Birmingham Theological...

Birmingham Theological Seminary – Calhoun County Extension2200 Briarwood Way, Birmingham, Alabama 35243

205-776-5650

Spring 2017 Professor: Bob St.JohnPT5527 Communications I 256.225.3845Credit hours: 2 [email protected]

Course Purpose

The basic principles of effective communication for the church and the Christian worker’s overall task will be considered with special emphasis on written communication skills. The students will be involved in several writing projects during the course of the semester. Oral communication within the congregation and the broader community will be covered as well.

Course Objectives

1. The student will be able to do careful research with an emphasis on using Logos Bible Software.

2. The student will be able to organize, connect, and state the results of that research in theological papers and theses.

3. The student will be able to revise and edit papers and theses to produce papers that are effective and error free.

4. The student will be able to properly cite information and sources and apply the Turabian style to essays and research projects.

5. The student will be able to think critically, i.e. the ability to understand the structure of an argument made by a writer or speaker and to examine the validity of reasons given to support their conclusions.

6. The student will be able to structure a well-reasoned argument, communicate research persuasively, and avoid fallacies in argumentation.

7. The student will be introduced to principles of oral interpretation with an emphasis on the public reading of Scripture.

Course Texts

Required texts Strunk, William, Jr., and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. 3rd ed. New York: Macmillan, 1979.

Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 8th ed. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2013.

Students must purchase Logos Software for this course. See the Seminary web-site http://birminghamseminary.org/logos-bible-study-software. Required for Master’s Students Only

Recommended texts:

The American Heritage Dictionary. 5th Ed., Office ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012.

American Heritage Thesaurus First Edition. Random House Canada, 2005.

Course Requirements and Grading

1. Class Attendance – 5%

2. Oral Interpretation Assignments – 5%

3. Logos Quizzes – 5% Required for Master’s Students Only

4. Reading Assignments – 10% for Master’s Students; 15% for Certificate Students

5. Narrative and Essay Writing Assignments – 10%

a. The student will write out their personal testimony of how they came to confess faith in Jesus Christ and share this in class (no longer than three pages). They will also present their testimony before the class.

b. The student will write a five paragraph essay. The first paragraph introduces the subject and goal of the essay. The last paragraph provides a concise summary and conclusion. The three intervening paragraphs are the body of the essay, and essentially accomplish the goal set in the first paragraph and summarized in the concluding paragraph. Essays will answer one of the following questions:

1) Why is expository preaching superior to other kinds of preaching?

2) How can asking good questions lead to a hearing for the gospel?

3) What is a godly friend?

4) What is modest dress?

5) How can husbands and wives promote real and loving communication?

c. The student will write a three (3) page essay on a current cultural/theological issue, e.g. the recent exposé of Planned Parenthood, same-sex marriage, the case for a historical Adam, etc.

6. Completion of Research and Writing Assignments – 20%

a. Students will turn in a research question.

PT5527 Communications I – St.John

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http://birminghamseminary.org/logos-bible-study-software

b. Students will turn in a properly formatted cover page and outline.

c. Students will turn in a properly formatted bibliography on a specific research question. Logos references must be included for Master’s Students

d. Students will turn in three pages of their research paper with properly formatted footnotes. Some footnotes referencing Logos resources must be included for Master’s Students

e. Master’s Students will turn in three additional pages of their research paper with properly formatted footnotes. Some footnotes referencing Logos resources must be included for Master’s Students

7. The mid-term will be a written book critique of at least four (4) pages for Master’s Students and three (3) pages for Certificate Students but no more than five pages, with an oral presentation. Do not merely summarize the contents; rather, evaluate the book’s strengths and weaknesses. The book must be chosen from the approved list below. Students must choose a book they have not read and a book different from their fellow students (no duplication, so first come, first serve). For specific instructions, refer to the Book Review Style Guidelines included in this syllabus. – 15%

Bunyan, John. The Pilgrim’s Progress: From This World to That Which Is to Come. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995.

Butterfield, Rosaria Champagne. The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith. Pittsburgh, PA.: Crown & Covenant Publications, 2012.

Haykin, Michael. Christians Under Attack: Struggles and Persecution Throughout the World. Miami, FL: Mango Press with The Associated Press, 2015.

Lindsell, Harold. The Battle for the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, 1976.

MacArthur, John. The Battle for the Beginning: The Bible on Creation and the Fall of Adam. Nashville, TN: W Pub. Group, 2001.

Motyer, J. A. A Christian's Pocket Guide to Loving the Old Testament One Book, One God, One Story. Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus Publications, 2015.

Nichols, Stephen. Jesus Made in America: A Cultural History from the Puritans to "The Passion of the Christ". Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008.

Ryken, Leland. The Word of God in English: Criteria for Excellence in Bible Translation. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2002.

Stiles, J. Mack. Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus. Wheaton,IL: Crossway Publishers, 2014.

