Grants update : Fabien Troivaux
What a year this has been ! I moved to Cambridge last October to start studying theology . Exams are now approaching , and although I feel this has been a very studious and fruitful year , the pressure is real .
I chose an Old Testament paper ( Israel in Exile ), a New Testament paper ( the Johannine Tradition ), a history paper ( Christianity in Late Antiquity ), as well as a language Fabien Troivaux paper ( Elementary Hebrew ). They have not only taught me a lot about the Bible and Christian history , and prepared me for deeper academic discussions on Christianity , they have also paradoxically both challenged and affirmed my faith .
Discovering that the Old Testament was shaped by the experience of exile , and that the Gospel and letters of John owe much to Plato ’ s philosophy was a surprise to me , but these ideas helped me engage more deeply and broadly with the Bible and the teachings of the Church . As for Hebrew … I waited twenty years to be able to study it , and it is now truly a dream come true ! There is no feeling quite like deciphering and finding meaning in Old Testament texts in their original language !
My experience of worship in Cambridge has also been intense and richly diverse . I joined the Christian community in my college , and regularly sing in chapel . We went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in March , which was a lifechanging experience .
Walking in the literal footsteps of Jesus and experiencing a land that is so full of contradictions and sadness makes you understand what truly matters , both in terms of faith and of daily life . I also regularly attend the offices in several colleges ( one is truly spoilt for choice in Cambridge !), and have joined a local Church of England parish , which is fast becoming my worship home . I hope that , in due course , I will be able to further discern my vocation to the ministry with them . As soon as exams are over , I will use my extra free time to do more work with the local community , something I am very much looking forward to .
Fabien
You can now find more about how your donations have allowed LWPT to support preachers and student preachers on our Alumni web pages .
Read individual biographies of Alumni members and their stories of the wider impact on their churches and communities .
www . lwpt . org . uk / alumni
Grants
We give vocational grants to those needing financial help to pursue their ministry .
Grants can be used towards fees and materials for any recognised course that enables you to explore or develop their preaching skills .
To find out more visit lwpt . org . uk / vocational-grants
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