A Parable about Academic Writing: Joining the Conversation
- Stuart J
Too often, students are reluctant to develop or state their own opinions in essays and assignments. They hide their academic voice and only report what scholars say. Or they only read the scholars who think “similarly to us.”
Rather, essays are where you should listen to various expert voices and develop your own position.
Academic essays are often described as joining a conversation. Here is an academic parable.
The Dinner Party
Cast:
Christian thinkers on church government:
Thomas More (not Moore; Roman Catholic, executed by Henry VIII 1536, before the English Reformation)
Martin Luther (German Lutheran Reformer; d. 1546)
Thomas Cranmer (English Reformer under Henry VIII; helped establish the Anglican Church; executed by ‘Bloody’ Mary Tudor 1556)
John Knox (founder of Scottish Presbyterianism; d. 1572)
John Owen (English Presbyterian who turned Congregationalist; probably the greatest English theologian ever; d. 1683)
Student: You (attending College, writing many papers, and developing as a thinker; currently alive)
Episode 1: Listening to the conversation
Setting: Small groups are standing around engaged in lively conversation.
Camera zooms in on one group:
More: Well, the Church has always been ruled by Rome, and the true church shall always be!
Luther: O! You vile Englishman! Those Popes and councils contradict one another, even on government and the role of Popes! Do you not realise that only faithful bishops should appoint ministers?
Knox: My dear Luther, have you not considered how the Scriptures plainly call only for elders and deacons, and that some elders teach and preach?
Owen (in Latin): But Knox, I too once held that position. The Scriptures say yes to elders and deacons, but no to your presbyteries! They are not found in Scripture. The local church answers only to Jesus.
Cranmer (turning to the student): And what do you think, my dear youngster?
Student (You): I don’t know. I am just a student. So, I follow you, Bishop Cranmer, because you are from my school. You must be right.
Camera zooms out, and the conversation fades.
Comment:
The poor student! They aspire to become a gospel worker. But they refuse to join the conversation. They may ultimately learn what the experts think, but they will not learn how to think.
But all their conversation partners are quite gentle tonight, especially towards our young student (perhaps there’s something in Luther and Knox’s water. . .). They know that this student is yet unformed and want to dialogue with them.
Imagine, instead, that the student joins in, with the requisite humility:
Episode 2: Joining the conversation
. . . Cranmer, Owen, Knox, More, and Luther all turn and look at the student for a contribution.
Student (You) [Tentatively]: Uh, well. . . My church has always had wardens and a parish council and a minister. But our Diocese has bishops. Isn’t that what all churches have?
Cranmer: Sadly, no! Too many have left the proven and historic ways of the church through the centuries!
Owen: But if we look to the Scriptures, we find that God’s people originally were given local leadership only. Now, respond to that, dear student.
Student (You): But the apostles themselves appointed the elders – they and their designated successors, such as Timothy. May I remind you that Paul commanded Timothy, not the congregations, to appoint elders in every church. Thus there must be clerical leaders above the parish minister!
More: Yes, indeed! Peter became the chief bishop of the early church, and Rome has ever since ruled the true church. It is Peter’s successors who lawfully rule the Church.
Luther: Student! Tell us what you say to this ridiculous statement!
Student (You): Well, uh, let me think. . . [pause, while student ponders]. . . Wait! I’ve seen convincing exegesis that Jesus did not declare Peter himself to be the Rock on which he would build his church! So, the Pope’s authority cannot be built on Matthew 16:18.
Knox: Well spoken, youngster! But consider: If there is not a Pope, then how can there be bishops over the local elders and deacons?
Student (You): Well, I have a question for you, Reverend Knox: How do you arrive at the notion of local presbyteries made up of elders and ministers from several churches, to have authority over the local churches?
Owen: Bravo, and good thinking! Would that I had left my Presbyterianism earlier! Too late did I recognise the authority of the local congregation as final under Christ.
Student (You): OK, Dr Owen, I understand you now. But what provision then is there when ill-taught congregants vote out godly ministers? There must be some higher authority!
Luther: And thus God appointed bishops, and they are in the Scriptures!
. . .
Camera zooms out, and the conversation fades.
Comment:
Now our student is learning! They are putting out their ideas, listening to other voices, and learning to think. All because they have joined the conversation.
They are developing a position by conversing with their conversation partners, who come from a variety of positions. They learn their conversation partners’ positions and they are learning to think!
The experts present a variety of positions; in no way do they agree with each other. Our student takes Cranmer’s voice and experience very seriously, but they listen to and learn from other opinions as well.
Have they come up with the perfect solution? I doubt it. But they are growing to be a responsible, godly thinker in the things of God.
Academic essays: Join the conversation!
Your academic essays and your exegetical assignments are an opportunity to join a conversation with the best voices in the field. Let them sharpen and refine you. Examine their thinking carefully: Ask hard questions of those you accept most readily; listen carefully to those whom you dislike.
Join their conversation, dialogue with them all, and develop and state a position. You will learn to think.
Academic essays:
Students joining serious conversations since ancient times.