Hob's SemBlog

Notes, comments, thoughts on my studies at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
so my friends/family/supporters/whoever can keep tabs on my progress, and nag me to keep on top of things.

Monday, June 11, 2007

That's about that...

from the minutes of the Spring meeting of the Presbytery of the Northwest:

REMOVAL OF MR. NEWTON FROM UNDER CARE - On motion the recommendation of the [Candidates and Credentials] committee was adopted that presbytery remove the name of Mr. Hobart Newton from the list of men under care. On motion at the request of Mr. Jambura his abstention was recorded.

Hobster jotted this down on 11:00 PM. (( 11:00 PM 1 comments

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Prayer Req.

If you read my main blog, feel free to skip down to paragraph 2, but for those who don't: First day of classes this year, I get a call from the Property Manager, the owners of our house have put it up for sale. So in addition to all the pressures of work/school/homeschool, we have to get the house ready for sale.

Yesterday was supposed to be devoted to Hebrew--have failed one quiz already, will have another Tuesday which I've been able to spend exactly 0 minutes on--not to mention the untouched homework--and was unable to give any time to that. (didn't get that much done around the house, because I kept feeling guilty about my homework)

I'm doing okay in Greek, seem to be getting somewhere with that one this time. History is fine, not that I've gotten too far with it yet, but it's entirely doable. But Hebrew....

Our school year was supposed to start back on the 4th--and we've yet to crack a book with any of the kids (#3 starts Kindergarten this year).

I think I was thiiiiis close to being able to handle it all. But the impending move is the proverbial monkey-wrench. In a month or so, that'll be done with--and I'll be back to where I was supposed to be at the beginning of the term.

That month or so will be fatal to the fall term. I'm thinking, if I drop Hebrew, I'll be able to salvage Greek and Church History. But if I drop Hebrew, I throw off the schedule for the rest of my courses.

Need to make a move--quickly. Please pray for wisdom.

UPDATE: 9:45 9/11, submitted the paperwork to drop. Ugh. Feel like a failure. Gotta shake it off, further up and further in, and all that.

Hobster jotted this down on 11:01 AM. (( 11:01 AM 8 comments

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Oh, fer cryin' out loud!

One of the first books I bought after becoming Reformed was that big blue paperback edition of Calvin's Institutes--the Beveridge translation.

Ohh, it was great. Big, hefty, relatively cheap. Could be used as a slightly softer alternative to a rock for a pillow when camping (pretty sure a friend did that). The 19th century English made you feel like you were reading a classic.

Then I got married, and one of the first books my wife let me get was the Battles translation--in the nice 2 volume hardcovers with the fish on the dustjackets.

Now I felt, grown up, mature, more studious. The language was more accessible, the translation sounder, and there were footnotes.

And now, twelve or so years after the Big Blue. I have to buy the Lane/Osborne Abridgment?!?!?!?!

What a travesty! What a joke! What utter nonsense! I hate, hate abridgments in the first place. But particularly when I own multiple copies (shouldn't forget the AGES CD-ROM which has both translations)--it's just wrong. But it's something I must do. I've been given a set of study questions for a test on the abridgment. I can either hunt through the Institutes and find the answers, hoping that my answers line up with what Lane and Osborne found important enough to transfer over. Or I can waste the $12 on the book, and find the answers easily. Time factors alone mandate that I put off buying Open Door by Evanescence and get this thing. A double whammy.

Hobster jotted this down on 10:43 AM. (( 10:43 AM 2 comments

Thursday, August 24, 2006

"A minister must know the original languages"

A minister is called by God to preach His Word. Yet, few preachers fully do this. God's word was written in Hebrew and Greek [footnote: There is also some Aramaic in the Old Testament]. Translations are not the Word of God, they are the word of fallible men. "But!" some would say, "a translation is the Word of God inasmuch as it agrees with the original text." That is a legitimate statement. However, unless a minister knows the original languages, he is not capable of determining to what extent the passages he breaches from agree with the original. There is no such thing as a 100% accurate translation. A. T. Robertson points out that
there is much that cannot be translated. It is not possible to reproduce the delicate turns of thought, the nuances of language, in translation. The freshness of the strawberry cannot be preserved in any extract."
Thus, in order to be a reliable interpreter of the Scriptures, a minister must know the original languages. This does not mean that a minister who does not know the original languages is disqualified from preaching. It means that one who does know them is more qualified and truer to his call.
- S. D. Dyer, Ph. D.

I'm absolutely convinced that Dr. Dyer is correct there (and not just because he's my Greek professor!). This is why I find my struggles with Greek and Hebrew so troubling. Several ministers and laymen have encouraged me that it's not that big of a deal, just learn it long enough to pass the course, you won't need it in your pastorate--they/their pastors don't use it!

I find that so disheartening to hear. I know those people mean well, and are trying to help me. But...bah.

Frankly, I'm tempted to take that approach from time to time--particularly when battling some paradigm I just can't memorize. But it doesn't stick. I know it's wrong. No need to walk into the OK Corral with your six-shooter half empty.

Please pray for me as I try to get these languages down.

Hobster jotted this down on 11:57 AM. (( 11:57 AM 1 comments

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Beginning of the Term

Is today. Thankfully, no classes for me. That starts tomorrow at 7:30 am (!!!) Reason #4 why I should be a residential student: class times are more reasonable.

Have Greek I (again), Hebrew II, and Reformation Church History in front of me.

I'll be very honest. Very nervous about this semester. Got the feeling it's do or die time. And I'm not thinking the "do" is that likely.

Hobster jotted this down on 1:57 PM. (( 1:57 PM 0 comments