Real Chaplains Respond to Letter Supposedly from “The Chaplains”

Last week, an online Anglican tabloid published a letter written by an individual who, with incredible hubris, signed his letter as “The Chaplains.” Most chaplains don’t know who this person is, nor why they would presume to speak for all chaplains. In this “Open Letter,” it is clear that the author represents only two or three people.

“Everything points to one particular chaplain as the author of this letter – or someone writing it on his behalf,” explains Archdeacon Kenneth Gillespie. As it turns out, this is “… just the latest version of his ever-changing storyline.” The first version of this story was fabricated by this former chaplain in 2021 in an attempt to evade personal accountability for misconduct. It was one example of many instances presented during this person’s Ecclesiastical Trial that ultimately substantiated a long pattern of habitual untruthfulness and self-aggrandizement.

The Bishop and staff have been hearing, nearly non-stop, from priests and chaplains who have been expressing anger or concern over this latest attack on Bp Jones, knowing it is not true. Bishop Jones has asked that we stay “out of the fray,” but agrees that you, our chaplains, and particularly our newer chaplains, know that this “fiction has been around a while and even changes from time to time.”

“This is the true story of a former Anglican Priest and US Army Chaplain who was defrocked following an ecclesiastical trial before his peers. He was found guilty of multiple charges and his actions nearly caused irreparable harm to several GAFCON bodies,” said Chancellor Joe Saloom. With a reputation for mixing just enough facts into his stories to make them sound credible, you can count on this person to always make himself out as the hero.

It is worth mentioning that during sentencing, the ACNA solicited input from several primates, all of whom recommended defrocking this priest, which was the end result.  In previous versions of this former minister’s story, there were Archbishops and bishops – such as Abp MBanda, Abp Beach, and Bp Sutton - who were supposedly “supporting” his claim. Of course, this turned out to be completely contrived – and only served as more evidence of untruthfulness during his trial.

“This recent letter is one of the several fabricated, exaggerated, and already adjudicated complaints in Abp Wood’s created litany of accusations against Bp Jones. It is sad that Abp Wood did not follow the ACNA Canons by referring any complaints back to the JAFC Standing Committee for resolution or appeal. This would have saved the Abp and the ACNA the grief and infamy they now enjoy,” remarked Bp Marshall MacClellan, Bishop Suffragan for the JAFC.

The fact that the canons were brazenly ignored in Bishop Jones’ case, versus how they are trying to be followed to the letter in Abp Wood’s case, certainly gives the appearance of a preconceived agenda to underhandedly subvert Bishop Jones’ leadership of the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy.