Obispos presidentes anteriores

Samuel Seabury (Nov. 30, 1729–Feb. 25, 1796)

Presiding Bishop by precedence, 1789–1792

Samuel Seabury was born in Groton, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale College in 1748 and studied theology under his father, who was originally a Congregationalist minister and later ordained a deacon and priest in the Church of England. From 1752 to 1753, Seabury studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. He was ordained a deacon and priest in the Church of England in 1753.

Upon returning to the American Colonies, he served in parishes in New Brunswick, New Jersey (1754–1757), Jamaica, New York (1757–1766), and Westchester, New York (now Westchester Square in the Bronx) (1766–1776). Seabury wrote pamphlets in defense of loyalty to the British Crown, and from 1776 to 1783, he practiced medicine and served as chaplain to British troops in New York City.

On March 25, 1783, Seabury was elected bishop of Connecticut and consecrated in Aberdeen, Scotland, on Nov. 14, 1784, by three nonjuring bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church. At the time, he could not be consecrated by the Church of England, which required an oath of loyalty to the crown. In 1790, his episcopal oversight was extended to include Rhode Island. Bishop Seabury is considered the first presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, by precedence, serving from Oct. 5, 1789, to Sept. 8, 1792. He died in New London, Connecticut, in 1796.

Bishop Seabury was a high churchman in the tradition of the Nonjurors and the Caroline Divines. A valid episcopacy and the threefold orders of clergy were central concerns for him. His consecration by the Scottish Episcopal Church helped prompt the British Parliament to create provisions for the consecration of bishops in foreign countries, allowing subsequent American bishops to be consecrated by the Church of England. Bishop Seabury and the establishment of the American episcopate are commemorated on Nov. 14 in The Episcopal Church’s liturgical calendar.

Samuel Provoost (Feb. 26, 1742–Sept. 6, 1815)

Presiding Bishop, 1792–1795

Samuel Provoost was born in New York City in 1742. He graduated from King’s College (later Columbia University) in 1758 and studied at Peterhouse, Cambridge. He was ordained a deacon on Feb. 3, 1766, and priest on March 25, 1766. Later that year, Provoost became assistant rector of Trinity Church, New York, until 1771, and he returned as rector in 1784.

A supporter of American independence, Provoost was named chaplain of the Continental Congress in 1785. He was elected the first bishop of New York in 1786. From 1792 to 1795, Bishop Provoost served as the presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church.

In 1801, Bishop Provoost sought to resign as bishop of New York, but the House of Bishops refused to accept his resignation, allowing instead for the election of an assistant bishop. He effectively retired in 1801, leaving the diocese under the care of Assistant Bishop Benjamin Moore. Bishop Provoost died in New York City in 1815.

William White (April 4, 1748–July 17, 1836)

Presiding Bishop, 1789, 1795–1836

William White was born in Philadelphia in 1748. He graduated from the College of Philadelphia (later known as the University of Pennsylvania) in 1765 and then studied theology under Richard Peters and Jacob Duché. White was ordained a deacon on Dec. 23, 1770, and priest on June 25, 1772, and earned his Doctor of Divinity from the University of Pennsylvania in 1781. At the United Parishes of St. Peter’s and Christ Church in Philadelphia, White served as assistant minister (1772–1779) and then rector from 1779 until his death in 1836.

White sided with the American revolutionary cause and, in 1782, wrote The Case of the Episcopal Churches Considered, which laid out the framework for an American episcopate, including lay representation in church legislative bodies. Many of his ideas were adopted into the Constitution of The Episcopal Church. White served as chaplain to the Continental Congress, the Constitutional Convention, and the United States Senate from 1777 to 1801.

White was consecrated the first bishop of Pennsylvania on Feb. 4, 1787, and served in that position until his death. He also served as presiding bishop for a short time, from July 28 to Oct. 3, 1789, and then held the office again from Sept. 8, 1795, until his death in 1836 in Philadelphia.

Alexander Viets Griswold (April 22, 1766–Feb. 15, 1843)

Presiding Bishop, 1836–1843

Alexander Viets Griswold was born in Simsbury, Connecticut, and educated privately by his uncle, a priest. Although he began cultivating a small farm as a young man, he decided in 1794 to study for the ministry. He was ordained a deacon on June 7, 1795, and priest on Oct. 1, 1795. Griswold served three small churches in Litchfield County, Connecticut, and then was selected as rector of St. Michael’s Church, Bristol, Rhode Island, in 1804. Following the organization of the Eastern Diocese, which included all New England except Connecticut, he was elected its bishop and consecrated on May 31, 1811. He continued parish ministry until 1835, when he devoted himself fully to episcopal duties.

