Class Update

Intro to Worship - Good readings, I really like the professor Dr. Claudio, and there is usually some pretty good discussion in the class.

Scripture 1 - I like learning about Scripture, but the class is so slow-moving right now. Lots of reading (some of it better than others). The professors book, Making Wise the Simple, is really good!

Faith Seeking Understanding - Loving this class. All three professors are really good. I've become very interested in Christian ethics based on Dr. Scott's first lecture.

Hebrew - This is getting more difficult, but I'm liking it quite a bit. Dr. Douglas is wonderful. I hope I get to take more classes taught by him.

Also had a meeting with Jorge, the youth director at 2nd Pres here in Louisville. I'm going to be volunteering for a couple hours a week in their youth ministry, hanging out and possibly teaching. Sounds fun!

Still Alive. Studying Hard.

Lots of reading going on the first few days of class. We had a great weekend in Indianapolis doing the Out of the Darkness walk. The turnout was amazing! And it's always great honoring Kurt's life and the legacy his mother is continuing. Beautiful stuff.

Had a good meeting with my friend Eric over the weekend at the coffee shop. It's good being able to maintain relationships in Indy being only a couple hours away. I think Eric might end up being somebody huge in the field of theology in social ethics, even though I don't imagine he would want that amount of fame.

Really good conversation with a new friend about the Obama Health Reforms. We came from two polar opposite positions, and I think we were finally able to see where each was coming from, even though we continue to disagree. Good stuff!

Good news too! My tuition grant has been bumped up to fully paid. That's a beautiful thing, because Amber and I were a little worried for a few weeks.

I hope all is well! Much love!

Beau

First Day of Semester

Okay, 1 day down, I don't know how many to go.

My first day of classes here at LPTS was amazing! I had Faith Seeking Understanding, Scripture I, and Intro to Worship. I know I might be in awe of all the newness, but I am SO excited about learning from these professors. I'm even excited about writing the papers and doing the projects. I know, I'm a complete nerd.

We also had the convocation service before lunch, which was done very well. Dr. Douglas Gragg preached a message called "The Humanism of Jesus" where he mentioned John Caputo's What Would Jesus Deconstruct? I paged through that book about 3 or 4 months ago, and it looked really interesting. Admittedly, I probably liked it more because Brian McLaren wrote a foreword for it. Anyway, the message was very good, in saying that Jesus was about humans first and foremost. That reminds me of Barth saying that God is decidedly FOR humans.

Good stuff! Will keep you posted on what I'm learning...

Much love!

Beau

Struggling with Scripture

Reading through a great book called Struggling with Scripture by Walter Brueggemann. He identifies six facets of biblical interpretation that I think are good ways to think about the Bible.

Inherency - "The Bible is forceful and consistent in its main theological claim"...Creation, Fall, and Redemption (11)

Interpretation - "The Bible requires and insists upon human interpretation that is inescapably subjective, necessarily provisional, and, as you are living witnesses, inevitably disputatious." (13)

More to come when I get the book!

Clothes Shopping

Since Amber recently got a job at Lush, an organic cosmetic store in the mall, we had to go clothes shopping for her today. They can only wear black and white, and Amber is typically more colorful in her attire. Needless to say, clothes shopping is not my favorite pastime, but being a husband requires sacrifice, right?

My father was supposed to come visit today, but our plans got rearranged due to the weather. I can't wait for him to bring Jennifer, Logan, and Blake to campus. There are lots of great bike trails around here, since we're so close to Seneca Park. Amber and I have been taking advantage of the paved routes, but our mountain bikes don't do so well on those. Riding up those hills is painful. I forgot how much the terrain changes as you go south from Indianapolis.

Still working on putting a press kit together for Adam's new album. I heard the first track "Don't Go to Church," and it's amazing! He's going to be performing in Evansville on September 11th, so I hope to see everyone there (even though I can't be there).

Really looking forward to Out of the Darkness walk on September 12 to raise money for suicide prevention. We've done the walk twice so far, and it's a great way to honor Amber's brother Kurt and others who have lost relatives and friends to suicide. You may wish to make a donation here: Donate to Team KURTLE Power.

I just heard a really funny quote from a PS3 commercial..."You can't believe everything you read on the Internet. That's how World War I got started."

Classes for Fall 2009

Here is my list of courses, and my initial thoughts. (All description taken from the 2008-2009 course catalog at lpts.edu)

• Faith Seeking Understanding - Scott Williamson - "Interdisciplinary course in theology and ethics...The purpose of FQI is to help students gain greater confidence and competence in thinking theologically and ethically. The course intends to prepare students for this task by providing an introduction to systematic theology and ethical method. Students will reflect on the interplay between belief and behavior, as they wrestle with contemporary issues in theology and ethics. FQI is organized around a series of fundamental theological questions: How do we know what to believe? What do we mean by God? What’s wrong with us? How does Jesus make a difference? In response to these questions we will encourage students to listen to a rich variety of voices and to engage those voices as they answer the questions for themselves." (Really looking forward to this one. I had Dr. Williamson for TSE, and I really enjoyed his teaching style.)
• Scripture I - Johanna Bos - "intended to introduce the student to the Bible and the world of the Bible, as a basis for biblical and other studies in the curriculum...will concentrate on matters of interest to the study of the entire Bible and to the study of the Old Testament, or Hebrew Bible, in particular. Subjects for attention are: the nature of biblical authority; the formation of biblical canon; the creation and transmission of the text; the composition and the content of the Old Testament; the historical settings of the Bible; some major theological concepts rooted in the Bible; and methods of contemporary biblical scholarship." (Well, of course, a course on the Bible will be interesting. Biblical authority has been a subject of interest for me for quite some time, so I will be looking forward to being stretched!)
• Intro to Worship - Claudio Carvalhaes - "introduces structural patterns, themes and practices that are part of the public Christian worship. The students will think about the relationship between worship, life and God and gain practical skills in designing and leading worship." (I have already finished reading our first assignment. It was an excerpt from a book on ritual. I loved it! I've heard wonderful things about Dr. Carvalhaes!)
• Elements of Biblical Hebrew - Douglas Gragg - needs no explanation (A little scared about this one. Started reading through the textbook to get a basic feel for the language, but it looks like Amber will be helping me with flashcards!)

Wish me luck and pray for me!

Job Hunt

Amber (my wife) is still looking for gainful employment somewhere. She is beginning to get very frustrated with the lack of meaningful opportunities she's come across. The interview she went on today was kind of pointless for her, because she said this job would have tapped none of her skills. I don't really know what to do besides keep my eyes peeled for jobs and keep supporting her. This seems to be the only piece of this whole seminary experience that's been lacking thus far. Everything else seems to be going along pretty smoothly, albeit with a few hiccups (forwarding to the wrong address, getting good health insurance for her, etc.). Perhaps God is trying to tell us something through us, but I don't want to be one of "those people" who thinks God always has a direct message for me in every single circumstance (haha). All I'm saying is maybe! Some have been saying that Amber should think about going into the Marriage and Family Therapy program here at LPTS. Maybe!

God has been faithful to both of us to this point, and I trust that this will continue. I had a very nice visit from Diane, my soon-to-be elder liaison (which reminds me, I need to contact Glen about coming under care). Diane is such a wonderful lady, and without her, I never would have known that LPTS was an option. We had a nice sit-down chat, and I hope to see more of her as I continue this journey.

Please continue to keep Amber in your prayers and thoughts as she looks for a place to work.

Much love!

Beau