The Center for Theological Writing
The Center for Theological Writing
0021, 0035 & 0037 Westbrook ‒ Duke Divinity School
The First-Year Mandatory Writing Assessment 2015‒16
MDiv and MTS Students:
Read the extract from St. John Chrysostom’s “First Sermon on Lazarus and the Rich Man” (copies will be handed out during orientation).
This sermon was preached by John Chrysostom, a bishop of Constantinople in the later half of the fourth century, before a large, diverse urban congregation. His audience contained both the city’s poorest, and its wealthiest citizens. There can be no doubt that the city’s needs were very great, and that poverty was a topic much on John’s mind: he returns to it in half a dozen more sermons in the same year, as well as on other occasions throughout his career.
Your task is to compose an essay in which you summarize the main points of Chrysostom’s sermon, briefly explain what you perceive to be the aim and approach of the author—both in what he says and how he says it—to his topic, and conclude with a personal assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of his approach.
MACS Students:
Topic: The foundation course for the MACS program is titled “Inhabiting the Christian Drama.” A drama typically has several “acts” or transitions in the plot line. Identify some of the major “acts” or turning points in the “Christian drama” and explain how one “inhabits” them.
ThM, visiting, exchange, or non-degree program students, as well as students who have formerly completed our assessment, are exempt from the writing requirement.
Instructions
- your essay should be about 800 (and not more than 1000) words in length. It should not be construed as a research paper, but you are free to use and/or quote from whatever sources you may choose. All students should use proper documentation (parenthetical references or footnotes) when quoting from the text or alluding to the ideas and words of others
- your tone should be formal
- format using Times New Roman 12 point font and double spacing. Please put your name and email address at the top of your paper
- email your essay to by noon on Tuesday, August 25, 2015.
Your paper will be passed to one of our writing assessors, who will read your work carefully, noting what you do well and what might need some improvement. He or she will contact you to set up a (mandatory) meeting in order to discuss your paper and talk through issues pertaining to theological writing and what your professors and preceptors might expect in your assignments. We hope that you will find the assessment process a valuable beginning to your studies.