(RNS) — Clergy in the Anglican Church in North America are calling for the denomination’s archbishop, Steve Wood, to be inhibited, or temporarily suspended from ministry, in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment, bullying and plagiarism against him.

The archbishop announced his paid, voluntary leave of absence Nov. 3, following a series of reports in The Washington Post in which a former church employee and another woman accused Wood of unwelcome advances.

“Given the seriousness of the charges against our Archbishop (sexual harassment and abuse of power), we believe that a voluntary leave of absence is insufficient. Canonically, a voluntary leave of absence allows the Archbishop to return to office when he sees fit,” the letter says. “Instead, we suggest that the Archbishop be inhibited until the conclusion of the trial that will determine his guilt or innocence.”

As of Friday afternoon (Nov. 14), more than 80 clergy in the denomination had signed an open letter calling for the inhibition.

A spokesperson from the denomination told Religion News Service that Wood’s leave of absence is “understood to be a voluntary inhibition from ministry for a designated period of time.” They added that Wood, the denomination’s executive committee and the denomination’s bishops agreed the leave of absence would extend until the investigation into the allegations against Wood has concluded.

On Thursday, Bishop Chip Edgar of the ACNA Diocese of South Carolina published a letter calling those who brought the charges against Wood “credible and trustworthy.” He also said he has “urged the senior bishops tasked with calling for an inhibition of the Archbishop to do so,” and that an inhibition is “an acknowledgement that continued ministry in the face of serious charges further damages the reputation of the Church.”

ACNA’s bylaws don’t discuss protocols for taking a leave of absence, and they describe an inhibition as a “temporary suspension … from the exercise of ministry” imposed on a clergyperson by senior church leaders. In October 2022, ACNA Bishop Stewart Ruch, who is accused of mishandling abuse allegations in his diocese, decided to end his voluntary leave of absence; the denomination had no power to prevent Ruch from returning.

Wood, a bishop in South Carolina, was elected last year to lead the ACNA, a small denomination that began in 2009 as a breakaway group of congregations that objected to the Episcopal Church and Anglican Church of Canada’s acceptance of openly LGBTQ+ clergy. 

The Washington Post Oct. 23 report broke the story of the allegations from Claire Buxton, a former children’s ministry director who served with Wood at St. Andrew’s prior to his election as archbishop. Buxton told the Post that Wood gave her more than $3,000 from church funds and, in April 2024, attempted to kiss her in his office. A second woman, who identified herself only as Jane Doe, said Wood pressured her into situations she was “uncomfortable with” and to drink alcohol with him. It’s unclear when these alleged incidents took place.  

Wood also faces allegations from several priests of bullying and plagiarism. He has denied all but the most recent allegations of sexual harassment from the unnamed woman, which he declined to comment on, and is submitting to a church process for vetting the claims.

The open letter clarifies that its four authors, who include the Revs. Esau McCaulley and Tish Harrison Warren, both ACNA priests and public theologians, do not presume to know what the church investigation may discover. It also notes that an inhibition isn’t an indicator of the accused’s guilt or innocence.

“Again our goal is not to presume guilt, but to give space to investigate and discern guilt or innocence with all possible protections in place,” the letter says.

The denomination’s bylaws say that an inhibition can occur when there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that the accused has engaged in conduct that may warrant being presented with church charges, and when it is “in the best interests of the Church to do so.” Wood has already been presented with church charges, including alleged violation of ordination vows, conduct giving cause for “scandal or offense” and sexual immorality. Next, an appointed 10-person board of inquiry will assess those charges.

The bylaws indicate that the “Dean of the Province may temporarily inhibit the Archbishop,” but must first obtain written consent from four of the five senior bishops in the denomination. The inhibition can last no longer than 60 days but can be extended. The dean of the province is Bishop Sutton, who has been tapped to take over Wood’s responsibilities as archbishop and who has recused himself from “all matters pertaining to Archbishop Wood’s Board of Inquiry and any subsequent disciplinary process.” 

The open letter asks for ACNA’s bishops to “meet in council with those tasked to make this decision and inform them of your opinion on the matter to aid in their discernment.” The letter says it will gather signatures through next Sunday, Nov. 23, and will then present it to ACNA’s bishops.