Classes are done, goodbyes were said, room was cleaned and here I am sitting at Newark International Airport (thank God for WiFi…what’s $6.95, really…). I came up with Katie this morning to see her off, so I have a nice little day at the airport until my flight. I rested this morning, watched some of Super Size Me and now I’m just going through my computer/documents and organizing things (one of my favorite things to do…I’m weird). My first semester of my seminary education is done, and I’m having a hard time figuring out what I’ve really learned thus far. My attendance in my Old Testament course has been horrible since the midterm, because I realized you really didn’t have to be in class – although I think I missed a few great lectures (but I got the audio of them). It’s just that I had quite a few classes this semester which had little to no accountability for students to get the reading done, and the only thing in the class is just a final paper. I think that could be a good way of running a class…great readings throughout the semester, good precept discussions and then a synthesis paper at the end…but I just wasn’t ready for those types of courses this first semester I guess. I am really excited for my classes in the spring. I’m not 100% what I’m taking, but our Systematic Theology profs are known to be the more liberal/pomo guys on campus, which should be fun, and then I’m taking Hebrew, Sin & Salvation in the Old Testament and then either Post-Liberal Theology OR God in the Old Testament.
I have three papers to write while I’m at home (I want to at least finish one and get a good start on a second): a) a paper on a theological analysis of my youth ministry in Idaho (15pgs), b) a paper investigating Open Theism (primarily using the book The Openness of God) and whether or not that could be counted as “good” theology; and c) the dreaded Dionysius paper on apophatic/kataphatic theology. In addition to the papers, I need to learn half a semester’s worth of Old Testament notes and get a good grasp on my Hebrew vocab and grammar for the final. Should be an exciting break…
It’s been a good semester. Friendships have been forged. Foundations have been laid (in that very post/non-foundationalist pomo-sense). Relationships have been transformed. Work has been done. People have been counseled. Food has been served. And now it’s time. To wait. To expect. And to hope. He is coming…