Shortly after becoming The Episcopal Church’s fifth presiding bishop on July 17, 1836, Bishop Griswold underwent a profound conversion, and his preaching and piety became markedly evangelical. A significant spiritual awakening was occurring throughout his diocese at the time, with church membership increasing nearly tenfold between 1790 and 1840. He remained presiding bishop until his death in Boston in 1843.

Philander Chase (Dec. 14, 1775–Sept. 20, 1852)

Presiding Bishop, 1843–1852

Philander Chase was born in Cornish, New Hampshire, and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1796. Bishop Samuel Provoost ordained Chase a deacon in 1798 and priest on Nov. 10, 1799. He began his ministry with missionary work in northern and western New York. In 1805, he moved to New Orleans, where he organized Christ Church (now Christ Church Cathedral) and became its rector. Chase then served as rector of Christ Church, Hartford, Connecticut, from 1811 to 1817.

Drawn to the frontier to do missionary work, Chase moved to Ohio in 1817 and organized a church in Salem. He was elected the first bishop of Ohio and consecrated on Feb. 11, 1819. Bishop Chase served as president of Cincinnati College from 1821 to 1822 and founded Kenyon College and Bexley Theological Seminary in Gambier, Ohio, in 1824.

On Sept. 9, 1831, Bishop Chase resigned as president of Kenyon College and as bishop of Ohio. He moved to Michigan where he did missionary work for several years. On March 9, 1835, he was elected the first bishop of Illinois, and during his tenure, he established Jubilee College in Peoria County.

Bishop Chase became the sixth presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, serving from Feb. 15, 1843, until his death in 1852.

Thomas Church Brownell (Oct. 19, 1779–Jan. 13, 1865)

Presiding Bishop, 1852–1865

Thomas Church Brownell was born in Westport, Massachusetts, in 1779. He began his education at the College of Rhode Island but transferred to Union College, graduating in 1804. From 1805 to 1817, he taught at Union College, and during his last years there, he studied theology. He was ordained a deacon on April 11, 1816, and priest on Aug. 4, 1816.

After serving briefly as assistant minister at Trinity Church, New York, Brownell was elected bishop of Connecticut and consecrated on Oct. 27, 1819. One of his major accomplishments was founding Washington College (now Trinity College), Hartford, in 1824, for which he served as president until 1831. Bishop Brownell made several missionary trips through Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama.

On Sept. 20, 1852, Bishop Brownell became the seventh presiding bishop, serving until his death in Hartford in 1865. He published more than 10 books, including The Family Prayer Book, a commentary on the 1789 Book of Common Prayer.

John Henry Hopkins (Jan. 30, 1792–Jan. 9, 1868)

Presiding Bishop, 1865–1868

John Henry Hopkins was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1792, and he and his family emigrated to the United States in 1801. Educated privately and a proficient musician, Hopkins had several careers before ministry, including ironmaster and lawyer. After settling in Pittsburgh, Hopkins served as organist and choirmaster at Trinity Episcopal Church, where he was unanimously elected as rector in 1823. He relinquished his legal career and began studying for Holy Orders. He was ordained a deacon on Dec. 14, 1823, and priest on May 12, 1824. During his tenure, the congregation quadrupled, and Hopkins helped establish eight Episcopal churches in the area.

Hopkins became assistant minister at Trinity Church, Boston, in 1831 and was elected the first bishop of Vermont, serving from his consecration on Oct. 31, 1832, until his death.

Bishop Hopkins was a prolific writer and controversialist. In Slavery: Its Religious Sanction (1851), he argued that the Bible contained no injunction against slavery and therefore slavery was not inherently sinful. The Law of Ritualism (1866) prompted the eventual acceptance in most Episcopal parishes of liturgical customs such as eucharistic vestments and altar candles.

Bishop Hopkins became the eighth presiding bishop on Jan. 13, 1865. In this role, he welcomed the return of the southern dioceses and helped to end the division caused by the Civil War. He remained in office until his death in Burlington, Vermont, in 1868.

