Finishing Up

Well, my work in NZ is mostly finished. I've had a semi-break from the reality of pastoral life this past month. The academic study time and engaging with my various teachers about various topics and possible research issues has been a real treat. My entry into the apocalypse has been an excellent learning curve and a stark demonstration that I am still woefully ignorant about NT Theology and all it's complexities. Making the Gospels one's home has it's price - partial [or in my case] utter ignorance about what's going on in other places of the Christian movement in the 1st centuries. My partner in crime and I have yet to actually exegete our designated passages [Rev 13 for me, and Rev 11 for Eddie]. Shocking, but we've taken necessary detours into historical and introductory issues. Notably, structure and narrative techniques drawing on the work of Barr and of course Bauckham.

I head back to SA soon. 35 hours in transit with McKnight's Jesus and His Death and Witherington's The Christology of Jesus to keep me company. I've read both of them but now the task of making copious notes and thoughts is emerging... [For those with ears to hear!

I also want to tackle a certain article by a certain blogger that was kind enough to send it through to me - this will take place in dialogue with Hays' comments about the Matthean community and the Jesus tradition concerning divorce... SHould keep me busy for that time. But then I'm going to crash for a couple of days - enjoy New Years with my friends and then head off to Summer Camp where God will grace us with his divine presence. I love my job!