An official investigation conducted by the church has determined there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the head of the Anglican Church in North America, Archbishop Steve Wood, may have violated his ordination vows, engaged in sexual misconduct, and caused significant reputational harm. Following their findings, a denominational board comprising 10 clergy and lay members recommended last Friday that Archbishop Wood face trial in a church court.
Archbishop Wood, aged 62, has been accused of sexual harassment by two women. One, a former children’s ministry director at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, reported to The Washington Post that Wood allegedly attempted to kiss her without consent in April 2024. Another individual, referred to in official church documents as “Jane Doe 1,” claims that Wood pressured her to be alone with him and to consume alcohol, despite her expressed discomfort with the situation.
Additional allegations have emerged from colleagues who previously worked with Archbishop Wood. These include claims that he boasted about his ability to pursue a woman at will, plagiarized a sermon, made excessive personal expenditures, and used inappropriate language toward church staff. Hamilton Smith, a minister from South Carolina who served under Wood, expressed concerns about Wood’s suitability, stating that he lacked the “moral authority required to hold the office of Bishop.”
Archbishop Wood has firmly denied all allegations, describing them as “unequivocally, categorically, and emphatically” false. In a letter to his home church, he conveyed his confidence that the denomination’s judicial process will ultimately exonerate him.
