Steve Wood (bishop)
| Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America Bishop of the Carolinas | |
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Steve Wood
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| Church | Anglican Church in North America |
| Archdiocese | |
| Province | |
| Diocese | Carolinas |
| See | |
| Appointed / Elected | |
| Term | 2024–present (inhibited from ministry since 2025) |
| Predecessor | Foley Beach |
| Successor | |
| Other post(s) | Bishop of the Carolinas (2012–present) Rector, St. Andrew's Church (2000–2025) |
| Ordination | June 15, 1991 (diaconate) February 1, 1992 (priesthood) by James R. Moodey |
| Consecration | August 25, 2012 by Robert Duncan |
| Rank | |
| Born | Template:Birth date and age Cleveland, Ohio |
| Died | |
| Nationality | |
| Denomination | |
| Residence | |
| Parents | |
| Spouse / Partner | |
| Children | |
| Alma mater | |
| Motto | |
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Stephen Dwain Wood (born October 12, 1963[1]) is an American Anglican bishop. Since June 2024, he has been the third archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).[2] He is also the first bishop of the Diocese of the Carolinas, a diocese of the ACNA. Since November 2025, he has been inhibited from the exercise of ordained ministry while ACNA disciplinary proceedings are pending; the diocese stated that the inhibition did not determine guilt or innocence.[3] He served as rector of St. Andrew's Anglican Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, from 2000 to 2025.[4][5]
Early life and career
Wood was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in Wickliffe, Ohio.[4] He received his B.A. from Cleveland State University in 1986 and his M.Div. from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1991, after which he was ordained to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church. Wood served at Episcopal churches in Ohio until being called in 2000 as rector of St. Andrew's, Mount Pleasant, which was then a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina.[4]
Under Wood's leadership, St. Andrews was described as "one of the Lowcountry's biggest church success stories", growing to a membership of more than 3,000 and planting new churches in Goose Creek, downtown Charleston, and the Park Circle area of North Charleston. In 2006, Wood was one of three finalists in the election for Bishop of South Carolina; ultimately Mark Lawrence was elected.[6] In 2010, St. Andrew's voted by a large margin to leave the Episcopal Church and affiliate with the Diocese of the Holy Spirit under the leadership of Bishop John Guernsey in the Anglican Church in North America.[7][8]
Bishop of the Carolinas
Shortly after joining ACNA, Wood became involved with efforts to create the Diocese of the Carolinas, which was formed with 14 congregations with an average Sunday attendance of over 2,700. According to its official policy, the Diocese of the Carolinas "has supported the ordination of women as deacons and priests in the church, with the provision that women may not serve in the office of rector" since its inception in 2010.[9][10]
Wood served as vicar general of the diocese while in formation and, in 2012, he was elected to serve as its first bishop.[10] Wood was consecrated on August 25, 2012, at St. Andrew's by Archbishop Robert Duncan. Co-consecrators included Archbishop-elect Stanley Ntagali of Uganda and Bishops Roger Ames, John Guernsey, and Alphonza Gadsden.[11]
In April 2018, significant portions of the ministry center and office spaces at Wood's parish, St. Andrew's, were consumed by a structure fire. Local authorities were able prevent the fire from spreading to the historic chapel at St. Andrew's.[12]
Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America
On June 22, 2024, Wood was elected by the ACNA college of bishops to succeed Foley Beach as the province's third archbishop. He formally took office on June 28, at the conclusion of the ACNA's provincial assembly.[2]
Disciplinary proceedings
On October 20, 2025, a formal presentment was filed against Wood in the ACNA. The Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas summarized the allegations as including claims by Claire Buxton, a former children's ministry director at St. Andrew's, that Wood made inappropriate comments and gestures toward her between 2021 and 2024, culminating in an unwanted advance in April 2024. The diocese also said that the presentment alleged unsolicited payments from church funds, sermon plagiarism, bullying of staff, and misuse of church resources. According to the diocesan summary, the presentment was later amended after a second woman came forward with allegations of sexual harassment. Wood stated that he believed the allegations "lack merit" and expressed trust in the ACNA canonical process.[3]
National coverage by Kathryn Post for NPR and Religion News Service placed the presentment in broader institutional context, noting that the ACNA was founded in 2009 after approximately 700 congregations separated from the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada amid disputes over ordination, sexuality, and liturgical revision. The report also connected Wood's case to ongoing ACNA debates about safeguarding and clergy discipline, including proposed 2025 revisions intended to clarify how misconduct complaints against bishops are submitted and when complaints proceed to investigation; NPR stated that it had not independently verified the presentment's charges.[13]
