Well, it’s been awhile. Years in fact since I began my academic journey (and no foreseeable end in sight I might add). My original goal of obtaining a four year degree so that I could qualify to work for the church was all I had expected to achieve. What I hadn’t counted on was an unshakable addiction to knowledge and the learning process. I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes from the movie, Oh Brother Where Art Thou which I will paraphrase here by saying that my degree in religious studies has only aroused my appetite without properly bedding it down. My first semester in divinity school likewise did little to satisfy me and much to increase my addiction.
I now find myself in the very uncomfortable position of having to take off from formal studies while I take care of my Aspersers son. Here I sit with all the training and tools to pursue and further my career in biblical studies and not a classroom or professor to guide me. So, I have decided to self-study and in the process (hopefully) I can improve my knowledge and perhaps help others with similar addictions. I have begun to write a book. Oh, not just any book, but a reference book. (Non-academics would call it dry and boring, serious egghead scholars would call it mind candy).
My wife told me I should pick a narrow subject and make it an assignment. As an advocate for the underdogs in life and the overlooked and underwhelmed members of society, I began to look at some of the lesser known figures in the scriptures where I finally landed on a fascinating creature that is rarely discussed; woman. Therefore, I am currently compiling a list of all the women in the Bible and will hopefully soon be making it available to the public in book form.
I would appreciate and encourage any thoughts or input any of you may have on the subject. What would you like to know? What kind of reference would be helpful to you? Which women in the Bible are your favorites or would like to know more about? Feedback on these or any other thoughts are welcome and helpful.
During this process I will be blogging on my progress and on some of the more interesting women I run across in my research. Please visit often and leave you comments.
