Blue Cord

I am pleased to announce that the newest volume in the Conversations with Scripture series is available. The current release is 2 Isaiah by Steve Cook of Biblische Ausbildung. As a member of the editorial board of this series, I saw an early version of this book and I can highly recommend it.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the series, it is published by Moorehouse Publishing in conjunction with the Anglican Association of Biblical Scholars. It is intended for use by groups in church or for personal Bible study. So far the series comprises volumes on the Gospel of John, the parables, Hebrews, and the book of Revelation. My own contribution was on the law in the Old Testament.

Congratulations to Steve on his latest publication!

It is getting harder and harder to keep up with movies that are based on myths and legends from the ancient Near East (or at least claim to be based on such myths and legends). In addition to The Lost Treasure of Ugarit, we now have Baal: The Storm-God, which is a SciFi Channel original movie. I have only seen the preview once, and the SciFi Channel has only this short description: “When an archaeologist releases and ancient god from captivity, he unleashes the ultimate storm on Earth.” What’s next? Horus and Seth’s Excellent Adventure?

The premier is this Saturday, September 13, at 9:00 p.m. eastern time. I have my DVR set to record it, and I will try to get a review of it up sometime next week (unless it is so bad that I simply can’t force myself to watch all of it).

I am pleased to announce that my son and I have been cast as roles in an upcoming production of Oliver! The production is being staged by the Pentucket Players. I will be playing Bill Sikes, while my son will be an orphan at the workhouse and one of Fagin’s boys.

I am excited about doing the play and even more excited that my son will be doing it as well. Oliver! holds a special place in my heart. The movie version came out the year I was born and won five Oscars, including best picture. Oliver! was also the first play I ever did. At age twelve, I played a workhouse boy and pickpocket, just as my son will. My parents and brother were both in the play as well; my father played the police officer who shoots and kills Bill Sikes, the character I am now playing. The story is a compelling one, the characters are rich, and the songs are some of the best from any musical.

I did a lot of theater from grade school all the way through college. I have been in productions of The Sound of Music (3 times), South Pacific (twice), The Music Man, Carousel, Guys and Dolls, The Wiz, Camelot, Shadow Box, and several others. I consider the time I spent on stage some of the best training I ever had for teaching and preaching. I am thrilled that my son is going to get the same experience of being on stage.

The one downside is that the performances are the same weekend as the SBL meeting this November. I will have to miss Saturday and Sunday at the SBL, although I can make it to Sunday night receptions because our performance that day is a matinee. On the other hand, if anyone at the SBL wants to come north of Boston to see a performance, it is just a short train ride up. You can hear me sing and see me get shot, all for the price of admission. Conveniently, the performances are done at the Rogers Center for Performing Arts, which is on the campus of Merrimack College where I teach.