Benjamin Bosworth Smith (June 13, 1794–May 31, 1884)

Presiding Bishop, 1868–1884

Benjamin Bosworth Smith was born in Bristol, Rhode Island. He graduated from Brown University in 1816. He was ordained a deacon on April 23, 1817, and priest on June 24, 1818. He began his ordained ministry at St. Michael’s Church, Marblehead, Massachusetts. He then moved to Virginia to serve as rector of St. George’s Church, Accomack County, followed by Zion Church, Charlestown, Virginia (now Charles Town, West Virginia). In 1823, he became rector of St. Stephen’s Church, Middlebury, Vermont, and in 1828, began serving at Grace Church Mission, Philadelphia. He became rector of Christ Church, Lexington, Kentucky, on Oct. 8, 1830.

On Oct. 31, 1832, Smith was consecrated the first bishop of Kentucky. Under his leadership, the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Kentucky was founded in 1834, the fourth seminary to be established in The Episcopal Church. He also helped establish schools and hire teachers to work with former slaves throughout the South. Bishop Smith became the ninth presiding bishop in 1868 and served in that role, while continuing as bishop of Kentucky, until his death in 1884.

Alfred Lee (Sept. 9, 1807–April 12, 1887)

Presiding Bishop, 1884–1887

Alfred Lee was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1807. He graduated from Harvard University in 1827, and after practicing law for three years, he studied for the ministry and graduated from the General Theological Seminary in 1837. Lee was ordained a deacon on May 21, 1837, and priest on June 12, 1838. He served as rector of Calvary Church, Rockdale, Pennsylvania, from 1838 to 1841. Lee was consecrated the first bishop of Delaware on Oct. 12, 1841, and served until his death. During his episcopate, he also served as rector of St. Andrew’s Church, Wilmington. He performed episcopal duties and missionary work in Haiti and Mexico and served as vice president of the American Church Missionary Society. Bishop Lee became the 10th presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church on May 31, 1884, serving until his death in Wilmington on April 12, 1887.

John Williams (Aug. 30, 1817–Feb. 7, 1899)

Presiding Bishop, 1887–1899

John Williams was born in Deerfield, Massachusetts, in 1817. In 1831, he began his studies at Harvard College, where he became an Episcopalian. At the end of his sophomore year, he transferred to Washington College (now Trinity College), Hartford, Connecticut, graduating in 1835. From 1837 to 1840, he worked there as a tutor. Williams was ordained a deacon on Sept. 2, 1838, and priest on Sept. 26, 1841. He served as assistant minister at Christ Church, Middletown, Connecticut (1841–1842), and rector of St. George’s Church, Schenectady, New York (1842–1848). On Aug. 3, 1848, he was elected the fourth president of his alma mater, Trinity College, and served in that position until 1853.

Williams was consecrated the assistant bishop of Connecticut on Oct. 29, 1851, and became the fourth bishop of Connecticut on Jan. 13, 1865. Bishop Williams founded the Berkeley Divinity School in Middletown in 1854 and served there as dean and professor of theology and liturgics until his death. He was the 11th presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church from April 12, 1887, until his death in Middletown in 1899.

Thomas March Clark (July 4, 1812–Sept. 7, 1903)

Presiding Bishop, 1899–1903

Thomas March Clark was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, in 1812 and raised as a Presbyterian. He graduated from Yale College in 1831, studied at Princeton Theological Seminary, and was licensed to preach as a Presbyterian in 1835. The following year, he joined The Episcopal Church and applied for ordination. Clark was ordained a deacon on Feb. 3, 1836, and priest on Nov. 6, 1836.

Clark served in parishes in Boston, Philadelphia, and Hartford, Connecticut, before his election as the fifth bishop of Rhode Island. He was consecrated in Grace Church, Providence, on Dec. 6, 1854, and served as rector of Grace Church until 1866, when he resigned to devote himself full-time to episcopal duties. He became the 12th presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church on Feb. 7, 1899, serving until his death in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1903. Bishop Clark was an active supporter of the Union cause during the Civil War, and he was committed to the theological and social liberalism of the broad church party.

Daniel Sylvester Tuttle (Jan. 26, 1837–April 17, 1923)

Presiding Bishop, 1903–1923

Daniel Sylvester Tuttle was born in Windham, New York, in 1837. He graduated from Columbia College (now Columbia University) in 1857 and the General Theological Seminary in 1862. Bishop Horatio Potter ordained Tuttle a deacon on Jan. 29, 1862, and priest on July 19, 1863, at Zion Church, Morris, New York, a parish he had organized during his diaconate and for which he served as rector.

