| Background: |
|
| Edward Frederick Carpenter | |
| Religion: | Church of England |
| Dean of Westminster | |
| Period: | 1974–1985 |
| Predecessor: | Eric Abbott |
| Successor: | Michael Mayne |
| Birth Date: | 27 November 1910 |
| Death Date: | 26 August 1998 |
Edward Frederick Carpenter (27 November 1910 – 26 August 1998)[1] was an Anglican priest and author.[2]
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]