Theology

Overview:

You are asked to write a religious history on a religious community, institution, place, or non-profit organization in Minneapolis-St. Paul. You will also present your work to the class in a 3-minute oral presentation using two images from your research. You will also be asked to incorporate a religious artifact in your paper: a religious or theological document, sermon, idol, material object, painting, photograph, film, music, religious promotional materials, etc.

The paper will include your research from throughout the semester in a 8-10 page paper of double-spaced text, 12-pt. Times New Roman, using one-inch margins, not counting bibliographies, appendices, and non-textual materials such as images. Your paper should be original, well-written, free of spelling and grammatical errors, and incorporate elements of our class discussions. More important than length is the quality of your research and the quality of your paper.

The final paper should include the following elements in this order:

Your 7-8 page paper about your religious organization of double-spaced text (12-pt. Times New Roman, using one-inch margins)
Appendices:
- One religious artifact(s) (e.g. theological or cultural document)
- Two original photographs
- In-person interview (2-page transcript or notes of personal interview)
- Bibliography (three secondary scholarly sources)
- Internet Appendix (if applicable)

Argument:

Make a strong argument. Do not simply summarize what others have written, but write an innovative, compact thesis or argument on the local organization, its history and current events. Your thesis should be coherent and plausible, but also challenging and thought-provoking.

Please underline or italicize your essay’s thesis.

Research:

Papers ought to include the following types of research:

Theological document

You need to use a theological or religious document from the religious institution, congregation, or social service organization to analyze the theological and ethical commitments of the religious organization.

You may use this as your one required religious artifact (two religious artifacts for groups).
Include in your appendix.

Cultural document

Examine how the religious organization explains and promotes itself to the public and urban environment. Examples include logo, billboard, promotional brochure, bulletin, or newsletter of the organization. You need to do one close reading of a particular aspect of the representational text. You may use this as your one required religious artifact (two religious artifacts for groups).

You may use this as your one required religious artifact (two religious artifacts for groups).
Include in your appendix.

Photograph

Take at least two original photographs and use these photos to explain and support your argument. These images will count only if they are discussed as forms of evidence in your paper. In other words, just taking pictures doesn’t fulfill this requirement unless you use the photos to advance a broader claim in your paper.

E-mail two photographs to me for your presentation.
Include in your appendix.

In-person interview

Interview a religious leader, participant, or neighborhood resident connected with your religious organization. Make smart choices about which person you are going to interview in order to best support the main argument of your paper. You can use a variety of techniques for doing the interview (e.g. taking notes, recording the interview, videotaping the interview, etc.) Only record an interview if you have the interviewee’s explicit permission. Include interviews in your bibliography with interviewee name, date, and place. You must include a 2-page transcript of your interview (or substantial portions of it) in your appendix including the questions you asked your interviewee. For the comfort of all, aim to conduct interviews in public places.

Include 2-pages of transcript and questions in your appendix.

Secondary research: Use three pieces of scholarship such as an academic book, scholarly article, etc. to help make sense of your chosen topic. These must be works not already assigned for the class, although you’re free also to use and cite from our assigned readings.

Include three pieces of scholarship in your bibliography.

Supplemental resources that might be helpful for you are Winfried Corduan, Neighboring Faiths: A Christian Introduction to World Religions and Ron Rhodes, The Complete Guide to Christian Denominations.

Internet appendix: Only one of these pieces of scholarship can be from an Internet source. If you use an Internet source, you are required to include an appendix on Internet sources offering a 1-2 sentence justification for the use of each site (e.g. Why ought we trust this website? Why is the use of this site necessary and beneficial for your essay?).

Include in your appendix.

Bibliography: Be sure to include a bibliography/works cited and properly use citations (MLA or Chicago) throughout your paper.

Include in your appendix.