Some Uncharacteristic Triviality

Well my dear readers of DET, I am finally almost free of the Fall 2007 semester here at PTS – my first as a PhD student. This morning will be given over to putting the finishing touches on the last of my papers, and then I will turn my attention to some grading that I am responsible for. I don’t care what anyone else tells you, I’d take grading a giant mound of uninspired essays any day of the week (and twice on Sundays) over being forced to write a paper in far too little time. On that score, lets just say I’m not looking forward to the end of the Spring 2008 semester…

In view of things wrapping up, I thought that I would honor a meme tag coming from my friend Erik.

1. One book that changed my life: Karl Barth’s Evangelical Theology: An Introduction. This was the first Barth I read and it was an important catalyst in establishing me in my current theological interests.


2. One book that you have read more than once: There are so many to choose from. Let’s shake it up a bit and say The Lord of the Rings.


3. One book you would want on a desert island: Erik said that he would want the whole Chronicles of Narnia so I’m going to pick a series as well - Harry Potter.


4. Two books that made you laugh: David Bentley Hart’s Beauty of the Infinite (he has some real hum-dinger phrases in there, especially when describing other people’s work!) and Helmut Thielicke’s A Little Exercise for Young Theologians (his understanding of the young student of theology is so accurate that all one can do to protect oneself is laugh).


5. One book that made you cry: Nothing comes to mind in terms of books, so I’ll just name a couple movies that make me cry: Gladiator and Godfather 3.


6. One book you wish you'd written: The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. I wish my writing was better, and it would have to be if I had penned this volume.


7. One book you wish had never been written: Erik’s answer is good enough for me.


8. Two books you are currently reading: I’m only reading one at the moment – Christiphe Chalamet’s Dialectical Theologians: Wilhelm Herrmann, Karl Barth and Rudolf Bultmann.


9. One book you've been meaning to read: Eleonore Stump’s Aquinas.


10. Tag five people: Um, no. I’ll take two: Scholasticus and theklines. Of course, anyone else who reads this meme here at DET and wants to play along is free to consider themselves tagged as well.