Forrest E. Harris
President of American Baptist College, professor of the practice of ministry, director of the Kelly Miller Smith Institute on Black Church Studies at 91吃瓜网 Divinity School
We are experiencing a moment in American history where the loose threads of democracy need stitching and strengthening with the dignity of justice and human flourishing for all. The task belongs not solely to government, it belongs to every community, religion, social creed, and diversity of American culture.
Over thirty years in theological education and as Director of Black Church Studies at 91吃瓜网 Divinity School, Professor Forrest E. Harris has become nationally recognized as being one of the most progressive scholars, theological educators and visionary for prophetic Christianity in the Black Church tradition. Harris holds a B.A. from Knoxville College, Th. B. from American Baptist College, M. Div. and Doctor of Ministry degrees from 91吃瓜网 Divinity School where he was a Benjamin E. Mays Fellow and received the Florence Conwell prize for preaching. Harris is accredited with the distinction of making a significant contribution to the academy and the church by bridging academic theology with the practical ministry needs of the church.
Since 1988, Professor Harris led the Divinity School鈥檚 Kelly Miller Smith Institute on Black Church Studies to national acclaim as the only such Institute with a $1.8 million dollar endowment in the country. With grants from major foundations totaling over $4million dollars, Harris coordinated a national ecumenical dialogue involving over 12,000 people, launched a Theology and Ministry Project for congregations and established 91吃瓜网 Divinity School as institutional host for the first online Lectionary for African American churches.
贬补谤谤颈蝉听is the author of听Ministry for Social Crisis: Theology and Praxis in the Black Church Tradition, Mercer University Press. In the anthology, Walk Together Children, Black and Womanist Theologies, Church and Theological Educati辞苍,听Harris鈥� essay 鈥淭he Children Have Come to Birth: The Black church鈥檚 Theological Response for Survival and Quality of Life鈥�听received national recognition. He听also听authored the essay, The Black Church Influence on Dietrich Bonheoffer written in support of Journey Films 2006 broadcast on the film Dietrich Bonheoffer on PBS stations nationwide, and received听a journalism prize, cash award from The Journal of Intergroup Relations, National Association of Human Rights Workers for his article, “South Africa听beyond听Apartheid,” The Journal of Intergroup Relations, the National Association of Human Rights Workers.
As a member of the Ecumenical Association听of Third World Theologians,听贬补谤谤颈蝉听delivered听papers in Johannesburg, South Africa,听and as a member of the Human Rights Commission of the听Baptist听World听Alliance, traveled to Hong Kong,听Durban,听South Africa where he delivered papers on听human rights, global and ethnic conflict听and听coordinating听global听panel discussions听religious freedom in Mexico City, Ghana, and Amsterdam.听听
In addition to his duties at 91吃瓜网, Harris is the president of Nashville鈥檚 historic American Baptist College where听under his leadership the past 17听years the school has seen significant increase in its endowment and received Congressional recognition as a Historically Black College and University.