Comprehensive Ph.D. Exams: PASSED!!!

I just received word an hour ago that I passed all my comprehensive Ph.D. exams! Now begins the dissertation. I have already written and begun circulating my dissertation proposal. It is my plan to have at least the first chapter written by summer's end, if not more!

Whew! Comps---conquered!

See the several posts just below covering the three-days worth of questions I was privileged enough to answer!

All the best!

Comprehensive Ph.D. Exams: The Third (and FINAL!) Day

Today, I finished my last of three days of comprehensive Ph.D. exams. See my two posts immediately below for information (and the questions I got) on the first two sessions.

Today was New Testament for me. I had 11 potential questions I could have received. Here is what I ended up getting.

Question 1 (choose one)
Choose one representative NT interpreter from the "pre-modern," "modern," and "post-modern" approaches. Situate each interpreter in his/her social, historical, and institutional context, describing his/her approach to biblical interpretation. Compare the methods and goals of interpretation of each interpreter, noting strengths and weaknesses of each approach. Do this using the same biblical material for each interpreter. Develop and defend your own hermeneutical position.

OR

In modern Protestantism, fundamentalist, liberal, neo-orthodox, and narrative theologians have had distinctive approaches to the use of the NT in constructive Christian ethics. Take either the issue of "women" or that of "homosexuality" and show how each of the four groups might argue from biblical data to a constructive Christian ethical stance

Question 2 (choose one)
Study of the Fourth Gospel and the Three Johannine epistles has focused of late on teh development of the Johannine community with scholars like J. Louis Martyn and Raymond E. Brown on the one side and scholars like Georg Strecker and Udo Schnelle on the other. Describe the two sides' positions and indicate the ramifications of adhering to one or the other position (e.g., history of religions focus and purpose of the writings)

OR

What is the key to Paul's theology? Evaluate the answers of F.C. Baur, A. Schweitzer, James S. Stewart, R. Bultmann, E.P. Sanders, Ben Witherington III, and James D.G. Dunn. Does the renewed study of ancient epistolary literature and of ancient rhetoric have any impact on how Paul's theology is understood today? What does?

Question 3 (choose one)
Explain the significance of the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and in A.D. 135 for the various forms of Middle Judaism. (In your answer be sure to include at least the Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, Essenes, Apocalypticists, and the Christian Messianists).

OR

Assuming that at least one of the general epistles involves pseudonymous authorship, set such a practice in its cultural context in Mediterranean antiquity and indicate and evaluate the historical and theological issues involved in such a practice.


I answered the first question listed in each set. In total I wrote about 21 pages today, so that brings my grand total for the entire set of exams to about 67-70 pages in 3 days (15 hours). Not too shabby! I should hopefully be hearing back results within a week!

I can say now, in hindsight, that this was to be sure a quite stressful process, but at the same time, a very rewarding one. Not only do I have a very fine overview of the field, but I have also filled in many of the gaps I felt I had before. All that said, however, I have no desire to do these again!!!

All the best!

Comprehensive Ph.D. Exams: Day Two

Day Two is under my belt, and yet again, I feel good. Quite good. Another five hour session, from 8am to 1pm.

Today I received four OT questions. They were (roughly) as follows.

Pentateuch

Discuss the last 25-30 years in Pentateuchal scholarship, citing specific portions of the Pentateuch where relevant. Mention the treatments of Rendtorff, Blum, Carr, Van Seters, among others.

Writings

Compare form-critical and holistic/canonical approaches to the Psalter. Demonstrate these approaches with "wisdom" in the Psalms.

Old Testament Theology

Choose three OT theologians from the 20th century and describe their approach to constructing an OT theology. Demonstrate each approach with texts from the OT.

Latter Prophets

Discuss your view of how the book of Isaiah depicts the Temple and sacrifice. Pay attention to scholarship and cite from the biblical text. Choose either a synchronic or diachronic approach.

I wrote about 9 pages on Pentateuch, and 7 pages on the other three questions . . . so 30 pages total in five hours. Wow.

This weekend my task is memorizing 10 NT questions for my final day of tests on Monday.

All the best!

Comprehensive Ph.D. Exams: Day One

Day one is under my belt. I feel good. Quite good.

They went from 8am until 1 pm. Here was what the test looked like today.

Hebrew translation:

Gen 3:1-6

Psalm 29

Josh 3:1-6

Amos 7:1-6 (parse all verbs)

Sight read: Gen 6:5

Question 1: Discuss the emergence of Israel in Iron I, paying particular attention to recent scholarship and evidence.

Question 2: How does the Deuteronomistic History develop the theme of kingship, using both secondary scholarship and specific references to the biblical text?

I wrote about 8.5 pages on question 1, and about 7.5 pages on question 2.

On Thursday I have four questions, dealing with the following areas: Pentateuch, Writings, OT theology, Latter Prophets. I will have to write fast!

Thank you for your prayers and well-wishes . . . I am hopeful on Thursday I will still feel this good!

Comprehensive Exams . . . Beginning in 2 Days

On Monday, April 27, I will begin my first of three days of comprehensive exams. This is the final hurdle to jump over prior to the dissertation. I have spent all semester preparing. I have as wide a view of the field as I will ever have.

Here is the breakdown for each of the three days (each day is a 5 hour session):

Monday, April 27

Hebrew translation

History/Archaeology

Former Prophets

Thursday, April 30

Pentateuch

Latter Prophets

Old Testament Theology

Writings

Monday, May 4

Three NT questions

At present, I feel quite good about things; I feel well-prepared. But it will be a ton of work. I can't imagine the amount of pages I am going to write in such a short period; 25 or more on the second day, in 5 hours. I barely write a page an hour when I'm writing a paper or article. But I know the material, and well, and I hope that translates on each day.

If time permits, I will post my reflections throughout the process. I appreciate your prayers (non-imprecatory, of course!). Wish me luck!

All the best!

Countdown to Comps Continues!

Wow, that's a nice, alliterative title!

I am now 15 days away from my first day of comps. Thus far I have committed two questions to memory: Israelite Origins and Ethnicity, and the Tenth Century Debate. Pentateuch history of scholarship is up next, to be followed by Psalms, OT theology, and Former and Latter Prophets. NT I hope to get to next week!

Let's hope I can keep this material all in my mind. I trust it will go well, but I'd be lying if I said I was looking forward to a week's worth of exams!

I have yet to have any dreams (that I remember) relating to the tests . . . although I did have one several months ago where I took the exams for some reason in a nice convenience store, and I was able to come out, get coffee, snacks, etc. at my leisure. It was nice and relaxed. Let's hope that dream becomes a reality (at least the nice and relaxed part).

Keep on a'praying for me!
Shalom!

Countdown to Comps!

Friends:

The countdown is on! In a mere 26 days I will be experiencing my first of three days of comprehensive exams (here at Baylor we call them prelims, short for preliminary exams one must take prior to beginning the dissertation).

Each of the three days will consist of five hours of churning out more writing in a short period of time than I will probably ever be able to do again. The schedule looks like this:

Day one:

Hebrew translation

History/archaeology question

Former prophets question

Day two:

Pentateuch question

OT theology question

Latter prophets question

Writings question

Day three:

Three NT questions out of eleven possibilities.

I am finished, save for a few loose ends, with the OT material. I have about 5 NT questions left to prepare; I plan to have NT done by the early part of next week. At present I am wrapping up a question on pseudonymous authorship in the NT, and will be moving on to NT theology and a question on Paul's "center" (like that exists!!!!) next.

Your thoughtful, honest (though not imprecatory!) prayers are welcome and appreciated!

All the best!

ja