Oops

Yes, I am still alive...

I have to admit that at times, it feels as if I am only just alive.  As I said December was a little busy - things went well with all the projects at hand...although there was then a major hiccup in the middle of the month which absolutely floored me...I've not had any energy to do anything about blogging or anything since.  Still not sorted...but...life goes on.

Thought I'd bring things up to date a bit...

I am publishing my thesis with T&T Clark in the summer and the contracts are signed and agreed - John's Prologue: A Sequential Reading.  I have to have the manuscript to them by May 1st.  Should be Ok as not too many changes are needed.  It's going to be in a really good academic series but will cost the earth (£65 a copy!!!!!!!).  Already talking with a couple of people about a commentary on John's Gospel and another couple of projects...mmm...Had a very postmodern moment this week - was invited to a conference on Intertextuality in Ireland (all expenses paid!!!) - clearly an issue which is high on my agenda and which I think I have something to contribute -especially the francophone stuff and exploration of Eco and so on...but found out/remembered Sam and Emily are both in a music festival that weekend!  Of course, family first.  But part of me still wants to go to Ireland.  I know that I've made the right decision, but I wish I hadn't had to make it!

I am still exploring the Renovum thing...the proposal is written and everyone is saying how important it looks...but I need time to actually put it to people and get some funding.

Going to Spring Harvest in a few weeks - doing some Bible Studies on Daniel - exploring the nature of asimiliation and resistance...should be fun.

Just returned from an amazing week in London with the first years at the College - we were looking at Evangelism and the Arts - took them to Tate Modern and enthused and to Tate Britain and also saw a play and watched some films and that Jerry Springer thing.  It was an amazing week.  I love doing that kind of thing.

I am also teaching a surprise extra unit this semester on Imaging Jesus - looking at how Jesus has been imaged in word and art over the centuries (Christology kind of stuff) and then looking at the image of Christ in film.  It is such good stuff!  We had an amazing conversation on week 1 about the crucifixion scene in Jesus of Nazareth (note separation - weedy Jesus) and Miracle Maker (buff, surfer dude Jesus) and what the implications were for the theology/christology of those images.  Also used this excellent resource called The Face from National Gallery in London.  This week we did Life of Brian - looking at whether it is a blasphemous image - got into a huge discussion about hegemony and counter-hegemony.  Personally, I think that it honours the traditional portrayal of Jesus and sends up the image of Jesus as a revolutionary popular in late liberalism and the second quest.  Brian is a caricature of this not of the real Jesus.  But some were not so convinced...

Next week its Jesus of Montreal and then the Matrix...all those normal things we have to say about Neo...yawn!!!  Jesus of Montreal should be exciting conversation though!

Anyway, this brings you up to date...I'll try and be more blog-like in future...running diary rather than intermittent rant!

Pete

Comments

[Iona]

My mother has been given the task of leading a 2 hour workshop on 'Jesus in Film' at a local churches together lent study day. She has limited time to prepare and is envisaging it as a 'show some clips' and then discuss kind of event. Any suggestions what she might read (ideally in terms of chapters rather than whole books) for some background?

[lou]

Hi Pete, nice to see you're back :)

Did a bit in my first year about images of Jesus, the 'buddy Christ' from Dogma was fantasticly cheesy!

[phil]

Hurrah- pete you're back!

http://www.matrixfans.net/symbolism/messiah.html worth a skim read re matrix symbolism, think the guy that wrote it got a bit carried away though!

P.s. think you owe me an email!
Rave safe

[Simon Fogg]

I see from the Spring Harvest home page that you are doing the Bible Readings week 1 with Gerard Kelly at Skeg. Look forward to hearing this particular double act in action as this is the same week that we will be going. Hope you do a tremendous job.