Theological Position Paper – for students who have been assigned the topic Gender Roles/ Family structure
Each student will also write a minimum 1800 word paper that thoroughly explains his or her theological position regarding the particular contemporary cultural issue addressed.  This paper should be an expansion of the students theological position articulated during ones presentation and include at least 5 additional scholarly sources than those connected the course pack or texts used in this course. Sources for your theological position paper, must be documented using the Turabian/Chicago Manual of Style and include a bibliography. Any theological position paper that does not follow proper formatting guidelines will automatically receive a 10% deduction. As the primary research element of this class, students will be expected to invest significant time in developing a position through research and thoughtfully supporting that position using the various elements of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. Further details regarding the scope of research and the content of these papers will be discussed in weeks 7 and 8.

These papers will be graded as follows:

Articulated a Well-Reasoned Theological Position Regarding the Contemporary Cultural Issue

20 points

Theological Position Clearly and Reasonably Supported by the Various Elements of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral

20 points

Integration of 5 Quality Scholarly Resources to Support Personal Position as Cited in Bibliography (in addition to course pack or text).

15 points

Structure and Organization of Argument Made

10 points

Overall Quality of Writing (Punctuation, Grammar, Spelling, Bibliography, )

10 points

Total Points

75 points

In addition, your paper must be properly formatted, double-spaced, and cannot exceed a maximum of 2500 words.  (Please be advised that each Contemporary Issues Theological Position Paper not adhering to these stated expectations and formatting guidelines outlined in the Written Assignments section of the syllabus below will receive an automatic 10% deduction).  No late Contemporary Issues Theological Position Paper will be accepted.  Please consult the Written Assignments portion of this syllabus under Class Policies for more important details.

On the date your topic is due, each student must do the following to complete their submission requirements in Canvas:

Under the Assignments tab, upload your Theological Position paper

Writing you Personal Position Paper
Goal is to develop your position
Your paper should answer the question, what
is a mature Christian response to X? In
general your Poster Presentation should
answer more directly your focus question
This is a research paper you need to have at
least five scholarly sources
Writing you Personal Position Paper
Start with Scripture and use concordance or on
line Bible site with a search engine.
Read the course pack reading in conjunction
with your topic to stimulate your scriptural
inquiry
Organize your Scriptural findings on the topic
into categories
Run each of the categorizes of thought
through the other components of the
quadrilateral to potentially develop and refine
your hypothesis
Writing you Personal Position Paper
Gather you evidence and draw a conclusion check you math is this conclusion scriptural in a
way that reflects accurate input from the other
sources of truth
This conclusion becomes your thesis and should be
expressed in one sentence or so
Present your thesis in the first paragraph – lob the pitch
to yourself
Body of the paper is how the sources of truth, starting
with scripture support/develop this position remember the baseball diamond: Scripture, Tradition,
Reason, Experience
Writing you Personal Position Paper
Your conclusion is the place to mention (if your
going to) how the process shaped/or developed as
you employed it
Your paper therefor should not read like a discovery
journaland then.and then this is not necessary
Cite using Chicago/Turabian style
Proof well
Assume the Quad. Dont teach/tell me about it
Writing Your Theological Position
Paper
Re read your assignment and grading rubric to
see if you in fact fulfilled the assignment well
Bring a hard copy to class the day you present
Submit it to turnitin.com before you turn your
paper in