I am not sure who it was, but I was asked to update my blog, kindly being reminded that my busy brother-in-law has even updated his. So, I will satisfy those who actually still check in after my lack of attention to my readers.
Right now I am sitting in a seminary class that I actually enjoy. Lately, I have struggled with being in school particularly because of the class content or teaching style of professors. My involvement in ministry and my need to attend to family has really caused me to put school on the backburner of my life. It has become a second thought, until now. I have an incredibly intelligent and amazingly skilled professor for a class called integrative seminar. This class takes all the theology we have studied and applies it to the real world. Right now we are discussing how theology and science intersect. The questions we are asking are many. Do these two disciplines intersect at all? Can science speak into theology? How? Is there ever a time and place when theology speak into science? How? Why is our culture bent on claiming that science automatically trumps something theological or spiritual? Is this a realistic position to take or is it a subjective presupposition in the debate? Should there even be a debate?
This stuff is very exciting to me because while I am successful in the academic world, I do not sit well with topics or discussions that do not seem to practically relate to life or ministry. This class takes many ideas and concepts that we have discussed for over a year and applies them to more practical disciplines and ministry applications. Another reason I am really excited is because as we sit and discuss the interaction of theology and science, Time Magazine featured this debate as its cover story. This is active and relevant stuff that is really on the minds of Americans right now. If I can have more classes like this, I think I might actually make it through three more years of seminary without to much trepidation.
For those of you not really interested with the above topic, here is a little update on the Torkelsons. Mesha and I made it through an extremely busy October. I was gone on retreats and conferences 11 of the 30 days of the month. Add work, school and other obligation and we did not see much of each other. We are excited to have more time together!
Mesha has been busy getting us going on projects in our now not so brand new townhouse. While I typically put up some resistance to being involved in these projects, I do have to say that I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment in finishing various things in MY HOUSE!!! Its a good feeling. Other than this, we do not have much more news. We are looking forward to the Holidays and seeing family. Also we are in the fun process of deciding what our vacation plans will be for the next year. Hopefully, I will get back into this blogging thing now that my life is slowing slightly after a busy summer and fall. ??We'll see??