Story of Ernst Lohmeyer

Over at the IVP blog, there is an excellent account of the life of the German NT scholar Ernst Lohmeyer. I think I have read portions of Das Evangelium des Markus (on Mk. 13.10 and 14.9 from memory). It was my first introduction to German written in Gothic script (now that's hard going). Anyway, it's a wonderful story of his opposition to the Nazi's and his death at the hands of the Soviet Union. Lohmeyer was later exonerated and there is now a house in Greifswald named in his honour

The Pre-Christian Michael Bird

I know that given recent events in America this is probably not the best time to post this, but to give my friends in the blogosphere a laugh I thought I would upload this photo of me from my Army days, just to show that I was not always a NT Geek. For the record, I believe in stringent gun control laws. When I first joined the Army I weighed a remarkable 45 kg and moved up to 65 kg in about two months. It was actually during my time in the Army that I became a Christian and being a Christian in the Army was not always easy! The Army philosophy is what I call Cartesian Alcoholism: "I drink, therefore, I am!" But I developed skills (public speaking, discipline, and confidence) that prepared me for an academic career and I learnt very quickly to be able to provide an answer for the hope that you have (1 Pet. 3.15). My time in the Army (13 years all up) shaped a lot of my character and taught me how to cope with adversity, so in that sense, I am grateful for it. From now I am only a soldier of Christ and I carry a NA27 instead of an M-60 - Amen!