First Days

On Sunday, Amber and I had the chance of visiting our first "Emergent" church in the Pittsburgh area (apparently, there are quite a few of them). It was a wonderful service, including a very challenging message on practicing silence, an active time of worship, and an opportunity to meet new people (LOTS of college students). In fact, we got invited by a couple afterwards to go out to dinner with a group of the church members who were none other than J.P. Moreland's daughter and son-in-law. I couldn't believe it. I had been accepted to go to Biola - and sit under Moreland's tutelage there - but decided not because of my concerns of the school's narrow, fundamentalist background. And now, here I am in Pittsburgh talking to some of his family members in an Emergent church...hilarious... Dinner was good too - I had my first crack at Belgium beer, and Rick Steves was right - they do have the best beer in the world.

Then on Monday the 27th, I had my first class of my Duquesne education - a course on Aquinas's Summa Contra Gentiles, book 1. The class was mostly a review of the syllabus and introductory remarks, but I am excited to learn more as the teacher is very interested in helping us understand the historical context in which Aquinas wrote and why he was so keen to utilize the philosophy of Aristotle (which, come to find out, made him the enemy of a lot of people in the church...I guess not much has changed!!).

Last night was also my first day of work at my new job - the school library. I was introduced to all the ins and outs of checking books out, organizing books, shelving books, etc etc... not the most exciting work. It was a long night, and after closing and hopping on public transportation late at night, I didn't get home until 11:15...so we'll see how long this lasts!!