What is An “Academic Essay” or “Scholarly Article”?

Many writers who want to be published in an academic, peer-reviewed journal are not familiar enough with the tone and quality of an academic journal to get published. This page is designed to help you get a feel for what an “academic essay” or “scholarly journal” really is. Below are some examples of these types of publications, coming from a variety of different peer-reviewed theological journals.

Sample Exegetical Theology Essays

Richard Barcellos, “An Exegetical Appraisal of Colossians 2:11-12.” Reformed Baptist Theological Review 2 (2005): 5

Martin Salter. “Does Baptism Replace Circumcision? An Examination of the Relationship between Circumcision and Baptism in Colossians 2:11-12.” Themelios 35.1 (2010): 15:-29

Sample Biblical Theology Essays

 

Sample Systematic Theology Essays

James R. White. “The Newness of the New Covenant.” Reformed Baptist Theological Review 2, no. 1 (2005): 83-104.

James R. Cassidy. “Election and Trinity.” Westminster Theological Journal 79, no. 1 (2009): 53-81.

Sample Historical Theology Essays

Fred Zaspel. “B. B. Warfield on Creation and Evolution.” Themelios 35, no. 2 (2010): 198-211.

Mark Sweetnam and Crawford Gribben. “J.N. Darby and the Irish Origins of Dispensationalism.” JETS 52, no. 3 (2009): 569-577.

Sample Pastoral Theology Essays

David Powlison. “Idols of the Heart and ‘Vanity Fair’.” Journal of Biblical Counseling 13, no.2 (1995): 35-50.

David Powlison. “Affirmations & Denials: A Proposed Definition of Biblical Counseling.” Journal of Biblical Counseling 19, no.1 (2000): 18-25.

Sample Apologetics Essays

Denny Burk. “Why Evangelicals Should Ignore Brian McLaren: How the New Testament Requires Evangelicals to Render a Judgment on the Moral Status of Homosexuality.” Themelios 35, no. 2 (2010): 212-227.

James R. White. “Examining Muslim Apologetics (Part 1): The Bible Versus the Qur’an.” Christian Research Journal 25, no. 3 (2003).

Sample Philosophical Theology Essays

Jamin Hübner. “A Christian Theory of Information.” Reformed Perspectives Magazine 13, no. 28 (2011)

Travis Campbell. “Middle-Knowledge: A Reformed Critique.” Westminster Theological Journal 68, no. 1 (2006).

Sample Book Reviews

Douglas J. Moo. “The Deliverance of God: An Apocalyptic Reading of Justification in Paul by Douglas A. Campbell.” JETS 53, no. 1 (2010): 143-150.