Glossary of Terms

(b. Sept. 2, 1903). British Methodist minister and hymn writer. He was born near Liverpool, England, and educated at Huyton High School, Wallasey Grammar School, Rydal School, and Didsbury College, Manchester. From the time of his ordination in 1925 until his retirement, Green wrote plays, hymns, and poems. After retirement in the late 1960s, he […]

Green, William Mercer

(May 2, 1798-Feb. 13, 1887). Bishop and educator. He was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. Green received his B.A. from the University of North Carolina in 1818. After reading theology he was ordained deacon on Apr. 29, 1821, and priest on Apr. 23, 1823. He was the rector of St. John's Church, Williamsboro, 1823-1826, and […]

Greenfield, Robert Harvie

(Feb. 11, 1925-Apr. 23, 1999). Priest, monk, and Prayer Book reviser. Greenfield was born in Portland, Oregon. He received the B.A. from Reed College in 1949, the M.Litt. from Oxford University in 1951, and the D.Phil. from Oxford in 1956. Greenfield was ordained deacon on Oct. 18, 1951, and priest on Apr. 23, 1952. He […]

Greer, David Hummel

(Mar. 20, 1844-May 19, 1919). Bishop and opponent of war. He was born in Wheeling, West Virginia. Greer graduated from Washington College, Washington, Pennsylvania, in 1862. From 1863 until 1866, he studied at the Bexley Hall Divinity School. He was ordained deacon on June 27, 1866, and began his ordained ministry at Christ Church, Clarksburg, […]

Gregg, Alexander

(Oct. 8, 1819-July 11, 1893). Bishop and leading supporter of the University of the South. He was born in Society Hill, Darlington District, South Carolina. Gregg received his B.A. from South Carolina College in 1838 and then studied law. He practiced law in Cheraw, South Carolina. He was attracted to St. David's Church in Cheraw, […]

Gregorian Chant

See Plainsong.

Gregory of Nazianzus

(c. 329-389 or 390). Leading trinitarian theologian. He was born at Arianzus in Cappadocia. Gregory succeeded his father as Bishop of Nazianzus and in 379 was elected Bishop of Constantinople. He was a great defender of the Nicene Faith and played a leading role at the Second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople in 381. He insisted […]

Gregory of Nyssa

(c. 335-c. 395). Theologian and leading defender of the Nicene faith. He was consecrated Bishop of Nyssa in 372. Gregory attended the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople in 381, where he asserted the unity of the three Persons in the one Godhead. With regard to the Trinity, Gregory taught a doctrine of coinherence or perichoresis, […]

Gregory the Great

(c. 540-Mar. 12, 604). Sixth-century Pope and Doctor of the Church. He was born in Rome. After serving as prefect of Rome, c. 572-574, Gregory entered the monastery of St. Andrew on the Caelian Hill around 575. He was consecrated Bishop of Rome on Sept. 3, 590, and served until his death. He was very […]

Gregory the Illuminator

(c. 257-c. 332). Bishop and missionary to Armenia. He was born in Valarshapat or possibly Caesarea in Cappadocia. After studying at Caesarea in Cappadocia, he returned to Armenia and converted King Tiridates. With the help of the king he converted the nation to Christianity. He was consecrated bishop around 315, and he baptized the kings […]

Grey Book, The

See Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, The.

Griffith, David

(1742-Aug. 3, 1789). Missionary and early leader of the Diocese of Virginia. He was born in New York City. Griffith went to England to study medicine and returned to New York to begin his practice in 1763. He went to England to be ordained. Griffith was ordained deacon on Aug. 19, 1770, and priest on […]

Griswold College, Davenport, Iowa

Around 1858 the Rt. Rev. Henry Washington Lee, first Bishop of Iowa, bought the property of Iowa College, Davenport. In 1859 he secured a charter for Griswold College, named for Bishop Alexander Viets Griswold of the Eastern Diocese. This venture was to be “the college of the Trans Mississippi bishops and sees,” but this interdiocesan […]

Griswold, Alexander Viets

(Apr. 22, 1766-Feb. 15, 1843). Bishop and evangelist. He was born in Simsbury, Connecticut. He was educated privately by his uncle, a priest. Although he cultivated a small farm as a young man, he decided in 1794 to study for ordination. He was ordained deacon on June 7, 1795, and priest on Oct. 1, 1795. […]

Griswold, Frank Tracy, III

(b. Sept. 18, 1937). Twenty-fifth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. He was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Griswold received the A.B. at Harvard in 1959, and he attended the General Theological Seminary, 1959-1960. He received the B.A. in 1962 and the M.A. in 1966 from Oxford University. He was ordained deacon on Dec. 15, […]

Grosseteste, Robert

(c. 1175-Oct. 1253). Reforming bishop. Very little is known about his early life, except that he had a great interest in science. Later in life he studied theology. On June 17, 1235, he was consecrated Bishop of Lincoln. He held this position until his death. He was conscientious and regular in visiting his diocese, which […]

Groton School

A five-year, coeducational boarding school located forty miles northwest of Boston at Groton, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1884 by Endicott Peabody, an Episcopal priest who wished to imbue Christian values in young men and prepare them both for college and leadership in American society. Students and faculty worshiped together twice a day, and at […]

Grotto

A natural or artificial cave. The term is from the Italian for “cavern.” Grottos from natural caves were once seen as dwelling places for gods. A tradition from the second century holds that Jesus was born in a cave at Bethlehem, known as the Grotto of the Nativity. A basilica was built over this cave […]

Guardian Angel

See Angel.

An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church