Oxford's new bishop, the Rt Rev John Pritchard, is planning to visit his predecessor to seek advice on the best way to tackle his new job.

Bishop John arrived in the Oxford Diocese in style on Monday in a new Mini borrowed from the city's Cowley car plant so he could make a tour of the county.

The 58-year-old dropped in at Christ Church to meet his staff, following the announcement that he will succeed the Rt Rev Richard Harries, who retired in June after 19 years in office.

Bishop John, 58, is currently Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow, in the Diocese of Durham. As Bishop of Oxford, he will lead the Church of England in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.

And the first thing he will do, before he officially takes office next summer, will be to visit his predecessor to pick his brains about the role he held for almost two decades.

The bishop, a father-of-two, said: "I will go and see him and ask him how to do it - I respect his wisdom greatly.

"I have huge admiration for Bishop Richard. I have read his books for donkey's years but I shall have to be myself, and I offer myself in humility. I look forward to being part of this wonderful diocese in the summer."

Bishop John added that he would not "court controversy", but would be prepared to enter arenas of controversy if the need arose. He is likely to try to avoid a repeat of the issue which threatened a split in the Oxford Diocese in 2003, when Dr Harries appointed Canon Jeffrey John, a celibate homosexual, as Bishop of Reading. Following the controversy, Dr John declined to accept the post.

Bishop John said: "Here was a man of immense ability, a man of Godliness, a man who would have made a good bishop, but he had to represent the unity of the Church and it became difficult for him to occupy that place.

"The Church does not accept that homosexual practice is compatible with scripture, but it also says we have to listen to each other.

"My plea is for a Godly conversation to go on."

The bishop, a law graduate of Oxford University's St Peter's College, was recommended for the post by the Crown Nominations Commission.

Penny Keens, who chaired the Vacancy-in-See Committee, said: "Bishop John has a track record as a leader in mission. We warmly welcome his appointment and look forward to getting to know him."

The bishop and his wife Wendy have two daughters, Amanda, 30, and Nicola, 29. He will live at his predecessor's old home in Linton Road, Oxford.

Life in the church

Bishop John was born in Salford, the son of a clergyman.

He went to school in Blackpool, and then read law at St Peter's College, Oxford, from 1966-70. He spent summer holidays working as a tram conductor in Blackpool.

While a student, he decided to enter the priesthood, and after his degree studied for a Diploma in Theology at Oxford.

He then studied for a Certificate in Pastoral Theology in Cambridge, and was ordained in 1972.

He was a curate at St Martin's in the Bull Ring, in Birmingham, until 1976, when he became youth chaplain to the diocese of Bath and Wells, before taking charge of a parish in Taunton in 1980.

In 1988, he became director of pastoral studies at Cranmer Hall, the Church of England's theological college in Durham. He became its Warden in 1993.

In 1996 he was appointed Archdeacon of Canterbury and Canon Residentiary of Canterbury Cathedral, before returning to the North East to become Bishop of Jarrow in January 2002.

He recently led a successful bid for the twin site monastery of Wearmouth-Jarrow to be the UK's 2009 nomination as a World Heritage Site.

His hobbies and interests include fell walking, photography, travel, music, art and reading.