On May 1, 1867, Tuttle was consecrated the missionary bishop of Montana, Idaho, and Utah. In 1868, he was elected to the bishopric of Missouri but declined. In 1880, Montana was designated a separate missionary jurisdiction, while Idaho and Utah remained under Bishop Tuttle’s charge. In that role, Bishop Tuttle oversaw the building of St. Mark’s Cathedral in Salt Lake City, the first non-Mormon religious building in Utah. He also helped found several schools and a hospital in the area.

In 1884, Columbia College appointed him its representative at the tercentenary of the University of Edinburgh.

Bishop Tuttle was again elected bishop of the Diocese of Missouri in 1886, accepting the position and holding it until his death in 1923. He became the 19th presiding bishop in 1903 and served in that role until his death. Bishop Tuttle published a memoir in 1906, Reminiscences of a Missionary Bishop, describing his experiences among the Mormons in Salt Lake City, including meetings with Brigham Young and other leaders.

Alexander Charles Garrett (Nov. 4, 1832–Feb. 18, 1924)

Presiding Bishop, 1923–1924

Alexander Charles Garrett was born in Ballymote, County Sligo, Ireland. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Trinity College, Dublin, in 1855. He was ordained a deacon on July 6, 1856, and priest on July 5, 1857. He held the curacy of East Worldham, Hampshire, in England until 1859, when he emigrated to British Columbia to work as a missionary. There he served as chaplain at the naval station at Esquimalt, rector of St. Paul’s Church in Nanaimo, and minister to gold miners at Cariboo.

In 1869, Garrett moved to the United States to become rector of St. James’ Church in San Francisco, and then served as dean of Trinity Cathedral, Omaha, Nebraska, from 1872 to 1874.

On Dec. 20, 1874, Garrett was consecrated the first missionary bishop of Northern Texas (now the Diocese of Dallas). He was an active supporter of the School of Theology at the University of the South and gave the opening address when St. Luke’s Hall was opened on March 25, 1879.

In Dallas, Bishop Garrett was instrumental in building St. Matthew’s Cathedral and founding St. Mary’s College for women, which opened on Sept. 10, 1889, and operated until 1930. He was known for saying that he needed clergy who could “ride like a cowboy, pray like a saint, preach like an apostle, and, having food and raiment, be therewith content.” He became the 14th presiding bishop on April 17, 1923, serving in that role while continuing as bishop of Dallas until his death there in 1924.

Ethelbert Talbot (Oct. 9, 1848–Feb. 27, 1928)

Presiding Bishop, 1924–1926

Ethelbert Talbot was born in Fayette, Missouri, in 1848. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1870 and from the General Theological Seminary in 1873. He was ordained a deacon on June 29, 1873, and priest on Nov. 4, 1873. From 1873 to 1887, he was rector of St. James’ Church, Macon, Missouri.

Talbot was consecrated the first missionary bishop of Wyoming and Idaho on May 27, 1887. In that role, he established 38 churches and built St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Laramie, Wyoming. While holding that office, he became bishop of Central Pennsylvania on Feb. 2, 1898. During his episcopacy, the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania was divided into two dioceses, with Bishop Talbot overseeing the Diocese of Bethlehem—renamed in 1909—until his death in Tuckahoe, New York, in 1928. He became the 15th presiding bishop on Feb. 18, 1924, by seniority of consecration, the last time the position was determined by precedence rather than election. Bishop Talbot was committed to the ecumenical movement and urged the immediate organic union of American Protestant groups.

John Gardner Murray (Aug. 31, 1857–Oct. 3, 1929)

Presiding Bishop, 1926–1929

John Gardner Murray was born in Lonaconing, Maryland, in 1857 and educated at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pennsylvania. In 1879, he entered Drew Theological Seminary, Madison, New Jersey, to study for the Methodist ministry. When his father died, he had to withdraw and work in the family business to help support his younger siblings. While living in Alabama, he joined The Episcopal Church and was ordained a deacon on April 3, 1893, and priest on April 16, 1894. He began his ministry as a missionary in Alabama and, from 1896 to 1903, was rector of the Church of the Advent, Birmingham. From 1903 to 1909, he served as rector of the Church of St. Michael and All Angels in Baltimore, Maryland.

