Dr. R. Laird Harris was a founding member of the Evangelical Theological Society who passed away on April 25, 2008 at the age of 97. At the time of Dr. Harris’ death, he was one of only two living founders of the ETS. The only remaining founder is Dr. Roger Nicole. Dr. Robert Culver is to my knowledge the only living charter member of the society.

At the founding meeting of ETS (December 28, 1949), Dr. Harris presented a paper titled “Old Testament Textual Criticism and New Testament Quotations.” Dr. Harris was also appointed to serve on the Committee to Draft a Constitution. According to the minutes of that first meeting, Dr. Harris was responsible for the word “autographs” appearing in ETS’s doctrinal basis. He suggested that the rough draft “inerrant in the original languages” be changed to “inerrant in the autographs.”

Covenant Theological Seminary has an extensive memoriam published on their website which notes Dr. Harris’ many years of service to the church and his status as a founding faculty member of Covenant Theological Seminary. The memoriam can be read here: “In Memoriam: Dr. R. Laird Harris (1911-2008).”

(HT: Justin Taylor)