Paper Topics?

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Guardian_Wolf

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So I’m in a Western Civilizations 1 Class, and we’re required to write a 5pg paper on some topic or another. The dates the class focuses on are roughly 3000 B.C.-1600 (Late Rennisance).
This will be a topical essay on an issues in the history of Western Civilization that you find interesting or thought-provoking.
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I’d like to do something involving the Church, but I’m not too familiar with what falls between those dates Catholic wise, and when the teacher asked me what I was interested in doing, and I replied “something to do with Roman-Catholocism” he said that that was WAY too broad and I need to narrow it down.

I’m NOT askng anyone to write a paper for me, but I would really appreciate idea suggestions. I’m only posting this here because I’m figuring this would be a good place to find someone knowledgeable about the Church during the time period I’m restriced too, and that they could help me with topic possibilities.

Thanks and God Bless.

-Guardian Wolf

P.S. If it helps on topic suggestions…Part of the paper must be the writer’s analysis interpretation, and opinion reguading the ‘issue’.

So an event of some sort would be nice…
 
In 452, Pope Leo the Great turning back the invasion of Attila the Hun.
 
Wow, that’s a broad time frame to choose from. A few topics you could write about are:
  • the Counter Reformation
  • Christian persecution under Roman rule
  • spread of Christianity in Europe (before or after conversion of Rome)
  • any of the heresies
  • the Great Schism
  • formation of Western monasticism
  • effect of monasticism on European society
  • Charlemagne and his influence on the Church
  • abbesses and female saints (if you want to get into some womens’ studies stuff)
  • any of the Crusades
  • mendicant or missionary orders
  • formation of canon law
  • the Avignon papacy
  • Henry VIII and the Church
Yes, the list can be even longer, but I’m also trying to think of things on which you can find information.
 
I have way too many hours in history. What pops to mind is to look at how the Irish had such an impact on history or to look at how Christianity was brought to Anglo-Saxon England particularly regarding Pope Gregory the Great and his instructions to St. Augustine of Canterbury.
 
The_Fool said:
Wow, that’s a broad time frame to choose from. A few topics you could write about are:
  • the Counter Reformation
  • Christian persecution under Roman rule
  • spread of Christianity in Europe (before or after conversion of Rome)
  • any of the heresies
  • the Great Schism
  • formation of Western monasticism
  • effect of monasticism on European society
  • Charlemagne and his influence on the Church
  • abbesses and female saints (if you want to get into some womens’ studies stuff)
  • any of the Crusades
  • mendicant or missionary orders
  • formation of canon law
  • the Avignon papacy
  • Henry VIII and the Church
Yes, the list can be even longer, but I’m also trying to think of things on which you can find information.
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I was thinking the same thing (the information thing), but, honestly, I think even within one of these topics, the OP would have to narrow it down and pick a sub-topic within any one of these. Five pages could be the introduction.

Alright, to Guardian_Wolf, what are you interested in? War? Politics? Relationships? Piety? Asia? Africa? Europ? Middle East?
 
I was thinking the same thing (the information thing), but, honestly, I think even within one of these topics, the OP would have to narrow it down and pick a sub-topic within any one of these. Five pages could be the introduction.
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Alright, to Guardian_Wolf, what are you interested in? War? Politics? Relationships? Piety? Asia? Africa? Europ? Middle East?
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🙂 At least 2 of the 5 pages must be my opinion on the topic…so that really only leaves 3 pages for the actual topic.

Not really sure what exactly I’m interested in…there’s a lot about the history of the Catholic Church that I’m not entirely familiar with. I know some of it, or to put it more truthfully, am familiar with some of the terms/phrases.

I just know that I’d like to do something involving the Church…and preferrably something that doesn’t necasarily make the Church look bad. 🙂

Out of the ones just listed, any of the first ones (though I tend to gravitate towards war) and preferably something involving Europe. To narrow that down, either UK or ‘central’ europe (basically France, Germany, Italy etc.).
 
I just know that I’d like to do something involving the Church…and preferrably something that doesn’t necasarily make the Church look bad.
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Out of the ones just listed, any of the first ones (though I tend to gravitate towards war) and preferably something involving Europe. To narrow that down, either UK or ‘central’ europe (basically France, Germany, Italy etc.).
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Well, if it’s war you’re interested in then there is always Charles Martel, St. Joan of Arc, rebellions under Henry VIII, El Cid(an odd one), Knights Templar and Philip IV of France(not really war), military orders, Pope Leo I and the Sack of Rome(455), or the Norman Kingdom of Sicily under Roger II. Not all of these are necessarily pretty, but they do relate to the Church and armed conflicts.

Depending on how you define Western, you could also include the fall of Constantinople, Hungary, Romania, etc.
 
Hoo, boy, you’ve got a lot of options on that one. The Council of Trent itself falls inside that time period, so you could write about the Counter-Reformation. That’d be a very interesting topic.

There’s also Pope Innocent III, who was pretty much the apex of the medieval papacy. He’d surely be an interesting figure to write about, he had some very wide-ranging effects, and his life leaves lots of room for opinion.
 
Wow!!! If you can’t get excited about this list of topics, you must be “brain dead”. I think I’d select…
 
What about the origins of the Catholic Bible?

The succession of popes during that time period?

The Great Schism?
 
Yes, but, what all can be done within the limits given? He has a 5 page paper, 2 pages of which are his thoughts on the matter, and perhaps one paragraph each for the introduction and conclusion. That leaves 2.5 pages as far as the actual topic, and 2 pages for his opinions.

There was some saint who liked war and I believe was a soldier and was either injured or couldn’t serve and was stuck in bed and the only book avalible to him was, “Lives of the Saints,” and he decided that he’d follow God instead. (Was this Ignatius of Loyola?) Maybe you could do something within that.

Yes, it was Ignatius en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_Loyola who was a knight and, it was the, “Life of Christ,” according to this article. He wanted to convert all non-Christians to Christ.

There’s also, as far as war, and fighting for God, another chilvaric group, the Order of the Dragon, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Dragon committed to defend the Cross, especially against the Ottoman Empire.

These are still too broad, but, maybe you could do something within these.
 
Yes, but, what all can be done within the limits given? He has a 5 page paper, 2 pages of which are his thoughts on the matter, and perhaps one paragraph each for the introduction and conclusion. That leaves 2.5 pages as far as the actual topic, and 2 pages for his opinions.
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I know the username doesn’t suggest it, but I’m actually female. ^^

Thank you all for the topic ideas!!! Since there are many that were listed that I’m fairly unfamilar with (at least off the top of my head) I’m looking up some basic info on all of them. When I finally come to a decision, I’ll let you all know.

Thanks again! 😃
-GW
 
Ah. My apologies. I hate it when it happens to me, so, one would think I would know better…
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Psh, no worries. ^^ I kinda expected it would happen at least once if not more, since again,the username doesn’ suggest ‘female’.

😃 when I was a kid my mother would cut my hair short…and then almost everyone thought I was a guy. 🙂 While my hair is longer now, you could almost say I’m used to it.
 
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