Murray was elected bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Maryland and consecrated on Sept. 29, 1909. On Jan. 18, 1911, he became the seventh bishop of Maryland. At the 1925 General Convention, he was elected presiding bishop—the first to be chosen by election—and served from Jan. 1, 1926, until his death in 1929.

Charles Palmerston Anderson (Sept. 8, 1865–Jan. 30, 1930)

Presiding Bishop, 1929–1930

Charles Palmerston Anderson was born in Kemptville, Ontario, Canada, in 1865 and educated at Trinity College School, Port Hope, Ontario. He was ordained a deacon on Dec. 11, 1887, and priest on Dec. 16, 1888. He began his ministry in Beachburg, Ontario, in 1887. In 1891, he was called to be rector of Grace Church, Oak Park, Illinois, and remained there until 1900, when he was elected bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Chicago and consecrated on Feb. 24, 1900. He became bishop of Chicago on Feb. 19, 1905. At a special meeting of the House of Bishops on Nov. 13, 1929, Bishop Anderson was elected the 17th presiding bishop, serving until his death in Chicago in 1930. He was known as an advocate for world peace and Christian unity.

James DeWolf Perry (Oct. 3, 1871–March 20, 1947)

Presiding Bishop, 1930–1937

James DeWolf Perry was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1871. Perry earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1891 and a second from Harvard University in 1892. He graduated from the Episcopal Theological School in 1895 with a Bachelor of Divinity. Perry was ordained a deacon on June 9, 1895, and began his ministry as an assistant at Christ Church, Springfield, Massachusetts. He was ordained a priest on Feb. 18, 1896. He served as rector of Christ Church, Fitchburg, Massachusetts (1897–1904), and St. Paul’s Church, New Haven, Connecticut (1904–1911).

Perry was consecrated the seventh bishop of Rhode Island on Jan. 6, 1911. He was elected the 18th presiding bishop by the House of Bishops on March 26, 1930, and reelected by the 1931 General Convention, serving until his retirement on Dec. 31, 1937. He was the last presiding bishop to retain his diocesan office while serving in the national position.

Bishop Perry was especially interested in foreign missions. In 1932, an independent commission chaired by William Ernest Hocking completed the “Report of the Commission of Appraisal of the Laymen’s Foreign Missions Enquiry,” which was highly critical of missionary work by Protestant churches. When asked to make an independent study of The Episcopal Church’s foreign missions, Bishop Perry and Mrs. Perry spent five months visiting mission stations in the Philippines, China, Japan, and Hawaii. Upon his return to the United States, Bishop Perry announced his disagreement with the conclusions of the report. He died in Summerville, South Carolina, in 1947.

Henry St. George Tucker (July 16, 1874–Aug. 8, 1959)

Presiding Bishop, 1938–1946

Henry St. George Tucker was born in Warsaw, Virginia. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Virginia in 1895 and a Bachelor of Divinity from the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary (now Virginia Theological Seminary) in 1899. He was ordained a deacon on June 23, 1899, and priest on July 30, 1900.

Tucker began his ordained ministry as a missionary in Japan and served as president of St. Paul’s College, Tokyo (now Rikkyo University), from 1903 to 1912. On March 25, 1912, Tucker was consecrated the missionary bishop of Kyoto, serving in that capacity until 1923. From 1923 to 1926, he taught pastoral theology at the Virginia Theological Seminary. On Sept. 21, 1926, he became bishop coadjutor of Virginia, and on June 25, 1927, he became the eighth bishop of Virginia.

Bishop Tucker was elected the 19th presiding bishop and served from Jan. 1, 1938, to Dec. 31, 1946. He resigned as bishop of Virginia on June 1, 1944—the first presiding bishop to relinquish his diocesan jurisdiction upon assuming the office. From 1942 to 1944, Bishop Tucker was president of the Federal Council of Churches. He died in Richmond, Virginia, in 1959.

Henry Knox Sherrill (Nov. 6, 1890–May 11, 1980)

Presiding Bishop, 1947–1958

Henry Knox Sherrill was born in Brooklyn, New York. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1911 and a Master of Divinity from the Episcopal Theological School in 1914. He was ordained a deacon on June 7, 1914, and priest on May 9, 1915.

Sherrill began his ministry as assistant minister at Trinity Church, Boston, and in 1917, he became the Red Cross chaplain of the Massachusetts General Hospital. That same year, he became an Army chaplain and was sent to a hospital in Talence, France, during World War I. In 1919 he was discharged from the Army and became rector of the Church of Our Saviour, Brookline, Massachusetts. From 1923 to 1930, Sherrill served as the 12th rector of Trinity Church, Boston. While at Trinity, he taught pastoral care at the Episcopal Theological School and the Boston University School of Theology.

