Ellis Alvin Christian was born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1890, to Wallace Christian and Josephine Wyatt Christian. He attended Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, then went to Lincoln University, where he completed a BA in 1912 and a bachelor’s of sacred theology in 1915. He was ordained in 1916 and served churches in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and San Antonio, Texas. He then worked as a chaplain for the US Army during WWI. He lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan from 1920-1929, then moved to New Haven.
He was married to Esther Caruthers Christian, and the couple had two children.
He completed a bachelor’s of divinity at Yale Divinity School in 1931. While in New Haven, he attended St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Shortly after graduating from Yale, he became the rector of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Washington, DC. He held this position for many years. He was also chaplain of St. Anna’s Home for the Aged in Washington. He died in 1973.