It’s crunch time

I knew the letter would come someday. I had been leaving a task on the back burner and left it there much longer than I intended. Finally, after several years, the letter came. I was informed that I was under a deadline and, if I didn’t complete certain non-negotiable requirements, my life would unceremoniously be terminated. My academic life, that is.

In 2000, I applied to the Doctor of Ministry degree program at Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry in Ambridge, Penn. I had just completed a Master of Arts in Biblical Literature at another seminary and I was pretty certain I was finished with the more formal aspect of education.

Trinity, however, had always, for some reason, held a special fascination for me. So, I decided to apply. If I was accepted, without any other pre-conditions or requirements, I reasoned, I would consider it a direction from the Lord to go this one more step. If I was not, and frankly, there were areas of academic weakness, I would assume that all future education would be less demanding and less formal—my school days would be over.

I was accepted and threw myself into the classes. Normally, it takes four to six years to finish the D. Min academic work. I finished it in two and decided to take a break before starting my doctoral project. That is where I made a huge mistake.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people out there who are “ABDs,” which stands for “all but dissertation.” If one finished the course work but never completes the project or the dissertation, they become “ABDs,” which is a nice way of saying they totally wasted thousands and thousands of dollars and tens of thousands of hours.

The letter informed me that I had until Feb. 1, 2010 to finish my project or I would become part of the academic wreckage littering the files of institutions. The letter was much nicer than that, but that is the bottom line.

In most ways, it is the worst time in my life to be put on notice. I am traveling once a month to Illinois to help start a mission church, I go once every six weeks or so to Tennessee to fill in for a priest who has had heart surgery, I am supposed to serve on various commissions and committees, I have my own congregation that is having special needs during this current economic downturn, and I serve as a bishop, without pay, to a diocese, which means that I have obligations that make my head hurt.

And, if things weren’t stressed enough, like a great fish, along comes the letter and, like Jonah, I am swallowed up. What to do?

The easiest thing would be to withdraw from the program with dignity and honor. But I have to go back to the beginning when I said to God, “If I’m admitted, I’ll consider this your will.” Somehow I must complete this task.

Some things will have to be let go or delegated, of course. I have made arrangements at the University of the South to use their theological library and the libraries at Columbia and Emory are available as well.

I am going to have to set aside a couple of days each week, at least, to turn off the TV, to lay aside other tasks, to shut down the email and the cell phone, and to live in my study, isolated from distractions.

The good news is that my doctoral advisor is committed to helping me see this through and is, and has been, available at all times.

The other goods news is that I have a great administrative assistant, and in both the church and the diocese, there are very gifted and talented people who, I believe, will shoulder some of the load for a time.

To be honest, the project looming before me is daunting. When I enlisted in the Marine Corps, enlisting was the easy part. Parris Island was the great unknown. Would I make it? Could I “hack it?” Was I “Marine material?” I feel that way now.

But, feelings, or not, it’s “crunch time.” I have the letter and I have the deadline. Will I make it? I really don’t know but now it’s an obedience thing. Do or die. D. Min or ABD. As Yoda said, “There is no try. There is only do.”

[Father David Epps is the founding pastor of Christ the King Church, 4881 Hwy. 34 E., Sharpsburg, GA 30277, between Peachtree City and Newnan, and is a bishop currently serving Georgia and Tennessee. Services are held Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. Bishop Epps is also the mission pastor of Christ the King Church in Champaign, IL. He may be contacted at frepps@ctkcec.org.]

Good Luck, Father Epps!

Submitted by sniffles5 on Tue, 04/07/2009 - 12:55pm.

Best of luck completing your dissertation. If you have to cut back on your columns, I'm sure we'll understand.

Will the Citizen serialize and publish your thesis? I've heard the working title is "God: founded on Republican Principles".

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