Bishop Lodewijk Aerts was born on 2 October 1959 in Geraardsbergen, Ghent. He studied Philosophy at the Catholic University of Leuven and theology at the diocesan seminar of Ghent.
He was ordained a priest on 7 July 1984. From 1988 to 1992, Lode Aerts was professor of philosophy at the seminary of Ghent. From 1992 to 2002, he taught dogmatic theology and was the spiritual director of the seminary of Ghent. In the same period, he was also Episcopal Vicar for youth pastoral ministry. From 2002 to 2016 he was Episcopal Vicar for ecclesiastical vocations, education and formation.
On the 15 of August 2016 he was appointed dean of Ghent, and on the same year, Bishop of Bruges by Pope Francis.
In 2020 he was elected Bishop Delegate of the Belgian Bishops’ Conference to COMECE.