Trying to study, wanting to explore

October 18, 2012

Well, my semester has officially started. My goal this first week has been to learn my way around the library, which is a priority if I am going to accomplish any meaningful research. Learning the German University library system is a somewhat daunting task and I have felt daily nostalgia for Southeastern’s wonderful library back home, with which I was quite comfortable. Here one does not just learn a library, but rather librarIES, that is, the specific library of one’s department (in my case theological, philosophical), the main University library, and finally the State library, located right down the street from the school.

Today in the library I decided to hunker down at a table that was located near the New Testament section and that was near a window with a great view. I successfully checked my first books out of the library (N.T. Wright’s Jesus and the victory of God; D. du Toit’s Theos Anthropos; and Bauckham’s book on 2nd Temple Judaism), learned how to do a library loan, found where the journals are located, etc.

When it was time for a study break, I explored the school’s main building. Everything is so old and immaculate here, and very picture worthy. That means that for now I’m not only carrying around my books, but also my camera.

A long hallway inside the university. So picturesque! If one looks out the left here, one sees the mains street and fountains, and to the right of these pillars is the statue pictured above, and then the huge courtyard featured in the movie about the White Rose resistance movement.

As I explored with my camera, I came upon this magnificent lecture hall. I’m at a loss to describe its beauty: wooden chairs, murals on the walls, marble statues, paintings of the constellations.