After CANA became one of the founding entities of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), the chaplaincy deanery was recognized as the Special Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy established by the ACNA's canons. Meanwhile, founding bishop Derek Jones established a nonprofit organization in Montevallo, Alabama, under the same name. While operating as the ACNA's Special Jurisdiction, the JAFC maintained its canonical residency in the Church of Nigeria until 2021, when it was fully integrated into the ACNA. As of 2024, with more than 300 chaplains—187 of them serving as active-duty military chaplains—the JAFC was the principal endorser of Anglican military chaplains in the United States and also administered the ACNA's government relations function.
In September 2025, amid allegations of misconduct on the part of Jones and counter-charges against the ACNA, the JAFC nonprofit's executive committee announced its disaffiliation from the ACNA and sued the ACNA for "trademark infringement and unfair commercial competition". The ACNA continued[clarification needed] to recognize a Special Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy as the chaplain endorsement entity in its canons.
In 2014, the ACNA approved the constitution and canons of a new Special Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (SJAFC) to endorse and license its chaplains and formally constituted the SJAFC under the leadership of Bishop Derek Jones at the Provincial Assembly.[1] Jones was affirmed that year as the first bishop of the JAFC. In 2015, the SJAFC endorsed 153 chaplains.[2] Meanwhile, Jones formed a nonprofit organization based in Montevallo, Alabama, that shared the name Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy; it received 501(c)3 tax-exempt status in 2017.[3][4] By 2024, the SJAFC had become the principal endorser of Anglican military chaplains in the United States with more than 300 chaplains, 187 of them serving as active-duty military chaplains.[5]
In September 2025, a significant conflict broke out in the ACNA that resulted in the JAFC nonprofit disaffiliating from the province and Jones leaving the ACNA. After reviewing what the ACNA called "multiple allegations of ecclesiastical abuse of power (deemed to be credible) against Bishop Jones," ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood on September 21 issued an admonition inhibiting Jones from ordained ministry.[6] According to The Living Church, the complainants included "at least six people alleging wrongful use of disciplinary processes, at least three alleging backdating or fabrication of church documents, at least two alleging interference with external employment opportunities, at least one alleging wrongful release of a priest from orders, and six alleging infliction of 'financial, emotional, and psychological stress' upon persons in Jones’ care."[7] The charges included alleged efforts by Jones to interfere with chaplains' employment after their departure from the JAFC and a "pay to play" tithing policy that required chaplains to donate a portion of their income to the JAFC nonprofit.[8]
However, Jones claimed to Religion News Service that he had withdrawn from the ACNA on September 20, and on September 22, the JAFC's executive committee issued a letter announcing that it had withdrawn the jurisdiction from the ACNA.[9][6] In a recording of a video call with chaplains that the JAFC posted on YouTube, Jones denied that the allegations against him were legitimate (dismissing some as an expression of a "woke USA"), rejected Wood's ability to inhibit him and argued that the ACNA had delayed a purported revision to the canon establishing the SJAFC that would explicitly recognize a right to disaffiliate.[7]
Wood and the ACNA disputed the ability of the SJAFC to leave the province, arguing that it was instituted as a "canonical ministry" of the ACNA and thus does not have the right of a diocese to withdraw.[7][9] Wood appointed former Archbishop Robert Duncan and to oversee the jurisdiction temporarily.[7] Meanwhile, a law firm hired by the JAFC insisted that it did have the ability to leave and sent a cease and desist letter to the ACNA stating that the ACNA does not have "any ecclesiastical or practical right of supervision over the Jurisdiction or its chaplaincy program."[9] On September 25, the ACNA College of Bishops elected SJAFC Suffragan Bishop Jay Cayangyang bishop of the SJAFC.[7] According to the ACNA, it initiated processes with the Department of Defense to ensure chaplains who wished to remain endorsed by ACNA could retain an uninterrupted endorsement, and a Department of War official told RNS that "chaplains should not be concerned about their certifications to serve."[9]
On October 6, 2025, the JAFC filed a complaint against the ACNA in the Charleston Division of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. The complaint accused the ACNA of multiple unfair business practices including alleged misrepresentation, false advertising, misappropriation, tortious interference, trademark infringement, defamation, and breach of the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act. In an FAQ document, a JAFC spokesperson claimed that Jones was the victim of "a targeted attack" by Wood, citing Jones' alleged criticism of "errors, missteps, and mismanagement within the Archbishop's office."[10] According to The Living Church, the complaint framed the JAFC nonprofit as a "business that offers chaplain endorsements as a service" and the JAFC alleged the ACNA's efforts to communicate with chaplains and government agencies about Jones' departure as engaging in unfair competition. Within weeks of Jones' inhibition, the JAFC lost half its income, and half of the chaplains and two-third of missions, parishes and chapels had disaffiliated from the JAFC to remain in the ACNA.[11]
