Seminarian Tricks

I finished Hebrew I this week. I fully acknowledge my citizenship in Nerd-dom by proclaiming that Hebrew I was really fun (and not very difficult). I got an A (a 99.6% to be exact, but who's counting?).
The Spring Term starts next week, and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm taking 13 hours and sitting in on an additional class.
My class load includes:

• Educational Ministry of the Church - philosophy of church programs and teaching
• Gospels - intro to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
• Genesis to Joshua - Intro to the first six books of the Bible. From what I hear, we'll spent 80% of our time in the first half of Genesis and then try to cram the rest into the last two weeks of class. Who really needs to know what Leviticus means anyway?
  
• Hebrew II - Continuation of Hebrew I
• and Greek Exegesis - Translation theory and practice by translating Paul's letter to the Galatians.

I'm also sitting on a Hermeneutics class. Hermeneutics is one of those words pastors and seminarians use when they don't really know what they're talking about but can't let you know that they don't know (Exegesis is another one of those great words). So, they'll say something like, "Well, Barth is brilliant but I just don't agree with his hermeneutic." Which means, "I have no idea, but you'll think I'm smarter than you."
Basically, it is a class on how you interpret the Bible. You don't read Robert Frost the same way you read Dostoevsky and you don't read Stephen Ambrose like you'd read an IRS tax form. Why? Hermeneutics. You take into account the genre, purpose, authorial intent, etc when you read something and it affects your understanding. We have to do the same thing with the Bible. Genesis is written differently that Psalms, which is different from Ezekiel which is different from the Gospels, which is different from Romans.
I'm only sitting in on the class because of the Campus Crusade/RTS agreement. My classes with CCC count for my Hermeneutics requirement...but since this is such a foundational class, I figured I ought to do the reading and go to the lectures. Lord willing, some church that hires me down the road will be thankful for this minor sacrifice.
Kim is also taking a class. Systematic Theology II. She'll be spending some time reading Bavinck. That's another seminary trick; say things like. "Well, Bavinck would say..." or "I was reading Ridderbos and..." It makes you sound really smart. But, non-seminarians can play too. Just say, "I was reading (insert Dutch sounding name here) and was really challenged by his view of infralapsarianism." Most seminarians will nod approvingly, so as not to appear that they aren't aware of this profound theologian. It makes you look smart.
So, that's my semester. One thing I've noticed about this term's reading list...thicker books. It will be more work...but just think how smart people will think I am when they see these books on my shelves!