This course integrates learning from biblical, theological, and ministry studies into a research thesis on a theological topic. This three-unit course normally covers two semesters, and it is conducted as an independent study under the guidance of the professor as the capstone course for the Master of Theological Studies degree.

1. Student Learning Outcome 1: Establish a biblical foundation for the student’s theological beliefs.
   • Course Objective 1: Exegete a biblical passage that is core to the issue you address.
   • Course Objective 2: Cite biblical references for claims made regarding biblical meaning.
2. SLO 2: Ground the student’s theological beliefs in God’s interaction with humanity through Christ in the Incarnation.
   • Course Objective 3: Provide theological development on your topic as it relates to members of the church and/or their conduct and role in the surrounding culture.
   • Course Objective 4: Integrate research on church fathers and leaders who address issues relevant to your topic.
3. SLO 3: Demonstrate practical application of theological truths; show that a person’s beliefs about God have implications for human-to-human interactions, since humans are made in the image of God and God the Word became a human.
   • Course Objective 5: Include a section on the application of the topic under consideration, exploring the significance of the topic.
4. SLO 4: Integrate a knowledge of Scripture and an understanding of theology, explaining the relevance of Scripture and theology to a specific topic.
   • Course Objective 6: Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the theological issue that was chosen for study.
   • Course Objective 7: Project the opportunities and threats of the topic – the opportunities a correct understanding brings, and the threats as to why some people will reject the conclusion presented in the paper.