The Scottish Episcopal Church says a report commissioned by Aberdeen bishop Anne Dyer has raised “serious issues and concerns” amid accusations of “bullying”.
An independent review was commissioned to investigate issues within the diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney in recent years.
The Times has reported the report includes accusations of the Right Rev Anne Dyer, who is the Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, “bullying” other members of the church.
It is reported there are also accusations of a culture of “systemic dysfunction” within the diocese.
The Times says Professor Iain Torrance, a former moderator of the Church of Scotland who is conducting the review, has recommended in the report that Mrs Dyer “step back permanently” from the diocese.
Mrs Dyer became Scotland’s first woman bishop in March 2018.
The Scottish Episcopal Church confirmed on August 29 it had received the confidential report and had given it “initial consideration”.
However, it added it had raised “a number of additional issues and questions” which require “further exploration”.
The church says there are differing views about the report, which is understood to have gathered evidence from 100 people.
The Most Rev Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness, who is primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, said: “This report was commissioned at the request of and under the authority of Bishop Anne Dyer, the Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney. I deeply regret that such a confidential report has now been leaked to the media.
“The report raises serious issues and concerns and the context of the matters reported on is complex.
“The proposed continuation of the review described last week is an attempt to allow a fair and impartial account to be gathered of what is a very complex conflict and there are matters on which the college has not so far been able to reach consensus.
“However, the bishops are determined that the Scottish Episcopal Church should be a church where all are valued and can safely minister, work and worship, and wishes to support a process towards healing and reconciliation within the diocese.”
The Scottish Episcopal Church is the third largest Christian denomination in the country with 30,000 members.
Mrs Anne Dyer, who is on retreat until September 14, declined to comment.