Archive for September, 2008
New Purchases…
Posted by: in Blog on September 23rd, 2008
Just some of the DVDs I bought in the past few weeks. With the purchase of Season 2 and 4 (I’d been holding out on buying Season 2 cause I didn’t miss any episodes on TV), my “House” collection is now complete. So should my Grey’s Anatomy, but I gave Seasons 1 and 2 to Bianx… hmph. Haha. But what I was most excited about is getting “Chuck” which has fast become my favourite show.
Anyway, still yet to buy… The Unit Season 3, Scrubs Season 7, and Corner Gas Season 5.
My Life
Posted by: in Blog on September 21st, 2008
“A theory of meaning in terms of social practices can be conceived as being about the way in which we gain epistemic access to a world that is independent of these practices. A social theory of meaning can thus be combined with realism. A realism with respect to the physical world is any position according to which (a) there is a physical world that is ontologically and causally independent of our thoughts and (b) whether or not our thoughts about the physical world are true depends on the way the physical world is. I shall not argue for realism about the physical world. My strategy will be to refute arguments which may be taken to imply that a social theory of meaning is incompatible with realism. For realism, as described by (a) and (b), is part and parcel of common sense. The problem is to give a philosophical account of how we can have epistemic access to an independent reality (see Willaschek (1999)).”
Hmph… Welcome to my life.. for the next 12 months…
Why am I scared?
Posted by: in Blog on September 13th, 2008
I have just finished my approximately 130th page of reading with about 50 more to go (by the way, I’m saying about 180 pages… but that’s the equivalent of a full sheet of paper… that is 8.5″x11″. This actually translates to alot more pages for example from some of the text books that I have). And this is just the start! I expect this number to double for next week… And hover around the 400 page mark throughout the semester. Mainly because of one course. Ahhh.
Thus is why I am scared….
Mission Graduate 2009, Part 2
Posted by: in Blog on September 6th, 2008
So I was looking through the “Degree Navigator”. It’s this really cool program that UofT provides online, to show the students how they are doing with regards to the requirements of their degrees. It’s really helpful, especially the function “Visualize Degree”. It’s really easy to see where I am lacking, in order to graduate!
Well it was because I was looking through the degree navigator that I had to make yet some more changes to my timetable.2 days before school starts, no less. Anyway, I found out that I’m short on upper-year courses. With the ones I am taking this year, I will be short 2 FCEs of 300 or 400 level courses. Oh, yes, I know that I do have 2 FCEs left to fulfill this requirement. But really? That means that the last 2 (or 3, or 4) course that I have to take in UofT will *have* to be upper-years. Not feeling that.. Too much pressure. Anyway, I also wanted to take Greek, and that’s a First Year course.
So, the big change is dropping SMC200 – Christain Imagination. I really didn’t want to take that course anyway. I got really scared just reading through the Syllabus. Anyway, I already have another course fulfilling the requirement that SMC200 does, SMC208 – Major Christian Thinkers. I like the subject of that much better, and it’s taught by the Prof whose course that I took last year convinced me to switch into the Christianity and Culture progam.
Anyway, dropping that course meant I had 2 openings, though. Which I needed to fill if I wanted to graduate in November 2009. Problem is, it was really hard to find a course to substitute in. After like 2 hours of searching, I was ready to give up, and just go part time during the Fall Semester of 2009, and graduate in February 2010. But alas, I was finally able to find a replacement, even though one of them was outside of my program. The first, SMC361 – the one outside of my program – is Medieval Law. I’m actually kind of concerned about that course. But hey, I’m pretty good at Political Science, so I think I can handle it. The second, SMC432 is Christianity and Science on Human Sexuality. Hahaha! Scandalous! Oh and that course is now officially the first 400-level course I’m going to be taking, cause it’s the very first class I have on Monday.
Phew. So everything turned out well. Oh, except SMC361 runs from 4-6 on Thursdays. Which means, I have to reschedule students around in order to still be able to teach. Ahh well. I really just want to finish my Bachelors. Even though I’ve got at least a decade of school ahead of me remaining.
Anyway, below is a listing of my courses, and their descriptions. Fun!
