My Thesis Saga

It's been a while since I posted on the progress of my thesis.  Unfortunately it's taken a while to get through the proposal phase.  My first proposal simply didn't work, and although my advisors were kind in their contructive comments, I could see that the topic was mired in a swamp of ideas and wasn't going to gain the traction it needed.  So I started over.  Practically from scratch.  A thesis or even a dissertation on the lectionary issues surrounding the Apocalypse of St. John still retains much potential, but it was too much work for what I need to accomplish right now.

I submitted my revised proposal this past spring, but with the usual complexities of forms and paperwork coupled with the inevitable confusion of changing staff, it slowed down considerably.  Finally, I was told by the advisor of my program (which has changed a couple of times since I started in 2010) just to start writing, which my thesis advisor had told me at the beginning of the summer.  And I have.  So far I'm only on the eighth page, but I am attempting to understand Massey Shepherd's work, which has taken a bit more effort than I initially anticipating (and I'm also a working pastor and circuit counselor and active father and husband....).  For those so interested, here is the final working title: "A Study of the Influence of the Church's Liturgical Forms on the Literary Stucture of the Apocalypse of St. John."  I'll keep you posted on the progress.....

Comments

Bernice Richardson said…
So, how was the progress of your thesis, Donald? I pretty sure that the saga still continues, and I hope that it would be over soon (in a good way that is). Thesis writing can really be tedious and hard, but it should be a reason for some student to just quit the journey because of it. Anyway, wish you luck on your journey, or may I say saga!
September 6, 2013 at 1:18:00 AM PDT
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