The "A" Range: Inroads to Seminary Writing and Reading

Open-ended Writing Assignments

2012-02-09T12:53:00.000-08:00

Some seminary writing assignments are extremely specific. They clearly describe the content and structure of the piece, like this:

"I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth." (BCP) Write 750 words, discussing the significance of each key word in the above statement (the first article of the Apostle's Creed). Use your textbook and class lectures as resources.

Other assignments give you the freedom (and the burden) of creating your own structure and argument. For instance:

Write 750 words, answering the following question: "Why Justice?"
This is a big question . . . it is important that your answer reflect the class content AND that it make a clear and logical case. You must do several things in order to fulfill the task at hand.

Try to ascertain the professor's intent, in light of course reading, lectures and discussion.
Create a structure that makes an argument, perhaps first defining justice, and then giving reasons for its practice.
Rank your reasons from weakest to strongest, being sure to weed those that are unnecessary. Start with the weakest warrant (reason), and build to the strongest.
Consider whether there might be arguments against the case you are making.
If so, fairly describe those positions, and dispute them in a reasonable way.

Where does the time go???

2012-01-24T13:01:00.000-08:00

Steven Covey is a bit of a genius. In his classic book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, he offers many insights that can aid in personal and professional change. One of them is a simple, clever grid called the "Time Management Matrix," (p. 151) in which he divides tasks into those which are either "important" or "not important" and either "urgent" or "not urgent." The resulting four quadrants demonstrate the difference between a "pro-active" or a "re-active" style.

Quadrant 1= Urgent/Important - Operating in a constant crisis mode puts us under stress and always playing catch-up. It can cause us to put unrealistic demands on others . . .
Quadrant 2= Not Urgent/Important - This is where planning, prevention, relationship building, and strategizing come in. This is where most of our time should be spent, in order to have balance, sanity, and ultimately to achieve our goals.
Quadrant 3= Urgent/Not Important - Reacting and responding to the priorities of others leaves one feeling like a victim, and out of control. Working in this quadrant makes goals and plans seem useless.
Quadrant 4= Not Urgent/Not Important - This is where one turns for relief from constant crisis, or when one feels like a victim. It is not the same as recreation or stress relief. It can feel like it is controling us, rather than the reverse.

graphic from http://www.best-personal-growth-resources.com/

For additional information see:

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_91.htm

Detective Work First

2010-10-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

Can you figure out where this picture was taken? Probably. The clues are there.

There are also clues surrounding your assigned reading. Clues you should examine before you start in.

You can just pick up a book or an article and start to read your assigned pages, but it is often difficult to remember what you just read. Lots of wasted effort, with good intentions, is expended on running eyes over text and turning pages, without active engagement.

For Seminary purposes, you will learn more in far less time if you ALWAYS PRE-READ. Here are some questions to ask of your assigned reading, to help you become interested, curious and to give a purpose to your reading:

1. Why did my professor assign this? How does it fit into the course and its objectives?
2. Who is the author? Modern scholar? Church father? Feminist theologian?
3. What sort of book/article is it? Summary? Critique? Radical view? Nuance? Primary source?
4. What is the thesis (primary point) of the piece? You can often find this in the table of contents, the preface, the subheadings of each chapter, or the conclusion.
5. Can I understand the content of the writing or do I need to take a step back? If you are completely confused, don't bother to start until you have read some background material, or asked your professor for help.
6. What do I already know about this subject? Where does this fit into that grid?
7. What will I have to do with this material? Take a test? Write a review? Assimilate it as background for a paper? Create a paper outline or study guide as you read, if appropriate.

Vet, vet, vet the web

2010-09-10T13:16:00.000-07:00

Not a veterinarian. Not a veteran.
Vet (verb) = To examine: To check for validity, accuracy or authenticity.

As you no doubt realize, the internet is full of sites that will give you information on the Bible, Theology, Apologetics, and Church History, not to mention all the religious and spiritual content you could possibly imagine in your wildest dreams (or worst nightmares!). Many sites can help you with your seminary coursework. They can give you background material, charts, maps, and excellent information.

There are also many sites that range between propaganda and mental illness. There are some that are extremely narrow or doctrinaire. Some are just lame.

