Personally I’d prefer to attend a lecture about dessert and ancient Israel, but this should prove to be interesting nevertheless. Definitely consider attending the lecture if you’re in the Atlanta area on next Tuesday.

I’ll repeat here some of what I said, since I think it might be applicable to others interested in applying to PhD programs, but keep in mind it was tailored for students at Candler School of Theology.

During my first year, many of the MTS students were shocked to learn how competitive PhD programs are, especially at universities in North America. There are usually far more applicants than there are spaces. This makes the application process a crap shoot and is very frustrating. But the limited space in graduate programs is also slowly correcting the over-saturated job market, so it’s not all bad. Because programs in religion, theology and biblical studies are so competitive, prospective applicants will want their applications to be cooking on all four burners, so to speak. And it’s helpful to start thinking about one’s preparation as soon as possible; with only two years of coursework, MTS students are generally only halfway done with their degree by the time they begin applying.

So what does the application process entail? It’s more than just good grades. As applicants you will want to demonstrate that the courses you took reflect a strong preparation. You will need to write a statement of purpose which demonstrates to the school why it’s a good fit for your academic interests and how you will contribute to the program. You will need to submit a polished writing sample of about 15 to 20 pages and strong letters of recommendation. Also, you will need to prepare for the GRE and do well on it (everybody’s favorite part of the application). Most of these are things that you can work on during the masters program.

For instance, coursework. If you’re applying to PhD programs, you will want to demonstrate that the courses you have chosen are good preparation for PhD work. One of the strengths of the MTS program at Candler is its flexibility, but don’t let that become a trap and only take classes on topics that interest you. In this regard, you will want to know what your strengths are and refine those, but also know what your weaknesses are and go out of your way to fill some of those gaps. For example, my undergraduate major was Classics (dealing with the ancient Greco-Roman world) and most of my courses at Candler dealt with the ancient world in one way or another. My adviser really encouraged me to take an in depth course on one theologian to show that I can work in the realm of theology and not just historical-critical subject matter. I took a course on Aquinas and although it was a difficult course for me in many respects, I think it was beneficial for me because it helped me to think about things differently. Also, since I studied the Greco-Roman world as an undergraduate, I tried to make a point of learning more about the Jewish world during my time at Candler, which was a huge benefit. So yes, allow the MTS curriculum to be catered to your interests, but be mindful of other areas even if it’s not necessarily fulfilling a degree requirement.

Think outside the Candler class schedule. As a part of Emory University, there are many good opportunities for Candler students. You can set up directed studies with Candler faculty members, take courses in the Graduate Division of Religion, other graduate departments, or language courses at Emory College, such as German and French. There are some limitations, but don’t let the class schedule stifle what you want to study.

Talk to faculty. You all will have an adviser assigned to you who will work with you on selecting classes—take advantage of those periods and actually ask your advisers for advice. You’ll find other faculty members with whom you’ll share interest; utilize their office hours. Consider becoming a research assistant as part of your work study. If you’re thinking of doing a PhD you will need a few recommendation letters, and so more one-on-one face time with faculty members will help them be able to assess you and write letters for you. Of course, no one likes a sycophant, and so be genuine.

There are a number of resources out there that talk about the application process and what goes into it. There are several blog posts on the subject. Also, the Grad Cafe forum was very helpful for me, especially during the waiting period after all the applications were submitted. You can always talk to other graduate students and pick their brains, but let me stress that your best resource is going to be the faculty members in your area. They know much more about the process and what the graduate programs are looking for than the graduate students themselves.

My final advice for entering MTS students is not to stress too much about the PhD thing during your first year. Enjoy the program. Don’t neglect the religious life on campus; make friends. Try to strike that balance between school work and your social life and your experience will be very fruitful and enjoyable.

Phil 510 — Plato

Cynthia Patterson and Richard Patterson (Wednesday 6:00-9:00pm)

Plato subjected all aspects of traditional Greek culture in general, and Athenian society in particular, to philosophical criticism. But he also tried to devise religious practices and institutions, and new myths that would genuinely serve the naturally good ends of individuals and their communities. The course will focus especially on Plato’s treatment of Greek religion and myth (with some of their inevitable connections to politics, tragedy, et al.) and his attempts to forge a new, moral, vision of the cosmos, human society and the human soul.

RLNT 760 — New Testament and Theology

Luke Timothy Johnson (Friday 9:00-12:00pm)

We will examine the relationship between the New Testament and theology in three distinct ways. First, we will ask what it means to speak of the “theological voice” of a New Testament composition. Does the expression, “the theology of John,” make sense, and if so, how? Second, we will consider several classic examples of the intellectual experiment called “New Testament Theology,” and by analysis of the several outstanding examples of the genre, discover the possibilities and limits of the exercise. Third, we will give some attention to the “use of the New Testament in theology,” by interacting with some examples of contemporary theological discourse.

RLNT 721G — The Writings of Paul: Romans

Michael J. Brown (Thursday 2:00-5:00pm)

No Description, but the title says it all.

