Refer to the University Style Guide:

• Please try to avoid things like contractions in any formal writing
• can’t should be cannot (no don’t, let’s, we’ve, I’ve, it’s,…)
• Avoid all usage of first-person pronouns like “I” and “we.” Second-person pronouns are rarely allowable, like “you.” Instead, use third-person pronouns (they) or “believers,” “Christians,” or “humans.”
• Only in application sections or reflection papers will “I”, “we”, or “you” be allowed. 
• Sentences should not start with “And” or “But.” Try more formal language like “However” and “Thus.”
• Quotation marks are not to be used for emphasis. Italics may be used for emphasis.
• Oxford commas are required in a list (this is the comma before the “and”).
• Use American spelling, not British. 
• (Optional) “Humankind” is preferred over “mankind” in modern English. “Human” over “man.”

• All of your opinions or points need research to support them. This could be from a cited commentary that was written by a scholar, or it could be a citation to a Bible verse at the end of the sentence. Very few of the ideas should be your own unless you can support them. Read, read, read: look for insights and gems in commentaries and scholarly sources before you start to write; you are not an expert yet. Much of graduate-level work is synthesizing what others have written, not contributing new ideas to the field. 
• All academic essays and research papers should have a thesis statement to summarize your main point. The main point should be supported with research, quotes, and paraphrases by scholars in that field.
• Each paragraph should start with a summary or thesis statement for the paragraph.

Refer to the University Style Guide:

• Books of the Bible must be abbreviated in citations with proper punctuation (Rev. 1:5, 8; 2:7; Deut. 4:3). (See the charts below). The first time you cite a verse, include a footnote with the version.
• Capitalization: the word (Bible) and the Word (Jesus), Bible (noun) and biblical (adjective), Scripture (whole Bible) and scriptural; this scripture when referring to one verse; the four Gospels or the gospel message (chart below)
• (Optional) You may use either “he” or “He” as a pronoun for God. Most academic sources do not capitalize these, but many Christians prefer to capitalize. 
• OT and NT are standard seminary abbreviations and should be used. 
• All foreign words are italicized (e.g., pneuma, ex nihilo, charisma)
• Assume your reader knows the Bible well. Use quotes of verses sparingly and shorten them to just pieces or phrases most of the time. A citation to a verse at the end of the sentence is typically sufficient to support your thoughts. Keep the narration of common Bible storylines succinct.

• Use research and footnotes generously. However, use quotes sparingly, as paraphrasing is always preferred. Quotes are never more than 25% of your writing at graduate-level (50% for undergraduates). Paraphrases are highly preferred. The student’s thoughts matter, but need strong support from researched material. 
• Ellipses: help to shorten quotes. You may leave out sections of a quote by adding an ellipse. Do not rearrange the quoted material. The ellipse is three dots after the last word… followed by a space. Rarely are ellipses used at the end of sentences, but if needed, then there will be an ellipse plus a period or an ellipse then a quote mark.
• Give the author credit: set up all quotes and paraphrases in the body text with the author’s first and last name (subsequent quotes can use just the author’s last name), like “John Smith says,…” or “John Smith comments,…” and followed by the quote. This gives credit to the author and makes it easy for the reader. Do not include Dr., Mr., Mrs., or Professor. 
• “The period goes inside the quote marks.” 
• If you have a quote inside of a quote, “double quote marks go on the outside, and ‘single quote marks’ on the inside.”
• Quotes should be less than two lines. Only use parts of longer quotes and paraphrase as much as possible. Quotes that are 5 lines or longer are rarely used and must be done in block quote format (single-spaced, left justified, left indent of 0.5”, no quote marks, single-spaced line one on either side, 25.2.2).
• Students should summarize, paraphrase, and interact with the quoted material. Paragraphs should not typically start or end with a quote. Follow quotes with comments, analysis, or highlights of main points. 
• Footnote citations are required for quotes, paraphrases, or attributions where you found a piece of data or information. (Example: Rome was built by Caesar Augustus in 436BC needs a footnote.) 
• All quotes must have a proper footnote with page number or other reference to the chap. and sec. 
• If Kindle gives page numbers, use them; if it gives location,s then you will need to use chap. and sec. references.
• Quoted verses do not get a footnote. Use parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence (Neh. 9:11). The period goes after the parenthesis.
• If an entire paragraph is a paraphrase from one source, then use only one footnote at the end of the paragraph.
• Adjusting quoted material (25.3.1.2)
• When adding italics to a quote for emphasis, indicate the addition of italics by stating emphasis added or italics added. You can insert this notation into the quotation within brackets immediately after the italicized words [emphasis added] or place it at the end of the footnote citation after the page number; emphasis added. If the italics are present in the source, indicate this in the footnote by stating “italics in original” after the citation’s page number; italics in original.
• Certain minor capitalization and punctuation adjustments are permitted. For instance, you may change a colon or semicolon to a period or comma.
• When weaving a quotation into a sentence, it is permissible to change from an uppercase to a lowercase letter without noting the change.
• You can also take similar liberties using ellipses as long as the changes do not distort the original author’s intent.
• Ensure that the inserted quote makes sense grammatically within the sentence, paragraph, or context where you have embedded it.