Richard served the Presbyterian Church National Headquarters in Manhattan, and Smith spent his childhood in New Jersey.

He was a graduate of Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon with a Bachelor of History, during that time he was received into the Episcopal Church.

[1] Smith studied for holy orders at the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, was deaconed in 1979, and ordained a priest in 1980, through the auspices of his home diocese of Arizona.

During his tenure at St. James’ Church, Smith taught Anglican history at the Episcopal Seminary at Claremont, and served as Diocesan Ecumenical Officer.

After retiring as Bishop of Arizona he taught church history at General Theological Seminary in New York City.