A study of the artistic, cultural, and social foundations of Christianity through visits to many of the locales in various parts of Greece and Turkey mentioned in the Pauline writings and the Book of Revelation as well as other early Christian and monastic sites. Exploration of how one historical age influences another and the importance that art and archaeology play in theology and religion.

The research seminar is designed to direct and guide students in advanced theological research in preparation for writing a thesis. Students may prepare the thesis proposal in the course, or if approved, can begin writing the thesis. Students will be engaged in dialogue and critique of each others' work in order to enhance understanding of theological research and writing. The proposal will contain: a persuasive and debatable thesis statement, a description of the project that maps the argument with a brief summary of the positions and the lines of argument to be developed; a tentative outline, a preliminary bibliography of primary and secondary sources from current scholarship as well as the history of research on the topic. The bibliography will also include sources in the ancient and/or modern language being utilized in the thesis.

The Master of Theology degree requires submission and defense of a Master’s Thesis, an integrated research paper of at least 80 pages. The Master’s Thesis process consists of three steps: Development of a Thesis Proposal, Defense of the Thesis Proposal and writing the Thesis, and Public Defense of the Thesis. Students will explore an extensive bibliography of relevant primary and secondary sources, and foreign language sources and citations that support the content of the topic. The Master’s thesis is typically written over the course of an academic year.

This seminar provides a context in which students will prepare for the Comprehensive Examinations which complete the MA Degree in Theology. To that end, students will revise and submit a graduate paper begun in a previous course, and they will develop a research paper on a thesis that compares and contrasts content and method from two different theological areas of concentration (e.g., scripture, systematics, church history, etc.). The research paper must have a bibliography of at least twenty items (books and/or journal articles). Students will be expected to have (1) completed and submitted an approved graduate paper and (2) completed an initial draft of the integrative research paper by the end of the seminar. A completed and approved graduate paper and research paper will constitute the written portion of the MA comprehensive examination.

MTS and MAT students receive credit for self-directed Comprehensive Exams preparation through this course. Variable credit available 0-6 credits.