Tozer, A. W. The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine. Camp Hill, Pa.: Christian Publications, 1993.


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http://www.credomag.com/category/michael-haykin/

8. The final exam will be a research paper of at least eight (8) pages for Certificate Students at least twelve (12) pages for Master’s Students, not including front matter or bibliography. Papers must be properly formatted according to the Turabian style of writing, with title page, table of contents, footnotes, and bibliography. The research thesis of your paper must answer a theological research question. – 30%

Course Grading Scale

This syllabus is not a contract. The professor reserves the right to modify any portion of this syllabus as necessary because of events and circumstances that change during the course. No additional requirements will be added to the course.

The seminary has adopted a four point grading scale as follows:

A 96-100 = 4.0 Quality PointsA- 90-95 = 3.5 Quality Points

B 85-89 = 3.0 Quality PointsB- 80-84 = 2.5 Quality Points

C 75-79 = 2.0 Quality PointsC- 70-74 = 1.5 Quality Points

D 65-69 = 1.0 Quality PointD- 60-64 = 0.5 Quality PointF Below 60 = 0.0 Quality Points

In addition to the students meeting due dates and using correct English, the following guide will serve as general criteria for grades. Final grades for each course are given at the discretion of the member of faculty responsible for that course.

Papers

BTS has made the decision to adopt the Turabian style of writing format for all papers, clinicals, dissertations (DMin) and reports. Also, all papers are to be double spaced, 12-point font and Times New Roman script. In this technological age, information is readily available; make sure that you understand the appropriate manner for citation of sources. Any paper not conforming to the Seminary standards is subject to one letter grade reduction.


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Course Outline

Date Lecture Topics Reading Assignments DueLecture 1: Introduction to Class & Logos 6Lecture 2: Becoming a Critical Thinker; Thinking Like a Researcher

Article on Critical Thinking

Lecture 3: Using Logos 6 Guides; Lecture 4: Research & Writing; Oral Interpretation

Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Part I: 1-2

Written Testimony with Oral PresentationOrganize your Logos Resources; Oral Interpretation of Scripture: Psalm 23

Lecture 5: Using Logos for Research: Layouts, Clippings, Bibliography; Create Clipping file in MS Word Lecture 6: Introducing Chicago Style Guide


Reading Quiz 1Oral Interpretation of Scripture: Psalm 1

Lecture 7: Logos 6 Passage Guide, Exegetical Guide, Bible Word StudyLecture 8: Turabian Style Requirements; Organizing Your Paper

The Craft of Research, Chapter 11, Warrants

Oral Interpretation of Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-14Five Paragraph Essay Due Logos Quiz 1Research Question and Bibliography Due

Fall Break Fall Break Fall BreakSpecial Guest Presentations on Research and Writing Lecture 9: Using the Logos to Write an Exegetical Paper; Common Grammatical Issues in Formal Writing


Oral Interpretation of Scripture: Job 28

Lecture 11: Strong SentencesLecture 12: Creating Citations & Bibliography Entries with Logos 6; Searches with Logos 6


Critical Book Review Due with Oral PresentationProperly formatted cover page and outline

Oral Interpretation of


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Lecture 13: Footnotes & Bibliography; Research & Writing your First Draft

Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Part II: 15-16

Oral Interpretation of Scripture: Matthew 5:13-20

Lecture 14: Paragraphs & SentencesLecture 15: Style and Mechanics; Visuals and Graphics

Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Part II: 17-19

Properly formatted cover page and outlineThree pages of your first draft with footnotesLogos Quiz 2Oral Interpretation of Scripture: John 1:1-14

Lecture 16: Principles of Theological Research

Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Part III: 20-26

Logos Quiz 4Oral Interpretation of Scripture: John 17

Lecture 19: Independent Study Lectures

Strunk, William, Jr., and E. B. White. The Elements of Style.

Oral Interpretation of Scripture: Hebrews 1:1-14

Lecture 21: Introductions; Conclusions; Revising your First DraftLecture 22: Logos Bible Research Features


First Draft Due Oral Interpretation of Scripture: John 21:1-19

Lecture 23: Affirmation of Completed Reading; Logos Bible Research Features


Final Research Paper Due Oral Interpretation of Scripture: Isaiah 53


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BOOK REVIEW STYLE GUIDELINES

The format of a book review is a modified form of the style for a research paper. It adopts the same margins, indentations, font, and font size, title page format, etc. as discussed in the Turabian Manuel for Writers.

First Page of Text At the top of your first page of text, include a full bibliographic reference to the book. This reference occupies the position of the page title. Leave two blank lines between the bibliographic reference and the body of your review.

