Me, Myself and Theology, Part 1.5

This isn't what I was going to blog about next, but I needed to share. There's been a pleasant surprise in my little theology world. I discovered last weekend that a former visiting professor at my alma mater is again teaching there. Joy! This is good news for a variety of reasons.

1. He should be a religion professor (East Asian Religions). All the time. After working at Luther, you'd have thought he'd be marketable, but he ended up teaching Mandarin Chinese at a prep school in Minnesota, and worried that it would tank his opportunities to ever teach college again. I'd love to see him teach full time in a college or university. Anywhere. Secretly, I wish the professor currently on leave (the same vacancy as his previous stint) would find another position elsewhere (as nearly the entire Religion department thought he would before) and they could hire this guy on full time. That would be, in a word, stunning. He'd be the first non-Christian professor they'd hired... but the perfect transition because

2. He's freaking awesome. Raised Lutheran, turned Buddhist and was even a Thai Buddhist monk for two week post doctoral thesis completion. He has an ease with students and makes learning other religions approachable and interesting. I spent many an hour in his tiny out-of-the-way-building basement office chatting. Other than my faculty adviser, I spent more time with this guy than any other professor.

3. He wanted to keep tabs on my theological future, deeming it to be bright. I told him I'd keep him informed. I nearly gave up keeping track of him, and with my paltry showing in grad school and as yet return, I conversation with him would be a wonderful shot in the arm. Not to mention that I could use it as an excuse to track down aforementioned adviser/friend. It's been too long since I've bent his ear, as well.

4. Oh who the hell cares?! I just want to see him! He's teaching at Luther again! Yay!