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CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS FOR
ACADEMIC THEOLOGICAL WRITING
Introduction
•What is theological writing?
•How is it different from other forms or kinds of
writing?
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Historical Background of Theological Writing
Rhetoric—purposeful communication and the following
components that speakers in the Greco-Roman cultureuse
in their speeches so that they meet its purpose (Yaghjian
2015, 3–5)
• Who—the Writer
• What—Subject
• To whom—Audience
• What—Purpose
What distinguishes contemporary theological
writings from other writings? (Yaghjian 2015, 14–17)
• Subject matter. It’s about God. A theological discourse.
• To whom and for whom is being written
• Theological writing is written for an audience. The
audience for whom we write will determine what kind of
theology we write and how we write it
• As seminary students, you are writing for a specific
audience—your professor and the wider theological
audience
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Questions to Ask When Beginning A Theological
Writing Assignment (Yaghjian 2015, 16–17)
• Q1. From what social location, perspective or context will
you approach your writing task? Do you need to specify it
for your readers?
• Q2. What is the subject of the writing task? The specific
discipline you are writing for will define how you can
delineate the topic.
• Q3. Who is the audience for whom you are writing? The
professor, a congregation, the academe?
Questions to Ask When Beginning A Theological
Writing Assignment (Yaghjian 2015, 16–17)
• Q4. What is the theological genre of the writing task? A
reflection paper? A systematic reflection or exposition?
Whatever the genre, as we shall study shortly, academic
writings are expected to show critical thinking.
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Theological Genres
Biblical theology
• The exegetical paper, requires an understanding and
unpacking of the meaning of a particular passage of
Scripture.
• The Biblical-theological paper, which starts from the
foundation of exegesis but devotes itself to the
exploration of certain themes as they develop
throughout the entire Bible.
Theological Genres
• Historical theology--expound the course of Christian
theology through time, within its different historical and
cultural contexts.
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Theological Genre of the Writing Task
Systematic (or dogmatic) theology
• Apologetics: represent the opposing viewpoint fairly and
charitably, to expose the problems and incompatibilities
within the opposing viewpoint, and to demonstrate how
the Christian faith resolves those problems and
incompatibilities.
• Descriptive systematic theology accounts for how past
and present theologians have organized the Bible’s
content
Theological Genre of the Writing Task
Systematic (or dogmatic) theology
• Constructive systematic theology organizes the content of
God’s revelation under appropriate topical headings,
seeking to structure the teaching of Scripture as a whole
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Theological Genre of the Writing Task
Practical theology
• Homiletics
• Ministry and Church Leadership
• Counseling
• Evangelism and Missions
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Theological Genre of the Writing Task
• Church history--present a careful and original analysis
that explains how a given event, written work, or
important individual relates to surrounding historical
forces.
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Questions to Ask When Beginning A Theological
Writing Assignment (Yaghjian 2015, 16–17)
Q5 What is the theological purpose of the writing task?
• It all depends on the intended audience
Q6 What organizational pattern is appropriate for this
writing task?
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Q6. What organizational pattern is appropriate for
this writing task
• The link between clear, logical organization and effective
communication is powerful, both for the "sender" and
the "receiver."
• For the writer or speaker, a well organized outline of
information serves as a blue print for action. It provides
focus and direction as the writer composes the
document, which helps to ensure that the stated purpose
is fulfilled.
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Q6. What organizational pattern is appropriate for
this writing task
• For the reader, clear organization greatly enhances the
ease with which one can understand and remember the
information being presented. People seek out patterns to
help make sense of information..
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Q6. What organizational pattern is appropriate for
this writing task
• When the reader is not able to find a pattern that makes
sense, chaos and confusion abound. Effective
communication, then, begins with a clearly organized set
of ideas following a logical, consistent pattern.
• Thus, one of the most important decisions a writer makes
concerns the pattern of organization that is used to
structure and order information.
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Q6. What organizational pattern is appropriate for
this writing task
The challenge is that thought patterns are cultural.
• Note: Compare the English and Oriental patterns.
• Kaplan, R. B. Cultural Thought Patterns Revisited, In U. Connor & R. B. Kaplan (Eds.), Writing across languages: Analysis of L2 text (pp. 9-21).
Reading, MA: Addison Wesley, 198).
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Questions to Ask When Beginning A Theological
Writing Assignment (Yaghjian 2015, 16–17)
• Q 7. What theological language is appropriate to this
writing task? What “technical” theological terms can
readers be assumed to understand? What words should
you define for greater clarity?
• Q8. What theological voice is appropriate to the writing
task? An impersonal academic voice? A pastoral voice? A
more transparent personal voice? A voice that speaks for
a wider academic or pastoral community?
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Application to Theological Study and Writing
• The method for discovery about the subject may be
different from the presentation, whether through writing
or speaking, depending on the readers or audience.
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What is theology and why do theologians write? What is
theological writing and what distinguishes it from other
kinds of writing?
