Allan Harman
Encyclopedia
Allan Macdonald Harman is an Australian Presbyterian theologian and Old Testament
scholar. He has been described as a "well-known and highly regarded figure in Christian and especially evangelical
circles within Australia and overseas."
Harman was born in Lismore, New South Wales
and attended Taree High School
and Sydney University (B.A.
, 1957). He then studied overseas, at the University of Edinburgh
(B.D.
, 1960; M.Litt
in Hebrew and Semitic Languages
) and Westminster Theological Seminary
(ThM
, 1961; ThD
). In 2003, he was granted an honorary ThD
from the Australian College of Theology
.
Harman was Professor of Old Testament at Free Church College
, Edinburgh, from 1966 to 1974, at Reformed Theological College
, Geelong
, from 1974 to 1977 and at Presbyterian Theological College
, Melbourne
, from 1978 until his retirement in 2001. He also served as Principal of PTC from 1982 to 2001, and is currently Research Professor at that institution. He has also lectured at Tyndale University College and Seminary
in Toronto
, Reformed Theological Seminary
in Jackson, Mississippi
and Kosin University
in Busan
, South Korea
.
Harman served as Moderator
of the Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia
in 1978, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria in 1989-90 and Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia
from 1994 to 1997. He is a member of the board of directors of the World Reformed Fellowship
, and has been an editor of the Reformed Theological Review
since 1989. He has been chairman of St Andrews Christian College
, Tyndale Fellowship (Australia) and the Australian Institute of Archaeology, and is currently chairman of the Australian Defence Force
's Religious Advisory Committee to the Services. He is a recipient of the Reserve Force Decoration
.
Harman has written commentaries on Psalms (ISBN 1-85792-168-2), Daniel (ISBN 0-85234-649-2), Deuteronomy (ISBN 1-84550-268-X) and Isaiah (ISBN 1-84550-053-9). He was also one of the translators of the New King James Version
.
In 2001, a festschrift
was compiled in Harman's honour, on the occasion of his retirement and 65th birthday. Contributors included Richard Gaffin
and Peter Jensen.
In June 2010, Harman received a Medal of the Order of Australia for services to the Presbyterian Church of Australia
.
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
scholar. He has been described as a "well-known and highly regarded figure in Christian and especially evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
circles within Australia and overseas."
Harman was born in Lismore, New South Wales
Lismore, New South Wales
Lismore is a subtropical town in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. Lismore is the main population centre in the City of Lismore local government area. Lismore is a regional centre in the Northern Rivers region of the State.-History:...
and attended Taree High School
Taree High School
Taree High School, also known as THS, is a secondary, public, co-educational, comprehensive day school, located in Taree, a city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia....
and Sydney University (B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, 1957). He then studied overseas, at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
(B.D.
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
, 1960; M.Litt
Master of Letters
The Master of Letters is a postgraduate degree.- United Kingdom :The MLitt is a postgraduate degree awarded by a select few British and Irish universities, predominantly within the ancient English and Scottish universities.- England :Within the English University system MLitts are not universally...
in Hebrew and Semitic Languages
Semitic languages
The Semitic languages are a group of related languages whose living representatives are spoken by more than 270 million people across much of the Middle East, North Africa and the Horn of Africa...
) and Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with a satellite location in London.-History:...
(ThM
Master of Theology
A Master of Theology is an advanced theological research degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries.-North America:In North America, the Master of Theology is considered by the Association of Theological Schools to be the minimum educational credential for teaching...
, 1961; ThD
Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree that is considered by the U.S. National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy....
). In 2003, he was granted an honorary ThD
Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree that is considered by the U.S. National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy....
from the Australian College of Theology
Australian College of Theology
The Australian College of Theology is an Australian theological education provider. The college was one of the first Australian non-university providers to offer an accredited bachelor's degree and a research doctorate. Over 15,000 people have graduated since the foundation of the college,...
.
Harman was Professor of Old Testament at Free Church College
Free Church College
The Free Church College is a theological seminary in Edinburgh connected to the Free Church of Scotland. It traces its origins back to the foundation of New College, Edinburgh at the time of the Disruption of 1843...
