Defining 2010

Hohenschwangau Castle, Bavaria, Germany (trekearth.com)

Merry Christmas.:)

This is the last post for this blog for 2010. The future Christmas post over on satire and theology will feature a written section and audio post which I invite readers to listen to when it is ready.

Within this article I thought I would define and explain in a personalized way a few terms which some of my readers may wonder about. I want to make sense to my readers.:)

Philosophical Theology:

A rare term. I recently looked it up on the web and this blog came up #8 as reference. Now being as I am not 'yet' famous my point stands. I would state it is the secondary use of the discipline of philosophy within the primary discipline of theology, which are studies (that could be called philosophical!) concerning God and religion. In my case, with the disciplines I have dealt with, theodicy (Leibniz) and the problem of evil, historically as academic disciplines primarily these arose within secular philosophy and then went into Christian theology. My Wales MPhil and PhD theses could have been done in Philosophy departments, but as my first two degrees were in Biblical Studies and Theological Studies my research degrees were done in Theology and Religion Departments.

In my case I am both a theologian and a philosopher, but a theologian in a much more broad sense, such as not only as a philosophical theologian but also a Biblical and systematic theologian being familiar with Reformed theology in both my MPhil and PhD work and my MTS. I am not a classical philosopher. I am not an expert on Greek and Continental philosophy, but I am a philosopher only in the sense of having done MPhil and PhD research degrees in the philosophy fields of theodicy and the problem of evil even though not in a Philosophy department.

Browning page 367

Philosophy of Religion:

I am more properly stated a philosopher with two philosophy degrees as in a philosopher of religion. In my mind this in the secondary use of the discipline of religion studies/theology within the discipline of philosophy. This was an aspect of my MPhil and PhD work, especially my Doctorate. Perhaps as much of 50% of the work was philosophy of religion and it is difficult to measure but the after viva revisions increased the amount of philosophy of religion in the PhD greatly.

Blackburn page 327

Biblical Studies:

This is an academic term for the study of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and New Testament and related texts, commentaries and lexicons.

I am a Biblical scholar in a sense that I can do Greek exegesis to do Biblical and systematic theology at an academic level, but I am not a linguist. A PhD in Biblical Studies would tend to be more concerned with languages, text and backgrounds and less with philosophical and theological issues than a PhD in Theology and Philosophy of Religion.

I doubt very much I would ever consider attempting a PhD in Biblical Studies. I would find it fascinating but would have to be paid to do it and be given 'no hassle' guarantees that I was not given the first time around with my UK research degrees.

And since I would never do formal course work again I would only do a research only degree which would only leave a UK or European degree as an option. The odds of me writing another degree are not only very small because of the hassles but because I can teach Biblical Studies without having a Doctorate in Biblical Studies.

Danish winter (trekearth.com)

BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford, University, Press.

BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Oxford Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

LEIBNIZ, G.W. (1710)(1998) Theodicy, Translated by E.M. Huggard Chicago, Open Court Classics.

Google Tip

Basically all Google accounts, Blogger, Gmail, Yahoo and other can be used to sign in for Google/Blogger followings, also known as Google Friend Connect. So, if any of you fellow Bloggers out there want to give yourself some more Google/Blogger followers you can use all Google associated accounts. I chose to place my two theology blogs and comic art blog on different accounts for marketing purposes and so I have three Blogger accounts plus a Gmail account and one Yahoo account. The Yahoo account can be difficult to access for Google/Blogger however. So, yes I am following myself five times, and yes I would appreciate multiple followings and would return the favour if informed.:) I leave thekingpin68 and satire and theology blog followings for reciprocal followings only and use the Gmail account for promotion and gifting.

Red Santa, Blue Santa

Like Manchester United, Santa Claus in his home and away kit. But, sponsored by Coca-Cola. I heard a rumour which I cannot document to my attempted high academic standards, that the blue suit may be physically cooler and is used by Santa to fly over the Southern Hemisphere to deliver presents in the Summer to places like Brazil, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. But again, I cannot officially document this at all.

Yes, I realize there is more to Christmas....and I suggest the curious read through the Gospels over the holidays.

My framed PhD degree document will stay wrapped up until after my graduation party in March.

From my friend Carmen in Spain at:

My Essays and Reviews

Caceres Mountain Slideshowountain Slideshow