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.

Owning the Mystery

Posted on May 3, 2010 by Paul Harris

This is from the pen of Rev. Dr. William W. Schumacher, Dean of Theological Research and Publication at Concordia St. Louis.

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Don’t Be a Punk

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Paul Harris

I can’t take credit for this observation; I can only show that Shakespeare knew it long ago.

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God is Dead? No You Are

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Paul Harris

It seems that the 1968 “God is Dead” headline in The New York Times is not the child of philosophers gone amuck but of theology gone awry.

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Who Told You that You Were Naked?

Posted on April 5, 2010 by Paul Harris

That’s the second question the Lord asked of the newly fallen Adam.  The Lord came looking for His friend for their usual cool of the evening stroll in paradise, but Adam was hiding from Him.  When God asked why, Adam … Continue reading →

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Pro-Adultery Yet Christian?

Posted on March 29, 2010 by Paul Harris

Of course you can’t be pro-adultery and still be accepted as a Christian, but you can be  Pro-Choice, i.e. for the killing of babies in the womb, and be accepted as a Christian.  In fact Concordia University Texas believes you … Continue reading →

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No Novatian or Donatist She

Posted on March 22, 2010 by Paul Harris

Sorry you’ll have to Google this if you want to readily know what I’m talking about.  You could cheat and use the source everyone disses yet uses http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donatist .  Shakespeare’s play “Measure for Measure” also treats this ancient tension.  I … Continue reading →

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It’s a matter of Stupidity

Posted on March 2, 2010 by Paul Harris

In the first hearings addressing the repealing of “Don’t ask; Don’t tell,” Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was a matter of integrity to let gays and lesbians openly serve in the military.  … Continue reading →

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Even Angels Should Fear to Tread Where God Has

Posted on February 15, 2010 by Paul Harris

Where Angels Fear to Tread is the title of a 1905 novel my E.M. Forster, but it comes from a line from an Alexander Pope poem from 1707 entitled “An Essay on Criticism.”  Pope’s line is more apropos of this … Continue reading →

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Where Have you Gone Samuel Nafzger?

Posted on February 8, 2010 by Paul Harris

Everyone gets what Simon and Garfunkel meant when they sang, “ Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio/ A nation turns its lonely eyes to you?/ What’s that you say, Mrs. Robinson/ Joltin’ [I always thought it was “jumpin’.] Joe has … Continue reading →

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A Clown First Said it

Posted on February 1, 2010 by Paul Harris

It was a clown that first helped me see there is more than a rift, more than a divide, there is a chasm between Reformed and Lutheran.

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