New semester, Final year

My final year at Princeton Theological Seminary is here. I feel like I am in the classic back-and-forth where I feel like I just got here AND I feel like I have been here forever. My faith has changed in the past 2 years in many ways. I have come to some new places through wrestling with ideas that I didn't even have on my radar a few years ago. At the same time, I have seen how wrestling with potentially faith-wrecking ideas has brought me back to the firm foundation that the Lord Jesus Christ has been building for the previous 28 years of my life. That is why I sensed the Lord leading me to Princeton Seminary. I can now see more clearly the theological spectrum and I have a better sense of how different individuals and groups emphasize different parts of the Christian faith. I now feel more confident (properly confident to quote Lesslie Newbigin) than ever with my starting point being Jesus Christ as the Word of God revealed and his work in and through his sent church into the world.

I enter this year expectantly. I am most looking forward to seeking out conversations with those with whom I may disagree. I need to learn how to disagree with respect and gentleness. I also know that I haven't had one conversation in my life that hasn't shown me how I tend to push others away from me when I perceive that they think differently than me. I have missed out on some great discussions and life stories.

Let's see what happens. God-willing, I will post some thoughts as I go this year again. I disappeared for the summer due my internship in a hospital. My classes this semester are:
1. The Social and Ethical Implications of the Synoptic Gospels
2. The Theology of John Calvin
3. Atonement
4. Introduction to Education (audit)
5. Independent Study on Karl Barth's volume IV / 3.2 on the vocation of humanity and the sending of the church by the Holy Spirit.

I'd love to hear from anyone via a comment if you happen to journey onto this blog in the coming months...