Archbishop Steve Wood, who heads the Anglican Church of North America, faces allegations of sexual harassment, bullying and plagiarism, according to an explosive report published by The Washington Post on Thursday (Oct. 23). This is the latest in a string of crises to rock the small, conservative denomination.
Claire Buxton, a former children's ministry director at St. Andrew's Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, where Wood serves as rector, told the Post that Wood attempted to kiss her in his office in April 2024, just before he was elected to replace Archbishop Foley Beach as head of the denomination. Buxton claims to the paper that before the incident, Wood gave her more than $3,000 from church funds and that church employees had commented on Wood's "excessive praise and fondness" for her. Priests have also accused Wood of plagiarizing sermons and bullying staff members before becoming archbishop, according to the Post.
A formal complaint containing the allegations, known in the church as a presentment, was submitted on Monday to Wood and other bishops.
"I do not believe these allegations have any merit," said Wood, who also continues to serve as bishop of the Diocese of the Carolinas, in a statement to Religion News Service. "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."
The church charges detailed in the presentment include alleged violation of ordination vows, conduct giving cause for "scandal or offense," and sexual immorality. NPR has not independently verified this.
"I was in shock," Buxton told the 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."
According to The Post, a rector in Wood's diocese wrote a letter to Wood in 2019, questioning his moral authority to serve as bishop. (This letter has not been independently verified by NPR.) In it, he accused Wood of preaching sermons he didn't write, publicly cursing at colleagues, and using a $60,000 truck provided by the diocese for church visits — then left Wood's diocese soon after.
Buxton told The Post that Wood allegedly began acting inappropriately with her in fall 2021, repeatedly showering her with money, calling her "Claire Bear" and offering to send her to a luxury resort. Buxton said she was fearful that Wood would attempt to start a physical relationship with her.
Buxton's affidavit, which is contained in the presentment, stated that when she confronted him in April 2024, Wood told her, "You know how special you are to me. You're my favorite person in the world." When she got up to leave, the Post reported she claimed he put his "hand against the back of her head and trying to kiss her."
By September 2025, less than a year into Wood's tenure as archbishop, The Post reports that a group of Wood's former colleagues — many now priests — had drafted a presentment and received signatures from at least 10 clergy and laypeople from the denomination, as required by church bylaws.
The Post reported that after the presentment was submitted, denominational officials asked those who signed the presentment to re-sign it, and attest to the truth of the allegations "under penalties of perjury." One of the presentment's authors told the Post the group backing the presentment declined to comply, saying it was not required by church canons.
The Anglican Church of North America was founded in 2009 after some 700 churches split from the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church in Canada over various disagreements, including the acceptance of women priests, LGBTQ+ affirmation and the rewritten Book of Common Prayer.
Over the last few years, there have been other accusations against clergy within the denomination as well.
In July 2021, a mother went public with allegations that Mark Rivera, a onetime lay leader at Christ Our Light Anglican Church in Big Rock, Illinois, had sexually abused her 9-year-old daughter. At least nine other people have also shared grooming or sexual misconduct allegations against Rivera, who has since been convicted of felony sexual assault and felony child sexual assault.
More than 10 clergy and other lay leaders in the Upper Midwest diocese have been accused of misconduct, and its bishop, Stewart Ruch stood trial in a proceeding that concluded Oct 15. The church court's order is expected on or before Dec. 16.
Meanwhile, the denomination has been shaken by dustups involving other bishops. One ACNA bishop was defrocked in 2020 due to his pornography use; in 2024, another bishop, Todd Atkinson, was ousted for inappropriate relationships with women.
In September, Bishop Derek Jones, who oversaw a jurisdiction that endorsed ACNA's chaplains, announced his departure from the denomination after the archbishop moved to investigate several misconduct allegations against him. The jurisdiction claimed the proposed investigation violated church bylaws, and has moved to exit the denomination, attempting to take its chaplains with it. The jurisdiction also sued the denomination for trademark infringement and unfair business practices.
Since he was elected last summer, Wood has identified transparency as one of his priorities and has issued regular, direct communications with ACNA members. In March 2025 he hired a director of safeguarding and canonical affairs as a point person for the denomination's efforts to protect vulnerable people from abuse and harm.
In July, that director played a key role at a Town Hall, where ACNA leaders detailed a proposed overhaul of the denomination's clergy misconduct and abuse protocols. The rewrite aims to clarify the process, making it easier to submit complaints against bishops while also introducing "off-ramps" so that not every complaint becomes an investigation. Following several cycles of public feedback, the proposed changes are expected to be voted on next year. If adopted the revisions would go into effect in January 2027.
At the Town Hall, Wood reiterated the importance of misconduct protocols. "Discipline in the church is one of the most important things that we can give our attention to, our minds to," he said.
This story was produced through a collaboration between NPR and Religion News Service.
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