On November 3, 2025, Wood announced a voluntary paid leave of absence from his roles as archbishop and Bishop of the Carolinas while the proceedings continued, and he also announced his previously planned retirement as rector of St. Andrew's. Bishop Ray Sutton, then dean of the province, initially assumed Wood's canonical responsibilities as archbishop, while Bishop Julian Dobbs was appointed to assist him.[14] On November 16, 2025, Dobbs, then serving as dean of the province, inhibited Wood from the exercise of ordained ministry in the ACNA with the written consent of the five senior diocesan bishops of the College of Bishops. ADOC stated that Bishop David Bryan, bishop suffragan of the Diocese of the Carolinas, assumed the duties of acting bishop of the diocese during this period.[3] St. Andrew's later said that Wood had retired as rector and that Randy Forrester had been called as rector on January 26, 2026.[5]
On December 12, 2025, the ACNA Board of Inquiry found probable cause to present Wood for trial. The charges identified by ADOC and ACNA included violation of ordination vows, conduct giving just cause for scandal or offense, and sexual immorality.[3][14] On April 21, 2026, the Court announced a July 20 trial date and disclosed that Wood had filed a motion to dismiss, with arguments on that motion scheduled for May 7. Religion News Service reported that, at that time, only two other ACNA bishops had been tried by a church court and that another bishop, Derek Jones, was also expected to face trial.[15] In June 2026, the Court for the Trial of a Bishop granted Wood's motion for an in-camera trial and denied his motion and supplementary motion to dismiss.[14] On June 19, 2026, the Court issued a Notice of Trial Reset moving the previously announced July 20 date to October 26, 2026.[16] ACNA later reported that the Court's July 8 scheduling and discovery order confirmed the trial would begin on September 7, 2026, in person in Charleston, South Carolina, and established deadlines for discovery, pre-trial motions, and witness and exhibit lists.[17]
At its June 17–19, 2026 Provincial Council in Tulsa, ACNA approved revised Title IV disciplinary canons after nearly three years of review, consultation, and development. According to ACNA, the revisions were intended to establish clearer procedures for reporting misconduct, conducting investigations, providing pastoral care, and adjudicating cases. The same Council approved Title I amendments addressing leadership continuity when an archbishop is unable to fulfill his duties and clarifying the transfer of authority to an interim ecclesiastical authority; the Title I and Title IV amendments were sent to the Provincial Assembly for ratification on June 25.[16]
Personal life
Wood married Jacqueline Elizabeth Benner on February 1, 1986. Together, they have four sons and eight grandchildren.[4]
References
- ↑ Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas, "The Most Rev. Stephen D. Wood." Retrieved July 9, 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chloë-Arizona Fodor, "Anglican Church in North America elects Steve Wood as archbishop," Religion News Service, June 24, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas, "Understanding the Allegations Involving Archbishop Steve Wood," November 17, 2025. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Anglican Church in North America, "Get To Know Archbishop Steve Wood." Retrieved July 9, 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 St. Andrew's Church, "A Time of Transition Frequently Asked Questions," updated July 6, 2026. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
- ↑ Adam Parker, "Steve Wood of St. Andrew's Church to lead new Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas," The Post and Courier, August 19, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
- ↑ Greg Griffith, "South Carolina: Largest Parish in Diocese Votes Overwhelmingly to Affiliate with ACNA," Stand Firm in Faith. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
- ↑ Adam Parker, "St. Andrew's cuts ties," The Post and Courier, March 30, 2010. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
- ↑ Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas, "Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas Policy for Women in Orders." Retrieved October 12, 2025.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Sully Witte, "Wood Elected Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina," Moultrie News, June 13, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
- ↑ "AnglicanTV to broadcast consecration," Treading Grain. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
- ↑ Jennifer Hawes and Michael Majchrowicz, "Mount Pleasant's iconic St. Andrew's Church heavily damaged by fire," The Post and Courier, April 22, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
- ↑ Kathryn Post, "Anglican Church Archbishop accused of sexual misconduct," NPR / Religion News Service, October 23, 2025. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Anglican Church in North America, "Archbishop Wood's Temporary Leave of Absence." Retrieved July 9, 2026.
- ↑ Kathryn Post, "Church trial date set for ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood," Religion News Service, April 22, 2026. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Marion Ahlers, "Anglican Church in North America Announces Key Governance Decisions from Provincial Council 2026 and Court Announces Delay of Trial for Archbishop Stephen D. Wood," Anglican Church in North America, June 20, 2026. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
- ↑ Marta LeTourneau, "Court Issues Scheduling and Discovery Order for Trial of Archbishop Stephen D. Wood," Anglican Church in North America, July 9, 2026. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
External links
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