mccarthyism

I had a conversation with an old lit professor recently about free verse and form in poetry. He insisted that free-form poetry isn’t art, or at least is seriously wanting as such. A little frustrating, and eventually the discussion got pretty circular. But he has a point and hopefully I’m not too stubborn to take his hint. I’ve decided to push myself harder in that direction. Art as discipline is a fairly foreign concept these days, and I think we suffer the consequences more than we’d care to admit. But oof. It’s hard enough to write at all, even without further restrictions.

Bundled up like the Michelin man tonight against -4 temps, coming down with the flu I fear, headed for the library to start working on yet another exegetical paper. To which I say ‘Uncle’ already. It's not that I don't value exegesis, but I think that its constant emphasis could be balanced by a little more guidance in critical method, historical theology, systematics. By itself it can get a little overweening. Turning us loose in the library time after time with just a few commentaries and word studies is frankly a little scary, especially considering how poorly most of us learn our Greek. Also considering that many of our Biblical survey courses consist largely of the professors preaching their own convictions. I’ve been in Biblical studies for nearly six years now – shouldn’t I feel more adequate to this? Probably I’m just projecting… I am taking a course in contemporary theology this semester, and it’s refreshing to learn once in a while the kinds of things I’d hoped to be learning all along.

Not doing what I’d intended to do here academically. I probably should have done an MA, but I didn’t know at the outset that an M.Div would overlap so much with my college degree. They told me it was the requisite degree for students wanting to do academic work in theology. It’s a little disheartening. But now it’s too late to switch without spending another year: not worth it, especially since I don’t think I’ll ever be going further in theology. The future is a blank. I’d love to do literature but it still feels pretty restrictive of other dreams, other potentials. Jenni and I are expecting a baby in late April. She’s due on Easter Sunday in fact. We’re very pleased, though it does seem like a bit much sometimes. “Too much at once,” Matt would say.

“Though I fall I’m safest here” And oh, and oh…

Listening:
Slowdive: Souvlaki
Slowdive: Pygmalion
The Beatles: White Album, Revolver, Abbey Road