Our primary reason for coming to the States this fall is to visit family and friends. Secondly though, and the reason why we're here for a longer visit, is so I can spend a semester studying at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
I've decided to go all in. I'm taking four classes. Doing so has been a challenge because, among other things, each class is considerably different from the others. There have been several points along the way in which I've asked myself, where's the cohesion between all these classes?
Sunday was one of those times because I had a chance to engage in the contents of each one of my classes at some point throughout the day.
In my Old Testament class, we are required to read the entire Old Testament. On Sunday morning I read the book of Ezra.
Later in the morning I had the privilege of attending Grace church in Oxford Massachusetts where my father gave a homily. During the service, I recited the Nicene Creed with the other parishioners - a creed we've been studying in my Systematic Theology II class.
Afterwards, my father and I went to watch the film "Restless Heart" - a new movie about St. Augustine that focused primarily on his Confessions. Of course, this informed and gave visual enhancement to the Augustine of Hippo class I'm taking.
And finally at the end of the day, I read about Feuerbach and Marx - two prominent thinkers who influenced Protestant Liberal Theology (among other things).
So what holds it all together?
I'm not sure there is one thing in particular But as I came back to Ezra at the end of the day I was reminded of the reason I'm studying in the first place. It's why I'm a follower of Christ. And it was a necessary reminder as I finished my day. In the words of Ezra:
"We have been unfaithful to our God...but in spite of this, there is still hope."
I've decided to go all in. I'm taking four classes. Doing so has been a challenge because, among other things, each class is considerably different from the others. There have been several points along the way in which I've asked myself, where's the cohesion between all these classes?
Sunday was one of those times because I had a chance to engage in the contents of each one of my classes at some point throughout the day.
In my Old Testament class, we are required to read the entire Old Testament. On Sunday morning I read the book of Ezra.
Later in the morning I had the privilege of attending Grace church in Oxford Massachusetts where my father gave a homily. During the service, I recited the Nicene Creed with the other parishioners - a creed we've been studying in my Systematic Theology II class.
Afterwards, my father and I went to watch the film "Restless Heart" - a new movie about St. Augustine that focused primarily on his Confessions. Of course, this informed and gave visual enhancement to the Augustine of Hippo class I'm taking.
And finally at the end of the day, I read about Feuerbach and Marx - two prominent thinkers who influenced Protestant Liberal Theology (among other things).
So what holds it all together?
I'm not sure there is one thing in particular But as I came back to Ezra at the end of the day I was reminded of the reason I'm studying in the first place. It's why I'm a follower of Christ. And it was a necessary reminder as I finished my day. In the words of Ezra:
"We have been unfaithful to our God...but in spite of this, there is still hope."
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