THE next Area Bishop of Kirkstall in the diocese of Leeds is to be the Vicar of St Nicholas’s, Durham, Canon Arun Arora, Downing Street announced on 27 May.
Canon Arora will succeed the Rt Revd Paul Slater, who is retiring. Bishop Slater was previously Bishop of Richmond in Leeds diocese, but he became known as Bishop of Kirkstall after the see of Kirkstall replaced that of Richmond in 2018 (News, 6 April 2018). Canon Arora’s appointment will bring to nine the number of bishops in the Church of England of UK minority-ethnic or global-majority heritage.
Canon Arora, who is 50, has been in post at St Nicholas’s for the past five years, before which he was Communications Director at Church House, Westminster. He was ordained deacon in 2007 and ordained priest in 2008, having trained for ordination at Cranmer Hall, Durham.
He served his title at St Mark’s, Harrogate, while also working as Communications Director for the then Archbishop of York, Dr Sentamu, and, from 2010 to 2012, was Team Leader of Pioneer Ministries, Wolverhampton, in the diocese of Lichfield. He was born and raised in Birmingham, and before ordination worked as a solicitor, having graduated from Birmingham University, where he studied Law and Politics.
Canon Arora was a co-chair of the Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Taskforce, which produced the report From Lament to Action, last year. This proposed significant changes to address racial inequality in the C of E (News, 23 April 2021).
Canon Arora said on: “It is a joy and a privilege to be called to be Bishop of Kirkstall and to join the work that God is doing in Leeds. It is a particular delight to be returning to the diocese where I was ordained and served my curacy, where my wife and I first lived and where our daughter was born.”
He continued: “I am a city boy at heart and am excited at the thought of serving an increasingly confident and growing church in this vibrant city. I’m looking forward to working with the churches of Leeds and civic, commercial, educational, and cultural partners in a common cause to bless the city and its people.”
The Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, said: “Arun has a proven range of gifts and will bring great energy and commitment to the tasks ahead. We all look forward to working with him and he is guaranteed a very warm welcome.”
The Archbishop of York said: “It is a delight to welcome the appointment of Arun as Bishop of Kirkstall. His enthusiasm, zeal, and passion for communicating the gospel is well known in Durham and across the Northern Province.
“Arun’s commitment to inclusion and justice was seen in the recent co-chairing of The Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Taskforce encouraging change and leading to the establishment of the Racial Justice Commission.
“As a bishop, he will continue to challenge the Church in effectively living out its promises.”
