Christopher Campling

The Very Reverend Christopher Campling
Dean of Ripon
Church	Church of England
Diocese	Diocese of Ripon
In office	1984 – 1995
Predecessor	Edwin Le Grice
Successor	John Methuen
Other post(s)	Archdeacon of Dudley (1976–1984)
Orders
Ordination	1952
Personal details
Born	Christopher Russell Campling 4 July 1925
Died	9 December 2020(2020-12-09) (aged 95)
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglicism
Education	Lancing College
Alma mater	St Edmund Hall, Oxford

Christopher Russell Campling (4 July 1925 – 9 December 2020) was a British Anglican priest who was the Dean of Ripon.[1]

Early life and education

Campling was born on 4 July 1925 and educated at Lancing College and St Edmund Hall, Oxford.[2]

Ordained ministry

Ordained in 1952 he began his career with a curacy in Basingstoke[3] after which he was a Minor Canon at Ely Cathedral.[4] He was then appointed Chaplain of his old school. Later Vicar then Rural Dean of Pershore, his next appointment was as Archdeacon of Dudley in 1975 — a post he held jointly with his role as director of education for the Anglican Diocese of Worcester and priest-in-charge of St Augustine's Church, Dodderhill, Droitwich. Then, in 1984, he was appointed Dean of Ripon.[5] After 11 years as head of Ripon Cathedral, he retired from full-time ministry.

Campling belonged to the liberal wing of the Church of England. He was a supporter of ecumenism, the ordination of women, the remarriage of divorcees in church.[6]

An eminent author,[7] he retired to Worthing[8] where he wrote his memoir, I Was Glad.[9] He continued to preach and lecture occasionally in retirement.[10]

He died on 9 December 2020 at the age of 95.[11]

References

1. "Campling, Very Rev. Christopher Russell", Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2012; online edn, Nov 2012 accessed 23 Sept 2013
2. Who's Who 2008: London, A & C Black, 2008 ISBN 978-0-7136-8555-8
3. Debrett's People of Today: (1992, London, Debrett's) ISBN 1-870520-09-2
4. Crockford's clerical directory Lambeth, Church House, 1976 ISBN 0-19-200008-X
5. The Times, Wednesday, 8 May 09, 1984; p. 16; Issue 61826; col G New Dean of Ripon
6. "The Very Reverend Christopher Campling, liberal-minded Dean of Ripon – obituary". The Telegraph. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
7. Amongst others he wrote “The Way, The Truth and The Life” (Vol. 1, The Love of God in Action, 1964; Vol. 2, The People of God in Action, 1964; Vol. 3, The Word of God in Action, 1965; Vol. 4, God's Plan in Action, 1965); “Words of Worship”, 1969; “The Fourth Lesson” (Vol. 1 1973, Vol. 2 1974); and The Food of Love, 1997
8. Churches Together in Sussex No. 81 (2013, Brighton)
9. Campling, Christopher (2005), I Was Glad, London, England: Janus Publishing Co
10. Ripon Cathedral News, January 2011
11. Campling

Church of England titles
Preceded by Edwin Le Grice	Dean of Ripon 1984–1995	Succeeded by John Methuen