Seth's start at New College

Scotland so far has been amazing. We have seen monuments, explored castles, taken in museums, watched shows, laughed at street performers, walked lots of miles, drank lots of cappuccinos and lagers, and eaten lots of fish and chips. Needless to say, we are making the most of our Scottish adventure. The reason we traveled so far from home though wasn’t the opportunity to sightsee around Scotland and Edinburgh; though this is a nice side perk. The reason we traveled to Scotland was so I could study at the University of Edinburgh, at New College.

I began at New College last week, and have been thrilled so far. One of the best parts of my day is simply the walk. In the morning my first stop is Preston Street Primary, as I get to drop Kylie and Norah off at school. As I leave New College in the afternoon, I walk out of the courtyard with a view out to the east that includes the Scottish National Gallery, through to the towering Scott Monument, all the way out to the Firth of Forth. As I journey back and forth I walk past St. Giles Cathedral (the mother church of Presbyterianism!), walk along the Royal Mile with views of the castle, and get to experience the hustle and bustle of a vibrant capitol city. And while the walk is certainly a highlight, the best part of my day is the opportunity to study at a world class university.

This year I will be studying at New College in the School of Divinity, working towards a Masters in Research in Christian-Muslim Relations. My thesis will focus on the pluralism espoused by twentieth century theologian John Hick, and how his theology can inform Christian-Muslim dialogue in the twenty-first century. A neat fact about John Hick is that he studied at the University of Edinburgh in the 1940s.

Obligatory first day picture!! -Brittany

My interest in the field of Muslim-Christian Relations stems largely from my time in the military, and interactions with the local Muslim population in Iraq and Afghanistan. I also believe as a pastor in an age of increasing religious pluralism, that I need to be prepared to help my congregation navigate interactions with other faith traditions, and encourage respectful dialogue.

I will be spending most of my time in the library, reading and writing. I also have the opportunity to audit classes, and this semester I’m sitting in on two. I’m taking a course titled, Christian-Muslim Relations: Diatribe, Discourse, and Dialogue. This course is taught by Dr. Joshua Ralston, who is also my academic supervisor, and also one of the reasons I chose to study at the University of Edinburgh. I studied with Dr. Ralston at Union Presbyterian Seminary, and have the utmost respect for his scholarship, and his work in encouraging better dialogue between Muslims and Christians. I will also be taking a class titled Critical Debates in Christian Mission, which will look at a range of new writing and thinking on mission in the last forty years.

I feel incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to study at such an incredible university, with such renowned faculty. I’m also grateful to be part of such a diverse learning community. There are numerous faith traditions, nationalities, cultures, and languages represented at the School of Divinity. If you are interested in learning more about New College, you can read some of the history here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/divinity/about/history/new-college.

 - Seth