Ideas for Honors Thesis Topic?

Davidius · #1 (**permalink**) 11-14-2006, 11:58 PM

I am currently a junior at UNC - Chapel Hill, studying German, and would like to write a senior honors thesis next year. I believe the practice in research and writing will be quite beneficial in preparation for graduate school (hopefully seminary).

With that said, I was wondering if anyone who knows more about the German reformation might have ideas for a topic. I have a broad knowledge of reformation history in Germany but would like to get more specific for this paper. I'm assuming the topic will have something to do with one of the Wittenberg theologians (Luther, Melancthon, Karlstadt), the relationship between the Lutherans and Zwinglians, or something to do with the Reformed church in Germany (of which I know very little). Any ideas or suggestions, within or outside of these proposed subject areas, would be greatly appreciated.

Blue Tick · #2 (**permalink**) 11-15-2006, 02:35 AM

This should give you some ideas. This is from Dr. Clark's website. Scroll to the bottom and you will find 101 essay ideas.

reformedman · #3 (**permalink**) 11-15-2006, 07:36 AM

How about the doctrine of Purgatory?
With the plagues that were hitting hard in the time of Luther, *it caused the church to proliferate and expand the doctrine with ease to their own benefit. They charged great deals of money to be excused of slots of 10,000 years time sentences in purgatory so the more you paid the more you were excused.

This also influenced a bit of sin that would afterward be covered by a little slippity slide money on the side. You could sin and then pay it off. Sin abounded. Poverty abounded. The RC church gained ground astoundingly via all this income of moneys. The RC became stronger mainly through this doctrine and the money paid to be excused of this torment.

The concept and truth of sin was main-engine of Luther's reformation. *It led his rebellion with the church that then brought to light justification and other doctrines.

With the recent recant by the church (ex-cathedra even), purgatory was finally put to death. The very doctrine that helped initiate the reformation has finally placed where Luther had been trying to place it for these past 500 years. Only recently has the news gone around that Purgatory is a no longer accepted doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church.

as a side note: I don't think enough news was brought out about this, I guess people don't realize the great significance that purgatory brought in fueling the fires of the reformation. I refer to the protestant churches, I didn't hear much about it in the news. I only heard things from the RC side and the secular side. We should have had a victory parade at the announcement imo.

**edit-I was looking for the word indulgences and couldn't think of it.