WRONG! that was constantine, right? WRONG! it was emperor theodosius.

yesterday i had my first history of christianity test that went from 0-1300. you might think, “aren’t there a lot of names and events in 1300 years of church history?” and yes, you would be right! it honestly wasn’t as bad as it sounds (but that’s my perspective AFTER the test). i’ve relearned another valuable lesson. though hype (and rumors) can jump start healthy studying habits, chances are that the aforementioned hype isn’t as daunting as it first seems. it’s ok to take a deep breath every so often.

athanasius

oh, and athanasius was the one who argued that christ was “homoousios” with god (of SAME substance) whereas arius argued that christ was “homoiousios” with god (of SIMILAR substance). it’s that skinkin’ “i” that has changed the course of church history and theology. and though constantine’s conversion signaled a momentous shift for christianity, he did not make christianity the official religion of the roman empire. he was the first christian emperor which meant a reduction in state sanctioned persecution. it wasn’t until emperor theodosius that christianity and state were officially wed.

this post is dedicated to my dear 6th grade teacher who many years ago said i would never make it through junior high school. my best wishes to you and your future endeavors.

it’s been a while, so i just want to put some new words on the screen.

after today, i’ll be two weeks into my senior year! my classes are going well so far. it’s weird this semester because most of my classes are bible classes. for the past 2 years, i’ve been surrounded by the world of adventure education…and little contact with the bible world. it’s odd because while i’m excited to participate in the educational community of the bible department, i’m also sad that i have little contact with my comrades of the backcountry. nevertheless, here is my class list:

bible senior seminar
christian theology of religious pluralism
hebrew 3
history of christianity
u.s. history before 18-something
the holocaust

it seems like a lot (and it is), but most of the classes are ones that i have looked forward to for quite some time. so optimism prevails for today.

sandie, my girlfriend, is coming down to grantham this weekend for the concert on campus. ingred michaelson? is that how you spell it? i don’t know…and it really doesn’t matter. the point is that i get a chance to spend time with sandie (and apparently the music shouldn’t be that bad…at least that’s what sandie says). messiah sab (student activities board) always seems to know something no one else knows…so i trust that it will be a good concert.

have a great weekend.