On Oct. 14, 1930, Sherrill was consecrated the ninth bishop of Massachusetts, serving in that position until June 1, 1947, when he became the 20th presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church. Bishop Sherrill was the first presiding bishop chosen after the 1943 General Convention canon requiring presiding bishops to resign from all current positions no later than six months after assuming office.

While presiding bishop, Sherrill helped organize the Episcopal Church Foundation and establish the Seabury Press. He served as the first president of the National Council of Churches (1950–1952) and as president of the World Council of Churches (1954–1961). He resigned as presiding bishop in 1958 for health reasons and died in Boxford, Massachusetts, in 1980.

Arthur Lichtenberger (Jan. 8, 1900–Sept. 3, 1968)

Presiding Bishop, 1958–1964

Arthur Lichtenberger was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 1900. He earned his Bachelor of Philosophy from Kenyon College in 1923 and his Bachelor of Divinity from the Episcopal Theological School in 1925. He was ordained a deacon on March 21, 1925, and priest on Nov. 21, 1926. From 1925 to 1927, he taught at St. Paul’s Divinity School, Wuchang, China, and did postgraduate study at Harvard University from 1927 to 1928. He served as rector of Grace Church, Cincinnati (1928–1933), and St. Paul’s Church, Brookline, Massachusetts (1933–1941). He also served as a lecturer in pastoral care at the Episcopal Theological School from 1938 to 1941. Lichtenberger was dean of Trinity Cathedral, Newark, New Jersey (1941–1948), and a professor of pastoral theology at the General Theological Seminary (1948–1950).

On April 5, 1951, Lichtenberger was consecrated the bishop coadjutor of Missouri and served as bishop of Missouri from Nov. 1, 1952, to May 15, 1959. He was elected the 21st presiding bishop and served from Nov. 15, 1958, to Oct. 12, 1964, when he retired due to ill health. From 1964 to 1968, he was visiting professor of pastoral theology at the Episcopal Theological School.

Bishop Lichtenberger was a leading supporter of the ecumenical movement, serving as a member of the General Board of the National Council of Churches and the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches. In 1961, he made an unofficial visit to Pope John XXIII, and he helped lead The Episcopal Church into the Consultation on Church Union. Under his leadership, construction of the Episcopal Church Center in New York was completed. Bishop Lichtenberger died in Bethel, Vermont, in 1968.

John Elbridge Hines (Oct. 3, 1910–July 19, 1997)

Presiding Bishop, 1965–1974

John Elbridge Hines was born and raised in Seneca, South Carolina, where he attended a very small Episcopal church. After earning a bachelor’s degree at the University of the South, he graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1933 with a Bachelor of Divinity. Hines was ordained a priest on Oct. 28, 1934, and he began his ministry in Hannibal, Missouri, under the guidance of Bishop Will Scarlett, an advocate of the “Social Gospel,” which promoted the reform of American society based on Christian imperatives. He then served as rector of Saint Paul’s Church, Augusta, Georgia, and Christ Church (later Christ Church Cathedral), Houston, Texas.

On Oct. 18, 1945, Hines was consecrated bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Texas, becoming the diocesan bishop in 1955. Bishop Hines was elected presiding bishop in 1965 and served until 1974. He died in Austin, Texas, in 1997. Bishop Hines is remembered as a fierce advocate for those lacking political, social, economic, and educational opportunities.

John Maury Allin (April 22, 1921–March 6, 1998)

Presiding Bishop, 1974–1985

John Maury Allin was born in Helena, Arkansas, in 1921 and earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1943 and a Bachelor of Divinity in 1945 from the University of the South. He was ordained a deacon on June 6, 1944, and priest on May 10, 1945. He served churches in Arkansas and Louisiana before becoming rector of All Saints’ Junior College, Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1958. He was consecrated the bishop coadjutor of Mississippi on Oct. 28, 1961, and served as the sixth bishop of Mississippi from May 31, 1966, to June 1, 1974.

Bishop Allin served as a member of the Board of Trustees and Board of Regents of the University of the South, and as its 17th chancellor from May 28, 1973, to April 27, 1979. He was elected the 23rd presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, serving in the role from June 1, 1974, to Dec. 31, 1985. While he was presiding bishop, women were ordained to the priesthood for the first time, the Book of Common Prayer was revised, and the Venture in Mission campaign was conducted. Bishop Allin died in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1998.

