The Scottish Episcopal Church has hit back strongly at rebel clergy who protested at the appointment of their new bishop.

Christian Today revealed that half the paid clergy in the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney wrote an open letter to Scottish bishops on Friday accusing them of fostering 'disquiet and division' by nominating Canon Anne Dyer, the first female bishop in the SEC who is also strongly in favour of gay marriage, to be bishop of the largely conservative diocese.

Now the head of the SEC, Bishop Mark Strange, has hit back with a strongly worded response to the clergy involved and a press release published on the Church's website insisted 'preparations are under way' for the consecration service which will be held in St Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen, and be live streamed online.

In a letter responding to the open letter signed by seven stipendiary clergy as well as several non-ordained senior officials and churchgoers, Bishop Strange, primus of the SEC, said it was 'particularly regrettable' they had chosen to protest publicly without speaking to him first.

'We are dismayed at the invidious position in which it places Canon Dyer as the Bishop elect of the diocese,' the hard-hitting response read. 'We deplore that you have sought to subvert the outcome of the canonical process which led to Canon Dyer's election.'

He added: 'You have chosen the mechanism of an open letter to endeavour to undermine Canon Dyer's election. You give us no option but to respond similarly.'

The letter insisted the Scottish bishops were 'unanimous' in their approval of Canon Dyer and the appointment would go ahead.

The manner by which she was appointed was the key aspect to the clergy's original protest but Bishop Strange said the bishops' decision to take over the process, usually made from within the diocese, was 'entirely in accordance with the procedure' and urged the clergy to support Canon Dyer.

Her consecration service will be attended by 'a large number of clergy' as well 'representatives from civic, political, business and education interests across the city and beyond', the press release on the SEC's website said.

Canon Dyer said: 'I continue to look forward to my consecration and ministry as Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney with great anticipation. As the date approaches I am becoming increasingly aware of the demands of leadership in the diocese and of my new role within the wider church, and am grateful for the prayerful support in my preparation for this.'

It comes after the Dean of the Diocese, Dr Emsley Nimmo, and Canon Ian Ferguson from the Cathedral Chapter in Aberdeen, both quit in November accusing the Church of being 'not only insensitive but disrespectful'.

Last year the Scottish Episcopal Church became the first Anglican Church in the UK to permit gay weddings, removing its understanding of marriage as being between 'one man and one woman'. Now clergy can opt in to a register to carry out same-sex weddings if they want to.