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- Exegetical
Paper
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- The 12-15 page paper you write for this course will
be a research project probing either a pericope from a single book using one method
of higher criticism, or an issue in New Testament scholarship. The
purpose of this paper is to hone your exegetical skills and to reinforce the following
insights:
- that every reading of scripture
is an interpretation;
- that the questions you pose to a text (your
critical "method") shapes what you discover, and so you should be aware
of it; and
- that the religious experiences of scripture's original
authors and audiences are worthy of respect and disciplined inquiry, and serve
as a kind of control on our own independent interpretations.
This is an academic paper, which means that you will apply a method, develop an
argument, and render some critical judgments and evaluations about the passage
you are studying. There will be a brief 2-page portion at the end,
just before your conclusion, in which you can apply the insights you learned from
your research to a pastoral situation. The paper counts for roughly a third of
your grade for the course.
If you choose a passage to examine, it should
be of reasonable length— for example, a single saying of Jesus would be too
short, but an entire Matthean discourse or Pauline letter would be too long. Aim
for a single pericope or argument, or a group of related sayings that appear in
close proximity.
Since the range of methods and passages is broad, no
further general assignment directions will be posted here. You are
encouraged to select a passage and method by the fourth week, and to e-mail and/or
meet with the professor for assistance as often as you need.
There are links running along the top of these research-oriented pages that are
intended to help you through the various stages of the research and writing process. They
are reproduced below, though down here the links don't work):
| Research |
Writing | Style
Sheet |
Bible
Tools | Exegesis |
Shortened versions of many of these sections are reproduced in your
New Testament Workbook. Research Tips offers help for finding sources using
our library and in biblical studies in general. Writing with Integrity walks you
through the writing process, with attention to developing an argument as well
as grammar and style. The Style Sheet, which is also available from
the navigation on the left, is a resource for the final stages of your paper,
as you format the margins, title page, footnotes and bibliography. It differs
slightly from the Pastoral Ministry Program's Guidelines
for Writing Papers and Essays; you are welcome to use either one for your
paper. Scripture Tools should be a helpful resource, as it introduces
the major versions of scripture and the various tools for exegetical work, such
as biblical dictionaries, encyclopedias, synopses, concordances, etc. The
Exegesis tab duplicates what you'll find if you use the Exegesis tab to the left:
a list of critical methods, each linked to definitions, step-by-step descriptions,
and bibliography.
A list of the Research
Projects chosen by your colleagues will be available online once everyone
chooses a topic, so that if you come across something of interest for another
student or need to share resources you can.
Here are two sample papers
in case you're interested in seeing what the final product should look and read
like:
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