So you need to vet them. Each and every one. Who is the author(s) and what are his or her interests?? For your purposes they should have a link to an academic institution. You should be able to locate them in the grid of the church: Protestant? Catholic? Dispensationalist? Freelance interpreter?

For Biblical Studies I recommend enterthebible.org, from Luther Seminary. A link is in the CHECK OUT THESE LINKS! section on the right.

Metacognitive Skills MNST 5102

2010-08-26T13:53:00.000-07:00

It's the same at the end of August every year - full of promise, hope, fun, new friends, food, moving, and INFORMATION OVERLOAD. Today we are in orientation week and heads are beginning to spin all around me. On Monday classes start, with a whole ADDITIONAL ton of information to master.

Here's a quick three part strategy to help get better grades, do better work, learn more, and do it all in less time (really!):

Know Yourself: What is your learning style? Figure it out and use it. What is your academic background and skill level? Begin to fill in the gaps. What organization system works for you? Whatever it is, begin to use it TODAY for all your work.

Know Your Requirements: What is your degree program at seminary? Read the fine print in all that paper so you won't have any surprises later. What's in your syllabi? It gives you the secret codes for every course. What are the Academic Expectations? Honesty, Timeliness, Proper Formats, Proofreading, for starters!

Know Your Resources: Your professors, librarians/library, deans, THIS BLOG, Vetted websites (see CHECK OUT THESE LINKS!) 2nd and 3rd year students, your advisor, . . . . .

Mapping the Faith

2010-03-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

The world is shrinking and information is expanding. Fifty years ago, few people had extensive knowledge of other regions and denominations, let alone other countries and religions. Thanks to the explosion of travel, job transfers, cable and satellite television and the "information superhighway," a more simple existence has been replaced with the responsibility of navigating vast, competing and complicated ideas, attitudes and customs.

This is true of the world in general, but it becomes a special burden for a "professional" Christian reader, writer and speaker (or one-in-training). What is the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite? A pentecostal and a charismatic? How do Lutherans and Calvinists differ? What does it mean to be non-denominational? a "pietist"? What is the distinction between a sect and a cult? What is "four-square"?

What are the primary religions of India? England? Somalia? What do Catholics believe? What is the root cause of poverty in central Africa? in Peru? How do economics and politics intersect with issues of hunger? violence? evangelism? OVERWHELMED???

Might be time to bring out some maps. All this information needs some kind of organizational system. (Like a closet or a file.) The more you know, the more you can learn. The more you structure the swirl of information around you, the more you have a place to put it, instead of being sucked down a black hole of intellectual chaos and randomness.

"Need to Know"

2010-02-26T13:51:00.000-08:00

Here is a short list of items seminary professors assume you know before you start your work. If you don't, you need to learn them a.s.a.p.

The books of the Bible: their basic content, characters, etc.
The historical order and approximate dates of events in the Bible (Noah, Abraham, Moses, David . . .)
The basic genres of biblical books (poetry, history, prophecy, letter . . .)
How to use a concordance and Bible references, maps, etc.
The Apostle's Creed (Nicene, too)
Basic familiarity with doctrines of the trinity, atonement, christology, etc.
The broad parameters of the history of the Christian Church, including some knowledge of the Holy Roman Empire, the Protestant Reformation, and the spread of Christianity to the Western Hemisphere, Africa and Asia.

If you need help in acquiring background in these areas, you can get help from a pastor, teacher, library reference books, and online charts, articles and vocabulary lists. See the "resources" section of this blog. Chip away . . .

Re-Centering

2010-02-03T11:06:00.000-08:00

Every so often a person has an experience that literally re-orients the pathways in their brain. These experiences can be disconcerting, but they provide valuable perspective and actually make the brain grow. Learning Greek at age 37 felt like that to me - I swore I could feel the new crevices being carved in my grey matter . . .

Last week I returned from a trip to Peru and that's how it felt: new food, cultures, schedules, languages, and the tidal wave of imagination that washed over me at Machu Picchu (and it wasn't just the abnormally heavy rains . . .). So much that was new, so much to learn, where to put it all??!!

Seminary is full of re-centering experiences. It requires a way to corral the flood of information and relationships. It requires new categories, new patterns, new ways to arrange ideas. In many ways the grid, or schema one creates for all of this is as critical as the information itself. Be careful and deliberate about your re-orienting. Use care and caution, love and wisdom as you select and organize the new information.

