Duncan M. Gray Jr. facts for kids

Duncan Montgomery Gray Jr. (born September 21, 1926 – died July 15, 2016) was an important leader in the Episcopal Church. He was the 7th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi. His father, Duncan M. Gray Sr., and his son, Duncan Montgomery Gray III, also served as bishops in the same area. This makes them a unique family with three generations of bishops!

Early Life and Education

Duncan Gray Jr. was born in Canton, Mississippi, on September 21, 1926. His parents were Duncan Montgomery Gray Sr. and Isabel McCrady. He went to high school in Greenwood, Mississippi, and graduated from Central High in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1944.

After high school, he joined the Navy. He studied at Tulane University as part of the Navy-12 Program. He served one year as an officer in the Navy. In 1948, he earned a degree in Electronic Engineering from Tulane. He then worked for Westinghouse Corporation for three years. Later, he studied theology at Sewanee: The University of the South. There, he earned his Bachelor of Divinity degree. In 1972, he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.

Becoming a Priest

Gray became a deacon on April 8, 1953. He was ordained as a priest on October 28 of the same year. Both ordinations were performed by his father, who was also the Bishop of Mississippi.

He served as a priest in several churches. These included Grace Church in Rosedale, Mississippi, and Calvary Church in Cleveland, Mississippi. He also served at the Church of the Holy Innocents in Como, Mississippi. In 1960, he became the chaplain for Episcopal students at the University of Mississippi. A year later, he became the rector (head priest) of St Peter's Church in Oxford, Mississippi.

Gray was well-known for his work as a civil rights activist in the southern United States. His story is even part of the University of Southern Mississippi's Civil Rights Digital Archive. Before becoming a bishop, he served as rector of St Paul's Church in Meridian, Mississippi.

Serving as Bishop

Duncan Gray Jr. was consecrated (officially made a bishop) on May 1, 1974. The ceremony took place at St Andrew's Cathedral. The main person who consecrated him was Presiding Bishop John E. Hines. He also had help from Presiding Bishop-elect John Allin, who was the Bishop of Mississippi at the time.

Gray took over from Bishop Allin on June 1, 1974. Besides his efforts against racism, Bishop Gray also supported women becoming priests. This was different from what his predecessor believed. He also believed that laywomen (women who are not priests) should serve on church committees. Bishop Gray retired from his role in 1993. He passed away on July 15, 2016.

Family Life

In 1948, Duncan Gray Jr. married Ruth Spivey from Canton. They had four children together. A book about his life, called And Also With You: Duncan Gray and the American Dilemma, was written by Will D. Campbell.