28 May, 2004 2:16 PM
This morning I had my last class of semester and the last class of my theology degree! What a feeling to walk out of it and know that after 10 years of part time study I'm almost finished (two papers to go).
Its been an amazing journey. When I started out studying theology as a 22 year old (full time at first) I was a pretty naive, theologically sheltered and black and white kind of thinker. Today I'm not sure I've got too many more clues (or answers) but I feel as though I've grown and changed incredibly through the study. I'm a lot more comfortable these days with grayness, paradox and ambiguity. I guess thats partly due to living through the ups and downs of life in one's 20's as well as the study experience.
The question I continue to be faced with now is 'what next'. My lecturers have been encouraging me to do more study, but the cost of doing so precludes that option. If money were no option I'd love to do some further study on what is happening in the emerging church world wide. I'd love to be able to collate stories of what is happening around the globe and reflect on the similarities and differences that we see in different regions. I'm also interested in fleshing out more on some of the theology that emerging churches are grappling with around the globe. Maybe one day...maybe not.
In the mean time I'm exploring a number of options for work and will keep those interested informed on developments here on the blog as it happens.
Comments
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congratulations, darren! but come on . . . you *know* you're gonna miss school! i've been away from la academie for a year, and i'm dying to get back. godspeed, bro.
sam » 29 May, 2004 12:26 AM
Congrats,
I remembered the day I finished my bible degree, and the those feelings that it was over. Though I would not call my 4 years an amazing journey, the journey that those years propelled me into, has been hard. I too wish to see and get the emerging church more on peoples radar, as this movement give me a renewed hope in the church as a whole.
let me encourage you to keep pushing in the direction that your heart is taking you, because we need more people like you. I agree with the previous post that reading takes on a whole new life outside of the "you have to do this, to graduate reading" It has a a whole new relaxing element....
Good luck on your journey and continue engaging in the conversation......
Jared Gatti » 29 May, 2004 12:26 AM
Congratulations and well done...that's a faithful committment - 10 years.
Paul » 29 May, 2004 3:54 PM
Congrats!!! My Dad graduated from university two summers ago - at 70! He started his degree 30ish years ago, and three kids and four grandkids later he finished it.
Heather Field » 30 May, 2004 12:27 AM
Congratulations! exciting future is unfolding!
I read this humour on the paper,
When I believed that I've learned everything, they gave me bachlor's degree; when I found out actually I didn't know anything at all, they gave me master's degree, and when I realised that not only did I not understand a thing, nobody else has a clue either, they gave me the doctor's degree.
Sooooo, no more school!
Susan » 30 May, 2004 11:03 PM
Well done.! Like you, I'd like to go further but money isn't the only cost involved. A doctorste would be several years basically full time, and I'm not sure I can commit to that.
However, you can always keep up the reading. It misses something without the pressure of assignments and discussion with a supervisor andother students, but it's better than letting the brain go to jelly.
Well done!
Shalom,
Jan
Jan » 28 May, 2004 3:46 PM