Christopher Lewis (priest)

Early life

The son of Admiral Sir Andrew Lewis KCB and his wife, Rachel Elizabeth (née Leatham), Lewis was educated at Marlborough College in Wiltshire, the University of Bristol (where he graduated BA in 1969), Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (graduating PhD in 1974) and Westcott House, Cambridge where he trained for the priesthood.

Military service

Lewis served in the Royal Navy from 1961 to 1966. He served aboard a minesweeper during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. He was promoted from acting sub-lieutenant to sub-lieutenant on 1 September 1965. He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 March 1966.

On 17 October 1966, Lewis transferred to the Permanent Royal Navy Reserve in the rank of lieutenant. This ended his full-time military service.

Ordained ministry

Lewis was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1973 and as a priest in 1974. He served as assistant curate of Barnard Castle (1973–76). From 1976 to 1979 he was both Director of the Oxford Institute for Church and Society and a tutor at Ripon College Cuddesdon. He was Senior Tutor at Ripon College Cuddesdon (1979–81) and (Vice Principal) 1981–82. He was also priest-in-charge of Aston Rowant with Crowell from 1978 to 1981. He was Vicar of Spalding from 1982 to 1987 when he was appointed a canon residentiary of Canterbury Cathedral. He was also Director of Ministerial Training for the Diocese of Canterbury from 1989 to 1994.

Lewis was Dean of St Albans Cathedral from 1994 to 2003. He was for some time was Chairman of the Association of English Cathedrals. In 2003, he was appointed Dean of Christ Church. He retired on 4 February 2014, his 70th birthday.

Personal life

In 1970, Lewis married Rhona Jane Martindale. They have two sons and one daughter.