Our Diocese
The history of the diocese began in 995AD when Bishop Aldhun, having been forced to move the mortal remains of St Cuthbert from Chester le Street to Ripon, returned north and settled in Durham where the River Wear has cut a deep root through the rock and provided a natural place of safety.
People of the north-east are proud of their history and feel a bond with the northern saints, Hild, Bede, Oswald, and Chad, as well as Aidan and Cuthbert. Bishops of Durham were major figures through the middle ages and beyond, and were known as Prince-Bishops because of their political as well as spiritual significance.
The diocese lies between the Tyne in the north, the Tees in the south, the Pennines in the west and the sea in the east. Roughly 1.5 million people live in the diocese which contains nearly 250 parishes. Of the 300 churches some are amongst the oldest in England (7th century) while many were built in the industrial Victorian heyday of the region. The Cathedral is one of the jewels of Europe and is a World Heritage Site.
How the Diocese is organised
In an Anglican understanding of the Church the Bishop is the key figure in the diocese and he shares his ministry with other clergy and with the whole people of God. In particular, he shares his episcopal responsibility with the Dean, the suffragan bishop and three archdeacons, meeting with others as the Bishop’s Staff.
The everyday work of the Church in the Diocese is undertaken by some 20,000 people on parish church electoral rolls, supported by stipendiary Clergy, self-supporting Clergy, Readers, Authorised Pastoral Assistants, Shared Ministry Development Teams, Youth Workers and others. The rich variety of ministry going on in the parishes of the diocese can increasingly be accessed through their own websites.
Providing specialist expertise to support this work are a number of Advisers attached to the Councils, Boards and Committees of the diocese – in particular the Council of Mission, the Council of Ministry, and the Board of Education. Central administrative support is provided by the Diocesan Office, led by the Diocesan Secretary.
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The multitude of ministries exercised by the people of Durham Diocese are usually identified with various places. Indeed the idea of ‘place’ has an important part to play in Anglican thinking, which has always been committed to the unique significance of ‘place’ in human experience. This has been the basis of the parish system and the central role of the church building in any community.
The administrative centre of the Diocese is the Diocesan Office which is housed in part of the historic Auckland Castle, in Bishop Auckland. The Castle is also where the Bishop of Durham lives and has his office. Auckland Castle is also a prestigious venue for conferences, banquets, functions, concerts and events www.auckland-castle.co.uk The state rooms and St Peter’s Chapel are open to the public from time to time.
Spread out around the Diocese are 250 Parishes and 300 Churches, and it is in the Parishes that the heartbeat of the Diocese lies. Parishes are, in turn, grouped in Localities and Deaneries. These again are grouped in 3 larger Archdeaconries.
Durham Cathedral
The largest church in the Diocese is, of course, the magnificent Cathedral on the banks of the River Wear in the heart of Durham City (www.durhamcathedral.co.uk)
Another large group of significant places in the life and mission of the diocese is the family of Church Schools, of which there are 50, serving many thousands of children and their parents and the communities in which they live. See Board of Education website (under construction).
Many other places have a vital role to play in the life of the diocese of Durham, ranging from the Diocesan Retreat House we share with Newcastle Diocese Shepherds Dene (shepherdsdene.co.uk), sets of offices and training rooms at Carter House and the Cross Gate Centre in Durham, The North East Religious Learning Resources Centres (based at Carter House, Durham and Church House, Newcastle (www.resourcescentreonline.co.uk), an adoption agency (www.dfw.org.uk), institutions of theological education, libraries and more.
Most important of all, the Churches of the diocese are where people pray, worship and study the scriptures together, where they can spend time in quiet and reflection, seek inspiration and consolation and be renewed for their daily lives. Churches are also there for those special times in people’s lives - Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals (see Faith & Life) - which are an important part of belonging to the Christian faith.