David Russell Mosley
Ordinary Time
30 May 2015
The Edge of Elfland
Hudson, New Hampshire
Dear Friends and Family,
Well, I’ve done it. I’ve finally submitted my thesis, titled: Being Deified: Poetry and Fantasy on the Path to God. It’s gone off to my examiners who will read it and then I will have to go back to the UK to defend it on 20 July. I can’t believe I’m almost done. Whatever happens at my viva, I will be done with my PhD within the next 12 months. I can’t believe it, I really cannot. In honour of my finished thesis, I thought I would put up my old posts on writing this beast. It’s gone through many iterations, permutations, and transfigurations, but now, it’s almost done.
A Brief Theology of Poetry and Fantasy: A Thesis Extract
Moving Countries, Cancer, Thesis Updates, and New Letters
It Is Finished: A Thesis Draft Done on Good Friday
Creativity as Deifying: An Extract from My Thesis Part I
Creativity as Deifying: On Fairy Stories, Part II
Thesis Extracts: Why We Need a Deifier
Thesis Extract: ‘The Role of Humanity in Creation’
Thesis Extract: ‘Thomas Aquinas’s Five Ways as Evidence of Deification’
Thesis Extract: ‘The Four Aspects of Deification’
The Evolution of the Thesis: Why It’s Alright to Change Your Topic
Shifting Thesis Topics (Again)
Deification: A Brief Explanation of My Topic of Study
What am I Doing? Deification, John Cassian, and My Path to a PhD
Sincerely yours,
David
Letters from the Edge of Elfland 
David,
So pleased you’ve come to this juncture. Like you, I have been supervised by Alison Milbank, and will hopefully go to viva in October. I have enjoyed your posts, researching various philosophical aspects of Tolkien.
I’d be interested to hear your reflections on the viva experience. I have an email address and ink on the TRS website.
Best wishes
Michael
Congratulations! It’s an amazing feat, and you should be so proud.