Help with Spring Courses?

By Robert Fischer | Published: October 28, 2009

Trying to decide what courses to take this Spring for my M.Div here at Duke. Here are my options:

  • PARISH 120: Food, Eating, and the Life of Faith: This course will be an examination of food systems and eating practices in the light of Christian teaching. Our aim will be to develop a theological framework and set of practices for faithful eating that honors God and contributes to a peaceable creation and a just society.
  • OLDTEST 305: Creation, Cosmology, and World Order: One of the most exciting initiatives in current Old Testament scholarship involves a thoroughgoing reappraisal of the theme of creation. This course will investigate shifts within the field and their implications. At stake are the relation between cosmology and anthropology in ancient Israel, the shape of Old Testament theology, the relationship between the Old Testament and the New, and the Bible’s abiding relevance for contemporary ecological issues. [Taught by a professor I know I really admire.]
  • PARISH 137: Writing as a Christian Practice: This course will teach the skills of writing for future ministers and theologians. The task of writing is central to these vocations: ministers need to write sermons, newsletters, pastoral admonitions, and even thank you cards. Theologians often feel called to write for an audience beyond their fellow trained academicians. We will foster the skills necessary to communicate to fellow ministers in Christian media or to an occasionally interested, occasionally hostile, outside world. [Taught by a once-editor of "Christianity Today".]

Currently thinking about doing the Creation course.

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  • David

    I would go with the creation course. Speaking as someone who has been doing software development for the last 10 years, but also has a Th.M. writing is something you can (and should) learn along the way somewhat naturally. The eating course is interesting, but it seems to me that a couple of good books on the subject would probably exhaust the concept. Conversely, OT theology and specifically the creation narratives are foundational to understanding the rest of the Pentateuch, and indeed, the New Testament itself; Jesus and Paul both assume and depend upon it in their teaching.

    I would also add that as a general principle (which I am sure you know), it is wiser to attend mediocre classes with excellent teachers than excellent classes (subject-wise) with mediocre (or unknown) teachers. In this case you seem to have the best of both worlds. I looked at the professor’s CV, and while I haven’t read any of his works, he recommends some good theologians–in particularly Childs.

  • Sarah France

    I second the “Creation, Cosmology and World Order” choice – that one just sounded the most appealing to me in the descriptions. Not to mention that taking courses from profs you really admire often means (at least in my case) that you push yourself to do really good work for that person – I have taken multiple classes for that reason. An excellent teacher is an asset to have in your life!

  • http://colinharrington.net Colin Harrington

    OLDTEST 305: +1

    It is amazing how much one’s take on the creation story can shift the foundations of faith/religion/spirituality not to mention the rest of scripture.

    Personally, that’s the one I would choose. Questions like these would be dun to explore: Were there people living on the earth before Adam and Eve? Who was Cain afraid of? Who did Cain and Seth marry? How old is the earth? Is our rality the same as the creation story?

    Lots of cool content to cover in that course.

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