RLR 700H — First Year Colloquy

William Gilders (Tuesday 11:00-1:00pm)

The purpose of the colloquy is to provide time for discussion about a variety of issues in the academic study of religion and theology, and about life as PhD students in the Graduate Division of Religion (GDR). After a session of introductions, we will learn more about the two academic bodies that co-constitute the GDR faculty, the Department of Religion in Emory College and the Candler School of Theology. Then we will consider various methodological and professional issues that affect your development as scholars/teachers of religion and theology. For each session, except the introductory and concluding sessions, one or two faculty members will attend to make some introductory remarks and to participate in the conversation. Occasionally, there will be some short readings or reviews of websites.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

9:00am to 11:30am

• Janelle Peters, “Reading the Corinthian Veils through Hijabs and Habits” in 21-115 Contextual Biblical Interpretation

1:00pm to 3:30pm

• Michael Joseph Brown, Panelist in 21-207 Book Review: Greg Carey, Sinners: Jesus and His Earliest Followers (Baylor University Press)
• Travis Bott, “Repetition and the Art of Resistance in Daniel 3” in 21-238 Wisdom and Apocalypticism in Early Judaism and Early Christianity

Sunday, November 22, 2009

9:00am to 11:30am

• Jacob L. Wright, “War and Children in the Ancient Near East” in 22-111 Children in the Biblical World
• Luke Timothy Johnson, Panelist in 22-115 Cross, Resurrection, and Diversity in Earliest Christianity
• Amy H. C. Robertson, “Ritual and Text, Ritual Through Text” in 22-140 Ritual in the Biblical World
• Kelly Murphy, “‘You Have Mocked Me and Told Me Lies’: Women, Direct Discourse, and the Book of Judges” in 22-145 Social Sciences and the Interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures
• Brent A. Strawn, Presiding in 22-149 Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible

1:00pm to 3:30pm

• Janelle Peters, “Female Power in the Bath Motif in Ephesians and Contemporary Greco-Roman Aesthetics” in 22-213 Disputed Paulines
• David L. Petersen, “Prophetic Rhetoric and Exile” in 22-215 Exile (Forced Migrations) in Biblical Literature
• Ingrid Lilly, “Greek Ezekiel in Light of Second Maccabees and Jerusalem in the 2nd Century BCEin 22-217 Greek Bible
• Brent A. Strawn, Presiding in 22-221 Iconography and the Hebrew Bible
• Walter T. Wilson, “Inconspicuous Piety and Communal Differentiation in Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18” in 22-227 Matthew
• William K. Gilders, “Ancient Israelite Sacrifice as Symbolic Action: Some Theoretical Reflections” in 22-237 Sacrifice, Cult, and Atonement

4:00pm to 6:30pm

• Emmanuel Y. Lartey, Presiding in 22-303 African Association for the Study of Religion
• Dianne Stewart, “Invisible Institutions in African Christianity” in 22-303 African Association for the Study of Religion
• Vernon K. Robbins, Presiding in 22-342 Rhetoric and the New Testament

Monday, November 23, 2009

9:00am to 11:30am

• Thomas Fabisiak, “Hatred and the Critical Study of the Bible: Charles Dupuis” in 23-111 Bible and Cultural Studies
• Travis Bolt, Respondent [to F. Rachel Magdalene] in 23-114 Christian Theological Research Fellowship
• Eric D. Barreto, Panelist in 23-130 Latino/a and Latin American Biblical Interpretation
• Valerie Nicolet Anderson, “Reading and Writing as Practices for Embodying Ethos: Dialogue in Foucault and Paul” in 23-144 Rhetoric and the New Testament
• Ingrid Lilly, Panelist in 23-149 Things I Wish I Knew about Doing a Ph.D.
• Davis Hankins, “The Subject of Job 4-5” in 23-151 Wisdom in Israelite and Cognate Traditions

1:00pm to 3:30pm

• Joel M. LeMon, “The Ethics of the Psalms and the Problem of Violence” in 23-210 Book of Psalms
• Cameron B. R. Howard, “Achaemenid Hypertextuality and the Book of Chronicles” in 23-230 Orality, Textuality, and the Formation of the Hebrew Bible

4:00pm to 6:30pm

• Matthew J. Lynch, “Rethinking “Shame” Terminology in the Hebrew Bible” in 23-303 Biblical Lexicography
• William K. Gilders, Presiding in 23-334 Sacrifice, Cult, and Atonement
• Ingrid Lilly, “‘He Prophesies for Distant Times’: Textual Evidence for Prophetic Editing in Ezekiel 12:21-13:7” in 23-341 Theological Perspectives on the Book of Ezekiel

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

9:00am to 11:30am

• Eric D. Barreto, “Negotiating Identity: Timothy’s Disputed Ethnicity in Acts 16:1-5” in 24-106 Book of Acts
• Valerie Nicolet Anderson, “Agamben’s Messianic Vocation and Paul’s Concept of New Creation” in 24-123 Reading, Theory, and the Bible
• David Lambert, “Biblical Theology and the Problem of the Western Religious Lexicon” in 24-126 Theology of the Hebrew Scriptures