Exams

I have received my results for the exams I wrote - "Jesus and the Gospels" and "Former Prophets". I did much better than I had any reason to expect, and am really fired up to put much more into the coming semester. This semester I've signed up for "Pentateuch", "Introduction to the New Testament" and "Early Church History". I've enrolled for three modules this time because:

• Based on real experience from last semester, I believe that if I work diligently through the term I can manage the workload
• Because I started with my HTC studies in the second semester, if I do an odd number of courses in the first semester this year and next, and an even number of courses in the second semester, I'll get to a position equivalent to if I had started in the first semester, avoiding 1st/2nd semester prerequisite issues later on (of course I could achieve this by signing up for four courses this semester, but I think that may be over-the-top workload-wise!)
• I'm pretty much determined now to do the whole BA (Theology) degree (my original plan was just to do the first year); at a rate of two modules per semester, this will take 6 years...if I can demonstrate that I am able to sustain a bigger workload, I might be able to knock a year or two off that

I have received all the textbooks and am raring to go!

I don't think I've mentioned this here before, but about six months ago I signed up for a BA Theology (part-time, by correspondence) with the Highland Theological College. I have a twofold purpose: to improve my own knowledge on matters theological, thus (hopefully) bolstering my Christian faith and knowledge of Christ, and also to put myself in a position of being more useful to our local church. The degree is four years full-time; after completing the eight modules of the first year, you have the option of taking a Certificate of Higher Education (which is a sufficient qualification for Readership in the Church of Scotland).

Anyway, I signed up for the modules "Former Prophets" and "Jesus and the Gospels". Full-time course load is four modules per semester; the modules are supposed to require a total effort of 150 hours each. Of course, I've been busy this last six months (what else is new?) and so haven't been putting in the hours that I should have. This has led to an absolutely intense exam-prep time, with some very long days/short nights. I managed to do enough that I think I'll make it through the exams, but probably not do as well as I would have liked. It was also a rather painful and stressful process, so I am determined to be a better student next semester and spread the effort over the semester - which should relieve me of a great deal of stress, and hopefully allow me to get better results (as well as internalising the new knowledge more completely)!

Anyway, in spite of the super-intense, stressful time that I had in preparing, it was made joyful by the subject matter. Both modules have been very rewarding, and I heartily recommend the HTC to anyone looking to take their Christianity to the next level. The staff are great people, evangelical and reformed in their doctrine, and combine sound academic rigour with a genuine passion for equipping people for ministry. It's good to be studying with them.