The Prime Minister’s Office has announced that the next Bishop of Ely is to be the Right Reverend Sarah Clark, currently suffragan Bishop of Jarrow. Ely diocese has this item about the appointment and Durham has this.
Appointment of Bishop of Ely: 27 January 2026
The King has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend Sarah Elizabeth Clark, for election as Bishop of Ely.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 27 January 2026The King has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend Sarah Clark, Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow in the Diocese of Durham, for election as Bishop of Ely, in succession to the Right Reverend Stephen David Conway, following his translation to the See of Lincoln.
Background
Sarah was educated at Loughborough University and prior to ordination worked as a civil servant within the Department of Employment. She trained for ministry at St. John’s College, Nottingham. She served her title at St. James Porchester, in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham, and was ordained Priest in 1999.
In 2002, Sarah was appointed Rector of the United Benefice of Carlton-in-Lindrick and Langold with Oldcotes and, from 2009, she served as Team Rector of the Clifton Team Ministry in Nottingham. In 2011 Sarah became an honorary Canon of Southwell Minster and took on the additional role of Dean of Women’s Ministry. From 2014 she served as Archdeacon of Nottingham.
In 2019, Sarah took up her current role as Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow and, since 2024, she has additionally served as Acting Diocesan Bishop of Durham since The Right Reverend Paul Butler’s retirement from that See.
Thrilled with this nomination. I served on the Bishop’s Advisory Group when she was nominated for +Jarrow in 2019. This is good news, both for +Sarah and for the Diocese of Ely.
It does seem good news but perplexed why she hasn’t simply been made Bishop of Durham if she is already acting in the role?
Because God has called her to Ely.
Or more precisely — because she and those responsible explored with her the possibility that she should come to Ely, and jointly discerned that she should. We don’t know whether she was at the same time exploring a call to Durham.
I hope she prayed and thought, and her ‘ground of her being’ planted a seed which she accepted.
Anthony Archer, there is a PhD thesis to be written on your influence on episcopal appointments over the last couple of decades.
It’s pretty modest! 18 diocesans and 6 suffragans!! Plenty of the usual other suspects can do better than that!!
More than that – may be a simple question. Better than that – may well be a doctoral thesis.
Hopefully she will be able to raise the standard of discussion within Ely diocese above the level at General Synod, where they are worrying about the use of floral foam. Deckchairs on the Titanic come to mind.
I can’t help but be puzzled by the continuing criticism from certain men on TA of this paper on sustainable flower arranging. These are women (and it’s nearly always women) whose service to the church is making it beautiful. Which surely is entirely praiseworthy. And their desire is to conduct their craft and service in a way that does not damage other people, either in this country or abroad. Which surely is also entirely praiseworthy. I can’t help suspecting some form of unconscious patriarchy here, patronising the women by implying these are unimportant women’s issues which we men shouldn’t have… Read more »
Is it really necessary to see the influence of “patriarchy” behind every flower pot ?
Hi Peter, I acknowledge I do mention patriarchy quite a lot, but all I can say that I try to describe what I see and what I understand as clearly and honestly as I can. And that’s what I see. I know that many people, from different backgrounds to me, might not see the same thing. But in the same way I struggle to understand the various theories of atonement recently discussed here, which for some people are the ground of their faith. I think that’s the beauty of this TA blog, people of different understandings trying to share their… Read more »
Alice Goodman clearly needs to take a sabbatical.
From your lips to God’s ears, Peter. I’d love a sabbatical. What do you think I should spend that time writing?
A libretto for ‘Trump in Davos’?
Hi,
I have no idea, Alice !
Ordained ministry is exhausting. I wish you rest and blessing
Peter
Thank you. God bless you.
We are not devoid of matriarchy either in the perception of some?
Thanks, Simon, I agree. Floral foam is horrid stuff and we need to find a sustainable alternative.
It’s Worcester – not Ely – that has put forward the motion on floral foam.
Is this the first time both the diocesan and a suffragan have been “vacant” at the same time. (I know interim arrangements will be put in place) but in principle
No, it’s not that uncommon. Most recently St Eds & Ips had neither a diocesan nor a suffragan for a year between Mike Harrison being confirmed as Bishop of Exeter on 25 September 2024 and Joanne Grenfell being confirmed as E&I on 5 September 2025.
Not quite correct, Simon. Bishop Martin Seeley retired on 28 February 2025, having given roughly a year’s notice, so that the vacancy in see committee (chaired by suffragan Bishop Mike) were able to do their work during the summer of 2024, including electing the diocesan members of the CNC, thus enabling the CNC to meet first on 4 March 2025, with the second meeting, resulting in the nomination of Joanne Grenfell to succeed +Martin, at the end of April 2025. Thus, the vacancy in see was only 6 months and 5 days, not a year, during which Bishop Graeme Knowles,… Read more »
Thanks David. Yes, I misread the date on which the diocesan see became vacant. So there was neither a diocesan nor a suffragan from March until early September. And in practice, the new bishop presumably did not exercise a public ministry in the diocese before her enthronement twelve days ago (24 January).
