The Rev. N. Thomas Wright, a prominent New Testament scholar, was named Tuesday as the new bishop of Durham, the fourth-ranking post in the Church of England.
Wright, the canon theologian of Westminster Abbey since 2000, defends conservative views on the historical reliability of the New Testament. He is a much-traveled lecturer and author of more than 30 books on Christian beliefs, both scholarly and popular.
The Durham post has had a long tradition of scholar-bishops with intellectual influence. The diocese ranks behind Canterbury, York and London among English sees and its bishop sits in Parliament's House of Lords.
A native of the northeastern region, he assumes the post April 30.
Wright was previously dean of Lichfield and a teacher at the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford and Canada's McGill University.
"I hope to be able to bring fresh insights from historical and theological work to bear on the mission and life of the church," Wright said.