Anne Catherine Dyer (born February 1957) is a British Anglican bishop, and previously an academic administrator.
Subject to a report process, with a recommendation that she step aside permanently, then mediation, she was suspended from office on 10 August 2022 after allegations of misconduct were made against her.
She was reinstated as Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney 8 October 2024 after Clergy Disciplinary Tribunal was dismissed and her suspension ended.
[2] In 1984, Dyer entered Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, an Evangelical Anglican theological college, to train for ordained ministry.
[16] Amongst the issues reported in The Times article was that an independent investigation had been commissioned after Dyer dismissed the musical director at her cathedral.
[18] In August 2021 the College of Bishops announced their intention to defer publication of the report and move to a second stage of reviewing.
[25] An Episcopal Synod (meeting of bishops) met on 30 September, voting 3 to 2 to refuse the appeal and continue Dyer's suspension from office.
[29] From September 2022, John Armes was the acting Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, while Dyer remains suspended.
[31] In April 2024, it was reported that Dyer was still under suspension and must to face a Clergy Discipline Tribunal over allegations of conduct unbecoming of a cleric.
[32] However, on 8 October the church dropped all charges against Dyer even though the prosecutor stated that “there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction in respect of each allegation.” He said that the decision was due to some complainants having misgivings about giving testimony and being cross-examined.
[35] In 2024 allegations were submitted to the Scottish Charity Regulator charging that Dyer oversaw submission of incorrect accounts for the Episcopal Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney.
Charity watchdog looks at ‘bullying’ scandal diocese and again in 2024 Scotland’s first female bishop faces fresh allegations over church accounting.
“Bishop Anne was unaware of this complaint to OSCR until she was contacted by The Sunday Times and is confident that the facts, once established, will bear out her innocence and that of the professional advisers to the diocese.
[37] In December 2014, Dyer signed an open letter to the bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church that was supportive of same-sex marriage: it concluded with a "wish to make clear our continuing commitment to affirm and support all people in our church, and to recognise and rejoice in all marriages, of whatever sexual orientation, as true signs of the love of God in Christ.