Edward Frederick Carpenter (27 November 1910 – 26 August 1998)NPG details was an Anglican priest and author.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
Life Carpenter was a native Londoner and the city featured prominently in his life and priestly ministry. He was educated at Strode's Grammar SchoolBeeson, T. R., The Deans (London: SCM Press, 2004) and King's College London“Who was Who” 1897-2007 London, A & C Black, 2007 and ordained in 1936.Crockford's Clerical Directory1940-41 Oxford, OUP,1941 After curacies at Holy Trinity, Marylebone and St Mary's Harrow he was Rector of Great Stanmore.Independent Obituary
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.The Times, Thursday, Apr 25, 1974; pg. 1; Issue 59073; col D "New Dean" 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."
Carpenter retired to Richmond, Surrey. He has four children, David, Michael, Paul and Louise.Westminster Abbey, Edward Carpenter: Writer, Priest and Dean, 1998.
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.
In 2017, Michael De-la-Noy published a biography of Carpenter, A Liberal and Godly Dean: The Life of Edward Carpenter (Gloriette Publications).Harvey, A., "A Liberal and Godly Dean by Michael De-la-Noy: Anthony Harvey recalls Edward Carpenter’s inspired eccentricity", Church Times, Mar 2017.
Animal welfare
Carpenter was a vice-president of the RSPCA and president of the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals.Linzey, Andrew; Regan, Tom. (2007). Animals and Christianity: A Book of Readings. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 207.
Selected publications
Common Sense About Christian Ethics (1964) Cantuar: The Archbishops in their Office (1971) Animals and Ethics (1981)
References