@veni_vidi_ceni has an incredibly insightful thread chronicling how the problem and the hope for scandal/abuse is polity to address failed polity, even as charismatic streams exacerbate the problem.
https://twitter.com/veni_vidi_ceni/status/1412242295404044291
Among the many concerns, @AaronMHarrison and @hlgriffin have highlighted that it is actually bylaws in @MidwestAnglican that allowed @StewartRuch to create a council of family members and close friends
When you add to the mix a highly charismatic cocktail of revivalism, prophetic ministry, and hierarchal authority, what you get is a scenario that makes reporting of concerns impossible, and those who question anointed leaders villainized as spiritually immature
As @AaronMHarrison noted at one point, there is deep and complex back story here rooted in the church's history with Leanne Payne and her charismatic healing ministry in the 1980's, who was heavily involved in the early days of @ChurchRez chicagotribune.com/news/ct-leanne…
However the church split six times, as Leanne Payne challenged the leadership of then rector William Beasley, who was eventually replaced by @StewartRuch, only to have Ruch be challenged by Leanne Payne, whom he finally expelled from the community
The point is that the chaotic nature of anointed leadership in charismatic healing ministries made the solidification of power absolutely vital from the early days of @MidwestAnglican and is the likely reason behind their polity that prevents concerns against the bishop
Interestingly @ChurchRez used to acknowledge these six splits on their website but no longer does churchrez.org/about/our-stor…
In 2017, at the @The_ACNA provincial assembly now Canon William Beasley (who sits on @MidwestAnglican's bishop council) and Bishop Stewart Ruch discuss their split and reconciliation. You can watch it here: facebook.com/watch/?v=14878…
To wrap this up: @MidwestAnglican was founded in a charismatic renewal stream that involved early bids to power that were eventually suppressed and reorganized around @StewartRuch. When he became bishop, he surrounded himself with family and trusted allies...
who now have all been implicated in the accusations by @ladyjessicahaze. To be clear, charasmatic renewal is not the problem, but when reinforced by a rigid system of hierarchal support by those who know how much there is to lose...it can become unassailable from within
As with @ladyjessicahaze's observations of @MidwestAnglican's announcements, it is just as revealing what was left unsaid in Ruch and Beasley's story as what was said
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