Edward Frederick Carpenter
Personal
Born27 November 1910
Died26 August 1998
ReligionChurch of England
Senior posting
Period in office1974–1985
PredecessorEric Abbott
SuccessorMichael Mayne

Edward Frederick Carpenter KCVO (27 November 1910 – 26 August 1998)[1] was an Anglican priest and author.[2]

Life

Carpenter was a native Londoner and the city featured prominently in his life and priestly ministry. He was educated at Strode's Grammar School[3] and King's College London[4] and ordained in 1936.[5] After curacies at Holy Trinity, Marylebone and St Mary's Harrow he was Rector of Great Stanmore.[6]

After this his ministry was spent at Westminster Abbey, from 1951 firstly as a canon, then from 1963 to 1974 as archdeacon and finally, from 1974, Dean of Westminster.[7] One obituary noted "It was unfortunate for the Church that Edward Carpenter was 64 before he became Dean but he has left a legacy of tolerant, determined openness as a vital trait of 20th- century Christianity. He and his wife gave themselves unstintingly to others and contributed a happy sparkle in their home at Westminster in their laughter and scholarship."[8]

Carpenter retired to Richmond, Surrey. He has four children, David, Michael, Paul and Louise.[9]

Carpenter wrote Common sense about Christian ethics as part of the Common Sense series.

He was the first chairman of the Week of Prayer for World Peace, a global interfaith initiative created by the Anglican Pacifist Fellowship.[10]

In 2017, Michael De-la-Noy published a biography of Carpenter, A Liberal and Godly Dean: The Life of Edward Carpenter (Gloriette Publications).[11]

References

  1. ^ NPG details
  2. ^ Amongst others he wrote "Thomas Sherlock", 1936; "Thomas Tenison, His Life and Times", 1948; "That Man Paul", 1953; "Common Sense about Christian Ethics", 1961; "The English Church", 1966; "Cantuar: the Archbishops in their office", 1971; "Westminster Abbey", "Archbishop Fisher: his life and times", 1991 > British Library website accessed 21:34 GMT 1 March 2010
  3. ^ Beeson, T. R., The Deans (London: SCM Press, 2004) ISBN 0-334-02987-2
  4. ^ “Who was Who” 1897-2007 London, A & C Black, 2007 ISBN 978-0-19-954087-7
  5. ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory1940-41 Oxford, OUP,1941
  6. ^ Independent Obituary
  7. ^ The Times, Thursday, Apr 25, 1974; pg. 1; Issue 59073; col D New Dean
  8. ^ "Obituary: The Rev Edward Carpenter". Independent.co.uk. 27 August 1998.
  9. ^ Westminster Abbey, Edward Carpenter: Writer, Priest and Dean, 1998.
  10. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2015.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ^ Harvey, A., "A Liberal and Godly Dean by Michael De-la-Noy: Anthony Harvey recalls Edward Carpenter’s inspired eccentricity", Church Times, Mar 2017.
Church of England titles Preceded byEric Abbott Dean of Westminster 1974–1985 Succeeded byMichael Mayne Non-profit organization positions Preceded byLeonard Wilson President of the Modern Churchpeople's Union 1966 – c. 1990 Succeeded byPeter Selby
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