best interests of the Church. An inhibition is given pending an accusation, canonical investigation, presentment, trial, or voluntary submission to discipline under the ACNA canons. See Title IV, Canon 9 for additional information.