Letter of support for the Bishop of Orkney and Aberdeen accused of bullying

Scotland’s first female bishop accused of bullying has been given support to continue her role in Orkney and Aberdeen.

Right-wing pastor Anne Dyer was suspended in 2022 and had to appear before a disciplinary court after three complaints were made against her.

However, following an investigation, the church’s independent public prosecutor said earlier this month that it was not in the public interest to start a tribunal.

Bishop Anne – who has always denied the allegations – was expected to return to work last week, but on Friday it emerged that she was on sick leave. More than 20 members of the Scottish Episcopal Church have now supported her return letter in Church Times.

The Church’s attorney, Paul Reid KC, had decided to drop a number of bullying charges against her, despite the fact that there was sufficient evidence to provide a “realistic prospect” of a conviction under Church law.

Bishop Anne welcomed the outcome and said she looked forward to resuming the full range of her duties in the service of her diocese “in the coming days and weeks”.

Four bishops of the church – including the Primus, the Most Rev. Mark Strange – later urged her to reconsider her position.

In an open letter, he asked her to consider “whether she is still the right person to lead the diocese.”

Bishop Anne described the intervention as “thoughtless and inflammatory” and accused her colleagues of threatening her in “an unprofessional and unchristian manner.”

Twenty-three clergy and laity from the Scottish Episcopal Church from Shetland and a priest from Orkney have now written their own open letter in support of her return.

They described their “deep sadness” at what they described as a “naive and cruel” and “utterly disgraceful” intervention.

The letter called for “discussion, mediation and reconciliation.”