Page References You may use parentheses in the body of your review to refer to pages in the book you are reviewing. It is unnecessary to cite the author's name; simply reference the page number(s) in parenthesis—for example, (152). Omit the abbreviations for page (p., pg., or pp.) Typically, you will not cite other works in a book review, so footnotes and a bibliography are unnecessary. If a book review does reference another source, a general reference in the text is adequate.

Divisions of a Book Review The following is an adaptation of the "Guidelines for Writing a Critical Book Review" previously adopted by the Billy Graham School of Evangelism, Church Growth, and Missions. While no model can fit every book review assignment, what follows gives general guidelines. The guidelines below discuss a five-page review. Remember that the most important guidelines for any book review are the specifications provided by the professor making the assignment.

Introduction Begin the review with a section that briefly introduces the book and the book's author. Biographical information about the author (education, training, experience, etc.) should be included only as it demonstrates the author's competency to write the book. Within the context of the paper, do not use titles (Dr., Rev., etc.).

In most five-page reviews, you will likely need to limit the introduction to one or two paragraphs. The introduction should in all cases be a maximum of one half page for a five-page review.

Summary A critical book review provides a minimal summary of the book. Address first of all the author's purpose and the primary thesis he or she is presenting. Relate that purpose or thesis to the work of others in the field. For example, is the author contradicting, supporting, or building off the work of others? Follow this 15 information with a summary of the main points by which the author argues the thesis or accomplishes the book's purpose. Overall, the summary should extend to no more than two pages in a five-page review. Avoid chapter-by-chapter summarizing.

Critical Evaluation "Critical" does not necessarily mean saying something negative about the book. Rather, it implies a careful weighing of the claims and of arguments used to support them. On the one


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hand, you should avoid bland endorsements such as "This is a good book that should be recommended reading for everyone." Avoid blanket dismissals as well, such as "This is a useless book not worth reading." On the other hand, avoid trivial criticisms, such as pointing out irrelevant factual errors or typographical mistakes. Instead, engage the main points that relate to the author's argument. Questions to ask yourself include the following:

1. Are the claims and arguments well supported? Do factual errors occur among the author's main contentions? What are the strengths and weaknesses in the author's argumentation? Include in your assessment an evaluation of the arguments biblically and theologically.

2. Does the author approach the subject with any overall perspectives that influence or condition his or her conclusions? These may be theological, experiential, philosophical, denominational, or cultural perspectives. Do these perspectives limit the value of the work or its applicability (in certain cultures, certain settings, etc.)?

3. How does the author's presentation fare when compared to other work done in the field? How successful and significant is this work when evaluated within its own field? To what extent does work done in other fields affirm or challenge the author's claims?

Throughout your critique, be specific in your evaluations. Do not just tell the reader about the book; tell and show the reader with concrete examples from the 16 book. As previously suggested, include page numbers when making specific references to the book.

Conclusion In a final paragraph or two, give your overall evaluation of the book. In light of its strengths and weaknesses, state the value of the work for your own research, general knowledge, or ministry. Conclude with a brief comment about the author's achievement.


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Bibliography

Adler, Mortimer J. How to Speak How to Listen. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1997.

The American Heritage Dictionary. 5th Ed., Office ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012.

American Heritage Thesaurus First Edition. Random House Canada, 2005.

Badke, William B. The Survivor’s Guide to Library Research: A Simple, Systematic Approach to Using the Library and Writing Research Papers. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990.

Booth, Wayne (et. al.) The Craft of Research. 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford: University of Oxford Press, 2011.

Goodson, Patricia. Becoming and Academic Writer: 50 Exercises for Paced, Productive and Powerful Writing. Los Angeles: Sage Publications, 2013.

Graves, Richard L., ed. Rhetoric and Composition: A Sourcebook for Teachers. Rochelle Park, NJ: Hayden Book Company, 1976.

Hudson, Bob and Shelley Townsend. A Christian Writer’s Manual of Style. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988.

Isaac, Stephen, and William Michael. Handbook in Research and Evaluation. San Diego: EDITS, 1971.

Langan, John. College Writing Skills. 6th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2005.

Laque, Carol and Phyllis Sherwood. A Laboratory Approach to Writing. Urbana, Illinois: NCTE, 1977.

Lederer, Richard, and Richard Dowis. The Write Way: The S.P.E.L.L. Guide to Real-life Writing. New York: Pocket Books, 1995.

Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers: A Complete Guide. 14th ed. Boston: Longman, 2012.

Lindsell, Sherry L. Proofreading and Editing for Word Processors. New York: Arco Publishing Company, 1985.

Murray, Donald A. A Writer Teaches Writing. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1968.

Price, Jonathan. Put That In Writing. New York: Penguin Books, 1984.


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Rico, Gabriele. Writing the Natural Way. Los Angeles: J. P. Tarcher, Inc., 1983. Roget’s International Thesaurus. 7th ed. Collins Reference, 2010.

