So I have made my decision.
I have decided to finish my education. It's been a long time since I've been back in college, but it's time. I'm not getting any younger. And this time, I'm serious about my education. I don't want to be left behind.
There are questions, however. How am I going to finance my education? I'm not making any money right now. What will I study? Where will I study? Things like that.
I could probably study a lot of things: English literature, Creative writing, Classics, World languages, History, and Theology. I'd love to study it all, haha. Dutch and Afrikaans would be nice too. I could learn Chinese or a South Asian language. I might even fulfil my mother's wishes and learn Spanish. But all of that sounds a bit greedy. And probably a bit expensive.
But what sort of job could I do with that? In the back of my mind, I always thought I'd end up a priest, a deacon, or somehow working within the church. Quite frankly, the call, and not just any call, but the call to be a member of the clergy scares me. I'm terrified of that prospect. Talk about total life change and commitment. You have to grow up, put yourself aside, deny yourself and follow Christ.
Does this mean that I'm too engrossed with myself?
Besides with my wild past, I'm not entirely sure that any ordinations committee would be so pleased to see me. It would count as life experience, however.
Even if I were a priest or deacon, most Episcopal clergy in the United States have another job or experience in another field. It's the very reason why seminaries prefer that you have a BA in something else besides Theology, Philosophy, Religious Studies, or Divinity. Usually, you get a BA in something else before you get an M.Div. Episcopalians have a tradition of overeducated clergy.
There are loopholes, however. One could always go for a Scottish masters degree (which starts as an undergraduate degree) in divinity or theology.
I figure that if I do decide to become a priest or a deacon, I'd like something else to help support my call. Being a teacher or a writer perhaps. Even being a tour guide. I'd love to teach English in a foreign country, or write a book. English is my mother tongue after all, and it's a beautiful language.
But first things first. I need a degree. And to get a degree, I need money. So how exactly am I going to get the ball rolling?
Much prayers needed, thank you. And advice.
And if I were to get a BA, it would be wonderful if I could do joint honours/double major along the lines of any of these combinations (depending on the college/uni, of course): English Literature and Creative Writing, English Studies, English and Afrikaans, English Literature and History, English and Classics, English and Theology, English and a modern language, what have you. It doesn't have to be any of those combinations - I could do History and African Studies or Hebrew and Middle Eastern Studies. So let's see what I can do.
