RIP The Rt. Rev. Frank Griswold III

In November 1988, Stephanie and I drove to Chicago to visit Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, then located in Evanston. The guest housing was full, creating a dilemma for a young couple living on low entry-level salaries. Fortunately, we had a local connection with a guest room, Frank and Phoebe Griswold. Frank had previously served as the rector of St. Martin’s in Philadelphia, Stephanie’s parish for many years (and eventually mine though I arrived after Frank and Phoebe had moved).

In 1988, most people referred to Frank as Bishop Griswold. I doubt other postulants for holy orders called him by his first name or stayed in his guest room. But at the time, he was not my bishop and the relationship felt more personal than professional. When Stephanie wanted to know what it would be like to be a priest’s wife, she went to see Phoebe. When we invited Frank and Phoebe to dinner in our seminary apartment, they came. When we attended a diocesan dinner for new clergy and spouses, Frank sat next to Stephanie and delightfully identified himself as her rector. One of the great joys of my ministry is that Frank ordained me to the priesthood on December 19, 1992.

Years later, on November 2, 2003, Frank made a trip to New Hampshire where I was serving as the rector of Christ Church in Exeter. He was not there to see Stephanie and me but to preside at the ordination of Gene Robinson to be the Bishop of New Hampshire.

If you were involved at St. Paul’s or another Episcopal parish 20 years ago you will likely recall the controversy around Gene Robinson’s ordination. He was the first openly gay, partnered bishop in the Episcopal Church.  His elevation to the episcopacy was a catalyst for years of strife in the Anglican Communion.

While the Presiding Bishop traditionally serves as the chief consecrator at the ordination of bishops, the Prayer Book does allow for another bishop to be appointed in the Presiding Bishop’s place. Given the controversy, it would have been easy to stand in the middle, to refuse to take sides, to delegate the responsibility to someone else.

But Frank Griswold showed up. By acting as chief consecrator he lived the promise we make in our Baptismal Covenant to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and to respect the dignity of every human being.” He showed us — in the words of his predecessor the Rt. Rev. Edmond Browning — what it means to be a church in which “there will be no outcasts.” After hearing objections from dissenters during the ordination service and before stating he would proceed with the consecration, Bishop Griswold said, “We’re learning to live the mystery of communion at a deeper level.”

Twenty years later in 2023 we’re still learning the mystery of communion. But thanks to Frank, and so many others, look how far we’ve come.

The Rt. Rev. Frank Tracy Griswold III died on March 5 at the age of 85. Well done, good and faithful servant. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.