2006-2007 Year

The academic year following our return from Taiwan was eventful. We spent August with family. I precepted (TA’ed) the course “World Christianity through World Literature” with my advisor in the fall. I worked through the last chapters of the dissertation, many of which I had been constructing in my head but now took form on paper. I was helped by several great archived collections on microfilm.

In February I also used money from a Kuyper scholarship to visit London, where I did research at the British Library, Oxford and the School of Oriental and African Studies at London University. The only real “sightseeing” was a play, a couple of museums, and a lecture by Ngugi wa Thiong’o.
In London by the library, with a red bus and Shakespeare in the background

In the spring I taught a one month class in Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing with my old study abroad program. It was a lot of fun and was a good crash course review of Chinese history. We visited the Beijing military museum, the ruins of the summer palace, the Sun memorial in Nanjing, and the site of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party in Shanghai. I liked the undergrads and learned a lot from them and from the experience.

My class outside the Beijing military museum

However, I had one key challenge: I left my laptop in the airport on the way to Beijing. I didn’t even notice it until I arrived. (I had been up late the night before packing after an interview and lecture in New York.) Emily rescued the laptop from Newark, where the airport sends all forgotten electronics. I, however, needed a computer to go with me and to finish the writing and edits on my dissertation. I ended up by a Cantonese brand cheap laptop, a HEDY (“Happy Every DaY”). I know—it’s not the catchiest title.


The dissertation defense itself was a good experience. I’m not great on my feet, and often find these to be challenging events. It was a nice committee: the three main members, two other historians from my department, plus an outside member who studies Chinese religions. Here’s the defense picture (just a little blurry):
The dissertation committee (minus one member) and Emily
With Chi-Yi (PTS choral associate, and the two ThM students)
PhD classmates, Sandy, John, La Seng, me, and Hyung-Jin--a fun group

Another joy of the year was that several Taiwanese students from Taiwan Seminary were around. Here is a picture of Emily and I with them:
With Yu-Hui, Emily, and Ma-li
Looking at a picture with Yu-Hui; mom and Emily in the background After graduation, with my advisor

At the end of the year we were scrambling for jobs. Emily worked part time at a library and was in coursework. I was lucky to receive the opportunity to adjunct, and over the summer I found a position TA’ing a course on Buddhism at the University. It would continue five years of financial scrambling, but it also kept Emily close to her school and gave us another year in the area. At this point, Taiwan was hoped for but by no means sure. We had begun talking with the school but knew it would be at least a year.

Walking at Graduation