A Tour of my Classes

A first year students class schedule can be insanely limiting. A presbyterian going for ordination limits this schedule even further and add to that that I graduated college so long ago that the paperwork and instant recall needed to test out of many intro classes and you have a first semester that is largely out of your own control. That said, I am LOVING this semester and would love to take you on a tour of my first classes....


1. Old Testament Orientation

This is the big cattle call classroom scene you always see in "coming of age" or "back to school" classes. I had one class this size in college and it was a senior level class that was popular with couples. It's team taught by two knowledgeable doctors and a team of amazing ph.d candidates. So far it's basically an old testament reading with the commentary track on. It's format isn't my favorite type, memorization and timed exams, but the material and the personalities sharing it make it all worth it.

2. Systematic Theology

This class is in the same cattle call classroom but with significantly fewer students, this means we all sit hilariously far apart and make things much more difficult on the doctor teaching us. But the doctor teaching this class is absolutely awesome to listen to. He rants and raves and bunny trails a good deal, but for something like systematic theology that can often seem so cold and isolated, it's nice to see it instantly applied to the world as we know it and the concerns within.Getting this sort of structure of theology will help catch me up in the higher level, narrower focused classes. It's a writing and reflecting heavy class which is smack dab in my skill set.

3. Speech Communication for Ministry.

This is our small, moving, loud, hilarious class. I taught public speaking in the past, and you can't test out of it even if you are Billy Grahmn, so I was dreading it. But it's just a nice co-op of students with a theater nerd professor there to help you where you are at instead of a general track for us all as it's mostly made up of group exercises that are then dissected in meetings with the professor. I love it and have my heart set on ta'ing it in the future!

4. Darwin and Theology

The one "personal" class I could take, I only had room for one class that I could take that wasn't mandated by syllabus, denomination or dumb luck. It came down to Darwin or MLK, and MLK classes where on Mondays. Sorry MLK. This class is hands down my favorite. It is significantly more reading and it is almost all weighted on a single paper, but it is fascinating and interactive. The doctor teaching this class is world renowned and has a super-villian accent with a super-heroes heart for his students. You can't beat it. It's also nice to have pro-Darwin ideas taught from a historically christian perspective. Our professor had to call out from a class and our substitute was an expert on the theology of cyborgs. There is nothing about that that isn't full-volume awesomeness.

5. Introduction to New Testament Exegesis.

This is my greek reading class and is frankly the hardest for me to get excited for because my greek is already dulling and that makes this class much more difficult to stay afloat in. That said, the doctor teaching this class carries the class well, her outlook and teaching style makes this class much more fun then the chore it could very easily be. It's an important skill and theres lot's of good stuff in it, but reading greek means once again pulling the lever that shocks me instead of the one that dispenses the treats. Thankfully it seems the looming being in a lapcoat is kind enough to get me through it.