Monday, May 05, 2008

Which One Would You Pick?


It's Finals Week at Amarillo College. Monday morning, the Introduction to World Religions class took their final. Monday evening, it was The New Testament final. Tuesday afternoon: Life of Paul.

I don't think I'll give the Elementary Biblical Hebrew class a test. But if I did they'd pass with the proverbial flying colors. About a dozen students were there for the start back in September. Now they're down to five. I'm so proud of them. Rhonda, Dayna, Mark, Sam, and Trent have come so far. And they're determined to keep going with me through the summer. They know that once we start working with poetry, it's going to be an uphill climb. But they're ready for the challenge. What a fantastic group.

- - - - - - -

In early June, I'll be traveling to New England. My work provides for a week's worth of professional development, and I'm going to take advantage of that.

Each year, Yale Divinity School (shown in the photo) and the Institute of Sacred Music host a Summer Term that features week-long courses. To be specific, seven different courses are being offered during the Monday-Friday that I plan to be there. If you were going to one of them, which one would you pick, and why? Here's the list of courses and teachers:

At YDS

1. Foremothers in Faith: Women in the Hebrew Scriptures, Carolyn Sharp

2. Pastoral Ministry in the Classical Tradition, Christopher Beeley

3. Judaism in the Time of Jesus, Jeremy Hultin

4. Pastoral Care with Those Suffering from Depression, Jan Holton

At Yale Institute of Sacred Music

5. Reel Presence: Explorations in Liturgy and Film, Teresa Berger

6. A Fresh Look at Hymn Playing: Several Approaches to Enlivening Congregational Song, Bruce Neswick (clearly not planned with conservative Campbellites in mind!)

7. We Are Now One Body: Global Song, Patrick Evans
So these are the options. Any of them looks especially interesting to you?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, Frank -

I'm close by this week. In Abilene visiting my mom!

I would pick the first one about women in the hebrew scriptures, but, of course, that's because I'm a woman! Still . . . it sounds interesting and something different.

Let us know what you finally decide on. I'd like to know.

Cheers & Blessings to you all today!

Dee

Arlene Kasselman said...

I'm not sure, yikes Frank. The pastoral care to those with depression clearly peeks my interest.

Pastoral care to those who live in Hawaii, with an onsight case study is sounding a whole lot more appealing, let me just throw that out.

preacherman said...

Frank,
Great post brother.
I would pick #1 to be my favorite course. I love to see how women influenced leaders such as Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, Naomi, Hosea, and on and on... I love to see how women made a differnce in helping Christ and the good news to come to all men.

Another note: I would love for you and your reader to comment on my blog. A family is suffering greatly. Prayers and encouragement for them is important during this time in their life. This family has been pushed to the limits. Please...check it out and make a differnce. God bless you Frank and all you do brother. I love this blog. Keep up the great work.
In Him,
Kinney Mabry

john alan turner said...

i'm a huge fan of all the new scholarship surrounding second temple judaism -- so that would probably be my pick.

but it's also probably the one i'm most familiar with already.

which one are you least familiar with? why not go there?

Leland V said...

Frank,
Option #4 on pastoral care for depression would not have been an interest for me, except that I recently read a book "Darkness is My Only Companion" by Kathryn Greene-McCreight (Brazos Press). She is an Episcopal pastor from the New Haven area (I think) and it is great combination of biography, theology, and helpful hints for ministry. All of that and a short, easy read. It would be interesting to see if she is a participant in teaching the course; I seem to remember that she had a YDS connection.

I have recommended the book to one or two people and have gotten good responses.
Leland

Darin L. Hamm said...

3 or 4

Depression is something I would like to learn more about. Judaism and Jesus sounds very interesting.

Now liturgy and film sounds interesting but it would probably not make the cut with 3 & 4 around. Maybe I would try to find someone who had the notes.