In November, Federal Judge Bruce Hendricks of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina issued three restraining orders against the ACNA on behalf of the JAFC. On December 22, the JAFC amended its legal filing against the ACNA to include new charges of conspiracy, theft of proprietary information, and theft of personnel records (a federal crime), causing the potential judgment to exceed $10 million in base counts alone.[12][13] The same month, the bishops of the JAFC launched a new denomination, the Anglican Reformed Catholic Church, "to provide a stable ecclesiastical home for those who love Anglican tradition but seek clear accountability, uncompromised doctrinal standards, and a deep connection to the broader catholic Church." The group's leaders began referring to the new denomination as "classic Anglican" and listed three dioceses: the Anglican Diocese of Saint Andrew, covering the western United States; The Anglican Diocese of Saint Martin Tours, covering the eastern United States; and a continuation of the JAFC.[14]
Activities
The JAFC endorses chaplains serving in the Armed Forces, along with those needing professional endorsement for ministry in hospitals, prisons and workplaces. While chaplains in the Episcopal Church maintain canonical residency in an individual diocese, in the ACNA chaplains are resident within the SJAFC, which has allowed its bishop what the Institute on Religion and Democracy called "unprecedented control" over endorsed chaplains.[8] The JAFC's canons centralize financial and operational control in the bishop, who also appoints the executive committee of the JAFC. Chaplains endorsed through JAFC must maintain good standing by tithing to the JAFC, and they can lose good standing by discussing a transfer to another endorser without the permission of the bishop.[11]
In addition to endorsing ordained chaplains, the JAFC also trained and endorsed commissioned lay chaplains for service in areas where ordination was not required. To ensure their oversight, commissioned lay chaplains were required to be part of the JAFC's Order of St. Martin of Tours.[2]
Financial support
In 2015, 92% of the JAFC's budget was funded by its endorsed chaplains through tithes and gifts.[2] This model remained in place at the time of the JAFC's disaffiliation from the ACNA, with all endorsed clergy required by the organization to give 10% of their income directly to the JAFC.[8] The JAFC's annual income of $1.2 million as of 2025 came mainly from chaplains' tithes. According to The Living Church, Jones has threatened JAFC chaplains with loss of endorsement—which would result in a loss of a military chaplaincy job—and ecclesiastical discipline if tithe payments were missed.[11]
Government affairs
During its affiliation, the JAFC operated the Anglican Office for Government and International Affairs (AOGIA) on behalf of the ACNA. In 2022, the AOGIA arranged for the evacuation to the United States of Iranian Anglican priest Hekmat Salimi and his family from Turkey. The Salimis were under a deportation order back to Iran, where they may have faced execution.[15] In 2023, the AOGIA co-founded the Save Karabakh Coalition calling for an end to U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan and for humanitarian aid to the Republic of Artsakh.[16][17]
Leadership
In addition to Jones as bishop ordinary of the JAFC, there have been several suffragan bishops. Mark Nordstrom and Michael Williams were elected by the ACNA College of Bishops and consecrated in April 2018.[18] They served until retirement in 2025, when they were replaced by Jay Cayangyang and Marshall MacClellan.[19]
References
↑"Newsletter"(PDF). Anglican Chaplains. Archived from the original(PDF) on 27 March 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
123"Provincial Report"(PDF). Special Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy. June 2015. Archived from the original(PDF) on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
↑"Determination Letter". Internal Revenue Service. October 16, 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
↑Walton, Jeffrey (March 7, 2024). "Episcopal Chaplains Sought for 'Identity-affirming Spiritual Care'". Juicy Ecumenism. Retrieved 13 March 2024. 'The Rt. Rev. Ann Ritonia, bishop suffragan for Armed Forces and Federal Ministries, told the bishops that there are 104 Episcopal chaplains, including 94 in active military duty, seven ministering in Veterans Affairs, and three ministering in federal prisons. She emphasized the need to encourage vocations in military chaplaincy, particularly to ensure that LGBTQ+ service members have access to identity-affirming spiritual care.' To place these numbers in context, the Anglican Church in North America's Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (the endorsing agency and canonical residence for professional chaplains with the ACNA and other participating Anglican bodies) has more than 300 chaplains, of which 187 are active duty military. This is despite being a smaller denomination than the Episcopal Church as measured by membership.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
