We would like to offer our congratulations to our University Lead Chaplain, Revd Canon Gavin Wort, who was installed as a Non-Residentiary Canon of Durham Cathedral at Choral Evensong on Sunday 26 November.
Gavin was invited by the Bishop of Durham to become a canon in appreciation of his ministry in university chaplaincy, and his involvement in the wider life of the Durham Diocese on interfaith matters.
As Lead Chaplain, Gavin leads the University’s Chaplaincy Network which comprises chaplains and faith advisors from several faith or belief traditions, including Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Humanist, Jewish and Muslim, and also including a number of Christian denominations/organisations: Anglican or Church of England, Friends International, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Quaker.
He has been in post at the University since September 2018. He provides pastoral, spiritual and religious support to students and staff of all faiths, beliefs and worldviews. He is available to individuals from all colleges and departments.
Alumnus Gavin Wort completed his post-graduate study in Theology and Ministry in 2010 and has served in parishes as an Anglican priest in Southampton and Newcastle before joining Durham as Lead Chaplain. He is passionate about interfaith engagement and loves bringing people of different faiths and cultures together to share with and learn from one another for the common good. He is Chair of the County Durham Faiths Network and Vice-Chair of the Newcastle Council of Faiths. Gavin is also an Interfaith Advisor for the Diocese of Durham. He has taught modules on Multi-faith Awareness for Lindisfarne College of Theology and Cranmer Hall, St John’s College. His academic interests include Zen/Chan Buddhism and Multiple Religious Practice.
In taking up this additional honorary role, he joins the College of Canons which is part of the governance of the Cathedral. As a canon, he will support the mission and ministry of the Cathedral and provide advice to the Dean. He is likely to lead acts of worship from time to time.
The current Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler, has recently announced that he will retire in February 2024, when he will have served as Bishop of Durham for ten years. As the ‘Appointment of Bishops Act’ (1533) states that the canons elect the new Bishop, so Gavin can look forward to playing a significant, although ceremonial, role in the appointment of the next Bishop!
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