Topic: The essays can take one of three forms:
a) An Exegetical Essay: This paper focuses on one biblical passage (usually about 1 chapter in length), and explains the meaning and significance of that passage. When I mark the argument of the paper, I will be looking for:
- Careful examination of the details of the passage: For full marks students must demonstrate that they have taken the details of the passage into consideration
in their interpretation. In most cases it is a good idea to begin the assignment with an overview of the contents of the passage. Any other points which are made should
be supported by pointing to details of the passage (with chapter and verse references).
- Attention to the context of the passage: For full marks students must discuss how the passage fits into the book as a whole.
This involves pointing out how the passage builds on or is set up by earlier parts of the book, as well as how the passage prepares the reader
for later parts of the book. If there are major themes in the book as a whole or an overall argument being made in the book, then students
should point out how this passage contributes to the development of those themes and that argument. Where reference is made to themes or to other
parts of the book chapter and verse references (in parentheses) are helpful.
- Attention to redactional changes: In the case of the Gospels I will also be looking for a discussion of how the passage differs from parallel passages
in the other Gospels. Why might the author have made these changes? How might they reflect his theology or the concerns of his community?
- Attention to the cultural and historical context: Students should ask how the author's point is illuminated by a knowledge of the culture in which the passage was written (or the culture
reflected in the stories of the Gospels and Acts) or of relevant historical events. In looking at the cultural context of the passage, students should also look at any quotations of or allusions to
passages from the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures).
- An attempt to refute competing interpretations of the passage: Students should read enough secondary literature to get a sense of the usual range of interpretations
of their passage. If students choose one interpretation over the others, they should attempt to explain (on the basis of the details of the text) why this interpretation
is better. Where there is debate about central points in the passage, students should choose to argue for one particular interpretation, unless
they can provide evidence (from the text) to suggest that neither option is clearly better.
The question will often be something like "What is the point of this passage?" In specific cases you may have a more specific question in mind. This question
should be stated clearly in your introduction.
The answer to your question (i.e., your thesis) should be stated in one sentence in your conclusion (and perhaps also in your introduction).
Possible passages might include: Judith 12-13; Tobit 11; Wisdom of Solomon 5:15-23; 1 Maccabees 4; Matthew 1:18-2:23; 5:17-48;
19:30-20:16; 26:20-28:20; Mark 5:1-20; 5:21-43; 8:1-21; 10:32-45; 13:1-37; Luke 4:1-13; 15:11-32; John 1:1-18; 2:1-11; 6:1-71; 8:1-11; 11:1-54;
Acts 2:1-41; 5:1-11; 10:1-48; Romans 8:1-39; 14:1-15:6; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; 7:1-40; 13:1-13; 15:1-58; Galatians 2:15-3:29; 5:13-6:10; Philippians 2:1-11;
1 Timothy 2:8-15; Hebrews 3:7-4:11; 4:14-5:10 |
b) A Problem Essay: This paper focuses on a particular problem (either historical or theological) which we have covered in class, summarizing the various critical positions and arguing for a particular solution.
Possible problems might include:
- Are the infancy narratives in Matthew and/or Luke historically accurate?
- What role do women play in one of the Gospels (e.g., Luke)?
- What is the relationship between John's Gospel and the other three Gospels?
- How do Luke's Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles fit together to form one over-arching story?
- How historically accurate is the Acts of the Apostles?
- What was Jesus' attitude to the Jewish Law?
- What understanding of Jesus do we see in John's gospel (or Mark's gospel, etc.)?
- Does the Paul of Acts fit with the Paul of the pauline letters?
- What kind of spirituality (way of relating to God) is encouraged by the Gospel of Mark (or Matthew, etc.)?
- Which solution to the Synoptic Problem is best and why?
- How did the Apostle Paul view women's role in society and the church?
- What place does the Apostle Paul see for the Jewish Law in the life of Christian believers (focussing on the letter to the Galatians or the Romans).
- Did the Apostle Paul write the Pastoral Letters (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus)?
- What does "salvation" mean in Paul's letters?
- How does the Apostle Paul interpret scripture (the Old Testament or Hebrew Scriptures) in one of his letters?
- How does the author of Hebrews see Jesus reinterpreting the cult and temple of Israel?
