I’m having a ball at college… even the 13hr day on a Thursday which is a bit of a stamina test, is great!

Take my Thursday yesterday…

Morning lecture on Biblical interpretation looking at Old Testament story and how to understand it, interprete it and preach from it. We looked at a tough passage in Judges about Jephthah (Judges 11 and 12). Its a tragic story of a foolish leader who kills his own daughter. How on earth do you understand this passage which raises huge questions about God not intervening etc… yet we were given an expert guide to how to read this kind of literature as well as some thoughts about the actual passage. Brilliant. Following that I was in a seminar with a world class New Testament author taking apart the parable of the sower in Mark 4. Again, some amazing insights and pointers that bring so much depth and understanding to the scriptures.

Afternoon is all about sexuality, marriage and society… tacking all kinds of ethical challenges. It is fascinating but incredibly challenging.

Evening sounds like it would bore someone to death – Worship:Tradition and Practice. Liturgy and history. Probably two subjects that I would work hard to avoid. However, yet again we’ve got a superb lecturer who REALLY knows his stuff. Even though I’m more relaxed about liturgy and structure in worship the history of how various stuff was formed and put together is brilliant. And relevant.

Loving it.

Back up to Tewkesbury this weekend… looking forward to seeing family and friends.

Back from college after my 13hr marathon which includes 4 subjects with copious amounts of caffeine. Today (and for the next 4 Thursdays) I will be doing more Biblical interpretation, Greek,  sex marriage and society (good fun in the graveyard afternoon slot), and to finish………..

Worship: tradition and practice

Which is better than it sounds.