Nothing terribly exciting is happening this summer. With my plans for the fall semester, I have been preparing for two Latin courses — Seneca’s two tragedies Thyestes and Medea, and the poems of Catullus. With Seneca alone there are about 2,139 lines to translate. This is a heavier load than when I was taking Horace’s Satires and Epodes, which totaled about 1,000 lines (give or take a few since we didn’t cover all the satires and epodes). Topped with Catullus’ poems (116 poems, though I’m certain we won’t cover each one) and Greek and German thrown into the mix, the fall semester should be quite strenuous. So this summer I’ve been spending a good amount of time working through Seneca’s two plays so I can have the head-start advantage. In just a few days I’ll be resuming work on Catullus, but I’m going to tackle that with an easier pace than with Seneca. I probably should start reviewing through Hansen and Quinn’s Greek intensive course text as well. I haven’t studied much Greek at all this summer. But I’m pleased with the progress I’ve been making this summer for the fall preparation. Other than telling the latest news I haven’t had much motivation for blogging. I’ve lost the flame. Maybe one of these days I’ll regain passion again.
Other than this set routine, I’ll be starting a history of the Bible class on Sunday mornings at church (see this link for more). I’m a little bit nervous, as the class will press on, to introduce to people who do not know the subject very well the matter of textual variants, especially the more significant ones such as Mark 16.9-20 and John 7.53-8.11. We’ll see what happens — it is inevitable on this subject so I might as well drop a few bomb shells. Since I have begun preparation for this class I was glad to read over at ETC that there is a new book coming out in August, D. Parker’s An Introduction to the New Testament Manuscripts and Their Texts. After previewing the table of contents, I think it is good enough to purchase. But it won’t be out until the end of August.
As other quasi-interesting things pop up I’ll post on it! In the meantime click on the Free Rice banner in the menu bar — play and help hungry people! Tschüss!
Here is a not-so-great syncing audio excerpt of two mutemath videos of some of their current studio samples (an idea suggested by pwcasellini at youtube). Again, not synced so greatly, but the combination of piano ratiug and lavatory loops together makes an interesting duet. I wonder if these two elements, piano and xylophone, are actually part of one song for the upcoming album.. We’ll just have to wait! Play/Download the sample below.
I know you can find this elsewhere but I wanted to post it here because of its power. I heard it last year. It comes from Tony Campolo’s It’s Friday but Sunday’s Comin’. The audio excerpt here either comes straight from or is adapted from Campolo. I have uploaded it to archive.org, giving you below the links of the page and download (mouse over for play option). Please overlook the silly effects and hissing air sound in the audio — it’s a recording from last year that I salvaged! And photo credit is due here.
It’s Friday
Jesus is praying
Peter’s a sleeping
Judas is betraying
But Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
Pilate’s struggling
The council is conspiring
The crowd is vilifying
They don’t even know
That Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
The disciples are running
Like sheep without a shepherd
Mary’s crying
Peter is denying
But they don’t know
That Sunday’s a comin’
It’s Friday
The Romans beat my Jesus
They robe Him in scarlet
They crown him with thorns
But they don’t know
That Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
See Jesus walking to Calvary
His blood dripping
His body stumbling
And His spirit’s burdened
But you see, it’s only Friday
Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
The world’s winning
People are sinning
And evil’s grinning
It’s Friday
The soldiers nail my Savior’s hands
To the cross
They nail my Savior’s feet
To the cross
And then they raise Him up
Next to criminals
It’s Friday
But let me tell you something
Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
The disciples are questioning
What has happened to their King
And the Pharisees are celebrating
That their scheming
Has been achieved
But they don’t know
It’s only Friday
Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
He’s hanging on the cross
Feeling forsaken by His Father
Left alone and dying
Can nobody save Him?
Ooooh
It’s Friday
But Sunday’s comin’
It’s Friday
The earth trembles
The sky grows dark
My King yields His spirit
It’s Friday
Hope is lost
Death has won
Sin has conquered
and Satan’s just a laughing
It’s Friday
Jesus is buried
A soldier stands guard
And a rock is rolled into place
But it’s Friday
It is only Friday
Sunday is a comin’!
Through Chris Tilling I came across a site, the Christ Files, which has various interviews of biblical scholars. Click on the images to go to the videos.
Richard Bauckham: the Gospels and Eyewitness Testimony (’within living memory’)
N.T. Wright: the Importance of the Old Testament for Understanding the Historical Jesus
Over at Creative Review is a post, The Bible According to Google Earth. Although these are reconstructions, intended to be a ‘God’s eye-view,’ they are still interesting nonetheless. Check out the link for more images (from The Glue Society).
From a comment in an earlier post it was suggested I continue this topic on understanding the Bible better. I have a little bit of further material to give on the topic at hand. This one concerns three general ways for Bible reading: consecutive, exegetical, and mediation (lectio divina) readings. This material certainly is not original with me! Remember that these are simply general guidelines that can be modified for one’s own purposes. These are just a few of the many examples for various ways.
I finished my first semester at FSU. I received all A’s in my courses. Now if I can maintain that tract… While on break, since I did not take the first semester of Greek I (Attic), I’m preparing for Greek II, intending to jump in at that point. There is a lot of overlap, of course, with Koine, but there are particular grammar points and vocabulary I haven’t studied before.Next semester I have lined up a few that I’m anticipating to be worthwhile: Latin — Horace (Epodes and Satires mostly), Alexander the Great, Greek II, and Pliny & Tacitus. The last one here will be taught by Miriam Griffin of Oxford. She will be visiting lecturer for the Spring, that is what I have heard.
I know you can find this elsewhere but I wanted to post it here because of its power. I heard it last year. It comes from Tony Campolo’s 