- How should one interpret the book of revelation, given that it is an apocalyptic book?
- How did we come to have our present canon of New Testament Scripture?
The question in a problem paper is easy to determine. It is simply the "problem" which you are investigating, stated as a one-sentence question.
This question should be clearly stated in your introduction.
The answer to your question (i.e., your thesis) should be stated in one sentence in your conclusion (and perhaps also in your introduction).
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a) A Thematic Essay: This paper focuses on the treatment of a particular theme in one or more biblical books. Possible themes
include:
- The theme of God's provision for the righteous in Tobit (perhaps contrasted with 1 Maccabees)
- The theme of discipleship in Mark
- The theme of messianic expectation in Psalms of Solomon 17, compared and contrasted with the treatment in Matthew
- The theme of the Holy Spirit in Paul's letter to the Romans
- The theme of the Gentiles in Luke's Gospel and/or the Acts of the Apostles
The question will often be something like "How is this theme treated in this book?" In specific cases you may have a more specific question in mind. This question
should be stated clearly in your introduction.
The answer to your question (i.e., your thesis) should be stated in one sentence in your conclusion (and perhaps also in your introduction). In this kind of paper
it may take more time to formulate this kind of answer, but it is important. Although the paper is looking at a theme throughout a book, the paper should still be constructed
as an argument in support of your claim -- that the theme is treated in a certain way by the author.
For example, if one were to write on the theme of Torah in Ben Sira, the question might be "How does Ben Sira talk about Torah?" or "What place does Ben Sira give for Torah
in his wisdom teaching?" The answer might be something like: "Ben Sira places Torah at the heart of his wisdom teaching because he understands that law as the source of all wisdom."
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Research Requirements
Essays must draw on at least six (and preferably ten) scholarly sources as well as on the biblical text itself. Electronic sources (i.e., web-sites) may only be used if approved ahead of time by the professor. Normally, all sources should be print (e.g., books, journal articles, articles in electronic form on the ATLA database).
** You will almost certainly need to visit other libraries (St. Peter's, Huron, Weldon) in order to find enough good resources. For more details on the research requirements, see the marking grid below.
Some notes about bibliographic formatting:
- When citing a dictionary or encyclopedia entry always provide the name of the author, the name of the entry, and the pages for the entry.
Colour-coded Examples of proper MLA bibliographic format:
Black: Author's Name
Purple: Editor's Name
Blue: Book, Dictionary, or Journal Title
Orange: Edition of Book
Brown: Essay or Article Title
Green: Location, name, & date of publisher
Burgundy: Journal volume and/or issue number
???: Pages actually cited (in a footnote entry)
| Book |
Bibliography: |
Perkins, Pheme. Reading the New Testament. 2nd Edition.
New York, NY: Paulist Press, 1988. |
| Footnote: |
Pheme Perkins, Reading the New Testament, 2nd ed. (New York, NY: Paulist, 1988), ???. |
| Book in a series |
Bibliography: |
Sawyer, John F. A. Prophecy and the Biblical Prophets. Revised.
Oxford Bible Series. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. |
| Footnote: |
J. F. A. Sawyer, Prophecy and the Biblical Prophets, rev. (Oxford Bible Series; New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), ???. |
| Essay in an edited book |
Bibliography: |
Reicke, Bo. "The Constitution of the Primitive Church in the Light
of Jewish Documents." In The Scrolls and the New Testament.
Ed. Krister Stendahl and J. H. Charlesworth. New York:
Crossroad, 1992. 143-156. |
| Footnote: |
Bo Reicke, "The Constitution of the Primitive Church in the Light of Jewish Documents," in The Scrolls and the New Testament, K. Stendahl and J. H. Charlesworth, eds. (New York: Crossroad, 1992), ???. |
| Dictionary article |
Bibliography: |
Westbrook, Raymond. "Punishment and Crimes." In The Anchor
Bible Dictionary. Volume 5. Ed. D. N. Freedman. New York:
Doubleday, 1992. 546-556. |
| Footnote: |
R. Westbrook, "Punishment and Crimes," in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 5., D. N. Freedman, ed. (New York:
Doubleday, 1992), ???. |
| Journal Article |
Bibliography: |
Coffey, David M. "Natural Knowledge of God: Reflections on
Romans 1:18-32." Theological Studies 31 (1970): 674-691. |
| Footnote: |
D. M. Coffey, "Natural Knowledge of God," Theological Studies 31 (1970), ???. |
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Writing guidelines
| Length: 2000 to 2500 words (8-10 pages). |
Format: Essays should be double-spaced, typed on 8.5/11 white paper. Font should be Courier or
Times New Roman. Page margins should be 1 inch on each edge, and pages should be numbered in the top-right corner. A
Bibliography must be included at the end of the paper. Referencing should follow one of the styles listed in the
MLA handbook for writers of research papers, 6th edition, by Joseph Gibaldi (in the King's library, reference
section). Please note that regardless of the referencing style students must include page numbers in each note.
