The defense.

Above: A bad photo I took of the Examination Schools before going in today.

So I had my viva (verbal defense) today and it was not fun! I sat alone across from six professors in colorful academic robes in a room in the Examination Schools, which was just as intimidating as I'd expected. They did provide me with a glass of Blenheim Palace bottled water, which was nice.

The only person I knew was Charlotte, the head of my program, and she was a friendly presence throughout - nodding in agreement and interest while I was talking, when everyone else just stared at me or the floor. Probably lots of those examiners are bored stiff, having sat through who knows how many of these things all day.

The chairman of examiners led the proceedings, but only one guy asked me questions. Some questions were good and related directly to my paper's main points - such as about why St. John was more popular than St. Paul at Ephesus and why I believe Artemis wasn't as popular as people think - and I answered them fairly well.

But several other questions were not so easy. I think the examiner might be a biblical scholar because he focused heavily on the New Testament period (1st century AD). But Jane had specifically advised me (and rightly I think) not to focus too much on that period because it's not really that relevant to my main thesis, which is how the whole city of Ephesus was Christianized in the 4th-5th centuries.

He wanted to know if I'd read a book on Ephesus that wasn't mentioned in my bibliography, and I had to admit I hadn't - but it only covered the early period so I don't think I needed to. He wanted to know my opinion on scholarly disagreements about whether there were two tombs of John or one in Ephesus, and an early historian's motivation for saying there were two. Again I had to say I could offer no opinion on the matter because I hadn't researched it in great depth, because I was focusing on later centuries. Argh.

After he was done with his questions (about 15 minutes), the Chairman of Examiners asked if I was going to continue onto the DPhil and how I would propose to expand my dissertation. I said I wasn't, and he asked if maybe later I would. I said it was possible but at this point I had no plans to do so.

Finally another guy asked what I plan to do with my life instead, and everyone laughed at his straightforwardness but looked interested in my answer. So I told them about my website (just the religious places one) and tried to make it sound as academic as possible! They seemed interested and the chairman commented, "Well, that's an unusual thing to do with an Oxford MPhil!" But I don't think he disapproved and added, "So you've got your own business!" and asked if I might work with some travel agencies, and I said I hoped someday I would.

The external examiner (from another university) had no questions thank heavens, and I was out of there at about 2:20pm. That was definitely among the longest 20 minutes of my life! I am so glad it's over. I will learn my final results on July 6, I believe.


Above: Checking their exam results outside the Schools.

The weather was lovely and even a little too warm on my walk to the Schools, but shortly after I emerged, it began to pour down rain. I got very wet, just missed the last Oxford bus, and had to wait forever for a taxi. But now I'm home, out of my uncomfortable sub fusc, and enjoying my last day in our old place. Life is good.