PhD graduation yesterday! Kim and I had breakfast with the theology staff and graduands in on campus, before we went to the graduation chapel service at Maclaurin Chapel, and then I took part in the procession from campus to the Auckland Town Hall. The ceremony yesterday morning was for Education, Theology, and Creative Arts and Industries, and as “Graduand #1” I was first across the stage.

As well as Kim, my parents (from Melbourne) were there, along with Kim’s folks (from the Bay of Plenty), and my supervisors (Nicola Hoggard Creegan and Martin Sutherland) were both there too. And Kim’s aunt was there as a marshal – checking I made it onto the stage in one piece. A good day all round, and a chance to catch up briefly with fellow theology PhD graduate, Brian Harris (whose thesis was on the theology of Stanley Grenz, and who shared the same supervisors).

Finally it feels like I’ve finished. And it feels good to be at the end of this journey.

From the graduation chapel service

Gracious God,
   Remember students and scholars
   engaged in the adventure of learning.
In our search for knowledge
   may we not forget your wisdom.
To our intellectual discoveries
   may we bring the mind of Christ.
Through our study and research
   may we serve your healing and justice.
      Amen

Here’s the family (Kim’s folks, Kim and me, my folks), and a couple of snaps of Brian and me with the supervisors.

The new daylight savings dates for New Zealand got missed out by Apple in their updates so here’s a link to a page with updates on it for the new DST information. DST starts this weekend in NZ. See New Zealand 2007 daylight savings update for Mac OS X.

Hat tip to: TidBITS Macs & Mac OS X: Daylight Saving Time Rules Fixed for New Zealand:

BTW – I’ve been reading TidBITS since it was available as Hypercard stacks way, way back in 1990. I admire their longevity and commitment in a field that has seen many come and go in that time.

School holidays + other things means that this will be a slow blogging week.

If you’ve got a lot of old computer bits and pieces to get rid of then check out the eDay schedule for next week.

From the eDay 2007 web site:

Electronic waste (e-waste) can seriously harm the environment, wildlife and human health when dumped in landfills.

eDay is a drive-through recycling event which gives you the opportunity to dispose of old computers or mobile phones in an environmentally sustainable way.

eDay 2007 is on Saturday 29 September (9am – 3pm) in 10 locations across the country and Sunday 30 September (10am – 2pm) in Auckland. It’s easy to get involved – and it’s free.

Well, obviously I think the answer is yes

Anyway, that’s the title that the editors of sPanz (the quarterly magazine of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa-New Zealand) put on the editorial I wrote for this quarter’s issue.

You can read it at Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand // Media: Should we have a theological perspective on technology?.

Two notes:

1. The picture here is of the garden path mentioned in the article
2. sPanz ‘graduated’ me a couple of weeks early. PhD graduation is next week.

Yes, indeed. It’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Arrr!

As a fan of the Doctor from way back (I think I started watching around 1974) I’m intrigued by this: ‘Christlike’ Dr Who in church service | Metro.co.uk.

Article in the local paper on the juxtapositioning of electronic ads for Hell’s Pizzas with the Bible College of New Zealand and the local funeral home. Hell arrives at heaven’s door – Auckland news on Stuff.co.nz. While the pizzas taste good, they don’t get my custom because I think there’s enough problems in the world without someone glorifying (and commodifying) those problems as pizza flavours. (Still, I imagine it would make a nice case study for someone doing the meat offered to idols and freedom in Christ themes in 1 Cor).

I saw something similar last year at the prize-giving for the kids’ soccer club. The club was supported by both Hell’s Pizzas and the local Baptist church trust (among other sponsors) but they’d put those two up next to each other on the sponsors’ signage.

Relating to the post from a few days ago (Greenflame · Practical reflection upon one’s faith), Mary Hess has a post on her Tensengrites blog about Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary launching a free, online learning program, as well as links to other similar projects and some comments on them.

See Tensegrities » Free, online theological education

Stu’s blog – Stu’s a-Musings – bites the digital dust (along with its archives! No!) There are seasons for these things, but it’s sad to see someone on the blogroll disappear. I appreciated Stu’s honesty and public wrestling with stuff over there, but fully understand why he’d want to stop. Thanks for the memories, Stu.

Perhaps, like Andrew, we can live in hope for Stu to reinvent his digital presence anew.