THEOLOGICAL THESIS & RESEARCH PREPARATION 8 Oct Tom Power

Foundational Questions What is your topic? Why does it interest you? From what disciplinary perspective will you approach it? (theological, pastoral, biblical, historical) What questions emerge as you reflect on the topic? Where would you begin searching for relevant sources?

Strategies 1. The Question 2. The Method 3. The Sources 4. The Conversation 5. The Claim

1. The Question Good theological research begins with an inquiry, a question, a topic of investigation “Faith seeking understanding” expressed in questions Anselm posed the question: “Why did God become man?” He answered it in his book, Cur Deus Homo Key Point: Begin with a carefully formulated research question

Question: Example 1.Identify your topic: –Luther’s understanding of grace 2.Reformulate it as a question: –“Was Luther’s concept of grace a distinctly ‘Protestant’ doctrine? 3.Extend, refine, & clarify the question: –“…or was it inherent in the Augustinian tradition that grounded his study of the New Testament” 4. Explain why the question interests you and why is might concern a wider theological audience

2. The Method Questions lead to methods If you ask questions in a particular way, then you are proceeding from a methodology or research perspective Range of methodologies: liberation, feminist, evangelical, exegetical, historical Methodology chosen will impact conclusions Key Point: Identify the methodology you will use

3. The Sources Questions can only be answered by engagement with texts: ad fontes Familiarity with key theological & biblical sources + specific ones relating to your topic Facility with library and online searching techniques: location, evaluation, use Requires familiarity with documentation, citation styles, avoidance of plagiarism, and bibliographic conventions Key Point: Become familiar with sources, their location, & use

Tools for Research Tutorial Bibliographic Format

4. The Conversation Research means entering into a conversation involving you, the sources, other theologians, & the topic/question posed as the point of reference Conversation driven by: research question, methodology chosen, & sources identified Based on the research question posed, with whom do you want to have the conversation? Key Point: Think about your question, your methodology & your sources to determine your conversation partners

5. The Claim Culmination: Research claim or hypothesis Path from question formulation to research claim declaration: sees you accessing sources & narrowing topic in tandem Difficult but critical stage: expanding bibliography & narrowing topic simultaneously Narrowing a natural/logical process by virtue of continuous questioning, refinement Survey literature (summarize in thesis statement) Identify gap & carve out your research claim Key Point: Broad sifting of sources + narrowing of topic leads to your hypothesis

Resources In the preparation of this guide I have drawn on the following sources: Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations 7 th ed. (Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 2007) Lucretia B. Yaghjian, Writing Theology Well: A Rhetoric for Theological and Biblical Writers (New York: Continuum, 2006) Barber, C. & R.M. Krauss, An Introduction to Theological Research: A Guide for College and Seminary Students (Lanham: University Press of America, 2000) D. Core, The Seminary Student Writes (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2000)