Our news page features abuse-related ACNA news and updates with commentary written by the ACNAtoo team.
Growing Calls for Transparency
ACNA clergy and laity have expressed growing concerns regarding ACNA’s lack of transparency around the trial process and the unexplained decision of senior ACNA bishops not to inhibit Bp. Ruch from ministry pending the trial’s completion.
Statement on Todd Atkinson’s Deposition
It is commendable that the bishops have finally voted to depose Atkinson, but it is concerning that the proceedings leading up to this decision dragged on for years. It is also unacceptable that the ACNA admitted Atkinson into the province in the first place, given that Canadian Anglican priests warned Bp. Charlie Masters in 2018 about Atkinson’s prior misconduct and asked him not to hastily recommend Atkinson to the ACNA.
Bp. Ruch’s Ecclesiastical Trial
On August 15, 2023 the ACNA Province released two announcements regarding Stewart Ruch, Bishop of the ACNA Diocese of the Upper Midwest (UMD). The first was a declaration from the Board of Inquiry that Bp. Ruch is headed for an ecclesiastical trial. The second was an update on the two presentments brought against Bp. Ruch.
ACNAtoo 2022-2023: Whistleblowers, Warnings, and What You Can Do
ACNAtoo was launched in June 2021 in response to the pleas of survivors of sexual abuse and their advocates in the ACNA Diocese of the Upper Midwest. We now exist to support survivors reporting abuse in all dioceses of the ACNA. After a busy year, we’re looking back on the events of 2022 and looking forward with hope to the year ahead.
Re-release of the ACNA Husch Blackwell Report
This is a re-release of the Husch Blackwell report. The report remains unchanged except for additional redactions to protect sensitive personal and identifying survivor information.
Why We’re Here: A Reminder on the Forthcoming Report
With Husch-Blackwell’s redacted investigative report soon to be publicly available, ACNAtoo would like to offer a reminder of our primary concerns regarding this investigation.
Rivera’s Trial Delayed Again
Mark Rivera’s bench trial was postponed again on September 2 when the defense did not conclude their case. It will resume on September 29, over twelve weeks after the trial began on July 12.
ACNAtoo Statement on the SBC Report
ACNAtoo stands in solidarity with the survivors of abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention.
A Response to the Provincial Investigation
Survivors’ concerns regarding Husch Blackwell remain firmly in place as the ACNA has not agreed to publish the contract they will sign with the investigator. While the ACNA has included a few of the requested best practices in their announcement, they have neglected some of the most pivotal items that ensure the safety of the rest.