Author Archives: Paul Harris

About Paul Harris

Pastor Harris retired from congregational ministry after 40 years in office on 31 December 2023. He is now devoting himself to being a husband, father, and grandfather. He still thinks cenobitic monasticism is overrated and cave dwelling under.

Much Ado about Something

Posted on August 25, 2014 by Paul Harris

I referenced in an earlier blog post Dr. Dale Meyer’s article “Pedagogy for a Politicized Church” in the Winter 2014 Concordia Journal, pp. 6-13.  He references there a report to the 2010 convention that said the task force involved repeatedly … Continue reading →

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How Crazy is That?

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Paul Harris

Seth McFarland of “Family Guy” fame, or infamy to some, either portrayed in an episode or said in a presentation, monologue, or routine something along these lines: A bunch of people sit in front of one guy while he yells … Continue reading →

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A Brief Statement about the Brief Statement

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Paul Harris

Had not the Brief Statement been adopted by the LCMS in 1932 there would not have been the Statement of the Forty-Four in 1945.  Yet though confessionals bang the Brief Statement gong loudly and even LCMS, Inc. will appeal to … Continue reading →

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Everyone a Missionary

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Paul Harris

We tried “everyone a minister” then it was “everyone an evangelist” now it’s “everyone a missionary.”  Sheesh, soon they’ll be no one in the pews to receive the gifts. Soon there’ll be no mothers and fathers raising kids.  Soon will … Continue reading →

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Scratch a Fund Raiser and You’ll Smell a Pietist

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Paul Harris

That’s probably too strident, stringent, harsh even.  But you Waltherians can blame Walther for getting me to think along such clamorous lines.  He says in Law and Gospel that there are only two groups that humanity can be separated into … Continue reading →

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Well at Least We’re not Debating Whether or not Jesus was/is Divine

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Paul Harris

Dr. Dale Meyer, current president of Concordia Seminary, relates that one of Dr. Dean Wenthe’s favorite stories was of a cab ride he shared with the president of another denomination’s seminary. Wenthe asked what the hottest debate was on his … Continue reading →

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Is there an Imperative to Grow?

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Paul Harris

The sainted Reverend Father Rudolph Kurz once wrote a paper saying that there is no command in Scripture for the church to grow in numbers. 

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“A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast, But the compassion of the wicked is cruel.”

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Paul Harris

That is Proverbs 12:10. In filling out the Synod’s survey on the First Chief Part of Luther’s Small Catechism, I was reminded again that children today need to have it empathized that neither dogs, cats, nor any other animal are … Continue reading →

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Self-Inflicted Wounds

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Paul Harris

William Manchester’s excellent memoir of the Pacific War, Goodbye, Darkness ought to be read by anyone who thinks he knows of the horrors of war or actually does know of them. He reports that shooting yourself in the foot was … Continue reading →

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Cherchez la femme

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Paul Harris

That’s what I usually write in my book on feminism when I have been asked to sign a copy.  It’s French for “look for the woman.” As American’s say “follow the money” to solve a crime the French say “look … Continue reading →

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