Four bishops from the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) have asked the Right Reverend Anne Dyer to reconsider returning to her position as the Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney.
This request comes after Church Procurator Paul Reid KC dropped several bullying charges against her, despite concluding there was enough evidence for a possible conviction under church law.
Bishop Dyer welcomed the decision and was ready to resume her duties. However, four bishops, including the Primus, the Most Reverend Mark Strange, have now urged her to reflect on whether she remains the right leader for the Diocese.
In response, Bishop Dyer called their intervention “ill-considered and inflammatory,” accusing them of issuing an ultimatum while she was on holiday and behaving unprofessionally.
Bishop Dyer claimed she had been subjected to bullying by a small group within the church and vowed not to step down, citing strong support from her Diocese.
The diocesan chancellor, Graham Robertson, also criticized the bishops’ letter, calling it beyond their authority and inconsistent with employment laws.
Bishop Dyer had been suspended since August 2022 due to multiple complaints, including an allegation of bullying a diocesan employee with a disability. She denied the claims and had been preparing a detailed defense before the tribunal was dropped. She is expected to return to her role on 24 October.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Charity Regulator is investigating separate complaints regarding diocesan accounts, but details remain confidential.