Ruszkiewicz, John (et. al.). The Scott Foresman Handbook for Writers. 9th ed. Boston: Longman, 2010.

Sabin, William A. The Gregg Reference Manual. New York: Gregg Division/McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1977.

Williams, Joseph M. Style: Toward Clarity and Grace. Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1990.

Schwartz, Beth (et. al.). An Easy Guide to APA Style. Los Angeles: Sage Publications, 2013.

Webster’s New World College Dictionary. 5th ed. New York: Webster’s New World, 2014.


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GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW

____________________

A Book Review

Presented to

Dr. (Professor’s Name)

Birmingham Theological Seminary

____________________

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for (course #)

____________________

by

Student’s Name

Student’s email address

Date Submitted


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Oberman, Heiko A. Luther: Man between God and the Devil. New York: Image Books, 1992. 380

pp.

Introduction

Writing a five-page critical book review is not always an easy task. Space is limited, yet the

essay must sufficiently address the necessary issues. The following discussion and the included

suggestions are offered to facilitate your writing process and to improve your written communication.

As you begin your review, be sure to include a complete bibliographical entry of the book

being reviewed at the top of the first page (one inch margin). The entry must follow the form

indicated in A Manuel for Writers by Kate Turabian, 8th Edition, 16.1, and it should include the

number of pages in the text reviewed. Please see the example above. Begin the paper with a sentence

that engages or “hooks” your reader. Briefly introduce the book and the book’s author, including

biographical information about the author (education, training, experience, etc.). You may also

mention other matters that you deem germane to introducing the book. In most five-page reviews,

you will likely need to limit the introduction to one or two paragraphs. The introduction should be

approximately one-half page in length.

Summary

The purpose of a critical book review is only minimally to provide a summary of the book.

You may assume that the professor and the grader know the contents of the book; therefore, the

summary should be limited to one page (approximately 23 lines of typed text). Your goal is to

provide a succinct summary that (1) provides evidence that you have read the material and that (2)


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tells the reader what the book is about. At this point, focus on the outline and major points of the text.

Illustrate the author’s argument, but do not become sidetracked with minute details in the summary.

Further, avoid critique in this section, as you will have the opportunity to address such matters in the

critical evaluation portion of your essay.

Given the limited amount of space in a brief book review, footnotes should not be utilized.

Quotations or ideas taken directly from the text should be followed parenthetically by the page

number of the quotation. The abbreviation for page(s) (p./pp.) should not be used. The following

sentences are two examples of proper referencing:

1. Rainer argues that evangelistic churches should focus on reaching youth (20).

2. Indeed, he writes, “Many churches fail to recognize that adolescence is a critical time of

receptivity to the gospel” (21).

Critical Evaluation

The critical evaluation section is the most important one of a book review. Your primary

purpose in this section is to respond both positively and negatively to the book’s content and the

author’s presentation. This section should be three pages in length.

Needless to say, this response should be more in-depth than “This book is a good book that

should be recommended reading for everyone.” On the other hand, “This book is a lousy book not

worth reading” is also inadequate. While all books are different (and thus require somewhat differing

approaches for review), the following questions may guide your evaluation:

1. What is the author’s purpose, i.e., what does he/she hope to accomplish through this book?Does the author accomplish the purpose? If so, how does he/she do so? If not, why not?

2. Does the author approach the subject with any biases, i.e., do the author’s theological, experiential, philosophical, denominational, or cultural perspectives influence his/her conclusions?


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For example, a Baptist author in America may understand the role of the Church differently than a Baptist refugee who has escaped persecution in another context.

3. What are the strengths of the book, i.e., what contributions does the book make? More specifically, why should a person read this book?

4. What are the weaknesses of the book? For example, does the author properly support his/her thesis? Does the author adequately consider and refute opposing viewpoints? Is the book limited in application to specific types of subjects? Is the book relevant to contemporary culture?

Throughout your critique, be specific in your evaluations and the arguments you make concerning the

work. In your critique, demonstrate the validity of your arguments with concrete examples, clear

logic, and good reasoning. Further, be sure to provide scriptural and non-scriptural evidence to

support your claims where applicable.

Conclusion

In most cases, one or two paragraphs will suffice as a conclusion (limit to one-half page). In

this final section, you may use first person as you offer your overall evaluation of this text. Here are a

few questions you may want to answer: Would you recommend the book to other ministers, to

seminary students, or to laypersons? Why, or why not? What did you learn from this book? The goal

of the conclusion is simply to end the review and to provide some application.

In conclusion, be sure to follow Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers,

Theses, and Dissertations (8th ed.), as it is the accepted standard for style issues. Graduate writing

must exhibit intellectual and stylistic qualities in keeping with the pursuit of a seminary degree. We

recommend the use of The Little Style Guide, by Leonard G. Goss and Carolyn Stanford Goss, to

sharpen your writing skills as you progress through your degree program.


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