You will also make the marker happy by using footnotes (at the bottom of each page) instead of end-notes (at the back of
the paper).
Citing biblical passages:
- a single verse: Matthew 5:7 (= chapter 5, verse 7 of Matthew).
- a whole chapter: Matthew 5 (= all of Matthew chapter 5)
- an extended passage within a chapter: Matthew 5:7-12 (= the fifth chapter of Matthew, verses 7 to 12)
- more than one verse within a chapter: Matthew 5:7, 9, 12 (= verses 7, 9 and 12 in the fifth chapter of Matthew)
- an extended passage including parts of more than one chapter: Matthew 5:7-6:2 (= everything from the seventh verse
chapter 5 to the second verse of chapter 6)
- more than one verse in different chapters: Matthew 5:7; 6:2; 8:13 (= the 7th verse of chapter 5, the 2nd verse of chapter
6, and the 13th verse of chapter 8)
- a combination of extended passages and single verses from various passages: Matthew 5:7-12; 6:2, 8, 10; 8:13 (= all of
verses 7 to 12 in chapter 5, plus verses 2, 8, and 10 in chapter 6, plus verse 13 in chapter 8)
Other notes about writing style in biblical studies:
- Even if you are using footnotes, chapter and verse references can be placed in parentheses within the body of the
paper (at the end of the sentence).
- You do not need to tell the reader which version of the Bible you are using each time you cite it. Provide one footnote
with your first direct quotation from the Bible to specify which translation you are using throughout the paper. Then only
make a note of the translation if for some reason you use a different one in a particular place.
- When citing a dictionary or encyclopedia entry in a footnote or in your bibliography always provide the name of the
author, the name of the entry, and the pages for the entry.
- Remember that you must provide a citation for every idea or piece of information which does not come out of your own
head and is not common knowledge. In other words, you must provide citations for more than just direct quotations.
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Marking Grid
Click here for a printable PDF version
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E |
D |
C |
B |
A |
| Writing |
30% |
The paper is effectively unreadable due to major problems in grammar and style. |
Many errors in spelling or grammar (more than 10 per page). Style is poor. Both grammar and style often interfere with the reader's understanding. |
Frequent errors in spelling or grammar (3-10 per page). Style may be quite awkward in places. Format does not follow MLA guidelines consistently. In a few places these problems interfere with the reader's understanding. |
Only a few errors in spelling or grammar (1-2 per page). Style may be awkward in places, but is generally readable. Only a few errors in formatting. |
No errors in spelling or grammar. Style flows smoothly. Correct MLA format is used throughout. A pleasure to read. |
| Research |
30% |
Less than 3 good-quality academic sources. The student has no grasp of the material read. This grade is also reserved for papers which only provide citations for direct quotes. |
Less than 6 good-quality academic sources. The student's understanding of the sources is poor. Bibliographic format is consistently wrong.
References or citations are often missing. Page numbers are not provided in citations. Frequent factual errors. |
At least 6 good-quality academic sources. Some sources are not reliable or are not relevant to the topic.
Sources are not balanced to represent a range of scholarly views. Some sources are not used significantly in the paper or are not understood.
