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Introduction
In the interest of bridging the gap between theory and practice, you are required to attend a
worship service at a Christian church (i.e. HBU convocations do not count). From the earliest
period of the church, the reading and interpretation of Scripture played a key role in the gathered
worship of Jesus’ followers. The purpose of this assignment is to encourage you to think
critically about the use of Scripture in Christian worship.
You will write a 1000-word report addressing the questions below. Below each main question is
a list of others that will help you answer the main question. You are not expected to answer each
one of the sub-questions directly. The word count for each question is provided with the question
below. Your report should include at the beginning the following information:
1. Church name:
2. Pastor:
3. Speaker for the day if different from Pastor:
4. Church location:
5. Time and Date of the service:
6. Length of the service:
Question 1: The Reading of Scripture: Was Scripture read during the service and what was the
impression given by the reading? (100 words)
1. During the service, was there any public reading of the scripture?
2. What Scripture was read?
3. Who read it? Did they have an official position in the church?
4. How did they read it? With emotion and emphasis, in a monotone, etc.?
5. What translation or version of the Bible was used for the public reading?
6. Did the audience respond to the reading in any way (e.g. with an ‘amen’ etc.)?
Question 2: The Medium: How was the Bible used by the congregation during the service? (100
words)
1. Did attendees bring Bibles?
2. Were pew Bibles provided?
3. Was the Biblical text projected on a screen?
4. What translation/version was used?
5. Did attendees follow along with the reading/sermon in their Bibles?
6. Did attendees take notes?
7. Was there any responsive reading of scripture?
Question 3: What role was given to the Bible during the sermon/homily? (800 words)
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1. What scriptures did the speaker quote, read, mention, or allude to? List each along
with their content and a brief summary of the speaker’s comments on, or
explanation of the texts.
2. Was any comment made on the original language of the text? Greek? Hebrew?
Aramaic? If so, what and what explanations were given of the significance of the
original language in this case?
3. Was any indication given of the immediate literary context of the verse/verses,
i.e. the verses or statements immediately following or preceding the quoted
verses? Did the speaker make any attempt to relate the verses to their literary
context? How?
4. Was any comment made on the historical context of the cited scripture? Explain.
5. Do you think that the scripture was interpreted correctly?
6. Was there any recognition of, or attention given to, cultural differences between
the time the Scripture was written and our modern world? Explain.
7. Did the speaker given any indication that Scripture was difficult or challenging to
interpret? What and how?
8. Did the speaker mention any possible differences among manuscripts in the text
texts he/she cited?
9. How much time was spent explaining the original meaning of the scriptures vs.
applying them to today?
10. How did the speaker apply the verses to his audience?
11. Do you think the application made was consistent with, or supported by, the
scriptures that were being applied? How or how not?
Extra Credit (10 possible points):
Question 4: Musical representations of Scripture: What songs were used in the service and how
were they connected to the Bible and specifically the Bible passages read/preached on during the
service?
Question 5: Physical representations of Scripture: How was the Bible presented in the church?
1. Did the church have any signs, banners, engravings, posters, or other physical
aspects of the building that cited or presented Scripture? If so, what and what
Scriptures?
2. Did the building have stained glass windows, paintings, or sculptures presenting
Biblical scenes? If so, what and what scriptural scenes were portrayed?
Rubric
The Perfect
Assignment
The A
Assignment
The B
Assignment
The C/D
Assignment
The F
Assignment
Answer to
Question 1 (40
points total)
40 points
Excellent
description with
36-39 points
Good description
and full account
32-35 points
Sufficient
description and
24-31 points
Poor description
with little detail
0-23 points
Unacceptable
description of the
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lots of detail
about how the
Bible was
used.
of the how the
Bible was used.
detail about how
the Bible was
used.
about how the
Bible was used.
how the Bible
was used.
Answer to
Question 2 (40
points total)
40 points
Excellent
description with
lots of detail
about
how the
congregation
employed the
Bible.
36-39 points
Good description
and full account
of how the
congregation
employed the
Bible.
32-35 points
Sufficient
description and
detail about how
the congregation
employed the
Bible.
24-31 points
Poor description
with little detail
about how the
congregation
employed the
Bible.
0-23 points
Unacceptable
description of
how the
congregation
employed the
Bible.
Answer to
Question 3 (100
points total)
100 points
Excellent
description with
lots of detail
about how the
Bible was used in
the
sermon.
90-99 points
Good description
and full account
of how the Bible
was used in the
sermon.
80-89 points
Sufficient
description and
detail about how
the Bible was
used in the
sermon.
60-79 points
Poor description
with little detail
about how the
Bible was used in
the sermon.
0-59 points
Unacceptable
description of
how the Bible
was used in the
sermon.
Conventions of
grammar,
sentence
structure,
formatting, and
appropriate
language (20
points total)
20 Points
The report is
well-organized,
with no errors,
and scholarly
language is used
throughout.
18-19 Points
The report is
well-organized,
few errors, errors
do not impede
meaning, and
scholarly
language is used
throughout.
16-17 Points
The report is
fairly well-
organized, some
errors, the errors
do not impede
meaning, and
mostly scholarly
language is used
throughout.
12-15 Points
The report is
somewhat
disorganized,
several errors, the
errors do impede
meaning, and the
report lacks
scholarly
language.
0-11 Points
The report lacks
organization,
many errors are
present that
impede meaning,
and the language
used is not at a
collegiate level.
- SCRIPTURE IN THE CHURCH REPORT INSTRUCTIONS & RUBRIC
CHRI 1301 | Introduction to the Bible
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Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