Enter the Bible

2009-11-13T17:32:00.000-08:00

Today I came across two excellent websites from Luther Seminary (yes, it is my alma mater . . .). The first is called Enter the Bible: http://www.enterthebible.org/ and it is essentially a free Bible encyclopedia written by the faculty at Luther. It provides summaries, outlines, maps, history, art, and much more on every book of the Bible. It is great for background information, Bible study groups, and quality entry level biblical knowledge.

The second is called Working Preacher: http://www.workingpreacher.org/ and it has a variety of ecumenical scholars giving insight on every individual lectionary text for each week. Each separate text has a different author. Many other resources are on this site as well.

Check them out!

Associations with Jacob: Stealing (#8 of the big 10)

2009-10-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

Jacob was a complicated person. This photo (for you visual learners) illustrates the incident with the savory stew (Title: How to tell if mom likes you best). Rebecca helps him steal the birthright from poor, hairy Esau. Jacob was smooth in more ways than one.

Later, Jacob's father in law/uncle, Laban, pulls a mirror image trick. He promises Jacob his beloved Rachel, but switches her for her elder sister Leah at their wedding. Now the shoe is on the other foot . . .

There is a long, plot-twisting, sinful, faithful story in the Bible. It is one story and it is important to know the whole thing as a whole narrative. That is how it makes sense, how it is rich and integrated instead of a list of dry names, places and events.

Preaching and teaching deepen and expand as we know the implications and associations of God's revealed word. Soak in it and imagine it, cross reference it with itself, with theology, with church history, with worship. How do the symbols, art, words connect?

Word Association: Salvation

2009-08-31T08:32:00.000-07:00

This theological word is central to Christian faith and belief. Here are some ways the word works in everyday language and how they might be related to its theological meaning.

Salvation, or being "saved" implies rescue from danger. It may also imply saved as in kept and not discarded (as in a possession or treasure) or saved for something, or saved to use later. It connects to being made safe as well, as in security.

Are we saved like money in a savings account? Maybe God wants us to earn interest . . . like the parable of the talents in Matthew 25.

Are we saved like a drowning swimmer? Rescued, needy, and perhaps, helpless?

Are we saved like useful objects in the basement? Will God use us as a part to repair something?

Are we safe now, like a house with an alarm system? Maybe that's why we're told that perfect love casts out fear . . .

Both care and imagination in the use of this weighty and crucial word are critical to theological thinking and writing.

Word Associations: Proleptic Eschatology

2009-08-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

"Proleptic" = anticipatory; assumption that a future event has already happened.

"Eschatology" = from the Greek eschatos "last" and -logy "study of." The study of the end time, last days, the consummation and perfection of God's creation.

Flash forward;

God's future, accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ;

the new heavens and new earth;

anticipation of the reconciliation of all things;

God's goal for creation;

the first fruits of the resurrection;

the "now" and the "not yet;"

the time between the resurrection and the last days.

Key scripture reference:

Isaiah 11:6 "the wolf shall dwell with the lamb"

Summer Reading: The Great Exchange

2009-05-28T15:46:00.000-07:00

It's the end of the school year. Graduation was last week and it was wonderful. The music was a gospel/blues version of "What a Fellowship," (complete with sax) the sermon was a lovely law/gospel call to a "Hermeneutic of Joy." The faculty and graduates formed a colorful parade and the leaves and grass were an answering bright May green.

Each school year we used to have an ending/commencing event called "The Great Exchange." This "free" rummage non-sale was a chance to leave your cast-offs and take your needs and wants. No charge, no limits, no rules.

It was a dim-mirror-image of the "real" Great Exchange between humans (creatures, made, and saved) and God (creator, begotten/maker, and savior).

Here's the trade in the "real" exchange:

We cast off/he takes our:

weakness
blindness

darkness

helpless

lies

hunger

thirst

bondage

death

He gives us instead, his:

strength
sight
light
power
truth
bread
living water
freedom
life

Logical Fallacies: TOP TEN LIST

2009-05-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

A logical fallacy is a false argument. It is used to divert, undermine or create support for an idea based on irrelevant information. Logical fallacies are often used by advertisers and by campaigning politicians. They are the enemy of clear, honest and objective thinking because they cheat. They mimic the truth and twist the facts. Steer clear of these bad boys in your writing and class discussions. Find and expose them where you can, in service to humanity.

