Sunday, June 12, 2005

Off to Israel

Tomorrow morning, Lord willing, I'm off to Israel with a Wilbur Williams group. I might do a diary here if I'm able to get online reasonably, but I'm not really expecting to do so much.

I'm excited about going to see these sights. I'm trying to get myself prepared to look for things so I don't kick myself when I get back. Prayers for my family left behind. I wish they could be with me (aside from worries about the safety situation--I'm not really too worried).

I'm torn about what to focus my writing energies on. I might put a smattering of samples here from the following possible projects:

1. Finally getting my dissertation on Hebrews in a form I'm willing to submit for publishing. Don't hold your breath. I have this as a goal every year. Also, I wouldn't want to bore with scholarly discussions. But I might put something here.

2. Similar thoughts on my afterlife sabbatical research.

3. I have a proposal in with WJK that I think is waiting for a few more samples from me to be considered. I might start a book review section on my website.

4. The running of the manuscripts. Is it worth trying to cram in a book for July 15. The proposed topic is "What Faith Will You Integrate?" In a climate where everyone is talking about integrating faith with learning, how do we help a PhD in psychology integrate his or her discipline with something more than a Sunday School level faith?

5. A small book, something like "Discerning the Will of God: Learning How to Draw on the Bible, the Church, and the Spirit." My goal would be to create something that could be used in an Inductive Bible Study class to teach some basics about how to bring good Bible study and the wisdom of the ages to bear on finding God's will for today. If my fellow professors at IWU wanted to use it, I would self-publish it. I have in mind about a 50-60 page mini-book.

6. Then I thought I might start a new novel (#18). Why not?

Any votes?
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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

#1 . . . I am a fan, not a loyal blog reader, but once in a while I jump on the net and see what you are writing about.
#2 . . . I didn't know you were going to Israel. Take lots of pictures, I want to see them.
#3 . . . As far as what to write. I think you should do book reviews and start a new novel. Isn't that a "novel" idea?

4:36 PM
pk said...

Each option sounds like it has merit. I'd personally vote for #2, Afterlife stuff. I'm with McLaren (The Last Word and the Word After That), as a faith community we need to re-think what we think about the afterlife and the implications thereof on the 'now'.

I tagged along with Wilbur in Israel for 3 days in December. It was fantastic! With I could be along again in fact.

11:21 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey Paul! This hotel in Jerusalem has wireless so I might be able to blog a little these last few days. It's been fun. Thankfully, it hasn't been a "blast."

The best part (not eternally but personally) so far was climbing Masada. Clint and Ian and I went up while the other "girly" tourists took the cable car. Ian was at the top in 28 minutes and me last at almost 29. They'd have gone faster if they hadn't had middle aged man Schenck puffing behind them.

Charlie Alcock has been talking to me about McClaren. I'm going to have to read him some.

Ken

10:23 AM

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