Episode 18 is a continuation of the Zoom conversation with ACNAtoo members Abbi Nye, Audrey Luhmann, Heather Griffin, and Whitney Harrison answering questions from listeners and supporters about the verdict of Bishop Stewart Ruch's presentment trial. With questions about transparency, the trial process itself, and what ACNA members can do in response, one course of action is to set about getting the trial transcripts released.

You can find a transcript of the episode here.

Links and resources referenced:

A bishop’s secret church trial and the U.S. Anglican Church in turmoil—Washington Post article by Ian Shapira

The presentment documents against Bishop Ruch—from ACNAtoo's website

Final order from Bishop Ruch's trial

ACNAtoo's response to the Ruch verdict

Recent article from ACNAtoo: Why ACNAtoo is Not Participating in Title IV Revisions

Anglicans for Truth, Renewal, and Accountability Open Letter

On December 16, 2025 the Anglican Church in North America's Court for Trial of a Bishop released their verdict for the presentments against Bishop Stewart Ruch: acquitted on all charges. In this episode members of ACNAtoo (Abbi Nye, Audrey Luhmann, Heather Griffin, and Whitney Harrison) discuss their reactions to the verdict and the 71 page trial order the court released. Did the members of the court follow basic due diligence in the process they followed to reach their verdict? Though not comprehensive, this episode hopes to answer that in part, while continuing to point those seeking understanding to the two presentments against Ruch, the detailed timeline of events put together by ACNAtoo, and other documents directing us to Bishop Ruch's actions and demonstrating why there was so very little "firsthand" testimony given in the trial by abuse survivors and whistleblowers in the Diocese of the Upper Midwest. Provided below are links to a number of those sources.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

Links and resources referred to in the episode:

The ACNA's landing page for Bishop Ruch's trial can be found here, and the full text of the trial order can be found here.

ACNAtoo's response on the Ruch Verdict

Ruch Acquitted on All Charges—article by Arlie Coles from The Living Church

ACNAtoo's comprehensive timeline of events—Piecing It All Together: Part 01, An Accusation and Arrest (Part 1 of 5)

The texts for the lay presentment against Ruch and the bishops' presentment, and a general page about the presentments from ACNAtoo. Please see the footnotes as the bottom of the lay presentment page for full citations of firsthand sources.

Article by Helen Keuning detailing her accounts of Ruch's leave of absence.

Washington Post article about Bishop Julian Dobbs: "He suspended the archbishop, but faced his own probes — financial ones"

Suspended ACNA Bishop Founds Breakaway Church—article about Bishop Derek Jones and his break away Anglican denomination by Arlie Coles from The Living Church

This episode features another conversation with Sam Lacy—a lawyer and co-author of the lay presentment against Bishop Stewart Ruch—with reactions and reflections about the series of Washington Post articles with allegations toward ACNA archbishop Steve Wood and new revelations from survivors of clergy abuse in Ruch's diocese. Lacy specifically offers his insights about where the church gets off course in its attempt to adhere to the American law system.

You can find a transcript of this episode here.

Links to articles referenced in the episode:

Wood Inhibited; Sutton Steps Down

ACNA Archbishop Faces Second Sexual Misconduct Complaint

Second woman says N. American Anglican Church archbishop sexually harassed her

N. American Anglican archbishop suspended after sexual misconduct allegations

Bishop Chip Edgar's pastoral letter #1

Bishop Chip Edgar's pastoral letter #2

ACNA News: Archbishop Wood is Inhibited; Bishop Sutton Resigns as Dean; Bishop Julian Dobbs Appointed Dean of the Province

Bishop Chris Warner's pastoral letter

Quote from Bishop Felix Orji