R. Laird Harris
Encyclopedia
Robert Laird Harris was an Presbyterian minister, church leader, and Old Testament
scholar
.
. He earned a B.S. from the University of Delaware
(1931), a Th.B. (1935) and a Th.M. (1937) from Westminster Theological Seminary
, an A.M. from University of Pennsylvania
(1941), and a Ph.D.
from Dropsie College (1947).
He was licensed as a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA)
in 1935, joined to the newly formed Orthodox Presbyterian Church
(then called Presbyterian Church of America) in 1936, joined those forming the Bible Presbyterian Church
in 1937, and was in 1956 moderator of a new off-shoot denomination
, the Bible Presbyterian Synod (BPS). He was involved on the committee that brought about the merger of the BPS with another denomination
to become the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod (RPCES) in 1965, and then the RPCES, along with its education institutions Covenant College
and Covenant Theological Seminary
, became part of the Presbyterian Church in America
in 1982, at which time Harris was elected moderator of the 10th General Assembly
of that body.
He was part-time instructor in Hebrew
at the University of Pennsylvania (1946–1947) and then taught for twenty years at Faith Theological Seminary (1937–1956). He resigned from that institution because of his belief in the propriety of denomination-controlled institutions, and he then helped found the Covenant Theological Seminary
, which was a denominational institution and where he was chairman of the Old Testament
department until he retired in 1981. He taught as an adjunct professor of Old Testament at Knox Theological Seminary
at its founding in 1989.
Harris's first wife, Elizabeth K. Nelson, was born on April 30, 1910 and died in 1980. He was remarried to Anne P. Krauss and lived in Quarryville, Pennsylvania
.
He also served as editor of The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament and a was contributing editor to the Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. He was contributed articles to the Wycliffe Bible Commentary and the Expositor's Bible, and he served as chairman of the Committee on Bible Translation for the New International Version
.
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
scholar
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
.
Biography
Harris was born near Upper Makefield Township, PennsylvaniaUpper Makefield Township, Pennsylvania
Upper Makefield Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,190 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
. He earned a B.S. from the University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
(1931), a Th.B. (1935) and a Th.M. (1937) from Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with a satellite location in London.-History:...
, an A.M. from University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
(1941), and a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from Dropsie College (1947).
He was licensed as a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
in 1935, joined to the newly formed Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Orthodox Presbyterian Church
The Orthodox Presbyterian Church is a conservative Presbyterian denomination located primarily in the United States. It was founded by conservative members of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America who strongly objected to the pervasive Modernist theology during the 1930s . Led...
(then called Presbyterian Church of America) in 1936, joined those forming the Bible Presbyterian Church
Bible Presbyterian Church
The Bible Presbyterian Church is an American Protestant denomination.-History:The Bible Presbyterian Church was formed in 1937, predominantly through the efforts of such conservative Presbyterian clergymen as Carl McIntire, J. Oliver Buswell and Allen A. MacRae. Francis Schaeffer was the first...
in 1937, and was in 1956 moderator of a new off-shoot denomination
Religious denomination
A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.The term describes various Christian denominations...
, the Bible Presbyterian Synod (BPS). He was involved on the committee that brought about the merger of the BPS with another denomination
Religious denomination
A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.The term describes various Christian denominations...
to become the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod (RPCES) in 1965, and then the RPCES, along with its education institutions Covenant College
Covenant College
Covenant College is a Christian liberal arts college in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, United States.-History:Founded in 1955 in Pasadena, California, Covenant College and Theological Seminary moved its campus to St. Louis, Missouri the following year, and, in 1965, separated from the seminary, moving...
and Covenant Theological Seminary
Covenant Theological Seminary
Covenant Theological Seminary is the denominational seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America . It is located in St. Louis, Missouri, and its purpose is to train leaders for work in the church and the world — especially as pastors, missionaries, and counselors. It does not require all...
, became part of the Presbyterian Church in America
Presbyterian Church in America
The Presbyterian Church in America is an evangelical Protestant Christian denomination, the second largest Presbyterian church body in the United States after the Presbyterian Church . The PCA professes a strong commitment to evangelism, missionary work, and Christian education...
in 1982, at which time Harris was elected moderator of the 10th General Assembly
Presbyterian polity
Presbyterian polity is a method of church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually called the session or consistory, though other terms, such as church board, may apply...
of that body.
He was part-time instructor in Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
at the University of Pennsylvania (1946–1947) and then taught for twenty years at Faith Theological Seminary (1937–1956). He resigned from that institution because of his belief in the propriety of denomination-controlled institutions, and he then helped found the Covenant Theological Seminary
Covenant Theological Seminary
Covenant Theological Seminary is the denominational seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America . It is located in St. Louis, Missouri, and its purpose is to train leaders for work in the church and the world — especially as pastors, missionaries, and counselors. It does not require all...
, which was a denominational institution and where he was chairman of the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
department until he retired in 1981. He taught as an adjunct professor of Old Testament at Knox Theological Seminary
Knox Theological Seminary
Knox Theological Seminary is an Independent Evangelical Seminary in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, founded in 1989 by D. James Kennedy. Knox graduated its first class of Master of Divinity students in 1993.- History :...
at its founding in 1989.
Harris's first wife, Elizabeth K. Nelson, was born on April 30, 1910 and died in 1980. He was remarried to Anne P. Krauss and lived in Quarryville, Pennsylvania
Quarryville, Pennsylvania
Quarryville is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,994 at the 2000 census.-General information:*ZIP code: 17566*Area code: 717*Local phone exchanges: 786, 806*Named for noted quarries in the area...
.
Publications
Harris published several books:- Introductory Hebrew Grammar
- Inspiration and Canonicity of the Bible
- Your Bible
- Man—God's Eternal Creation
He also served as editor of The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament and a was contributing editor to the Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. He was contributed articles to the Wycliffe Bible Commentary and the Expositor's Bible, and he served as chairman of the Committee on Bible Translation for the New International Version
New International Version
The New International Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible. Published by Zondervan in the United States and by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK, it has become one of the most popular modern translations in history.-History:...
.