Here is a TOP TEN LIST of my personal (not-so) favorites:

10. Red Herring (see illustration above): The introduction of a diverting, unrelated topic. Example: I know I dented the car, but last year you broke the chain on the bike.

9. False Dilemma: A choice is presented as either/or when in fact there are numerous options. Example: Do you walk to school or ride the bus?

8. Poisoning the Well: Presenting a negative comment before a person speaks, to discredit their idea. Example: Joe seems to think he is an expert on this. Let's hear what he has to say.

7. Guilt by Association: Rejecting an argument because the person proposing it is connected to someone disliked by the hearer. Example: Your cousin is in a cult, so I cannot believe anything you say.

6. Genetic Fallacy: Endorses or disqualifies a claim based on its connection to a (negative) history. Example: We can't use the U.S. Constitution, because some of the founders were slave-holders.

5. Non sequitur: Conclusions that do not follow from the premise. Example: Since we have no money, it is important to boost our spirits by going out to dinner.

4. Begging the question: This assumes that the thing you are trying to prove is true. Also called a circular argument. Example: Barth has the best theology because Barth is the most influential theologian.

3. Appeal to pity: Accepting an argument because of sympathy or emotional appeal. Example: You should buy this newspaper subscription because it will help keep kids off the streets.

2. Appeal to the popular: Accepts popular opinion as an automatic reason for change. Example: Students don't like to receive grades, therefore they should be eliminated.

1. Special Pleading (double standard): Applying special status to the validity of an assertion because of the status of the person promoting it. Example: You cannot refute what I claim, because you are not: a woman, the boss, etc.

If you like these, there are many more! Search for Logical Fallacies on your computer.

Initium Est Dimidium Facti

2009-04-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

"Once you've started, you're halfway there." This old Latin proverb (see title) has been around for a long time, and with good reason. It is true in every arena of life, not least in academics. Starting something, whether a scarf, a savings account or a paper, puts you on the road to your destination.

This week try to begin the projects you have remaining in the semester. First ask, "what, exactly, do I have left to do?"

Reading? Spend an hour looking over your books and articles and figure out how to create a study guide for your final. Strategize the time slots for reading specific sections. Find background material on the assigned topic if necessary.
Writing? Choose a topic or a thesis, begin your research, or organize a structure for your paper. Go back to the syllabus or written assignment and analyze what you are being asked to do. Think about your plan, and take notes.
Sermon? Start by reading your text and taking notes on what you notice about it. Move to commentaries or other resources.
Stressed out? Begin to walk or to listen to music or to buy some groceries. Don't worry about finishing for now - just start!

Criticism and Praise

2009-04-20T09:31:00.000-07:00

When I was a girl I took piano lessons. My teacher would stand behind me, watching as I played. Sometimes he wrote a comment at the top of my piece of music: "Excellent!" or "Nice!"

Unfortunately, he also wrote comments like, "Practice this!" "Needs work!" or the dreaded, "Get busy, lazy!"

It was not that he was wrong. I didn't practice enough. Some weeks I probably was "lazy," finding anything to fill my time besides practicing. If a piece of music was hard, I often ignored it.

Things don't change that much. We adults still search for the positive comments and do our best to ignore the negative. Hopefully none of our critics are quite as bombastic as my piano teacher, but a test or paper returned with negative comments is still an unwelcome sight.

What if we could invert our reactions to critique? After all, it is usually meant to inspire improvement. What if we saw statements such as: "I don't understand this paragraph!" as a chance to learn something? What if we viewed our critic as a trusted and honest friend rather than a misguided enemy? If a comment about our work is the truth, it is possible (though painful), to examine it and determine how we might make an adjustment.

This is one way academic miracles happen. An average student can make huge strides in the quality of their work if they will accept and benefit from criticism. A good student's work can become even better.

Clear Thinking

2009-04-13T09:48:00.000-07:00

If you think clearly, you will write clearly. Writing is your thought process, in a document. If your paper is wandering, it is because your thoughts are not focused. Conversely, if you have "thought it through," it will be obvious in your writing.

