Christian Doctrine

Please select the Official Approved List of Research Paper Topics first.
I uploaded example topics.

Term paper topic is due 2/14.
Term paper outline and bibliography are due 3/21
Term paper due 4/30

Term Paper on a Christian Doctrine (Due Date – Session 15)

Choose an element of Christian doctrine that you find interesting and you want to research and study in more detail. Read passages from the works in the Bibliography and other resources that you have found (consult with the professor on these). Your term paper should describe the doctrinal issue, give pertinent Bible passages that speak to the issue, consider doctrinal formulations from church history where the matter has been debated, and review the positions that have been taken in recent theological literature on the topic. Be sure that you indicate how you would treat this issue personally and what you consider to be the key reasons for your perspective. Remember, this research paper is to be over a particular doctrine rather than an exegesis over a particular passage.

Your research is to be beyond the pale of the textbook or class notes. Therefore, the class textbook or lecture notes do not count as sources. There is to be a minimum of 10 sources.

Be sure that your paper includes a balance between important ideas and information you have learned from reading the theological literature and your own ideas about how to apply these ideas in your own ministry. Conclude your paper with suggestions of how to apply this doctrinal understanding to the practice of your ministry, in a local church, or the field of service into which you are going.

There are important files located at the bottom of the Course Material page which will help you as you write the research paper. Please review these files carefully before, during, and after the writing of your paper.

Concerning the Bibliography, it would be best to have one source per page of text. The textbook for this course does not count as a source. You are to research outside sources for the paper.

This paper is to be 12-15 pages, typewritten and double-spaced (approximately 3,000 to 3,750 words). It should describe your own response and reaction to the doctrine. Use careful footnoting to document your use of sources. Observe proper form for term papers in headings, paragraph composition, quotations from sources, and bibliographic entries.

This research paper assignment will be included as a program-specific (relating to your particular program/degree) “signature assignment” in the Portfolio you will be developing when you take the GSOM 6310 Ministry Mentorship course as you near the end of the completion of your degree. It is imperative that in the ministry application section of your paper that you clearly state how you might include this paper in your particular field of ministry. You will receive a Portfolio grade on this, so it is important that you include this section in your paper. Instructions will be given to you at a later time as to how to upload your paper into your Portfolio. There is a grading rubric for this paper in the “Course Materials” section of your course. The term paper will be worth 200 possible points.