RE100 Biblical Studies: Old Testament

Having studied an English and a Government subject I had a go a religion. It was not a startling success but it certainly let me know how ignorant I was. In 1987, we moved to Redcliffe for my fourth year in the hospital system. For the first six months of the year I was a spare parts surgical registrar doing general surgery, urology and orthopaedics, as well as being on call for the accident and emergency. The ward work I could get away with, but I was seriously out of my depth in emergency work and practical surgery. I recall being seriously exhausted and if I was called out through the night I would be zombie for some considerable time. Our first child was only a few months old and while a good baby still involved disrupted nights.

So it made no sense to continue studying that year, but attempt it I did.  The course was run by Dr Edgar W. Conrad, now Associate Professor. As an external student I never met my lecturer and imagined him a crusty old man. This was completely incorrect as I find him to be still active at UQ to this day and to have had a stellar career with many books and articles and even a Festschrift in his honour in the years since. His brief comments on my work told me that I was stunningly average and unoriginal but he passed me nonetheless.

The course involved twenty six lectures and was assessed with two assignments and an exam. I have no idea how I managed any of it and I’d like to think under other circumstances I might have made a better fist of it.  I felt more at home with New Testament and Christian history than Old Testament over the years, but this course was a solid background.