The final CNC meeting was on 12/13 November. Why has it taken more than 2 months for the announcement to be made?
Didn’t Christmas happen between then and now?
Yes, but the gap between the final CNC meeting and the announcement was 11 weeks. The Christmas holidays might explain 1-2 weeks of this. What about the rest?
Actually a gap of 8 or 9 weeks is not that unusual. St Eds&Ips met 28/29 April last year, and announced on 27 June (9 weeks). Truro met 15/16 Oct 2024, announced 11 Dec (8 weeks). Sodor & Man met 13/14 March 2024, announced 16 May (9 weeks). Peterborough met 19/20 July 2023, announced 28 Sept (10 weeks). Others (Worcester, Coventry, Exeter) were shorter. Canterbury (only a week or two) was a special case.
My question is why does it take so long? Once the decision is taken should it really take more than 1-2 weeks to do the paperwork (as seems to have happened with Canterbury)?
After the CNC has decided on its preferred candidate there are a number of other checks that are done with that candidate. I think that with Canterbury those checks were done before the final meeting of the CNC with all the shortlisted candidates, so that they did not cause a delay after the meeting. If true, your guess is as good as mine as to why that doesn’t happen with other vacancies too. Maybe cost, maybe the degree of intrusion, time and effort on the individuals. Maybe something else.
An eight or nine week wait is very little sub specie aeternitatis, surely. An opportunity to learn and cultivate patience, perhaps.
It may have shortened the time that Durham is otherwise without a bishop (although interim arrangements will be made).
Please could you explain why Bishop Sarah’s appointment to Ely is likely to shorten Durham’s time without one ? That feels really counter- intuitive to a lay person ( or to this one anyway)
I think what Anthony meant was that if there was indeed a delay in the Ely announcement, but no delay in a Durham announcement, then the period at Durham when there is neither a diocesan nor a suffragan will be shorter.
Of course, the lack of a bishop at Durham does not begin with the announcement but with the confirmation of Bp Sarah’s election to Ely, and will end with the confirmation of the election of the next Bishop of Durham. But these things follow a few months after the announcement.
That will be DBS matters, I would imagine. Our own appointment of a Dean was delayed for MONTHS because of a backlog created by a data breach, and then, as a consequence, by the decision being taken to use a different provider for the service. I think they are still catching up.
Some might imagine, and even hope, that serving bishops already had DBS, but then again it is easier to imagine and fear they do not.
You usually need a new one when you change posts.
Thanks, but if that is correct surely DBS checks should be done for all shortlisted candidates at the start of the process?
Sam and Charles, I believe the DBS certification is assigned to a specific role you are for performing, not merely for applicants.
DBS checks should only take a day or two. I have to do them in my roles in athletics. It is very very simple.
That may depend on your provider. Here in the Coventry diocese there has been a backlog of DBS checks following a data breach by our previous provider. Getting everything set up with a new provider has taken time, and that has caused issues for some people.
I do struggle with this, but maybe I don’t understand the bottleneck. A quick google sent me to this: https://clearcheck.co.uk/ basic and enhanced checks within 48 hours. It seems very easy for an organisation to register. Almost immediate, as far as I can see. Maybe there is a burden of (unnecessary) administration within the diocese? The barring list seems to be also managed by the DBS service. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service/about I’m not curious about these details, just curious whether there is a culture of slow admin within the CoE. Hmmm. I found this on a FAQ of a DBS service: A Standard… Read more »
Nigel, you are quoting the theory….and what is ‘supposed to happen for good practice’, I’m afraid. In practice, it can be quite different, It is the police authority here that causes the delay as it won’t be rushed, believe me, until near the deadline (60days), it appears it has other priorities, so I’m told. ( can’t put any blame on CofE this time). Some enhanced with barred list checks take 6 weeks or so, other straight forward enhanced checks take a couple of days, no problems. We deal with APCS and I find it extremely helpful although it experienced a… Read more »
Thanks, my further investigation showed that it is indeed as you say.
This depends on the level of checks and the ‘local’ police authority. Enhanced checks are normally no problem. Enhanced checks with barred list… can take longer and sometimes, we are told, that the problem is with our ‘police authority’ which has a backlog. Thus, there is no consistency.
