GOEs Day 2

GOEs day 2.

The group of us singing the sanctus acapella this morning around the altar was an awesome way to start the day.

So the bad news is that like we thought the open book questions are kind of a nightmare disaster in terms of trying to find the info, not get too far afield, try to stop at just a couple things and just type something in (keep looking for better info because what I'm finding doesn't seem like much).

Like today. History. (By the way: yesterday we had history masquerading as theology and today we had theology masquerading as history - makes sense there is an overlap though).

We had to mention theological developments around social problems created by the industrial revolution (such as poverty, exploitation of workers) 1870 to 1910 - at least one each in England and in America. Well I was pretty sure from memory about a guy/movement in America (The Social Gospel Movement - Rauchenbusch). Looked it up, sure enough I was right - boom, done!

But for England - tricky. Found people from Germany & America, or people from just before or just after the time period. The one I finally found was pretty much the same development as America (called Social Liberalism and Liberal Protestantism). I was trying to find something different to make sure I answered it the way they wanted. Finally I had to go with it and a couple of English guys who I'd never heard of before so they aren't the "biggies" (F.D. Maurice and someone named Kingsley?). And because I spent so much time trying to find the England piece, then I didn't have time to do much with the America piece when that was the one I knew better. *grumble*

All of which to say that by the time I find enough info I run out of time to consolidate it all, so on 2 questions I have somewhat incomplete papers. I've gotten the beginning/first page written (and even that done hurriedly), but then after that it gets more sketchy with some outline type blurbs and sentences in places addressing some of the topics they wanted so that they and I know where I was going (for me in case I have to do a re-write, for them in case they are gracious and decide just mentioning it was enough to pass). But not written at all they way I could with just a little more time.

I feel like it doesn't represent my knowledge or ability, so that's a little frustrating

The good news is that with another hour (or two, several at most... wouldn't need the whole day or anything), I feel I could have ended up with a nicely written paper that was pretty coherent and did what they asked.

So... a) apparently I seem to be learning what I was supposed to so far in seminary. And b) since there's a pretty good chance I could get a "2" on those two questions instead of a "3" which is passing (I think/hope I had enough that they wouldn't give a 1), if my diocese/Bishop want me to do a re-write I feel confident in my ability to provide an adequate answer.

I was afraid I'd draw a blank on the question today where we only had a Bible as a resource. Would I have enough to say to fill 3 single spaced pages? The good news is that I was able to come up with some good ideas. Of course even there I had more ideas in each area we were supposed to hit than they wanted. We had to talk about contemporary society and "Affluenza" - the tendency toward overconsumption, while talking about how we personally respond as Christians and back it up with biblical and theological rationale.

4 questions down and 3 to go!

Tomorrow we only have 1 question on Bible and since they give us a Bible and liturgical resources (but that's it, not Open Book), we speculate we might plan a service, which I think would make me happy.

Friday both questions are closed book, so no research pit for me... only the brainstorming pit, which is not quite so much the black hole.