Richard Newton writes of two modes of theological writing
(Newton 2015, 7–9)
• The Reflexive mode: “involves finding one’s own position
on an issue.” A “reflection” paper requires that you will
analyze and reflect upon how a book, experience or
academic lecture, and others shaped your thoughts and
opinions on a subject.
• Description of an experience, reading, a biblical passage,
a lesson in the class, etc.
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The Reflexive Mode or Theological reflection
papers usually involves three steps or activities:
1. Analysis (widen the options). The writer discovers his or
her own position on the subject matter
2. Discernment (narrow the options until only one
remains)
3. Action (enact or plan what you intend to do in view of
the reflection)
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Newton’s 2nd Mode of Theological Writing
• The Critical Mode --“involves shaping another person’s
perspective on an issue.” The writer “defends a position
in a persuasive fashion—that is, a manner the convinces
the reader of the argument’s validity.” In this mode the
writer should be “concerned with his or her perspective
being understood and endorsed by another person.” The
main question here is, have you, as a theological writer,
put forward enough basis for your conclusions? Is your
argument persuasive?
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In line with the Critical Mode, Gordon Taylor suggests
Four Elements of Good Academic Writing (Taylor 2009, 2)
1. The writer
2. The object of analysis or discussion (the content),
3. The reader, and
4. The formal elements of the language itself.
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Taylor’s Four Elements of the Writing Situation are
reflected in the Four Main Characteristics of Academic
Writing: (Taylor 2009, 3)
• Characteristic 1: The writer: “Your own point of view
must emerge, not a mere opinion but as a justified
judgment.” I will review, and if needed, introduce you to
the critical thinking and writing that results in a justified
judgment.
• Characteristic 2: “You need to treat your subject matter
as comprehensively, and as precisely as the essay topic
demands” in ways that create “a unified view,” accurately
clarifying “the information and ideas you find in your
books.”
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Taylor’s Four Main Characteristics of Academic
Writing: (Taylor 2009, 3)
• Characteristic 3: “You must present your work in the
appropriate fashion for academic readers.” This involves
learning the conventions of academic writing”
• Characteristic 4: “Finally, the text of your essay needs to
forge a coherent unity from the many diverse elements
of language and thought that go to make it.”
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What is academic theological writing? How is it
different from other forms or kinds of writing?
• Taylor’s characteristic of academic writing as a “justified
judgment” about the topic introduces the idea that
theological writing must be “argumentative.”
Meaning, “using or characterized by systematic reasoning”
• “Reasoning” is the ability to assess things rationally by
applying logic based on new or existing information when
making a decision or solving a problem.
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Types of Reasoning
• Deductive
• Inductive
• Analogical
• Abductive
• Cause-and-effect
• Decompositional
• Critical thinking
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“Systematic” Reasoning
• In addition arguing rationally based on the structure of
the types of reasoning, your reasoning as the writer must
be systematic.
• “Systematic” thinking in presenting your premises and
conclusions in a structured way, often based on the type
of reasoning.
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Kinds of Reasoning and the Corresponding
Structure of the Writing
• Deductive reasoning begins with a theory (general level
of focus), analyze data, then conclude whether the
theory can be supported or not. The conclusion on this
form of argument is guaranteed.
• Inductive reasoning begins gathering data (specific level
of focus), analyze or look of patterns, then develop a
theory (general level of focus). The conclusion in
inductive reasoning is merely likely.
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Kinds of Reasoning and the Corresponding
Structure of the Writing
• Analogical reasoning works by transferring knowledge or
information from a familiar or known example new or
unknown problem.
• Abductive reasoning typically begins with an incomplete
set of observations and proceeds to the likeliest possible
explanation for the set. The conclusion from the use of
abductive reasoning results in the best possible option or
explanation considering the limited information.
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Kinds of Reasoning and the Corresponding
Structure of the Writing
• Critical thinking is considered a type of reasoning. It is
defined as a kind of thinking in which you question,
analyze, interpret, evaluate and make a judgement about
what you read, hear, say, or write. The term critical comes
from the Greek word kritikos meaning “able to judge or
discern.”
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What is academic theological writing? How is it
different from other forms or kinds of writing?
• Recall that one quality of academic writing is whatever
you write is a “justified judgment.”
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Knowing what questions to pose for each of the following
Critical Thinking Skills, will enable the scholar to form
justifiable answers
• Observation
• Analysis
• Interpretation
• Reflection
• Evaluation
• Inference
• Explanation
• Problem Solving
• Decision Making
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What is the connection of argumentative writing to
critical thinking?
• Good academic writing displays justifiable arguments.
• Whether arguments are justifiable is supported by the
criticality of the writer as he or she practice critical
thinking skills.
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Carole Wade lists 8 essential aspects of critical and
creative thought. We can use this to ensure that our
writings are “justified judgements.”
1. Asking questions
2. Defining the problem(s) clearly
3. Examining evidence
4. Analyzing assumptions and biases of your sources
5. Avoiding emotional reasoning/personal reactions
6. Avoiding oversimplification
7. Considering alternative interpretations
8. Tolerating uncertainty
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Transition:
• Next meeting, we will discuss in greater detail critical
thinking and the writing process
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