Harry Carpenter (bishop)

This article is about the Anglican bishop. For the sports commentator, see Harry Carpenter.

Harry James Carpenter (b. Liss 20 October 1901 – d. Oxford 24 May 1993) was an English bishop and theologian. He was warden of Keble College, Oxford (1939–1956) and then 37th Bishop of Oxford[1] (1955[2]–1970[3]).

Carpenter was educated at Churcher's College and Queens' College, Cambridge;[4] and ordained after studying at Cuddesdon College in 1928.[5] His first post was a curacy in Leatherhead.[6]

Carpenter married Urith Monica Trevelyan, a teacher. Their son was the biographer, writer and radio broadcaster, Humphrey Carpenter.

From 1962 to 1970, Carpenter he lived in the village of Cuddesdon, where there had historically been a bishop's palace, but his successors found this impractical and in 1978 the bishops reverted to living within the city.[7] He initiated the ecumenical discussions which eventually resulted in the building of the Church of Christ the Cornerstone in Milton Keynes.

There is a parish school named after Carpenter in the Oxfordshire village of North Newington.

  1. ^ Diocesan website Archived 28 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Bishop Of Oxford Nominated", The Times (London, England), 8 December 1954, p. 8.
  3. ^ "News in Brief", The Times (London, England), 12 September 1970, p. 14.
  4. ^ Who was Who 1897–2007 London: A & C Black (1991) ISBN 978-0-19-954087-7
  5. ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory Lambeth: Church House (1976) ISBN (invalid) 0108153674, alternate version: ISBN 0-19-200008-X, OCLC 25885092, OCLC 59162245
  6. ^ The Independent obituary
  7. ^ "New home is 'no palace' | the Door". Archived from the original on 26 April 2006. Retrieved 9 May 2006.