SMC 203Y1Y | Christianity Encounters the Secular World
Throughout history, the Christian church has defined itself as a distinctive way of life, and it has contended with the social, economic and political dimensions of secular culture. This course traces the history of Christianity, with particular reference to four themes: Christianity and changing social mores; Christianity and the state; Christianity and ethnicity; and Christianity and changing “world views.” Unlike traditional “Church History” courses, the emphasis will be placed on social history and popular religious culture. At the root of this historical enquiry is the fundamental question of how Christians attempt to be in this world, yet not of it.
SMC 206H1F | Christianity and Music
This course will explore the use and understanding of music in Christian liturgical traditions, and conclude with a look at how Christianity influences the wider musical culture. Moving from its origins in temple and synagogue worship to its present range of liturgical and secular expressions, we will concentrate on such topics as form, music and its relation to thought and feeling, and the search for a theology of music. Some background in music is required.
SMC 208Y1Y | Major Christian Thinkers
An introduction to the Christian intellectual tradition through a study of key figures representing a variety of historical periods, types of writing, and issues addressed. The authors to be studied include Origen, Augustine, Aquinas, Catherine of Siena, Luther, Calvin, Teresa of Avila, Newman, Barth and Rahner.
SMC 217H1S | Literature and the Christian Child
An exploration of connections between a child’s moral development and literature in Christian traditions. We examine literary, historical and philosophical developments, appropriate to the child’s imagination. The course will include the study of poems, novels and other texts written for children.
SMC 302H1F | Christianity and Symbols
Visual and verbal symbols stand at the centre of Christian life in the Early Church and the Middle Ages. In this course, we examine the development of symbolic and iconographic traditions over the course of the first 1300 years of Christianity. Our study will focus on key theological and biblical texts which nurtured and challenged the creation of a Christian symbolic culture, up to a close examination of the symbolic genius of Dante in the early fourteenth century.
SMC 305H1S | Christianity and Popular Culture
An examination of both overt and covert representation of Christian ideas in contemporary popular media. We examine the ways in which Christian themes have been appropriated and subverted in mass media, while also examining the innovative ways these themes, such as redemption, sacrifice, vocation, and hope, are presented anew.
Recommended preparation: SMC 200Y1
SMC 361H1S | Mediaeval Law
Mediaeval jurisprudence combines the high technical quality of Roman law with the requirements of Christianity. The seminar provides an overview of the development of mediaeval learned jurisprudence; select texts from Roman and canon law, with their glosses, are read in order to explore more specifically the methods and concerns of mediaeval jurists.
SMC 363H1S | Music and Liturgy
An exploration of the place of music in Christian worship, with a focus on contemporary Eucharist. Examination of the development of liturgico-musical principles and their practical implementation. Topics may include: styles and repertoires, singing liturgical texts, hymnody and other forms of congregational singing, choirs and cantors, the use of instruments.
SMC 418H1F | Methods in Biblical Studies (NT)
Introduction to the major methods and issues in New Testament interpretation: textual criticism; the world of the New Testament; the composition, structure and theologies of the Synoptic Gospels; the Jesus of History and the Christ of Faith.
SMC 432H1F | Christianity and Science on Human Sexuality
A seminar addressing diverse and sometimes conflicting scientific, philosophical, and theological approaches to human sexuality, with a special focus on Habermas and compatibilism. Includes a systematic exploration of the ontology of the sexed human body and transsexuality, the metaphysics of human sexuality, and issues related to a science of orgasm.
Mission Graduate 2009…
Posted by: in Blog on September 6th, 2008
Major life decisions made today… Seems like I’ve been doing that a lot lately… Life decisions on a whim that is. Anyway. I’ve decided I don’t want to wait until 2010 to graduate. I’m gonna finish next year. So… I’ve overloaded my courses. AHhhh. Here’s my list of courses now…
- SMC200Y1 Y – Christian Imagination
- SMC203Y1 Y – Christianity and the Secular World
- SMC206H1 F – Christianity & Music
- SMC208Y1 Y – Major Christian Thinkers
- SMC217H1 S – Literature and the Christian Child
- SMC302H1 F – Christian Symbols
- SMC305H1 S – Christ and Popular Cultre
- SMC363H1 S – Music and Liturgy
- SMC418H1 F – Biblical Studies NT
I can’t believe I’m in so many Christianity and Culture Courses.. but then again, I’m trying to complete a whole major… basically this year.
Anyway. After I complete all of these courses, I will be left with 2.0 FCEs remaining in my degree. I can finish that off next summer, meaning.. I shall graduate in November of 2009! Horay!!!