Frederic Cunningham Lawrence (May 22, 1899 – April 16, 1989) was a suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Massachusetts (1956–1968).

Early life and education

Lawrence was born on May 22, 1899, in

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Greater Boston, Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most ...

, the son of Bishop William Lawrence and Julia Cunningham. He was educated at the

Milton Academy Milton Academy (also known as Milton) is a highly selective, coeducational, University-preparatory school, independent preparatory, boarding and day school in Milton, Massachusetts consisting of a grade 9–12 Upper School and a grade K–8 Lowe ...

and then at

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher ...

from where he graduated

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...

in 1920. After that, he spent a year, between 1920 and 1921, studying at Corpus Christi College in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge beca ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. He then studied at the Union Theological Seminary between 1921 and 1922, and then at the

Episcopal Theological School Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...

, from where he earned a

Bachelor of Divinity In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity (BD or BDiv; la, Baccalaureus Divinitatis) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theol ...

in 1924. Lawrence earned his

Doctor of Divinity A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ra ...

degree from

Harvard Divinity School Harvard Divinity School (HDS) is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school's mission is to educate its students either in the academic study of religion or for leadership roles in religion, go ...

in 1937.

Ordained ministry

Lawrence was ordained deacon in May 1924 and priest in May 1925, on both occasions by his own father, Bishop William Lawrence. He served as curate at All Saints' Church in Worcester between 1924 and 1925 and then as chaplain at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

and associate priest at

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglicanism, Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London ...

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...

between 1925 and 1927. In 1927, he became rector of St Peter's Church in

, while in 1941, he was appointed rector of St Paul's Church in nearby

Brookline, Massachusetts Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, in the United States, and part of the Boston metropolitan area. Brookline borders six of Boston's neighborhoods: Brighton, Allston, Fenway–Kenmore, Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain, and ...

, where he remained till 1956.

Bishop

Lawrence was elected Suffragan Bishop of Massachusetts on May 3, 1956, in

. He was consecrated on November 3, 1956, in Trinity Church,

, by Presiding Bishop

Henry Knox Sherrill Henry Knox Sherrill (November 6, 1890 – May 11, 1980) was an Episcopal bishop. He was the 20th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church from 1947 to 1958, having previously served as Bishop of Massachusetts (1930-1947). Biography Henry Knox ...

. He retained that position in the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts until his retirement in 1968. He was active with the Episcopal chaplaincy at Harvard and was a trustee of

and the American University of Beirut. He died on April 16, 1989, at his home in

, after a lengthily illness.

Family

His father, William Lawrence, was the seventh

Bishop of Massachusetts The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts is one of the nine original dioceses of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. History Massachusetts was founded by Puritans who did not accept such aspects of the Church of England as bish ...

(1893–1927). Lawrence was the grandson of the notable abolitionist

Amos Adams Lawrence Amos Adams Lawrence (July 31, 1814August 22, 1886) was an American businessman, philanthropist, and social activist. He was a key figure in the United States abolitionist movement in the years leading up to the Civil War and the growth of the E ...

and a member of the influential Boston family, founded by his great-great-grandfather and American revolutionary Samuel Lawrence; his great-grandfather was the noted philanthropist

Amos Lawrence Amos Lawrence (April 22, 1786 – December 31, 1852) was an American merchant and philanthropist. Biography Amos Lawrence was born in Groton, Massachusetts. Lawrence attended elementary school in Groton and briefly attended the Groton Academ ...

. Lawrence's brother,

William Appleton Lawrence William Appleton Lawrence (May 21, 1889 - December 21, 1968) was the third bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts (1937–57). His father, William Lawrence, was the seventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts (1 ...

, was the third Bishop of Western Massachusetts (1925–1941). William Lawrence married Katharine Virginia Wylie on April 10, 1928, and together had six children.

External links

Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts

References

1899 births 1989 deaths Appleton family Harvard Divinity School alumni Episcopal bishops of Massachusetts 20th-century American Episcopalians 20th-century American clergy {{US-Anglican-bishop-stub