Sunday, May 01, 2005
Jeeezus in the Psalms
I'm working on a paper for my library school coursework. I'm examining which Episcopal seminaries use information technology to deliver distance education to students or alums, and how they support those offerings via their libraries.
I've been looking over the website of Trinity Seminary, Ambridge, pretty closely b/c it turns out they're the only Episcopal seminary w/ a significant online learning program. THey're also the most conservative of our seminaries--ardently evangelical, bordering on fundamentalist. (Yes, "fundamentalist Anglican" should be an oxymoron, but unfortunately it isn't anymore. Richard Hooker is spinning in his grave.) I've been trying to figure out what library resources one needs if one is a residential student there, and if the distance students have access to the same. So I was browsing some of their course syllabi to see if library work is actually required. (Conclusion: their library must be just for impressing donors and accreditation agencies, b/c I've yet to find an assignment which actually requires the students to use it.)
As a test case, I was looking at the course in Psalms & Wisdom Literature, since, thanks to Prof. Seow's course at PTS, I'm fairly familiar w/ the topic and what a good course should look like.
At first I was impressed b/c the bibliography had a lot of overlap w/ the texts we used at PTS.
But then I just about snorted Diet Coke out of my nose when I read this assignment:
I think Roland Murphy, Pat Miller, and Walt Brueggeman would die if they knew their books were on the same syllabus as this assignment....
I've been looking over the website of Trinity Seminary, Ambridge, pretty closely b/c it turns out they're the only Episcopal seminary w/ a significant online learning program. THey're also the most conservative of our seminaries--ardently evangelical, bordering on fundamentalist. (Yes, "fundamentalist Anglican" should be an oxymoron, but unfortunately it isn't anymore. Richard Hooker is spinning in his grave.) I've been trying to figure out what library resources one needs if one is a residential student there, and if the distance students have access to the same. So I was browsing some of their course syllabi to see if library work is actually required. (Conclusion: their library must be just for impressing donors and accreditation agencies, b/c I've yet to find an assignment which actually requires the students to use it.)
As a test case, I was looking at the course in Psalms & Wisdom Literature, since, thanks to Prof. Seow's course at PTS, I'm fairly familiar w/ the topic and what a good course should look like.
At first I was impressed b/c the bibliography had a lot of overlap w/ the texts we used at PTS.
But then I just about snorted Diet Coke out of my nose when I read this assignment:
For the first paper, students should select their favorite psalm (or one of them).
The paper on this psalm will have several sections. The first section should
explain the original meaning of the text so as to identify a pastoral problem in the
psalm. The second section should discuss how Jesus Christ is the solution to the
pastoral problem in the psalm. The third section should consider how the readers
of the psalm might handle the pastoral problem (i.e., repent or change) to the
glory of God in view of the work of Jesus Christ. This paper should not exceed
five pages. It is due on March 1.
I think Roland Murphy, Pat Miller, and Walt Brueggeman would die if they knew their books were on the same syllabus as this assignment....
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