Edward Dowler

Robert Edward Mackenzie Dowler is a British Anglican priest. Since September 2024, he has been the Dean of Chichester in the Church of England.

Early life and education

Dowler was born on 28 December 1967 in Highgate, London, England. He was educated at Harrow School, an all-boys independent boarding school in London. He studied at Christ Church, Oxford, Selwyn College, Cambridge, Westcott House, Cambridge and Durham University. His doctoral thesis was titled "Songs of love: a pastoral reading of St Augustine of Hippo's Enarrations in Psalmos", and his supervisors were Graham Gould and Carol Harrison.

Ordained ministry

Dowler was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1994 and as a priest in 1995. After curacies in London including at Christ Church, Southgate he was on the staff of St Stephen's House, Oxford from 2001 until 2009; then Vicar of Clay Hill until his appointment as archdeacon. He served as the Archdeacon of Hastings in the Diocese of Chichester from 2016 until 2024; he additionally became priest-in-charge of St John the Evangelist, Crowborough in 2020.
On 14 May 2024, it was announced that he would be the next Dean of Chichester; he was instituted on 14 September 2024.