, Edinburgh, from 1966 to 1974, at Reformed Theological College
Reformed Theological College
The Reformed Theological College is the theological college supported by the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia, the Reformed Churches of New Zealand and the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Australia...
, Geelong
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
, from 1974 to 1977 and at Presbyterian Theological College
Presbyterian Theological College
The Presbyterian Theological College is the theological college of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. It provides theological education for candidates for the ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, as well as for members of all Christian churches...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, from 1978 until his retirement in 2001. He also served as Principal of PTC from 1982 to 2001, and is currently Research Professor at that institution. He has also lectured at Tyndale University College and Seminary
Tyndale University College and Seminary
Tyndale University College and Seminary is an accredited Christian institution of higher education in the Protestant Evangelical tradition located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Tyndale students come from over 40 different Christian denominations and more than 30 different ethnic groups. Tyndale...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Reformed Theological Seminary
Reformed Theological Seminary
Reformed Theological Seminary is a non-denominational, evangelical Protestant seminary. RTS's first campus remains in Jackson, Mississippi, United States though the school has expanded to include several additional campuses.-Founding:...
in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
and Kosin University
Kosin University
Kosin university is a private Christian university in Busan, Republic of Korea. The name Kosin is derived from the name of a denominaton of presbyterian churches in Korea that had resisted the empire of Japan...
in Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
Harman served as Moderator
Moderator of the General Assembly
The Moderator of the General Assembly is the chairperson of a General Assembly, the highest court of a presbyterian or reformed church. Kirk Sessions and Presbyteries may also style the chairperson as moderator....
of the Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia
Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia
The Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia is a Presbyterian denomination which was formed in Sydney on 10 October 1846 by three ministers and a ruling elder...
in 1978, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria in 1989-90 and Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia
Presbyterian Church of Australia
The Presbyterian Church of Australia is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Australia. .-Beginnings:...
from 1994 to 1997. He is a member of the board of directors of the World Reformed Fellowship
World Reformed Fellowship
The World Reformed Fellowship is an ecumenical Christian body which promotes unity between conservative Reformed churches around the world.It was formed on October 24, 2000 through the union of the World Fellowship of Reformed Churches and the International Reformed Fellowship .It is similar in...
, and has been an editor of the Reformed Theological Review
Reformed Theological Review
The Reformed Theological Review is an Australian theological journal in the Reformed tradition. It was founded in 1942, with Arthur Allen, a minister of the Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia, as its first editor....
since 1989. He has been chairman of St Andrews Christian College
St Andrews Christian College
St Andrews Christian College is a coeducational school with a moderate fee structure that supports family values, academic excellence and respects individual students in a caring Christian community...
, Tyndale Fellowship (Australia) and the Australian Institute of Archaeology, and is currently chairman of the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
's Religious Advisory Committee to the Services. He is a recipient of the Reserve Force Decoration
Reserve Force Decoration
The Reserve Force Decoration is an Australian Military award given for long service by officers of the Reserve Forces. It is part of the suite of defence force service awards introduced in 1982, which also included the Defence Force Service Medal and the Reserve Force Medal The Reserve Force...
.
Harman has written commentaries on Psalms (ISBN 1-85792-168-2), Daniel (ISBN 0-85234-649-2), Deuteronomy (ISBN 1-84550-268-X) and Isaiah (ISBN 1-84550-053-9). He was also one of the translators of the New King James Version
New King James Version
The New King James Version is a modern translation of the Bible published by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The New Testament was published in 1979. The Psalms in 1980. The full Bible was published in 1982. It took a total of 7 years to complete...
.
In 2001, a festschrift
Festschrift
In academia, a Festschrift , is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during his or her lifetime. The term, borrowed from German, could be translated as celebration publication or celebratory writing...
was compiled in Harman's honour, on the occasion of his retirement and 65th birthday. Contributors included Richard Gaffin
Richard Gaffin
Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. is a Calvinist theologian, Presbyterian minister, and Charles Krahe Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Biography:...
and Peter Jensen.
In June 2010, Harman received a Medal of the Order of Australia for services to the Presbyterian Church of Australia
Presbyterian Church of Australia
The Presbyterian Church of Australia is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Australia. .-Beginnings:...
.