Characteristics of Clear Thinking

It is organized. It follows a road map, in an orderly progression. It does not go "four-wheeling" around the countryside.

It is logical. It starts with a premise; gives strong, valid evidence to make reasoned arguments, and forms pertinent conclusions that follow from that evidence.

It makes transitions. It does not make leaps, but rather builds little sentence-bridges to connect the ideas.

It asks questions of itself. Have I overstated? understated? Does my argument consider all of the other positions, or the nuances?

It accepts boundaries. The scope of a paper, argument or conclusion has limitations. Clear thinking recognizes these and acknowledges them up front. I am doing this. I am not doing that . . .

Clarify your thoughts before writing in order to write more quickly, more fluidly and in order to produce work that makes a genuine contribution.

Goldilocks and the Three Topics (a dialectical three)

2009-04-07T18:48:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time, a young woman was choosing a topic for her 15-page church history paper.

First, she thought she would write on "The Church in the Middle Ages." She found 2400 books that told of 240 people arguing about dozens of doctrines. She had no idea how to corral them into 15 pages. Her first topic was TOO BIG!

Next she thought she would try "Typical Lunch Menus at the Cluny Abbey." This topic would integrate her interest in cooking. "Brilliant!" she thought. Alas, she could only find one paragraph on the subject. There didn't seem to be enough information for a 15-page paper. Her topic, it seemed, was TOO SMALL!

Finally she settled in on the topic: "Monastic Corruption and Cluniac Reforms." She could describe and analyze this topic in 15 pages. There were enough resources. She would know exactly what to look for when she did her research. Ah, yes, this topic was JUST RIGHT!

Now it was time for a break, so she went to the kitchen and made a delicious stew. She was sure the monks at Cluny would have enjoyed it. The End

Summery? No, SUMMARY!

2009-03-30T08:34:00.000-07:00

Summery? . . . I saw daffodil and crocus leaves popping through the wet soil . . . Summer is green and warm . . . very different than the past few months . . .

That was a thought digression, prompted by my initially mis-spelled title. It shows what can happen if you change one letter in a word. If you mis-spell summary with an "e" instead of an "a," you get summery. I made myself think about swimming and vacation and green leaves. Sigh. Enough about spelling – this post is really about the importance of a good summary.

OK, then. A good summary restates what the author was trying to say in a brief form. It does not include a critique, opinion, analysis or any emotional words that reveal what you think about the ideas. It is coldly and cleanly objective. The author of the piece you are summarizing (should they read your summary) would say, “Yup, that is exactly what I meant. You got it!”

You include all of the main points, reconstructing the outline of the argument. You do not twist the author’s meaning in any way. You need to gain the perspective of the author, so you can restate what they are saying fairly and accurately. This does not imply that the summarizer (you) is on board with the argument. You do not need to believe it or agree with their ideas. Your critique or analysis of what the author said may or may not come later.

So, to summarize, spell words correctly to help avoid reader-mind-wandering. Summarize your sources like a reporter, objectively and without prejudice. Even if you think they are dead-on wrong.

Detachment Can Be a Good Thing

2009-03-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

Detachment is usually not a good thing. It is bad for a friendship or a marriage. Christianity is centered on God’s relentless attachment to us, and our familial ties as brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. To be detached can imply not caring, not invested, ambivalent or peripheral.

So in what way can detachment be good?

It is good if we are not so “attached” to our work that we can’t see its (sometimes glaring) weaknesses.
It is good if it gives us enough objectivity to understand a different/new perspective without excess emotion.
It is good if it means we can examine an idea with no other goal than understanding the argument behind it.
It is good if we can analyze and critique concepts without having to embrace or reject them wholesale.
It is good if it helps us to examine logical fallacies (false arguments) in some of our own assumptions and beliefs.

If you really care about something, use your passion to understand it in all of its subtleties. You will be better able to persuade others if you are willing to examine your ideas and beliefs with a critical objective eye.

Deconstructing Mid-Term Exams

2009-03-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

You have been reading and listening to lectures. You have a syllabus and a stack of books.

