In order to graduate from Luther College, one must either (a) write an extended (20+ page) academic paper in his/her major or (b) organize a creative senior project such as an art show, etc. Because my major, Religion, is an academic one, I must write a paper. The senior paper is a one credit hour "course" which is a faculty-guided independent project. I optimistically enrolled in the senior paper course for this fall, hoping to get it out of the way so that I might have an easy spring semester. I submitted a proposal with the title of The Function of Music and Dance in Communal Utopian Societies in the Early Nineteenth Century.
Now, I know that gets you going, but not so much me. I emailed a professor in the department and asked if I could write my paper next semester instead, and on the topic of the emerging church. Now this gets me going. I also asked if he'd be my academic sponsor for my grant proposal to attend at Columbia Theological Seminary in January 2007. I received an enthusiastic response to both questions. I can't wait to write this paper (I'm not sure I ever thought I'd say that).
If you've no idea what the emerging church is, (.pdf) of Dr. Scot McKnight's address "What is the Emerging Church?" at a conference called An Eternal Word in an ‘Emerging World’? at Westminster Theological Seminary.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
What exactly do you mean by “gets you going”?
Which prof is backing you on the emerging church as your topic?
p.s. I’m coming down to Luther before Thanksgiving so we should make a point of it to meet up and catch up again like the last time I was down there. Any dodgeball tournies scheduled for the near future?