Understanding of the sources and subject is superficial. Some important scholarly views or aspects of the subject are missed. Some factual errors. Frequent errors in bibliographic format. |
At least 8 good-quality academic sources. At least 1 is a journal article or bible dictionary entry. The research has been understood well and all sources are used in the paper. In places sources may simply be repeated without critical engagement. Only a few errors in bibliographic format. |
At least 10 good-quality academic sources. At least 3 are journal articles. At least 1 is an entry from a bible dictionary. Research is well understood and integrated thoughtfully into the paper. Proper bibliographic format is used throughout. |
| Argument |
30% |
The paper contains no argument at all, and betrays no significant understanding of the topic. |
No focussed question and/or thesis. The central points of the paper may not be supported by any significant evidence. There may be no over-arching argument. There is evidence, however, of some significant familiarity with the topic and the sources. Key objections go unacknowledged. |
Question and/or thesis may be unclear. Some of the main arguments in support of the thesis are not supported with sufficient evidence. Some significant problems with the logic of the argument. Scholarly opinions may be cited uncritically and not supported by evidence from the biblical text or historical record. No significant attempt to address possible counter-arguments. |
Clear question and thesis. Thesis is supported with some good evidence from the biblical text or historical record. Some of the evidence used is weak. Shows some attempt to address possible counter-arguments, but these responses are not always successful. |
Clear question and thesis (1-sentence answer to the question). Answer (thesis) is well supported by evidence from the biblical text or historical record. The argument for the answer is logically coherent. Possible objections are anticipated and countered. |
| Creativity and Interest |
10% |
The level of interest and/or creative thought is impossible to judge because the argument or writing are incoherent. |
A poor presentation. Major problems with the writing and/or argument make it difficult to understand the paper. Thought seems confused. |
A pedestrian presentation. Little evidence of independent thought. |
Some evidence of independent thought. The presentation is fairly interesting. |
Evidence of significant independent thought. An interesting topic presented in an engaging way. |
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Annotated Bibliography
There are three elements to the annotated bibliography:
a) A statement of your question. At the top of the assignment you should clearly state the question which you will
answer in your paper. This should, again, be stated in one sentence and should be grammatically correct.
b) The bibliography. The main structure of the assignment is a simple bibliography of the sources which you have
read in preparation to write your paper. The expectations in terms of the number and kind of sources are the same as for the
final paper. In other words, this bibliography may well include all of the sources which you will use in your final paper. Remember
to use proper MLA format in all of the bibliographic entries.
c) The annotations. After each entry in the bibliography, you should insert one paragraph (these can be single-spaced) which
summarizes 1) the contents of the source and 2) how the source will help you to answer the question. These paragraphs need not be long
but should show me that you have read the sources and have a good grasp on how they relate to your question.
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Thesis Statement and Outline
There are two elements to this assignment:
a) A statement of your thesis. At the top of the assignment you should clearly state the thesis
which you will argue in your paper. This is the answer to the question which you included with your annotated bibliography,
and it should be stated in one (grammatically correct) sentence.
b) The outline. The main structure of the assignment is a brief outline of the argument which you will use to demonstrate
your thesis. This should include a 1-sentence statement of each major point which you will use to support your thesis. Beneath each major point
you should also include all of the sub-points which will be used to support that major point. The resulting outline should look something like this:
Point 1
Sub-Point a
Sub-Point b
Sub-Point c
Point 2
Sub-Point a
Sub-Point b
Sub-Point c
Point 3
Sub-Point a
Sub-Point b
Sub-Point c
Some things to note:
- You need not have three main points (or three sub-points beneath each main point). Let the demands of your particular question determine
the precise shape of your argument.
- Make sure that your points (and sub-points) are all statements which support your thesis, not simply topic-headings. For example,
if you argue that Mark views Jesus as divine one possible point might be, "Mark's Jesus does things which only God can do." On the other hand, if one of your
points read, "The kind of things which Mark's Jesus does," you would lose marks. This statement only tells me the topic which you
are going to look at, not how it will support your thesis.
- Make sure that all of your points clearly and directly support your thesis. If in doubt, leave it out!
- Make sure that all of your sub-points clearly and directly support the relevant main point.
- Try to include points and/or sub-points which will anticipate and address any possible objections to your thesis. Ask yourself, "If I wanted to
argue against this thesis, what would I say?" Then try to include a response to those objections as part of your argument. This should, of course,
mean that if there is significant scholarly debate about your topic you address any common scholarly objections to your position.
- At the end of the process, ask yourself "Is this enough evidence to demonstrate that my answer to the question is the right one (or at least the most likely
one)?" If not, think about whether you need to find more evidence (i.e., more points in your argument) or change your thesis so that it is defensible.
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