'Irreparably tainted': Prosecutor shocks following resignation from high-profile church abuse trial

The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) continues to be rocked by a controversy involving Bishop Stewart Ruch, facing a church trial involving an attorney who represented the church.

Religion News Service' (RNS) Kathryn Post reports, "In a resignation letter dated July 19 (Saturday), the lawyer, C. Alan Runyan, wrote that 'the trial process had been irreparably tainted."

Runyan, in a letter to Archbishop Steve Wood, wrote, "I am sorry for the burden it places on you and on all those who seek a just resolution of these charges. Nevertheless, this is not simply something that can be casually overlooked for expediency's sake."

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According to Post, Wood "notified ACNA members of the 'significant and regrettable development' in an e-mail Sunday evening" and "also announced that he would begin the process of appointing a new prosecutor."

"Ruch, whose actions are the focus of the proceedings, is bishop of the ACNA's Upper Midwest Diocese, which comprises 18 churches from several states, including Illinois and Wisconsin," Post explains. "Ruch has been accused of mishandling multiple abuse allegations in the diocese, failing to prioritize victims in the wake of abuse allegations and knowingly welcoming individuals with histories of predatory behavior into diocesan churches without alerting church members. Abuse survivors first went public with their concerns of Ruch’s handling of abuse allegations in 2021, and since then more than 10 clergy and other lay leaders in the Upper Midwest Diocese have been accused of misconduct."

Post adds, "The Court for Trial of a Bishop, which includes bishops, priests and lay members, must determine whether Ruch is guilty of four charges: that he habitually neglected the duties of the bishop’s office; that he engaged in conduct 'giving just cause for scandal or offense,' including abuse of church power; that he violated his ordination vows; and that he disobeyed or willingly violated church bylaws. But after five days of proceedings, that process has been jeopardized, Runyan claims."

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Read the full Religion News Service (RNS) article at this link.