Emrich, Richard S. M. (Richard Stanley Merrill), 1910-

Episcopal bishop of Michigan.

From the description of Richard Stanley Merrill Emrich papers, 1942-1984. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 34418347

From the description of Richard Stanley Merrill Emrich papers, 1940s-1990. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 85778273

Richard Stanley Merrill Emrich was born March 11, 1910 in Mardin, Turkey. His father was a Congregational missionary who was stationed there at the time. Emrich spent his boyhood in Framingham, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor's degree from Brown University in 1932. In 1935, he received his Bachelor of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary and from there went to Marburg University in Germany to earn his Ph.D. in 1938.

After his ordination in Boston, Emrich spent a brief time as a parish curate and then spent the next ten years teaching at the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he achieved the rank of full professor.

On June 11, 1946, Emrich was consecrated as Suffragan Bishop of Michigan at the age of thirty-six. Two years later, he became the seventh Bishop of Michigan, the youngest Episcopalian bishop ever in a Michigan diocese. He held this position for twenty-seven years, one of the longest terms for the Michigan diocese. In his retirement, Emrich and his wife, Beatrice, moved to Sun City, Arizona, where he continues to assist others.

During his long career, Emrich was not only involved with official church business, but also was very active in local and world affairs. He was a major supporter of the civil rights movement, as well as a supporter for social justice and arbitrator in union-management disputes. He wrote a weekly Sunday column for The Detroit News as well as a daily question and answer column. Over the years, Emrich was awarded eight honorary degrees, and in 1958 was also awarded the CBE - Honorary Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire - by Queen Elizabeth II for his efforts in promoting Anglo-American relations.

From the guide to the Richard S. M. Emrich Papers, 1940s-1990, (Bentley Historical Library University of Michigan)