You can control this befuddling content. You are not its victim. You can conquer it, dissect it, and break it into its component parts. (Does a three-part list remind you of the trinity? You are starting to "get" seminary!)

Before you get to that chair and blue book on exam day, you can lower your anxiety by outsmarting your test. But how, you ask? By remembering the following:

1. What did the syllabus say about the focus of this test? Is it your lectures? Readings? All of it? Some of it? Essay? Objective?
2. What did the professor say about the test? Pay close attention to this. Did you receive a study guide? USE IT. (Trust me, many people don't, no matter how smart they are)
3. Create a study guide as you read. Your book may have a table of contents that makes a great start to an outline. Your syllabus may give you an outline in the form of your weekly lectures.
4. Don't forget details. Include 2-3 descriptors for each name, date, or main point. You will use them in your answers on the test.
5. Once you are in the chair, staring at the test, READ THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY AND DO EXACTLY WHAT THEY SAY. I put that in caps because it is the most important.
6. Make a plan. Include the time you will devote to each question, which you will do first (start with the "easiest") and quick notes on what you remember about each question.

Take the test apart, in order to properly put it back together. Get a good night's sleep, eat breakfast, and go in with confidence.

Wordy?

2009-03-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

Some sentences don't have enough words. On the other hand, some sentences have surplus, extra and unnecessary words.

Here is an example: When reading seminary textbooks and articles, one discovers that many times the author, whoever he or she may be, uses needless clauses and modifiers, that is, descriptive and parenthetical words and phrases, to try to communicate with you the reader, perhaps thinking that such a tactic sounds more sophisticated or academic or maybe just to see if you can plow through all the verbiage to get to the point they may (or may not) be making.

WHEW! Try to read that without taking a breath.

The Apostle Paul uses such sentences, but he is not the only one. The written world of theological and biblical studies is full of long, run-on, dense and hard-to-read texts. When reading them, do your best to skim and scan for the main point. You can't change the authors you are assigned to read, or their enabling editors.

When YOU write, it is not an asset to be wordy. You can be clear, and have a precise point to each sentence and paragraph. You can communicate with a variety of sentences, changing the length and the structure to suit the flow of your argument. Your professor will thank you. And you will become, through practice, a fluid writer.

"Building" a Paper

2009-03-03T15:12:00.000-08:00

Let’s say a paper is a house – new construction. The owner is the professor. He or she determines the basic scope of the project, the size and shape. The professor tells you what to write: a two page reflection paper, or a 600-word précis or an exegetical paper with three specific sections.

Some professors (owners) are more involved in the details of the paper than others. Some choose every fixture and paint color while others leave most choices to the architect/builder.

The architect/builder is you, the student/writer. You take the owner’s instructions, and create the design. You choose a topic (floor plan) and organize the ideas (plumbing and wiring systems). You do the research (hire sub-contractors) and shape it into its final form, attending to all of the details. You revise and copy edit (go back and clean up the site), so every mistake is made right.

The architect is not the owner. She can't design a ranch house when the owner asked for a cape cod. She will get fired if she does that. Similarly, a summary is not equivalent to a reflection paper. You have to do what the professor asks.

The architect is also not merely a collector of subcontractors (sources). He has control. He shapes and crafts the plan (argument). He is in charge of how the details are arranged and executed. He is making a new thing.

The paper/house must conform to the specs (specifications) of the professor/owner, but the writer has freedom to design and shape within those boundaries. Not unlike the relationship between God and human beings in the garden. (No, I do not think professors are equivalent to God.)

Accept the boundaries, and go for it: design a functional, beautiful space/a creative paper, just what the professor ordered.

Having a REACTION?

2009-02-24T08:43:00.000-08:00

Seminary is Graduate Education, but it is different than other master’s degrees. It is exponentially more personal.

We come to it with baggage, lots of it, full and heavy. We come packed full of experiences, opinions and feelings: about the church, ourselves, and God. We come with our convictions, traumas, and family histories.

We sit in classes, listen and read. We bump up against contextual theologies, other denominations, other perspectives. We meet and have discussions with our peers - who may be pacifists or military chaplains. Our deepest commitments about the Bible and the church can be challenged by our classes and our classmates.

