Religion, Theology and Poetry

I have enrolled on an MA Religions and Theology course and so I will be using this blog to keep people updated on my studies of comparative religion and theology as well as poetry.

Since I told people I had been accepted on this course, an academic life has begun for me. I have always read avidly on religion and so my enrolment on this course is a formalisation of my passion, as well as a source of guidance in my study. I was overjoyed to receive a very kind email from the New Testament scholar, Dr. Peter Oakes, telling me he had accepted me on the course and had read my application statement "with pleasure". I have started studying the Torah, the New Testament and the Qu'ran in great detail. I am also looking at the Buddhist scriptures. On top of this I am researching as many of the critical and hermeneutical approaches to St. Paul as I can, reading academic journals, theses and transcripts from meetings of officials of Church denominations.

Currently I am looking at the Epistles of Paul to the Romans and following the various critical viewpoints on this. Dr. Oakes mentioned that some scholars have found Paul's writings to have a poetic edge...(fellow literature graduates - what do you think?)

I intend to update this blog as frequently as possible - at least once a day will be my aim. Many friends, aquaintances, colleagues and family members have shown a great interest in my studies, so I intend to keep this blog as a kind of open diary of my studies as well as my poetry (the latter of which has always been highly influenced by theology).

Please stimulate me with questions, ideas and challenges to keep me on the ball and I will respond to you, either in person, or in this blog.

Thank you very much for your on-going interest and encouragement.