Can somebody knowledgeable explain the situation with DBS checks? I thought that, if you subscribe to the update service, your DBS is valid for any other role that needs the same level of check (e.g.”enhanced”). So on moving from one role in the CofE to another, both requiring the same level of check, I thought that no new check was needed. There doesn’t seem to be anything in a DBS checks that is specific to the original role it was obtained for provided the roles require the same level. But the CofE seems to insist on new checks every time.… Read more »
John, I believe most folks are confused with this, including myself at times. Sorry, I am not at home for the next month so don’t have access to regulations. Anyway, this might help… Hope so… My understanding, is that the original role determines the level of check… basic, standard, enhanced or enhanced with barred list. The roles for enhanced and above have to identify ‘regulated activity.’ So, if a PCC member has, say, an enhanced dbs, that might cover them for that role… but if they take on other extra duties or roles specific to children or say pastoral visitations… Read more »
Thank you. I was waiting to see if anyone else chipped in. We share the understanding that, when a new DBS is required for a role, the nature of that role determines the level of DBS. We share the understanding that, if a subsequent role requires a higher level of clearance, a new DBS is required. My confusion concerns roles that require the same level of clearance. I can’t see why an existing DBS (within three years, or indefinitely if the update service has been taken up) of the required level is not acceptable. But it seems to be CofE… Read more »
Maybe a similar question is why a Bishop requires a different level of check compared to a parish priest. I have no idea what level is required of a priest, so my question may be silly, but if a bishop requires an enhanced check with barring, why doesn’t a priest require it, or in this particular case, her previous appointment?
Makes me wonder what kinds of jobs require enhanced with barring.
Maybe a bit of planning? If it is known to take 6 weeks, start the process sooner?
John S, your understanding is correct. The real problem is that there is no consistency within Dioceses. Thus, one will hear….( often) …..” It is Diocesan policy to require and issue a new certificate”. I’m amazed at the number of times I hear…”it’s Diocesan policy” on a variety of matters!…….
It will be the second time in 46 years that someone from the Diocese of Durham was appointed to serve as a Bishop in the Diocese of Ely. The last time this happened was in 1980 when Bishop Gordan Roe was appointed from the Diocese of Durham to serve as Suffragan Bishop of Huntingdon. He was Bishop of Huntingdon from 1980 to 1996. Jonathan
I remember Bishop Gordon with affection. A lovely avuncular man who I always found wise and helpful.
And with a PhD , so something of a scholarly bishop
That makes it sound as though Ely-Durham connections aren’t that common. Stephen Conway may have come to be Bishop from Ramsbury, but he had over 20 years before that in several Durham posts, whilst Stephen Sykes went back and forth between Durham and Ely/Cambridge. The current and previous Bishops of Huntingdon came from the two Dioceses adjacent to Durham to the North. The retiring Dean of Kings came from a Durham post, and the soon to retire Dean of Ely began ministry in a Durham post. There are plenty of recent and current connections further down the tree too.
Nicholas Chamberlain Bishop of Grantham served in Durham. Dagmar in Newcastle upon Tyne…………
And further back Michael Ramsey went from Van Mildert Prof at Durham to the Regius Professorship in Cambridge and then back to Durham as bishop.
I hope Sarah Clark will be a fine Bishop of Ely and I wish her God speed. However as the Living in Love and Faith process is about to collapse because of the outright and very sinister homophobia of the Church of England bench of Bishops I think we urgently need to ask questions about who are appointed Church of England Bishops. The system seems exceedingly appocake and doesn’t even pretend to be democratic. Why does a divorced monarch have an even theoretical role in appointing Church of English bishops ? Does the open homophobia of Church of England bishops… Read more »
appocake??
Misspelling of apple cake I think! More seriously, all appointments of bishops are Crown appointments under the terms of the Appointment of Bishops Act 1533. Good luck if you want to advocate the amendment or repeal of that. However, the Church does have some freedoms within the legislation. By (constitutional) convention the patronage for the appointment of suffragan bishops rests with the diocesan bishop (a 100 year old convention), and also the CNC has sole authority over the appointment of diocesans, an 18 (?) year old convention. Mention is often made of democracy in these appointments. But it’s not simple.… Read more »
I just wanted to say how much I appreciated your comment that the appointments system for bishops is appocake. I simply can’t think of a better word to describe it!
There you go again. You seem obsessive about the term “homophobia “. Do you really consider that your constant repeating of, what many consider an intentionally offensive, unnecessary and judgmental term ( mainly to lay low those who oppose your “queer” theology, lifts your standing in Anglican circles? I am extremely pleased that, for a brief period at least, the LLF debate will be silenced. I don’t expect it will be long though before it appears back on the agenda.
Visited Ely last year and wondered then about how much longer the ‘Ship of the Fens’ has before she returns to the sea. 25 years?
She is on the Isle of Ely – and that may return to being a physical island. I live on the Isle of Ely at about 22 m above mean sea level and, from the map, the cathedral seems to be at a similar height. So the cathedral and I will most probably survive the predicted sea level rises. However, over half the Diocese would be underwater by then…
Most of Cambridgeshire is already below sea level, like Holland
At 3.6 mm per year the threat to Ely Cathedral’s relevance comes not from sea level rise, much more from the decline of the C of E.