It is important, in such a highly charged situation, to recognize and control our own tendency to REACT to ideas and persons with whom we disagree. Instead, we can weigh carefully what we see and hear. By openness to listening and learning, we are not compromising our principles, or selling out our commitments and ideals. We are moving toward objectivity. We are building our understanding with data and the integration of new ideas into our former systems of thought, belief and experience.

Everyone can tell the difference. When blood pressure goes up, so do walls. Clear thinking gets gummed up by all that adrenaline. Harness your passion into careful work. Your writing will improve as you begin to critique and respond, rather than REACT.

Insider Jargon

2009-02-17T14:28:00.000-08:00

Carpenters make things plumb, lawyers do pro bono work, dating couples have DTRs, and cooks deglaze their pans.

Biblical Scholars discuss redactions and the Apocrypha.

Theology has its own jargon. So does church history, pastoral care, and missiology. Seminary has multiple sets of insider jargon, because its classes are coming from distinct academic disciplines. Lucky you.

Perhaps you were prepared to study vocabulary words in Greek and Hebrew, but who knew how many new words there would be in all the other classes? Part of a wise schema-building strategy is to crack the vocabulary codes of each discipline. That means learning what all those new words actually mean.

Here are some ways to find, or make lists of words and their definitions:

Make your own list. As you read and listen to lectures, write down the words you don’t know. Look them up and write the definition.

Look in your syllabus. Your professor may suggest a pertinent glossary, or define key concepts for you.

Look in your books. Some have glossaries in the back. Copy them and have them next to your book as you read.

Look in the reference section of the library for a “Dictionary of . . . (Bible, Theology, Church History)” Use it/them or buy your own.

Use reliable websites. Two good ones for Biblical Studies are: (more serious) A Basic Vocabulary of Biblical Studies for Beginning Students http://www.wfu.edu/~horton/r102/ho1.html and (hilarious, but still solid information) Bible Dudes http://bibledudes.com/biblical-studies/

If you load vocabulary early on, you will start to understand and communicate like a true insider. It will help you understand obscure seminary jokes. Maybe you can even figure out how to translate the jargon for your future congregation!

Why You Don't Remember That

2009-02-10T10:03:00.001-08:00

Ahh. You have just done your assigned reading. The words on the page made sense at the time, but you can't really remember what you read.

Maybe you should have eaten breakfast, or gotten more sleep last night. Maybe the writer was too wordy, or maybe your arteries are starting to clog. It could be any of these things, but more than likely it is a case of SCHEMA DEFICIENCY.

What is THAT? It is a common malady. It means that you didn't remember because your brain had no place to put the information. Your memory works by making connections to your prior knowledge and experiences. The stronger the connection, the easier to remember.

If you know little or nothing about what you are reading . . . (hermeneutics, anyone?) you will have trouble retaining the information.

There is no pill for this deficiency, but you are not without options. You can look over the reading before you start and figure out how to connect it to what you know already. You can ask questions of the reading, and try to shape answers. You can read a bible dictionary (or Encyclopedia Britannica) article on the general subject before you dive in. You can build a SCHEMA (think scaffolding) so your reading will be able to attach itself to something in your brain.

A bit of prep will keep your new-found wisdom from landing in your memory's landfill.

Read Before Reading: The Syllabus

2009-02-03T13:21:00.000-08:00

It’s early February and many schools are beginning new classes. The documents (syllabi, bibliographies) distributed during these first days are critical to effective reading and writing throughout the semester. Savvy students have printed them a month ago . . .

Professors spend weeks creating their syllabi, which address the objectives of the course and the curriculum. Some are very long and give detailed assignments. Some are shorter, with details supplied later.

A quick glance at these documents will give you the basic timing of your reading and writing assignments. It will help you plan your calendar to allow for longer assignments. It will give you an idea of where the professor is headed by telling you the approach and "interest" of the course.

A deeper analysis of the documents can put you in control of your reading and writing in more profound ways. As you examine the assigned readings over the course of the semester, ask yourself how they relate to the topics of lectures, or to other tests and papers. How do they connect to your prior knowledge of the subject?

Will you need to write a paper in response to the reading? Answer questions on an essay test? Can you combine the reading and writing in ways that compliment your interests or goals? Can you build on something which interested you in another course? Could you later develop one of the assignments into a sermon, a bible study, or an article for a journal?

