This assignment is to give the student the underlying historical reasons that Paul wrote these letters.  This will include a discussion of when and why it was written, as well as to whom.  Within this portion students will also appreciate the breadth of Paul’s ability to build relationships and coalitions amongst the churches.

• The Theology Exercise and charts should be completed prior to this assignment.  Although there is overlap, the chart is a “snapshot” of the information.  Whereas, this assignment is for the student to provide full and complete details as described below and to demonstrate and understanding of the material.
• Research the origin, background and purpose of the Corinthian letters and the Thessalonian letters.  Using credible sources (as described in Workshop One), write an analysis for the two books addressed to each city (Corinth and Thessalonica).  Supplement your own findings from reading the biblical text itself with this research by scholars.  Cover elements of origin, background, purpose and something of the relationship that Paul has with the church he is addressing.  Think of this as an extension of the “encyclopedia” article written in Workshop One.
• Write a 2-3 page paper analyzing the historical context of the Corinthians and Thessalonians (minimum one page for Corinth and one page for Thessalonica). The following components should be included in the paper.
  • An analysis of the origin of the epistle.  From where did Paul write the letter and why you think this is the best choice of origin? When did he write it?  (There may be various theories for the origin).
  • A description of the background of the letter.  What was Paul’s relationship to the recipients?  What were the circumstances the recipients were facing?
  • A discussion of the purpose of the letter using insights from the biblical text as well as external sources of research.
  • Provide at least two academic sources to support your analysis.

Ensure that you use the Paper Writing rubric to guide your efforts and support your work with scholarly academic resources using APA format.