King approves appointment of new Bishop of Durham
The new Bishop Of Durham was announced today after approval from King Charles III.
Currently Archdeacon of Auckland, the next Bishop of Durham will be the Venerable Rick Simpson.
He will succeed the Right Reverend Paul Butler who retired from the role in February 2024.
Reacting to his appointment, Archdeacon Rick said: “I am humbled and delighted to have been called to be the Bishop of this diocese, which I love.
“My deepest hope is to be able to walk alongside and encourage our local Christian communities as they seek to both show God’s love in action and help people to come to life-changing faith in Christ – and through this see our churches grow.
He added: “It is also an honour to be tasked with representing the needs and voices of people in this region in the national church and the House of Lords.”
The installation of Simpson as Bishop of Durham will take place at Durham Cathedral in the summer.