Anne Dyer

Anne Catherine Dyer (born February 1957) is a British Anglican bishop and academic administrator. She has served as Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney in the Scottish Episcopal Church since 2018. Previously, from 2005 to 2011, she was the Warden of Cranmer Hall, Durham, a theological college of the Church of England. Then, she was Rector of Holy Trinity Church, Haddington, East Lothian in the Diocese of Edinburgh (in the Scottish Episcopal Church) between 2011 and 2018.

The Right Reverend

Anne Dyer
Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney
ChurchScottish Episcopal Church
DioceseAberdeen and Orkney
ElectedNovember 2017
In office2018 to present
PredecessorBob Gillies
Other postsWarden of Cranmer Hall, Durham (2005–2011)
Orders
Ordination1987 (deacon)
1994 (priest)
Consecration1 March 2018
by Mark Strange
Personal details
BornFebruary 1957 (age 63–64)
Yorkshire, England
DenominationAnglicanism
SpouseRoger
ChildrenOne
Alma mater

Early life and education

Dyer was born in February 1957 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England.[1][2][3] She was educated at Bradford Girls' Grammar School, an all-girls independent school.[3] She studied chemistry at St Anne's College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree:[1][2] as per tradition, her BA was later promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon) degree.[2] She then worked as a business analyst/systems analyst at Unilever.[1]

In 1984, Dyer entered Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, an Evangelical Anglican theological college, to train for ordained ministry.[2] During this time, she also studied theology.[1] She left theological college in 1987 to be ordained in the Church of England.[2] She continued her theological studies, and completed a Master of Theology (MTh) degree at King's College, London in 1989.[1][2]

Ordained ministry

Dyer was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1987 and as a priest in 1994.[2] All Dyer's parish ministry in the Church of England was spent in the Diocese of Rochester.[2] While she continued her studies, she held two non-stipendiary minister (NSM) appointments: at St John's Church, Eden Park (1987 to 1988), and at St George's Church, Beckenham (1988 to 1989).[2] From 1989 to 1994, she was parish deacon of Christ Church, Luton.[2] In 1993, she was appointed an associate adviser in evangelism for the diocese.[1] From 1994 to 1998, she was also an NSM of St Barnabas' Church, Istead Rise.[2] Then, from 1998 to 2004, she was the Ministry Development Officer for the Diocese of Rochester.[1][2] In 2000, she was appointed an Honorary Canon of Rochester Cathedral.[2]

In August 2004, Dyer was announced as the next Warden of Cranmer Hall, Durham.[1] Cranmer Hall is an evangelical Anglican theological college that forms part of St John's College, Durham University. In January 2005, she took up the appointment following her licensing by the Bishop of Durham (Tom Wright).[4] In 2008, she was appointed an honorary canon of Durham Cathedral.[2] She stepped down as warden in 2011, and was succeeded by Mark Tanner.[2][5]

In 2011, Dyer moved to the Scottish Episcopal Church, having been appointed rector of Holy Trinity Church, Haddington, East Lothian in the Diocese of Edinburgh.[2][6] Since 2015, she has also been a member of the council of the Scottish Episcopal Institute, the Scottish Episcopal Church's theological college.[7]

Episcopal ministry

On 9 November 2017, Dyer was selected as the next Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, making her the first woman to have become a bishop in the Scottish Episcopal Church.[8][9] Her selection caused controversy due to her gender, support of same-sex marriage, and that she was not elected by the diocese itself (she was appointed by the house of Bishops after the diocese failed to choose its own bishop).[10][11][12] Two senior clergy in the diocese resigned their diocesan roles in protest, including Emsley Nimmo, the dean of the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney.[13] She was consecrated a bishop on 1 March 2018 during a service at St Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen.[14]

Views

Dyer identifies with the Open Evangelical tradition of Anglicanism.[15]

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."[16] With the SEC voting to allow same-sex marriages, she conducted her first such marriage in October 2017.[17]

Personal life

Dyer is married to Roger. Together they have one child, a daughter.[1]

References
  1. "New Warden of Cranmer Hall". Durham University. 2 August 2004. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  2. "Anne Catherine Dyer". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  3. Drysdale, Neil (26 February 2018). "Canon Anne Dyer speaks about becoming Scotland's first female Bishop". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  4. "New Warden of Cranmer Hall takes up her post". Durham University. 20 January 2005. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  5. "College post for Rev Mark". Northern Echo. 19 October 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  6. "Holy Trinity, Haddington". Diocese of Edinburgh. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  7. "Institute Council". The Scottish Episcopal Church. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  8. "First female Bishop in the Scottish Episcopal Church is elected the new Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney – The Scottish Episcopal Church". The Scottish Episcopal Church. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  9. "Church appoints first female bishop". BBC News. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  10. Farley, Harry (5 January 2018). "Scottish Episcopal Church clergy rebel after 'divisive' appointment of bishop to conservative diocese". Christian Today. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  11. Farley, Harry (27 November 2017). "Splits emerge among Scottish Anglicans after gay marriage vote". Christian Today. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  12. Davies, Madeleine (5 January 2018). "Aberdeen & Orkney letter questions new Bishop". Church Times. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  13. "Resignations Follow Aberdeen & Orkney Appointment". Scottish Anglican. 25 November 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  14. "Aberdeen & Orkney Bishop Elect prepares for consecration". The Scottish Episcopal Church. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  15. Dyer, Anne (2004). "Almost Evangelical" (pdf). Anvil. Church Mission Society. 21 (2): 121–125. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  16. "Dear Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church". Thurible.net. 18 December 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  17. Farley, Harry (27 November 2017). "Splits emerge among Scottish Anglicans after gay marriage vote". Christian Today. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
Academic offices
Preceded by
Steven Croft		 Warden of Cranmer Hall, Durham
2005–2011		 Succeeded by
Mark Tanner
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