Griswold went to school at St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire. He earned an A.B. in English literature from Harvard College (1959). He attended the General Theological Seminary and earned his B.A. and M.A, in theology from Oriel College, Oxford University (1962, 1966). Griswold became a priest in 1963. He became a priest in Pennsylvania. He worked at three churches there. Frank Griswold was the bishop of Chicago from 1987 until he became presiding bishop in 1997.