Halfway House: Thoughts

I am now about halfway through my seminary studies. 2 1/2 years down. 2 1/2 years to go.
Time has gone sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly. I want to learn more and I want to be in the parish at the same time.

In purely academic terms the amount of time I am studying is pretty foolish. People can get a master's degree in 1 year rather than 5. It was explained to me thusly and I like it; medical doctors get a lot of training and patients are greatful for it. Likewise, it is good for a Soul Doctor (Seelsorge - German word for pastor) to be well trained.

There are still many things up in the air - where I will go for Vicarage, Where I will go for my call to the parish - but whatever, its all good. I've learned a lot. Becca and I have had good times.

There is much apparent stupidness about what I am doing though (1 cor 1:18-31). That is all too apparent here in the UK. We are indeed a post-Christian culture in America. Clergy tend not so much to be respected as pitied or loathed. Also being a Lutheran is apparently pretty stupid. Sectarian, divisive, etc. Love it or loathe it, I will be walking the lonely road between Protestantism and Catholicism until Rome repents or the good Lord decides to take me home. What a beautiful place to be. Nowhere else I'd rather find myself.

Before too long, I'll be walking around with a collar around my neck as the soul doctor on call, with some book learning under my belt and clearly much more to learn in the school of experience about life and death, the great cycle that is played out in the church year (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost) and in the church body (Birth, Baptism, Catechesis, Communion, Death and Burial) and daily in the life of the believer (take up the cross, die, rise again, remembering your baptism).

I think I'll always be halfway (saint and sinner) as long as I'm on this earth. Halfway between Christ's coming and Christ's coming.