Monday, July 6, 2009

written the following day

Taking a semester’s worth of a language class in one month is absolute insanity. What?! This week, I began my Hebrew class, and it has absorbed my life. I can’t write much here for now, because my taxing schedule for Hebrew study is demanding my time. I may have just signed my death certificate with this class. Word on the street is that before long I will be dreaming in Hebrew. Just what I want.

In the midst of attempting (unsuccessfully) to catch up with church history before beginning with Hebrew, my day hit a bit of a road block. My history assignment has to do with writings of Irenaeus, a second century apologist who wrote in refutation of the Gnostic heresy of the day. In the middle of reading his writing—in which he clarifies both the humanness and divinity of Jesus Christ and the totality of God as both Father of Christ and Creator of all—a question hit me. This is not the first time this has crossed my mind, but today it seemed to overwhelm me. As I read this apology against heretical beliefs, it hit me just how fucked up we are, and then, as if I’d never thought of this before, I wondered why in the world God created all of this, all of this. What in the world would compel him to do such a crazy thing and something that from my vantage point seems as if it was completely not worth it. It was a question that overwhelmed me to the point of being unable to continue with my work and after sitting for some time in the student center where I was attempting to work, I decided to get up and go see of Peg was available to chat. I’ve talked about Peg before in these entrees. A spiritual lighthouse of this campus, Peg is someone I always enjoy talking to. I value her insights on live and spirituality and God, and I value the insights she has into me.

Peg was, indeed, available, and we ended up chatting for quite a while. It was the kind of conversation that stretches my thinking in a way that is not uncomfortable but instead intriguing. I enjoy Peg and am glad she takes interest in my thoughts. The conversation was exactly what I needed, and as I wandered back to my work, my heart, while still pondering the question, was a bit more at ease.

Sometimes, I find Asbury to be the most difficult place in the world, but in the midst of those times, I find it has some of the most amazing people here, too.