Stewart Ruch is a bishop in the Anglican Church of North America, the schismatic group that left the Episcopal Church in opposition to its “liberalism” in allowing the ordination of women, inclusion of LGBTIQA members, and gay marriage. He is facing an ecclesiastical (church) trial over allegations that he covered up serial sexual abuse of children.
He is not accused of committing sexual abuse of children, but of protecting priests who abused children. From the presentment of the case against Ruch, it is alleged that Ruch “demonstrated a pattern and practice of knowingly and silently welcoming men into the ranks of church leadership without first informing his congregants of their past incidents of violence and/or abuse…he has transformed what should be, of all spaces, a sanctuary for the most vulnerable, into a target for predation.”
The case against him also alleges he showed more support for alleged abusers than for their victims. They went on to include the evidence of his cover-up and protection of seven alleged sexual predators. In another presentment from the Bishops who worked on the investigation, it is alleged there were twelve accused of abuse and six admitted it.
For more information, see ACNAtoo, a group formed in 2021 in response to allegations of sexual abuse and its cover-up.
- ACNAtoo: The Lay Presentment
- The Roys Report: Third Prosecutor Appointed in ACNA Trial of Bishop Ruch