If you begin the semester by asking these sorts of questions, you will feel greater control and better understand the intentions of the professor. You will be able to remember more of what you read. Your writing will address the presuppositions of an assignment. The syllabus is your friend. You might want to become better aquainted.

Soccer, Accounting and Seminary

2009-01-27T11:10:00.000-08:00

The captain of my son’s college soccer team once said: “You have to be an honest accountant of your own game.” Is your deficit in footwork? speed or quickness? (there is a difference!) passing skills? "seeing the field"? Tell the truth, and work on the weak spots.

Seminary students do not often look to sports/business metaphors for insight, but the above image provides a good word. Not just for beginning students, but for everyone who reads and writes for the sake of the gospel. How do we communicate more precisely, think more clearly, read with greater insight? We start by telling the truth about our “game.”

A good writer/reader is self-aware and able to accurately tally personal strengths and weaknesses. What is my learning style? Am I a procrastinator? Am I too wordy? What is my academic background in relation to the expected work? Put the credits and debits in the proper columns.

You need to know your own game, and you also need to know the seminary "game." Whether you are just beginning or doing a Ph.D., there are rules and referees. You need to know the seminary catalog, the academic handbook, and the audience (mostly, professors). If you know the rules inside and out you can develop a “winning strategy.”

How do you correct shortfalls, fill gaps, improve skills? Coaches are all around: librarians, advisors, professors, tutors. There are glossaries, online writing labs, and encyclopedias. Develop a realistic plan to persistently move forward, and practice your “footwork.” If it doesn’t work, figure out how to fix, or at least improve it.

The best lessons from sports and business? If you lose, pick yourself up, dust off, and do it better next time. Learn from your mistakes and don’t give up.

The Varieties of Seminary Experience

2009-01-22T09:34:00.000-08:00

Seminaries have a wide variety of spots and stripes. Some are closely associated with a denomination and some are aligned with a particular theological position or movement. Some focus on spiritual development. Some are huge “pastor factories” with hundreds of students. Some identify themselves as “academic.” There are seminaries all over the world, on every continent (well, ok, not Antarctica). Each is unique.

Inside every seminary is a spectrum of students. Some are 23 years old and fresh from college. Some are retired and looking for deeper insight into their faith. Some are preparing for a defined vocation or a specific call; some are studying in a second language; some are hoping to go on for a Ph.D.

What do all seminary students have in common? They share a belief in the Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (though some prefer alternate names). They share a desire to understand the Bible and the history of his Church. By and large, they view themselves as part of Christ’s body and a part of God’s mission of love to the world. Each one needs to read and write effectively. They must be vigilant in sharpening their academic (insert: knife or pencil) for their own development, in order to get a degree, and most importantly, in order to communicate the gospel.

What's in a name?

2009-01-15T09:12:00.000-08:00

Titles are important. A good title should catch your attention, give a hint of what's to come, and make you curious to read on. The title of a blog should be witty but not too subtle, clear but not overly obvious, and edgy but not sarcastic. A tall order, especially for a first-time blogger.

This newborn blog is for seminary students and other theological readers and writers. It is about doing academic work with integrity and improving its quality. It is about the process of writing in an academic setting. It is about motivation and how to work with professors. It needs a good title.

Here are some of the titles considered in a brainstorming session, and summarily rejected:

"Metacognitivity"
Reason for rejection: Requires a dictionary, makes a noun of an adjective.

"Mind the Gap"
Reason for rejection: Too British. (I do like it, though)

"Academic Tool Box" or "Help Desk"
Reason for rejection: Sounds too much like my computer.

"Insider: Seminary Edition," or "94" (credit hours)
Reason for rejection: TV show names are too corny.

And the winner is: The "A" Range: AAAAA. It has its weaknesses (too obtuse, sounds perfectionistic), but I like the way the string of A's looks like a mountain range. This title is courtesy of my brainy friend who once said in all seriousness: "I do not have to get a perfect grade on every assignment, as long as I'm within the A range!" If that's not self-awareness, I don't know what is.

So here's to excellence with a sense of humor, improvement dosed with realism, the freedom to fail and the freedom to learn from mistakes.

P.S. What do you think of this name?