The Fall 2010 semester is my second to last semester here in the MA (Theological Studies) program at George Fox Evangelical Seminary. It was an intense semester in which all areas of my life were affected. I will highlight some of the events that had considerable significance.

(1) Death of my grandfather. The loss of a loved one is tough when school is in progress. My grandfather and I were close, so he is dearly missed. I have noticed that much of his way of doing things have become a part of the way I do things—in particular, the way he strives to do things well. In losing him, I really found great love and support in the George Fox community.

(2) Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting. This came between my grandfather’s death and his funeral. It was helpful to take some time to get away, and to be immersed in an academic environment. The SBL experience broadened my thinking and inspires me to become a better contributor to academia and the world.

(3) Spirituality and the Mind. This was a much-needed spiritual formation class. Intellectual pursuit that lifts one up to God is a spiritual matter. Because I am wired this way, I found myself at home in this class.

(4) Christology of the New Testament. This was a class beyond classes—no kidding! Not only did we read Larry W. Hurtado’s Lord Jesus Christ, Richard Bauckham’s Jesus and the God of Israel (2008), and Contours of Christology edited by Richard Longenecker, and Philip Yancey’s The Jesus I Never Knew (with a four-page book review), but we had to read whole gospels and epistles, plus other supplementary articles and notes. To top that off, we were required to read 150 pages of our own choosing on Christology, and write a 5oo-word report on that. The other writings we did were a 3,000- to 4,000-word research paper and an application paper of 750 words. On top of all of this, we had weekly discussion and worksheet posts. Say, WOW!

Beyond the great textbooks and the discussions, the required extra-textbook reading was most helpful because it helped me to grasp better some of Bultmann’s ideas and his significance to biblical studies.

(5) Bi-Optic Project Paper. This was a 20-page of the research that I done for Dr. Paul Anderson on the bi-optic gospels. This was a important because it taught me how to take observations and explain them through written media. I learned how to sustain an argument through many words and pages, interact with scholarship in a more thorough manner, and to establish a rhythm of writing.

Now that a writing rhythm has been ingrained in me, and that I have done a course that appears to mimic the Ph.D. load, I feel that no class is unconquerable. For now, however, I have a break that is waiting to be enjoyed.