Edmond Lee Browning (March 11, 1929–July 11, 2016)

Presiding Bishop, 1986–1997

Edmond Lee Browning was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1929. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1952 and a Bachelor of Divinity in 1954 from the University of the South. He was ordained a deacon on July 2, 1954, and priest on May 23, 1955. Browning was an assistant at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Corpus Christi, from 1954 to 1956 and rector of the Church of the Redeemer, Eagle Pass, Texas, from 1956 to 1959. In 1959, he moved to Japan, serving as priest-in-charge of All Souls Church in Okinawa until 1963. In 1963, he and his wife moved to Kobe to study at the Language School, later returning to Okinawa, where he served St. Matthew’s Church in Oruku until 1968.

On Jan. 5, 1968, Browning was consecrated the first missionary bishop of Okinawa. He resigned from that position on May 16, 1971, to become bishop-in-charge of the Convocation of American Churches in Europe. On June 1, 1974, he returned to the United States to become executive for national and world mission at the Episcopal Church Center. On Aug. 1, 1976, he became the sixth bishop of Hawaii. At the General Convention of 1985, Bishop Browning was elected the 24th presiding bishop and assumed office on Jan. 1, 1986. His tenure as presiding bishop was characterized by a strong international focus and a commitment to ensuring the church was welcoming to all. Bishop Browning retired as presiding bishop on Dec. 31, 1997, and died in 2016.

Frank T. Griswold (Sept. 18, 1937–March 5, 2023)

Presiding Bishop, 1997–2006

Frank T. Griswold was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, in 1937 and earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Harvard College in 1959. He attended the General Theological Seminary and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theology from the University of Oxford (Oriel College). He also received honorary degrees from the General Theological Seminary, Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, Nashotah House, Sewanee, Berkeley Divinity School, Virginia Theological Seminary, and Episcopal Divinity School.

Griswold was ordained a priest in 1963 and served three parishes in the Diocese of Pennsylvania before being elected bishop coadjutor in 1985 and then bishop of Chicago in 1987. At the 1997 General Convention, he was elected to a nine-year term as presiding bishop and installed in January 1998.

Bishop Griswold served as co-chair of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission and on the standing committee for the Lambeth Conference, and he was elected to the Primates Standing Committee in May 2003. His articles, essays, and sermons have been published in periodicals and theological journals, and his daily meditations from the 2000 General Convention were published as Going Home: An Invitation to Jubilee.

Katharine Jefferts Schori (born March 26, 1954)

Presiding Bishop, 2006–2015

Katharine Jefferts Schori holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Stanford University, a master’s degree and doctorate in oceanography from Oregon State University. She worked as an oceanographer before studying for the priesthood. Jefferts Schori earned a Master of Divinity from Church Divinity School of the Pacific and was ordained a priest in 1994. She also holds several honorary doctoral degrees. She remains an active, instrument-rated pilot—a skill she applied when traveling among congregations in the Diocese of Nevada, where she was elected bishop in 2000. At the time of her election, she was serving as a priest, university lecturer, and hospice chaplain in Oregon.

Bishop Jefferts Schori was elected presiding bishop in June 2006, becoming the first woman to hold the office. Over the course of her nine-year term, Bishop Jefferts Schori emphasized The Episcopal Church’s mission priorities, including the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, efforts to address domestic poverty and climate change, care for the earth, and the ongoing need to contextualize the Gospel.

Michael Bruce Curry (born March 13, 1953)

Presiding Bishop, 2015–2024

Michael Bruce Curry was born in Chicago in 1953. He graduated with high honors from Hobart College (now Hobart and William Smith Colleges) and earned his Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School. He was ordained a priest in 1978 and served parishes in North Carolina, Ohio, and Maryland until his election as bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina in 2000.

At the 78th General Convention in June 2015, Curry was elected the 27th presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church for a nine-year term and installed in November 2015.

Throughout his ministry, Bishop Curry has been a prophetic leader, particularly in the areas of racial reconciliation, climate change, evangelism, immigration policy, and marriage equality. The animating vision of his ministry is Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus’ radical, sacrificial love, regularly reminding Episcopalians that they are “the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement.”

Bishop Curry is the author of five books and has been a regular guest on national and international media outlets. He retired in 2024.