“A trial process that bears within it the seed of impropriety, no matter the outcome, must change,” Runyan concluded in his letter. “Though impossible to see now, I pray for God to be glorified in the ultimate outcome of this decision.”
After Runyan announced his intent to resign, Ruch’s team filed a Motion for a Directed Verdict of Not Guilty, which requests a ruling from the court before Ruch’s team presents its case. The court said it will not rule on the motion until the trial resumes on Aug. 11.
Wood’s second announcement links to a letter from the chief legal officer of the denomination, Bill Nelson, who noted that the Ruch case is still active and warned against “speculation or commentary” that could impact the trial. Nelson added that the denomination’s bylaws “provide a means for addressing any errors that may occur at the trial” by providing a right for both parties to appeal to the Provincial Tribunal, the denomination’s highest court.
It is up to the Court for Trial of a Bishop, Nelson said, to decide whether to grant Runyan’s request for the release of the redacted court transcript.
This isn’t the first time attempts to investigate charges against Ruch have been stymied. In 2023, the denomination erupted into a power struggle between Ruch and then-Archbishop Foley Beach after Ruch attempted to block an investigation into his behavior by making what Beach called a “secret appeal” to the Provincial Tribunal.
Nevertheless, later that year, a board of inquiry found probable cause to present Ruch for trial.
This article originally appeared here.