Harmon gains chair at Baptist World Alliance

     Expanding his academic and theological accomplishments, Dr. Steve Harmon adds another honor to his resume. During the Centenary Congress of the Baptist World Alliance, which took place in Birmingham, England, July 28-31, Campbell University’s Dr. Steve Harmon was elected vice chair of the Doctrine and Interchurch Cooperation Commission for the upcoming 2005-2010 term.
     “I am honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to serve worldwide Baptists in this capacity” Harmon said. “I hope that I might be able to make some small contribution to helping Baptists and other Christians seek and experience the unity for which our Lord prayed.”
     This particular commission of the Baptist World Alliance aims to further define and reflect upon issues of doctrine that are pertinent to Baptists. It is the body responsible for participation in ecumenical conversations with other worldwide Christian denominations such as the Anglican Consultative Council, the Lutheran World Federation, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity of the Roman Catholic Church, the Mennonite World Council and many others. Members of the commission also routinely publish papers from the Baptist worldview to further educate and enlighten Baptists and Christians alike on such doctrines as the church, the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s supper.
     Harmon has previously served as a member of the Doctrine and Interchurch Cooperation Commission from 2000-2005. He was also one of six Baptist theologians and historians selected to represent the commission in 2003 as part of the North American phase of the Anglican-Baptist International Conversations held in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. As the new vice chair, Harmon will take on an active role in selecting participants and preparing for those ecumenical conversations held during the next five years. He will also be traveling to Mexico, Ghana, the Middle East, the Netherlands and Hawaii in the coming years to attend the General Council meetings of the Baptist World Alliance.
     Harmon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard Payne University and earned both his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Philosophy degrees at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition, he completed further graduate studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C., as well as the University of Dallas. Harmon serves as an associate professor of Christian theology within the Campbell University divinity school. Currently, Harmon is a visiting scholar at Duke Divinity School, where he is completing the manuscript for a forthcoming book, entitled Towards Baptist Catholicity: Essays on Tradition and the Baptist Vision, to be published in 2006.