From The Rt Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham

Thank you for responding to the advert for the new Dean of Durham. This is an exciting and challenging post.

We hope that the information which follows will help you as you prayerfully discern whether or not to make an application.

We thank you for the time, prayer and energy that you will put into this, knowing that making an application takes considerable personal thought and time.

Whatever the outcome for you personally, please do pray with us that the Lord will guide all involved as to the right person to take on the role for the coming years.

I have enjoyed a strong, healthy working relationship with both Dean Michael Sadgrove (in post when I was appointed in 2014) and Dean Andrew Tremlett (whom I appointed). This was built on meeting regularly, my own engagement with the Cathedral, their effective involvement as part of the Bishop’s Leadership Team, their commitment to the wider life of the Diocese and a deep respect for the differing responsibility each of us hold in the respective roles. I look for this to continue with a new Dean.

I end simply saying this is a wonderful Cathedral in a wonderful Diocese. Being Dean is challenging and a big job but the God who calls to it is faithful and will give grace to the person called to serve here.

The Cathedral is loved by people across the world, and owned locally as a place of deep significance. This is variously as a place of pilgrimage, a church, a quiet space, an historic building with great historic treasures, a place of learning, a great place to volunteer, a place of work, a place of astonishing beauty in its architecture, art, music, surrounds, and simply a great place to visit as a tourist

•Bringing a renewed, visible, unifying leadership, vision and purpose.

•Being a servant-hearted and pastoral minister to all parts of the Cathedral community, recognising the past, but bringing a sense of joyful hope for the future.

•Building, expanding and diversifying the existing platform of relationships and partnerships, turning the Cathedral into a powerhouse of mission, both evangelism and social justice, making sure it is a force for good in the city, Diocese, county and region. That it is seen as a welcoming, open and accessible place for all.

•Working to ensure that the Cathedral, its leadership, work and mission are fully integrated into all aspects of Diocesan life, working in partnership in proclaiming the Gospel.

•Recognising the significant challenges facing the Cathedral, but also realising the enormous potential. To build on the work started in implementing the Cathedrals Measure, striving to ensure that sound governance and accountability are in place.

•Growing all parts of the Cathedral community to be younger and more diverse.

•Continuing to grow Durham Cathedral as a place of pilgrimage.

•Recognising and appreciating the financial situation, the rich heritage and fabric of the Cathedral and its estate as something that needs careful and constant stewardship to be sustainable, particularly recognising the Church’s commitment to environmental care, protection and Carbon Net Zero.

•An experienced, confident leader and pastor who is emotionally intelligent, visible, communicative, unifying, empowering and encouraging. A courageous leader who is collaborative, decisive, unafraid to challenge, undefended and humble.

•Someone who is committed to personal wellbeing, nourished by the healthiness of their own personal spiritual life, learning and development.

•A gifted preacher and teacher who is committed to prayer, to inspiring people as confident missionary disciples, a mixed ecology of church and growing the church younger and more diverse. An innovative and creative leader in mission with the ability to navigate and balance the whole spectrum of life at the Cathedral.

•Someone who can grow to love the people of Durham and the North East, passionate about pilgrimage, the heritage of the Northern Saints and for developing and promoting Durham Cathedral’s place at the heart of the region.

•Has a heart for a variety of different styles of worship and ways of being Church, including the Cathedral’s core, which is the Anglican choral tradition.

•Gifted and collaborative in developing partnerships, someone at ease in the public square, passionate about social justice and able to break down barriers. Working in partnership with the Diocese to lever the Cathedral’s convening influence. Someone who draws life from community engagement, working with others and is able to move seamlessly between intersecting worlds and relationships, including Durham University.

•Understands the need for good governance and effective implementation. Sound financial and commercial awareness. Experience of leading, developing, motivating and empowering staff and volunteer teams. Someone who is strategic, tactical, resilient and looks to the long-term with the ability to instil and inspire a strong sense of momentum and purpose.

Durham Cathedral, the mother church of the Diocese of Durham, is unique in the Church of England for its inheritance of these great icons of English – and especially northern – spirituality. We also house a relic of St Oswald and altars dedicated to St Hild of Whitby, St Aidan of Lindisfarne and St Margaret of Scotland. The Treasures of St Cuthbert and an almost unrivalled collection of manuscripts and books including three copies of Magna Carta are also housed within or very close to the Cathedral. The building, the third church on this site, is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was described by Bill Bryson as the ‘best cathedral on planet earth’ – a claim which led to him being appointed Chancellor for six years of the University which the Chapter of Durham Cathedral in collaboration with the Bishop founded in 1832. Durham has also been voted the nation’s favourite cathedral on several occasions.