Sarah’s Journeys

After packing, driving a few hours, and checking into the hotel, our first stop was the Mennonite Scholars and Friend’s ‘Meet and Greet’ gathering.

This is one of my favorite events, as it is one of the few ‘officially social’ gatherings of the weekend.  But, it is still tainted by the professional angst of being ‘official’.  It can be awkward.  I love chatting with anabaptist professors, but I am easily summed up as a professional nobody and a lurker.  The simple reality is that most folks are there to make those critical business connections that could lead to job offers and publications.

So, while I love re-connecting with a few old friends and hearing about the latest works from these wonderful folks — for the most part, I try to stay out of the way.

Nonetheless, at the center of the event, the one formal ritual transpires.  A designated leader or moderator gets everyone’s attention and all conversations stop as everyone forms a huge circle around the room.  The moderator then welcomes everyone and begins ‘introductions’ as each person around the circle gives their names, where they’re from, and announces any related announcements about presentations, publications, events, etc…

It’s kind of humbling to hang out with these folks.  They’re a humble bunch of incredible people, and I love hearing from them.  It’s very exciting, in a calm and relaxed anabaptist fashion.

I come to SBL to keep my husband company.

I come to SBL because my husband and I fell in love as we took biblical studies courses together, and in discussing our thoughts we began to appreciate more than just one another’s appreciation of the curriculum.

I come to SBL because it’s fun to hear what these great minds from around the world present, what they observe, and what interests them regarding the ancient archaeology, anthropology and analysis of the culture and texts that birthed the archetypal paradigms of my world.

I come to SBL because the academic dance of higher education, academicians, and publication amuses me.

I come to SBL because something always surprises me. I always learn something about my ancient history and my most present and personal life.

At this moment, I am sitting in a session on pentatuch studies.  My husband is not here at the moment, as he is catching a session elswhere about gilgamesh.  After the paper he’ll sneak over here for one of the later pentatuch papers presented by a friend.

Yet the current scholar, from King’s College London, is presenting discussion of 1Kings 3:18, two examples of Solomon’s worldviews.  She introduced her paper by explaining that her husband of 24 years passed away exactly one year ago today.  Therefore, some of this research has provided an outlet for her mourning.

Wisdom is strange.

The beauty of the core joys and sorrows that fill our lives is often tied to the most base and ordinary of our actions. There is nothing terribly glorious about pouring over comentaries and translations, but for the academic it is comfort.  The topic of ‘wisdom’ – in it’s ancient and perhaps flawed world – helps one find clarity as one struggles with life and death in our own flawed world.

I’m not sure how, but I think I’ve found, quite accidentally, a parallel between my own journey and the journey of this scholar as we search for peace with our husbands in academic study of the ancient world.

Once again, I am surprised by what I learn in some of the most unusual places.

Welcome to SBL.