Merry Christmas from the Ice Family

Merry Christmas to you and yours,

Love from Mac, Laura, Darby and Ella Ice

End of the semester

My 7th period students are finishing up their exams as I type. I should have the grading finished and grades posted by lunch. I'm going to spend the afternoon prepping for the first day back in January. There are a few handouts to copy, a few posters to put up in Room 152, and some filing to do (as always). That way I can walk right in, and with everything in place, begin new a semester on Luke's gospel.

This upcoming semester (Luke) is perhaps my favorite. I like the slower pace and the opportunity to explore the variety of themes and issues the text raises. I like being freer to do some special studies in background material, application and such like. The fall semester had so much material to cover it was all I could do just to do a decent summary.

But I like being able to just live with Luke for 5 months. Slower pace, more depth, more reflection, more digestion. I'm also going to enjoy resuming my ongoing reading in and about Luke. I'd mention the books, but Turf and a certain Imposter, and Mark Manry, too (I know you're out there lurking), will give me a hard time.

By the way, I'm reading Michael Basbanes A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books right now and loving every page.

Grace and peace.

Adventures in Book-hunting

One of the newest additions to my library is a splendid copy of George Milligan's New Testament Documents, Macmillan, 1913, first edition. Furthermore, it bears the signature of Bruce Metzger, Emeritus Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary. Furthermore, it also bears the signature of J. E. Frame, Professor at Union Theological Seminary and author of one of the definitive commentaries on 1-2 Thessalonians of a previous generation. Frame's commentary, 1912, was published as part of the prestigious International Critical Commentary Series by T. and T. Clark of Edinburgh.

I had seen Milligan (by the way, he is half of the famed Moulton-Milligan duo of lexicographers and linguists of the early 20th century) referenced in some of my reading on papyrology and textual criticism and did a quick online search. Desiring a copy anyhow, I was doubly pleased to learn that this volume was from Metzger's library (he is still living, now in his upper 90's and will be immortalized for his contribution to New Testament textual criticism and his research into the history of the New Testament as a document. Among the things I recently finished is his autobiography, Reminiscences of an Octogenarian, Hendrickson, 1997. What a fantastic man! Get that autobiography and read it!).

At any rate, upon opening the package I was intrigued by the signature above Metzger's. Frame, Frame, I've seen that name before. As it happens one bookcase of NT commentaries is close by my desk in the study at home and I saw Frame's volume on Thessalonians. It couldn't be?!? The next Monday evening I checked out Metzger's memoir from the Lipscomb library and wouldn't you know it, but he referenced his friendship with the aging Frame, and how the elderly man gave his several books!:



"In Princeton it was my good fortune to be able to consult occasionally with two other senior professors of New Testament. One of these was James E. Frame, [the other is W. H. P. Hatch]who in 1938 had moved to Princeton after retiring from teaching at Union Theological Seminary in New York. A graduate of the famed Boston Latin School and of Harvard, where he took a master's degree in Assyrian, he became instructor in New Testament at Union and eventually Baldwin Professor of Sacred Literature. Since his Princeton home was located one block from the seminary campus, in the course of time I became acquainted ith him and would visit him occasioanlly....Among the books that from time to time Dr. Frame presented to me was a copy of his A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians in the International Critical Commentary series..."

How about that! A fine book (truth be told, Milligan's research has been superseded since 1913) on a fascinating topic which is doubly significant as a double-association copy.

This Year's Christmas Controversy

To have services or not? That is the question.

Central Church will have an abbreviated morning service, no classes or evening worship. The rationale? Is it a plan to rip the little Christ-child out of his own birthday? Is it a sinister plot to do away with Sunday night services? Is it a sell-out to culture? What is the "real" reason behind this season (of skipping church on Christmas, GASP...)?

My answers?...No.; No, but I'm interested if it is.; Not anymore than we are all already sold-out in much deeper ways than whether or not to have "Sunday School" on "Christmas." (Please...) The "real reason" is that, for us, an already small congregation, we will have a good number of regulars out of town and a good number of regulars up to their ears in visiting family. So we decided to scale back. That is about it. Sorry, no conspiracy.

Update from the Ices

Greetings friends,

This cold November afternoon finds us well. We split the Thanksgiving break between the Ice family in Hendersonville, the Darby's in Kentucky (mass convergence at Rough River State Park), and then on to more Ice's in Scottsburg, Indiana. Photos are forthcoming.

Laura's getting ready for her annual Christmas Tea.

Darby and Ella are ready for Santa.

Mac's course in NT World is winding down.

Fall Semester 2005 at EHCS is in the books, well, all for the last big test. I'm finished teaching for the fall: my students' research papers are due tomorrow and I'll be too busy grading. I planned it so we can watch videos in class and prep for the exam; a nice break from notes (for all of us).

----------------------------------

I've added five new links to your right:
--Chris Cotten
--Barclay Key
--Scot McKnight
--Travis Stanley
--William Willimon

Good reading all around.

----------------------------------

I've used up all my available space on the EHCS site with PowerPoint. So 2 Samuel must end where it is. Genesis stuff from Central is forthcoming, I promise. If you want the Judges-Samuel stuff, better go for it now. I will take it all down to make room for Luke for the spring semester.

----------------------------------

The newest addition to my library is George Milligan's The New Testament Documents, first edition (Macmillan, 1913). More about this find later.

Grace and peace.