Browsed by
Category: Musings

Theology Archives: John Chrysostom and Classical Paideia (Part 1)

Theology Archives: John Chrysostom and Classical Paideia (Part 1)

Saint John Chrysostom, the early church father and Archbishop of Constantinople, was widely lauded for his legendary oratorical skills and prolific writings. In this two part series of essays, written to fulfil the taught portions of the Master of Arts degree programme (2015) in Theology and Religion at Durham University, UK, I unpack some of his thinking. In part one, I explore Chrysostom’s thoughts on how those aspiring to enter the priesthood of his time should think about the value…

Read More Read More

Theology Archives: Augustine and Free Will (Part 2)

Theology Archives: Augustine and Free Will (Part 2)

Saint Augustine is among the most influential theologians in all Christendom. Google him to find out just how deeply his theology has impacted the Church across time and space. In this two part series of essays, written to fulfil the taught portions of the Master of Arts degree programme (2015) in Theology and Religion at Durham University, UK, I unpack the evolution of his thinking. In part two, I examine his highly intricate explorations of human free will in relation…

Read More Read More

Theology Archives: Augustine, Rationality, and Sin (Part 1)

Theology Archives: Augustine, Rationality, and Sin (Part 1)

Saint Augustine is among the most influential theologians in all Christendom. Google him to find out just how deeply his theology has impacted the Church across time and space. In this two part series of essays, written to fulfil the taught portions of the Master of Arts degree programme (2015) in Theology and Religion at Durham University, UK, I unpack the evolution of his thinking. In part one, I explore the complexities around the role of reason and rationality in…

Read More Read More

Pursuing a Masters’ Degree at Durham University

Pursuing a Masters’ Degree at Durham University

Living abroad is an eye-opening experience. I stayed for 2 years in the cold North-East of England, at Durham University, which is known to attract posh locals; made friends with people from all corners of the globe, and spent lots of time trying to handle the academic rigours of a masters’ degree programme that I didn’t have an undergraduate background in. I was introduced to college formals and learned more about aspects of British culture that differed greatly from my…

Read More Read More

Literature Archives Part 3: Published in the Kaleidoscope Journal

Literature Archives Part 3: Published in the Kaleidoscope Journal

An opportunity to be published in an inter-disciplinary journal based in Durham University presented itself. I expanded on the URECA project and submitted it. The editor came back requesting some edits, and it was good to go! The extra time and space allowed for a fuller expression of what I intended to include in the essay and it also enabled me to include some comments about how the academic study of Literature differed from Biblical Studies. I vaguely recall working…

Read More Read More

Theology Archives: The Enigma of Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 1-9

Theology Archives: The Enigma of Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 1-9

While composing an essay for a course on the Old Testament, my postgraduate college, St. Chad’s college (Durham University), was requesting articles for an internal publication. I submitted this piece of work and it was accepted. The postgrad journal was distributed to members of the college in 2014. Here it is, reproduced, for, hopefully, a slightly larger audience. The article is about possible authorial intentions behind the figure of Lady Wisdom who appears in the Book of Proverbs. It was…

Read More Read More

Theology Archives: Postmodernism and Natural Theology

Theology Archives: Postmodernism and Natural Theology

Of the four years spent at UK universities as a post-graduate student, I spent two at Durham University, earning a Post Graduate Diploma and Master of Arts in Theology and Religion (2013-2015). Durham was chosen for several reasons, one of which was its good Theology department ranking in the UK and world ranking tables. I also had family friends who lived there. I was interested in and familiar with the philosophy of religion as a discipline in the analytic school…

Read More Read More

Literature Archives Part 2: Lightness in Literature, New Perspectives

Literature Archives Part 2: Lightness in Literature, New Perspectives

Since 2004, my undergraduate university has offered something called URECA, Undergraduate Research on Campus. It is designed “to cultivate a research culture and nurture research capabilities early in undergraduates’ university education.” All URECA invitees upon successful completion and submission of their research would be conferred the impressive sounding title, “NTU President Research Scholar.” While the primary audience of the URECA program are engineers and scientists, the bread and butter of a university aptly named Nanyang Technological University, it was extended…

Read More Read More

Literature Archives Part 1: Edward Morgan Forster’s Religious Ruminations

Literature Archives Part 1: Edward Morgan Forster’s Religious Ruminations

In 2013, I wrote a thesis to fulfill the requirement of my Bachelor’s Degree with Honours in English Literature at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. It was an invigorating experience, and I’m proud of my work. I received a distinction for the thesis and first-class honours for the Undergraduate degree overall. Before my final year, as I pondered over which text or author to devote a thesis to, Edward Morgan Forster came to mind. I had read A Passage to India…

Read More Read More

Narcissism, the Trait we Love to Hate

Narcissism, the Trait we Love to Hate

Narcissism seemed to be the buzzword of the 2010s. The articles, books, and YouTube videos dedicated to the topic, which are still ongoing, overwhelm, and with good reason. Anecdotally, you might have noticed an increasing number of people in public who behave in strange ways, as if they have been put-on by society and its inevitable demands on their time. You might have noticed greater incivility and unwarranted entitlement in public discourse, at workplaces, homes, schools, and so on.    …

Read More Read More