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Now that I’ve completed another semester, it’s time for another series of “Semester Highlights,” as I’ve decided to call them. This semester (Spring 18’), I had a seminar class on systematic theology, two Greek classes, and I finished up my internship at CSNTM . [1] It is likely the most academically demanding semester I have completed so far—due in part to taking Greek 4 simultaneously with Advanced Greek Grammar. Systematic Theology The theology class I completed this semester was seminar style, by which I mean that there was little formal lecturing. Rather, throughout the semester, each student was responsible for preparing a 45 minute presentation and then fielding questions. This was the second of a pair of advanced standing theology classes. For the first class I presented on Jurgen Moltmann’s The Crucified God . This semester, in keeping with my desire to read the influential thinkers who may not be required reading, I chose and presented on Stanley Hauerwas’ The Peaceabl...

DTS offers students from Bible colleges the opportunity to test into an advanced standing program. Instead of merely skipping classes, I take accelerated courses that are 3 credits each but cover 6-9 program credits. The net result for me is that my program’s total length is 27 credits shorter—nearly a full year. So instead of taking 120 credits, I’ll take 93—18 of which are “advanced standing” courses. This semester’s advanced standing class was the first of two covering systematic theology. The assumption is that we have already had significant education in this area, so it is a chance to dive into a specific area much deeper. We were to choose a book on a topic of interest to us and read it deeply and thoroughly and present an extensive outline and presentation. My list of books and authors to read is long. The difficulty was narrowing my choices. Because I want to go onto to get a PhD, I have several incredibly influential thinkers who I am itching to read (indeed, whom I ...