I know all I’ve posted about lately is school. But it has been sort of prominent in my mind. ;) Not as prominent as it should have been. I completely gave into my procrastination tendencies this week, writing my final paper for Metaphysical Poetry last night from 7pm-midnight, then collapsing–until I woke up at 4am with inspiration for the final few paragraphs. So yeah, I got up and wrote them from 4-6am, then went back to sleep until 8. Then my plan was to edit it, but I…didn’t. I looked over it, fixed a few words here and there, then turned it in. Whatever. I don’t know if the fact that I don’t care is good because it’s keeping me from getting overly stressed about something that honestly isn’t life and death to me, or if it’s bad, and a sign that I will always be sloppy about everything (which I tend to be now). Oh well. I don’t care. See? Huh.
Hee. I just marked the Metaphysical Poetry paper completed on my Remember the Milk todo list, and it was the last thing on the list, and now it says “You have no incomplete tasks! Woohoo!” Which is exactly how I feel about it. :)
Anyway. Everything is now finished except for a final tomorrow morning, which I do need to study for, because it’s going to be half an essay requiring references to at least twelve different works that we read throughout the semester, and we have to discuss how they all related to some theme (man-woman relationship, man-God relationship, etc.). I think I’m going to do heroism, but it’s a lot easier to find in the Old English/Anglo-Saxon works than in the 16th century stuff, so I’m going to have to make up some stuff.
The GOOD NEWS. I got my Howards End paper back today, and I got a 95%! From one of the hardest graders in the department, or so I hear! And he really thinks I have a chance at publishing it. That’s exciting. Certainly nothing else I wrote this semester is close to publishable, not even the one for Bibliography and Research that’s supposed to be publishable. By the time that one was due this past Tuesday, I was already beyond caring. My goal for next semester: manage my ability to care better, so I get the really important stuff done while I still care about it.
Question for seminary-type people. Or other historically-minded people. I did the Metaphysical poetry paper on the relationship of George Herbert to his religious environment, and I found enough good stuff for a ten-page paper, but it got me interested in Calvin’s church community. Do you have any suggestions for not-too-difficult-to-read books about the Genevan church, and also the Zwinglian one? After skimming three or four books about the Reformation in general, I sensed that some of them are, uh, a little biased, so I wasn’t sure how far to trust some of them beyond the basic historical facts. A lot of the English poetry in the early seventeenth century seems to be as critical of Geneva as of Rome, though from what I can tell, Anglicans like Herbert were largely Calvinistic in theology, so I think it’s more of a critique of Geneva’s liturgical style and system of church government (which I couldn’t quite ascertain from any of the books I had…was it basically Presbyterian? Or congregational?). I guess I just need some good basic Reformation histories that aren’t too biased.
mark
I’m not sure what the definitive work is, but Ronald Wallace’s _Calvin, Geneva, and the Reformation_ wouldn’t hurt.
The Arminian revolution in England partially used the propaganda device of associating Calvinism with Puritanism (which made the majority of calvinists feel pretty insulted at the time). I think by the time of George Herbert this association would have been taken for granted. So, I would think, the tendency would be to assume Geneva was the worst of Puritanism. Maybe.
Also, the wars of religion had made secularism quite appealing to some. So maybe they singled out Geneva as a counter-example, due to the theological controversies of the day. Of course, looking at it in its own historical context, I don’t think Geneva was that much different then any other city-state in Western Europe, whether Protestant of Catholic.
I’m trying to get things done, but unless I can figure out some momentous advantage I’m going to have to use a web service that is less girly (at least, dairy cows seem girly to me). So, Jennifer might try Remember the Milk, but I’m going to stick with 30boxes.
mark
I’m not sure what the definitive work is, but Ronald Wallace’s _Calvin, Geneva, and the Reformation_ wouldn’t hurt.
The Arminian revolution in England partially used the propaganda device of associating Calvinism with Puritanism (which made the majority of calvinists feel pretty insulted at the time). I think by the time of George Herbert this association would have been taken for granted. So, I would think, the tendency would be to assume Geneva was the worst of Puritanism. Maybe.
Also, the wars of religion had made secularism quite appealing to some. So maybe they singled out Geneva as a counter-example, due to the theological controversies of the day. Of course, looking at it in its own historical context, I don’t think Geneva was that much different then any other city-state in Western Europe, whether Protestant of Catholic.
I’m trying to get things done, but unless I can figure out some momentous advantage I’m going to have to use a web service that is less girly (at least, dairy cows seem girly to me). So, Jennifer might try Remember the Milk, but I’m going to stick with 30boxes.
Jandy
Thanks, I’ll look for that. Yeah, the different factions were definitely trying to strengthen their position by accusing the others of being extremists in whatever direction (all Calvinists were labeled Puritans, all those in favor of high church liturgy were papists…). Herbert died in 1633, which was the same year that William Laud became Archbishop of Canterbury, really bringing Arminianism in as the main Anglican theology, I think. The English Reformation is so interesting. Confusing as anything, but interesting.
Hee. Remember the Milk isn’t as good as calendar-type stuff as 30boxes probably is (I haven’t tested it extensively). I tend to use Google Calender when I need an actual calendar. I like RtM’s todo lists, though. They’re pretty flexible.
Jandy
Thanks, I’ll look for that. Yeah, the different factions were definitely trying to strengthen their position by accusing the others of being extremists in whatever direction (all Calvinists were labeled Puritans, all those in favor of high church liturgy were papists…). Herbert died in 1633, which was the same year that William Laud became Archbishop of Canterbury, really bringing Arminianism in as the main Anglican theology, I think. The English Reformation is so interesting. Confusing as anything, but interesting.
Hee. Remember the Milk isn’t as good as calendar-type stuff as 30boxes probably is (I haven’t tested it extensively). I tend to use Google Calender when I need an actual calendar. I like RtM’s todo lists, though. They’re pretty flexible.
mark
Hmm… I was dating Herbert later so I’m probably making some anachronistic associations… But there still may be something to it. The Wallace recommendation for Genevan history remains a good one for a beginning book.
mark
Hmm… I was dating Herbert later so I’m probably making some anachronistic associations… But there still may be something to it. The Wallace recommendation for Genevan history remains a good one for a beginning book.