Very well stated. While the topography of the fenlands is destined towards returning to swampland, the self inflicted haste of the bishops to steer the institution into a metaphorical swampland is evidenced by the forthcoming “revised “ LLF proposals on the GS agenda for the February GS gathering.
This will ensure the whole sorrowful process will morph into an amphibious new creation and grow fresh legs. In this respect, perhaps, Ely cathedral provides a prophetic vision of the destiny of the institution if it continues on its self destructive course.
That’s why the Cathedral is referred to as the Ship of the Fens, appearing to float on the water rather than sink! But I agree that rising sea levels are the least of the Bishops worries. Finding a crew might be more difficult.
Yesterday’s various announcements included the information that her installation at Ely Cathedral will take place in the “early summer”, which might mean June. So she will have to have been elected and confirmed before then. That means that when the Bishop of Oxford retires “in July”, Bishop Sarah will take her seat in the House of Lords, jumping over the nine male bishops currently waiting.
A couple of questions about bishop appointments process (not going to ask about the CNC) If a candidate feels called to apply what the application process is is it just as simple as I’ve read the diocesan profile here 1000 words on why i think i fit the job. On top of this do they provide a CV and possible answers to question. tell us of an example when…. Then do the shortlisted candidates before interview. go through the pre employment checks? medical etc then they have to work a notice period and have time to move house etc. before… Read more »
The first part is easy to answer. No one applies to be a diocesan or suffragan bishop. They are invited to be part of the discernment process. In both cases, anyone can suggest names, but the nomination group has complete discretion over who it invites. In the case of the CNC, the members of the CNC may put names onto the long list. These people are then approached to see if they wish to be part of the process. If they do then there are various documents they must compile together with appropriate references. Candidates may withdraw at any part… Read more »
Regarding your last point, I was amused to see two removal vans waiting outside the Old Deanery (home of Bishops of London) after the Confirmation of Election business this morning in the nearby St Paul’s cathedral
Were they “Bishop’s Move”?
no!
Was that because they only move people diagonally
sounds like the recruitment process for the intelligence agencies.
no it isn’t – the process for bishops is more secretive
The intelligence agencies advertise openly for recruits, as they are aware of the need to recruit people from the full spectrum of the population they are to serve.
And within the intelligence agencies being openly LGBTQ is no longer a bar to employment, closeted homosexuality is seen as a risk not a virtue.
There are some lessons we could learn here.
Is it normal to have no mention of her domestic and leisure arrangements/interests? I can’t remember this happening ever before – no mention of a spouse – so is she single, or even widowed? And does she like hill-walking and football like all male bishops seem to? I think Stephen Conway’s singleness and love of walking and fishing was released to the world when he was appointed. I ask this not to be prurient, but because it is normal curiosity, and, I would have thought, be something that a diocese will want to know about their bishop, not least because… Read more »
Some of this can be found here on the Durham website from when she went to Jarrow. And like the Bishop of Huntingdon, she has a dog. Perhaps she’s a Cardiff City supporter — something to keep quiet about. (My late mother was quite a regular at Ninian Park when she was young.)
I suppose Bishops leisure activities do provide useful conversation starters, in particular the football teams they support. In this case I would have thought the new Bishop could win herself a lot of Brownie points by supporting her local team, in this case Ely City.
She could become a POSH supporter. The Peterborough United ground is in her new diocese, being south of the river (at least at the moment).
Noo!!!
Players come from the wrong side of the Soke and part of Mercia. The historic rivalries of the Fenland are still pretty close to the surface!
She’d probably be safer sticking to a Welsh or NErn team than that- or she could become a U ….
I understand that the new Bishop of Ely is unmarried and loves rugby. Her first degree (more interesting than the MBA) was in Sports Science and History, or so I was told by a well-informed senior cleric.
I hope her dog gets on with the Bishop of Huntingdon’s very beautiful saluki lurcher.
If she liked hill-walking she would not be moving to Ely.
If the prediction about the Isle of Ely becoming surrounded by flood water becomes realised she could well take up rowing
Wouldn’t it be lovely if the Bishop of Huntingdon moved back north again to be Bishop of Durham — a real theologian for the post once again?
Depends where you live I suppose.
What a fascinating discussion following the announcement of the appointment of the new Bishop of Ely. I am sure Sarah will be quickly made welcome. I write “fascinating” because of the twists and turns during the debate in your pages, This went from gender to sporting interests and unasked for advice on which football team to support; North and South senior clerical exchanges, flower arranging, Higher education, Fenland flooding (will the Cathedral sink?), family. DBS procedures and delays. and other acronyms beginning with the letter D which, for the sake of brevity I did not look up. No mention of… Read more »
Bishop Dagmar Is the new bishop of Edinburgh