September 22, 2017
The Board of Directors of Ecumenical Theological Seminary (ETS) is pleased to announce the appointment of the Rev. Dr. Kenneth E. Harris as President and Academic Dean. This appointment is effective September 18, 2017. Dr. Harris becomes the fifth president of ETS.
No stranger to ETS, Dr. Harris has a long and distinguished history with ETS, beginning as a graduate of the Doctor of Ministry Program in 1996.  His dissertation was entitled: “A Community Divided: Reframing Biblical Metaphors to Celebrate Unity, Diversity and Equality Within the Body of Christ.”  While a doctoral student at ETS, Dr. Harris founded what would become the Urban Ministry Degree (UMD) Program which continues to be a valuable and viable theological training option for many. In 1994 Dr. Harris was appointed to the ETS Faculty serving as the founding director of the Urban Ministry Diploma program in which he taught several courses.
Before this new appointment, Dr. Harris was Professor of Biblical Studies at ETS and most recently served as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Academic Dean at ETS from 2011-2016. During his tenure as Dean, he made some important and timely contributions to the life of ETS including the inauguration of Worship Week which is held during the Fall, Winter and Spring terms. He was also the catalyst for the new Master of Arts (Academic) degree program.
In 1998 Dr. Harris completed a post-doctoral Master of Theology (Th.M.) program at Western Theological Seminary in cross-cultural theology.  His Th.M. thesis was entitled: “Racism and Agape:  A Scriptural Response to the Sin of Racism.” Dr. Harris has conducted numerous presentations in various venues and denominational settings on the subject of “race and the church”.  He is currently working to publish his first book as a continuum of this very critical discussion.
Dr. Harris is a passionate servant-leader. His introduction to pastoral ministry began when he served as the student pastor at Pilgrim Baptist Church (Port Huron, Michigan). From there he was elected Senior Pastor of the Twelfth Street Baptist Church (Detroit). He currently serves as pastor of Detroit Bible Tabernacle (formerly Detroit Baptist Temple) where he has been servant-leader for more than thirty-five years. Detroit Bible Tabernacle began as a home Bible study, clear evidence of Dr. Harris’s love for education.
Dr. Harris has been instrumental in several community and religious organizations. He served as the Membership chair of the Boy Scouts of America – Metro Detroit West and for several years as the Education Chair for the Council of Baptist Pastors. In 2006-2007 he served as Co-Chair of the Finance / Procurement Committee of the Governor’s Transition Team for Detroit Public Schools.
Currently Dr. Harris serves on the Executive Board of the Great Lakes Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church, the Board of Trustees of Western Theological Seminary, the Faculty Development Advisory Committee of the Association of Theological Schools, and the board of Westside Christian Academy. Since 2010 he has served as a member and Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for Franklin Wright Settlements in Detroit.
Dr. Harris’s work history extends to General Motors where he worked as a senior production buyer beginning in 1972. Beyond his roles at ETS, Dr. Harris has served as Adjunct Professor of Biblical Greek and New Testament at Ashland Theological Seminary, in Detroit. This is an assignment that he continued for several years before devoting his heart fully to ETS. Dr. Harris is known and respected across the theological community. He is a hard working committed leader who operates with a sense of integrity and honesty. He is lead by a passion that comes from a deep sense of wanting to please and honor God.
Dr. Harris values education. He is a committed lifelong-learner. He holds a Bachelor of Religious Education from William Tyndale College, Master of Arts (Honors) from Ashland Theological Seminary, Doctor of Ministry from Ecumenical Theological Seminary and a Master of Theology from Western Theological Seminary.
Dr. Harris’s love for family is unparalleled. He has been married to the former Ruthie May White for the past forty-eight years. They have three daughters: Keedra, a former ETS employee, who is now resting with the Lord; Karisa (B.A., M.S.W., M.A.C.E.), a psychiatric social work administrator and Minister of Discipleship serving at Detroit Bible Tabernacle; Kenita (B.A., MDiv), an ordained pastor in the Reformed Church in America, who currently serves as Minister of Social Engagement at Detroit Bible Tabernacle and who recently began studies at the University of Detroit-Mercy in the Master of Community Development program.
Dr. Harris enjoys playing golf and spending time in the kitchen creating meals for his family.
The ETS community is proud to welcome Dr. Harris. We commit to stand with him as he leads us into our preferred future. A future filled with promise and renewed hope as we work to prepare our students to lead communities of faith while sharing God’s compassion in relationship to various ecumenical, interfaith, political, social, economic, and cultural contexts.