How does the topic (Mary, costly discipleship, the death of Jesus, the kingdom of God, or the Gentiles) connect to the larger themes of creation, fall, and redemption within the overarching story of the Bible?

God’s Story Research Paper BIBL230 Signature Assignment Instructions Assignment Overview In this course, we are learning that the stories in Luke and Acts are an integral part of the grand story of Christian Scripture. In many ways, God’s action as described in these books provides a microcosm of the overarching themes of creation, fall, and redemption that find meaning and movement throughout the entirety of the Bible. Luke and Acts, in particular, invite us to consider the nature of the promise and possibility that is inherent within the story of the Bible. As we have seen, the good news of Jesus Christ is both the fulfillment of God’s promise and an invitation to discover the possibility of transformation in and for the world. In order to better understand the meaning and implications of God’s redemptive work in the the New Testament, you will choose a person/people or concept that is highlighted in the course for further research and analysis. The topic choices for research and analysis are Mary, costly discipleship, the death of Jesus, the kingdom of God, and the Gentiles. Note that each of these topics has a corresponding article posted in the course. The Signature Assignment affords you an extended time to explore the following questions: 1. How does the topic (Mary, costly discipleship, the death of Jesus, the kingdom of God, or the Gentiles) connect to the larger themes of creation, fall, and redemption within the overarching story of the Bible? 2. What is important to know about the history, culture, and/or theology surrounding this person or concept? 3. What was the original meaning of this concept or significance of this person/people within Luke/Acts? 4. What insights gained could be meaningful for our context today? Assignment Instructions Your research, analysis, and response to these questions will take the form of a research paper, and the project will be completed in three stages: 1. Part 1: Project Plan – Topic, Thesis, Resources, and Outline. 2. Part 2: First Draft – Introduction, plus body paragraphs addressing Questions 1, 2, and 3. 3. Part 3: Final Paper – Revisions of first draft, plus body paragraphs addressing Question 4, and a conclusion. Assignment Requirements Part 1: Project Plan Submit a Project Plan, to include the following:  Topic – Choose one: Mary, costly discipleship, the death of Jesus, the kingdom of God, or the Gentiles. Thesis – What is the central message/argument of the paper? See the APU Writing Center resource Thesis Statements for help. Resources – The paper must reference: o The Drama of Scripture; o The accompanying topic article found in the course; o Two additional sources from the APU Library; see the APU Writing Center’s Research Tips and Resources for suggestions about finding good resources. o NOTE: In APA style, classical works – including the Bible – are not listed in the References page. Embed biblical citations within the text as follows: “Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal” (Luke 9:1-2, NRSV). Only indicate the Bible version in the first citation; it is not necessary to identify each citation as NRSV.  Outline – Organize the paper to address the following four assignment questions: 1. How does the topic (Mary, costly discipleship, the death of Jesus, the kingdom of God, or the Gentiles) connect to the larger themes of creation, fall, and redemption within the overarching story of the Bible? 2. What is important to know about the history, culture, and/or theology surrounding this person or concept? 3. What was the original meaning of this concept or significance of this person/people within Luke/Acts? 4. What insights gained could be meaningful for our context today? Assignment Expectations  Submit the assignment in Times New Roman 12-point font.  The Project Plan is 2 pages in length.  Outline identifies the introduction/thesis statement, at least four main ideas, and 3-4 subpoints beneath each main idea.  List references in APA format. Part 2: First Draft Submit a first draft, to include the following:  Introduction with thesis statement. See the APU Writing Center resources Thesis Statements and Introductions and Conclusions for help.  Body paragraphs that address the following three (out of four) assignment questions: 1. How does the topic (Mary, costly discipleship, the death of Jesus, the kingdom of God, or the Gentiles) connect to the larger themes of creation, fall, and redemption within the overarching story of the Bible? 2. What is important to know about the history, culture, and/or theology surrounding this person or concept? 3. What was the original meaning of this concept or significance of this person/people within Luke/Acts?  Body paragraphs embed research and analysis from scholarly sources and contain intext citations.  References page, formatted in APA style, minimally includes: o The Drama of Scripture; o The accompanying topic article found in the course; o Two additional sources from the APU Library; see the APU Writing Center’s Research Tips and Resources for suggestions about finding good resources. o NOTE: In APA style, classical works – including the Bible – are not listed in the References page. Embed biblical citations within the text as follows: “Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal” (Luke 9:1-2, NRSV). Only indicate the Bible version in the first citation; it is not necessary to identify each citation as NRSV. Assignment Expectations  Written in Times New Roman 12-point font and double spaced.  Approx. 1,000 to 1,200 words in length, plus a References page.  Paper includes an introduction and thesis statement, addresses the first three (of four) assignment questions, and engages with the required scholarly sources.  Lists references in APA format.  Contains minimal grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Part 3: Final Paper Submit a final paper, to include the following:  Revisions as indicated by the professor.  Introduction with thesis statement. See the APU Writing Center resources Thesis Statements and Introductions and Conclusions for help.  Body paragraphs that address all four assignment questions: 1. How does the topic (Mary, costly discipleship, the death of Jesus, the kingdom of God, or the Gentiles) connect to the larger themes of creation, fall, and redemption within the overarching story of the Bible? 2. What is important to know about the history, culture, and/or theology surrounding this person or concept? 3. What was the original meaning of this concept or significance of this person/people within Luke/Acts? 4. What insights gained could be meaningful for our context today?  Body paragraphs embed research and analysis from scholarly sources and contain intext citations.  References page, formatted in APA style, minimally includes: o The Drama of Scripture; o The accompanying topic article found in the course; o Two additional sources from the APU Library; see the APU Writing Center’s Research Tips and Resources for suggestions about finding good resources. o NOTE: In APA style, classical works – including the Bible – are not listed in the References page. Embed biblical citations within the text as follows: “Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal” (Luke 9:1-2, NRSV). Only indicate the Bible version in the first citation; it is not necessary to identify each citation as NRSV. Assignment Expectations  Written in Times New Roman 12-point font and double spaced.  Approx. 1,500 words in length, plus a References page.  Paper includes an introduction and thesis statement, addresses all four assignment questions, engages with the required scholarly sources, and includes a conclusion. See the APU Writing Center resource Introductions and Conclusions for help.  Incorporates improvements based on instructor feedback from Part 2.  Lists references in APA format.  Contains minimal grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Review the Grading Rubric for further details as to how your project ultimately will be scored.