My Three Biggest Tips for Writing Good Theological Papers

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I’ve written a lot of papers in my collegiate career. Some good, some bad. With the papers that I excelled in, I began to observe three major common denominators that directly contributed to my success. I would encourage anyone who writes theological papers, articles, or posts to implement these three tips…

#1: Pick a topic that you are passionate about.

After reading papers over the years, it is fairly easy to tell when the author just “isn’t feeling it.” I’ve read numerous papers or posts from classmates that don’t seem to give the level of effort or enthusiasm that one would expect. For those of you who have teaching experience, you know exactly what I mean. If the writing is uninteresting to the author, then the finished product will likely not be engaging for the reader. I know I’ve written papers that did not have my full effort, and it showed. Readers can typically tell when the author is energized in their writing.

My recommendation for anyone writing on theological topics would be to explore the broad elements of a topic, and then dive deeper into a particular detail within that broader topic that is especially captivating, challenging, or convicting; or perhaps an unanswered question. Find a specific element that stands out to you. In most assigned papers, the professor is not looking for a broad overview of a theological topic or doctrine. Don’t make the mistake of choosing a thesis that is too broad. “The Doctrine of the Trinity,” for instance, is much too broad. Even “Christ portrayed as God in the Gospels” could be considered too broad, depending on the length of paper. Instead, perhaps you choose a specific thesis such as “The author of Mark’s Gospel believed in the Trinity.” This thesis is interesting and not too broad. Choose a topic that gets you excited to write. This creates a higher likelihood that you will stay energized through the writing process and your reader will stay engaged.

#2 Give yourself space to think freely.

Sometimes theological papers can seem overly repetitive and unoriginal. You won’t find a topic that hasn’t already been addressed. Someone has thought about it. But that shouldn’t stop you from seeking new insights or new ways of framing the topic. Your goal should be to offer your own thoughts, not to simply restate someone else’s. Not only does this demonstrate comprehension, but it also makes your writing worthwhile.

When I write papers, set aside from the actual outline, I give myself a blank document where I can record my thoughts as they come to me. Most of the time, I will actually record my thoughts as if I am either writing the finished paper or arguing with the opposition. When I begin writing the real paper based off of my outline, I can go back to this document and transfer over any part of the text that I like, or I can refine and expand my free thoughts. Others may prefer to record audio of themselves speaking their thoughts as they come to them. Whatever method is best for you to think freely is a strong tool for your writing.

#3 Interact with the opposition.

Theological papers can easily be written with an unintentional sense of bias. I’ve read papers that offer solid reasoning in support of their thesis statement but lack a reasonable defense. It is important for theological papers to include an explanation of the opposing viewpoints and demonstrate why the thesis statement overcomes them. If you don’t interact with opposing viewpoints, you may take for granted the weight they hold against your argument. As you explain opposing arguments, do so charitably. The primary mistake made due to a lack of theological discourse is structuring the debate in such a manner that is favorable to your stance. Represent the debate surrounding your thesis topic accurately.

For example, you could structure your paper by referencing many historical theologians who supported your view, while choosing not to reference those who argued against your view, which frames the issue as one side having the consensus historical perspective, when, in fact, this possibly is not an accurate depiction of the discourse throughout Church history.

Similarly, absent a substantive back and forth in your paper, you may commit the straw man fallacy, which is to mischaracterize your opponent’s view so that it becomes easier to argue against it. To avoid this fallacy, be charitable when explaining your opponent’s view. Your paper should stand on the cogency of the evidence and defense of your thesis. These guidelines are fundamental to logical discussion of any kind.

Personally, I’ve experienced tremendous growth as I’ve explored opposing arguments. There were instances where I adjusted my thesis statement because of the strength of the criticisms. In fact, I’ve been persuaded to adopt an opposing thesis. This had nothing to do with a deficiency in my argumentation skills; rather, I recognized that my thesis could not withstand the criticisms as I dove deeper into them. There is no shame in that. There have also been times when my thesis became stronger, when I felt more persuaded by my thesis, as a result of my research. Aim for excellence in your writing. To achieve excellence, you must include an honest, charitable, and accurate exchange of ideas.