aaack! i'm registered!!!

oh. my. goodness. i'm really a student again.

i just registered for classes. my enrollment window opened at 10am today, and classes start next monday. i'm the only one i've met who can enroll today, everyone else can enroll tomorrow or wed, which is a little scary, for them. there isn't a chance to see that a class is full and choose another one until you actually try to add it and there is an error. thankfully, all of mine went thru.

but i do think they are trying to kill me. :-P in my program, only a few of the required classes are offered each quarter, and when they come up, i pretty much have to take them. the theology classes are heavy reading classes, and i don't really want to take more than one at a time, but i didn't want to over-do it my first semester and take a hard one. there was one class recommended for students with a background other than Bible (like meteorology) to take before taking theology classes, so i did sign up for that one. but it's also billed as an easier, overview kind of class, which might have been nice to save for a semester with 2 other hard classes.

so here's what i'm taking:
Church in Mission, taught by Ryan Bolger. It's mon/wed, 1-3pm. this is the course description: "In this course, we connect the disciplines of ecclesiology, missiology, postcolonial studies, and race/ethnic studies. For at least four ethnic groups (e.g. African-American, Asian-American, Latinos/as, and Native peoples), we will explore how the following postcolonial themes manifest: diaspora, identity, race, cultural difference, hybridity, gender, sexuality, feminism, postmodernism, nationalism, globalization, and empire. We will explore how to be the people of God in the midst of these powers."

Poverty and Development, taught by Bryant Myers. i've heard nothing but good things about him, and i'm thinking i've read a book or two that he authored or co-authored. i'd definitely heard his name before coming here. that class is offered as an "intensive", which means it meets everyday for 2 weeks. so oct 27-nov 7, don't expect me to come out to play. ;-) apparently there's reading and stuff to do before the class, then class from 3-6pm daily those 2 weeks with tons of lectures, then all the papers and stuff are due by the end of the quarter. so that will definitely take more self-discipline and time management than i've pretty much ever had to use. ouch. but one bonus is this class is only offered for students in my program this quarter. it's a popular class, offered just about every quarter, so i'm excited that it's pretty much kick-starting my seminary education (btw, i've been saying grad school that "seminary" still hasn't sunk in... it's weird, never mind.). my emphasis here is "international development" and this is one class that's kind of the foundation for the others, so i'm excited about that, too.

ok, so here's the class description:
"This course explores the challenges of empowering the poor in a world marked by marginalization, disempowerment, abuse and injustice. Poverty is explored from a number of perspectives, concluding with a biblical framework. Responses to poverty are then explored, including the goals of transformational development and the process and principles by which it is pursued. "

sounds cool, huh? especially if you go back and read about nicaragua stuff....

ok, so the last class i'm taking (12 credits is a full load, each class is 4 credits, so only 3 classes a quarter) is Theology in Global Perspective, taught by William Dyrness. this is the one suggested before taking any theology classes, and it makes sense. it's offered t/r, 1-3. here's the class description: "This course surveys historically significant theological traditions, through the lens provided by the contemporary issues and questions of the global Church. The goal is to explore, describe and encourage the development of theology as an expanding conversation about the meaning of Scripture and the Christian life, that extends itself through history and around the world."

so if you've been paying attention to my schedule, you'll see that i have class mon-thurs, 1-3. and for 2 weeks, Lord help me, from 1-6, and 3-6 fridays. my brain is just going to hurt by 6pm. i guess i'll have to work ahead in my other 2 classes so that i won't have to do very much for them during that 2 week period and i can just focus on poverty and development. but it's good, in general, that i have fridays off, tho i wish i had a morning class that would make me get up.

so today, the goal is to apply for jobs. wish me luck!