We have another month or so of classes left, and then finals, and I’ve officially given up. It’s definitely a case of academic boredom and senioritis (even though I STILL have one more year after this). I’m only interested in, and do the reading for, one of my courses (Men in Ministry) and the others….well, I’m trying to think about final projects and how to just be done. And both Sarah and I are already thinking about next semester. Next semester, I’ll be taking:
- Presbyterian History and Polity: the one course I could care LESS about. I’ve been trying to figure out ways to get out of it, but it’s just going to have to happen. The worst part is that it is a full 3-credit course down here at Columbia, whereas I could get it ‘taken care of’ in a week at Princeton in the summer (but it will conflict with my CPE). I figure there are only two real purposes for taking a course like this; first, to pass the polity ord and second, to know the Book of Order so good that you know exactly how much you can get away with.
- Paradigms in Practice of Evangelism, with Steve Hayner, former President of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship: my favorite part of his syllabus is the part lists "Evangelistic Moment" as one of the course requirements for 20% of our grade. He writes, "Share the Gospel either with a small group or with an individual and give an opportunity for a person or persons to give some response." Awesome. But there is some good reading, including Guder, McKnight and George Hunter’s The Celtic Way of Evangelism.
- Pastoral Care of Couples and Families: taught by the same professor who is teaching my Men in Ministry course, I’m very excited for this class. Primarily because I really like the professor, and also because it will give me a chance to continue to try and figure out what really excites me about pastoral care.
- Youth & Young Adult Ministry with Rodger Nishioka: probably won’t be a whole lot new after having classes with Kenda Dean, but it should be a good course and Rodger is supposed to be a great prof.
Anyway, as for this semester…sorry colleagues and professors, but I’ve given up. Hopefully next semester will be better…
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
cleaveblog! get back on your horse!
(and election day is no day for a giving up post…)
As someone who took History and Polity from Erskine and Cam, I felt the same way as you going into it. And as far as the history part goes, you’re right. It was awful. The only way I got through that part of the class was by imitating Erskine’s voice. But as far as the polity part, it’s a lot more than just passing the ord or knowing what you can “get away with.” Seriously, do we read Paul’s letters just so we know what the church can get away with? That class helped me know the Book of Order inside and out. And I can’t tell you what a help that has been as a pastor. When you start trying to figure out nominating committees each year and doing congregational meetings, that polity course will bear fruit big time. Give it a chance.
As a well known polity wonk, I agree with what Patrick has to say (we were in the same class), but I can also appreciate the giving up part.
We had a running joke at the last theater I worked at before going to seminary that in addition to sick time and vacation days every employee should get two or three “apathy days.”
That way on those mornings when you felt like giving up, instead of calling in sick you could call in “don’t care.”
We never could convince management what a good idea it was, though.
hey adam, can you clarify your comment re: “Paradigms in Practice of Evangelism:”
a)is your thought that evangelism shouldn’t be scripted, that no one needs to teach us how to do this, especially in academia…it should be organic?
b)This particular presentation of evangelism does not fit with (your)emergent beliefs?
c)Or does your sarcasm mean that you think evangelism doesn’t fit with (your)emergent beliefs?
d)none of the above I feel that ____________.
Jenny, thanks for asking. I would say that no, evangelism should NOT be scripted. It should indeed be organic. I think that evangelism still has a place in the Christian faith - but I would say it’s probably different than proselytizing with the goal being conversion.
I think I will have a much better sense of what I think evangelism actually is after taking this course and getting a chance to think through what I believe about evangelism…but I’m inclined to say that it’s more about bearing witness to what God has done in your life and leaving it at that.
But I could be wrong.