Church, mission and ethics. Being church with integrity | Dreyer ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This article is an exercise in Practical Ecclesiology. The author reflects on church, mission and ethics from historical, hermeneutical and strategic perspectives. Using the ecclesiology of Karl Barth as a point of departure, the author argues that the church needs to be church if it wants to be a credible witness to the Gospel of ...

Entry of US Medical School Graduates Into Family Medicine Residencies: 2014-2015.

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Kozakowski, Stanley M; Fetter, Gerald; Bentley, Ashley

2015-10-01

This is the 34th national study conducted by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) that reports retrospectively the percentage of graduates from US MD-granting and DO-granting medical schools who entered Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited family medicine residency programs as first-year residents in 2014. Approximately 8.5% of the 18,241 students graduating from US MD-granting medical schools between July 2013 and June 2014 entered a family medicine residency. Of the 1,458 graduates of the US MD-granting medical schools who entered a family medicine residency in 2014, 80% graduated from 69 of the 131 schools. Eleven schools lacking departments or divisions of family medicine produced only a total of 26 students entering family medicine. In aggregate, medical schools west of the Mississippi River represent less than a third of all US MD-granting schools but have an aggregate rate of students selecting family medicine that is two-thirds higher than schools to the east of the Mississippi. A rank order list of US MD-granting medical schools was created based on the last 3 years' average percentage of graduates who became family medicine residents, using the 2014 and prior AAFP census data. US MD schools continue to fail to produce a primary care workforce, a key measure of social responsibility as measured by their production of graduates entering into family medicine. DO-granting and international medical school graduates filled the majority of ACGME-accredited family medicine first-year resident positions in 2014.

Church-Based Social Support Among Caribbean Blacks in the United States

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Nguyen, Ann W.; Taylor, Robert Joseph; Chatters, Linda M.

2016-01-01

An emerging body of research notes the importance of church-based social support networks in the daily lives of Americans. However, few studies examine church-based support, and especially among ethnic subgroups within the U.S. Black population, such as Caribbean Blacks. This study uses data from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL) to examine demographic and religious participation (e.g., attendance, interaction) correlates of church-based social support (e.g., receipt of emotional support, receipt of general support, provision of support to others, and negative interaction) among Caribbean Blacks residing in the U.S. Multiple regression analyses indicated that religious participation was associated with all four dependent variables. Church attendance was positively associated with receiving emotional support, general social support, and providing support to others, but was not associated with negative interaction. Frequency of interaction with fellow congregants was positively associated with receiving emotional support, receiving general support, providing support to others and negative interaction. Demographic findings indicated that women provided more support to church members and experienced more negative interactions with members than did men. Education was positively associated with frequency of support; household income was negatively associated with receiving emotional support and providing social support to others. Findings are discussed in relation to the role of church-based support networks in the lives of Caribbean Black immigrants and communities. PMID:27942078

Onoufrios, the famous XVI's century iconographer, creator of the ``Berati School'': studying the technique and materials used in wall paintings of inscribed churches

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Pavlidou, E.; Arapi, M.; Zorba, T.; Anastasiou, M.; Civici, N.; Stamati, F.; Paraskevopoulos, K. M.

2006-06-01

The study of the materials and techniques employed for wall painting, complementing the information from historical and aesthetic data, contributes to the integrated knowledge of the iconographer and his period. In the 16th century, regarding the iconography in the former Byzantine area, besides the School of Crete and Francos Catelanos and his school, a third artistic personality who also created his own school, Onoufrios, appeared in central Albania and expanded his activity as a painter to northern Greece as well as nearby areas, such as Ohrid. Inscriptions documenting the works of Onoufrios are found in some of the churches that he decorated with wall paintings: “St. Apostles” (1547) Kastoria Greece, “St. Nicolas” Shelcan Albania, “St. Paraskevi” (1554), Valsh Albania, while are attributed to him the church of “St. Theodores” in Berati, Albania (before 1547) and others. He is one of the best icon painters of the whole Balkan region, and the best painter that has ever worked in Albanian territory. Onoufrios managed to combine the local painting tradition with the best tradition of the eastern (Paleologian) and western (Italian) schools, resulting in a realistic and natural depiction. He is the creator of the “Berati School” that expanded to other parts of the peninsula. His individual character can be distinguished in the work of his students: his son Nikolaos (who inherited his style in painting), Onoufrios from Cyprus, etc. Based on careful observations, we extracted number of paint samples from wall paintings of three of the above mentioned churches. Ground and paint layers were examined using micro-FTIR, Optical Microscopy, TXRF and SEM-EDS, to characterize materials and methods used by the artist to create these works. Our findings in each church are discussed and compared with the others in order to understand how and with what material and resources the painter worked and how he developed his technique. The presence of calcium

Fewer seniors from United States allopathic medical schools are filling pathology residency positions in the Main Residency Match, 2008-2017.

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Jajosky, Ryan Philip; Jajosky, Audrey N; Kleven, Daniel T; Singh, Gurmukh

2018-03-01

Some pathologists have observed that fewer trainees from US medical schools are entering pathology residency. This trend was measured and further explored using Main Residency Match (MRM) data from 2008 to 2017, obtained from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Over the past decade, there was an increase of 93 (508 in 2008 versus 601 in 2017, an 18.3% increase) pathology positions offered in the MRM. However, the proportion of pathology residency positions filled in the MRM which were taken by trainees from US medical schools decreased from 77.7% to 50.1% over this timespan. This was primarily due to fewer seniors from US allopathic medical schools filling pathology positions in the MRM (298 in 2008 versus 216 in 2017, a 27.5% decrease). Compared to 14 other medical specialties, pathology had the largest decline in the proportion of residency positions filled in the MRM which were taken by seniors from US allopathic medical schools (63.8% in 2008 versus 39.6% in 2017). Furthermore, pathology now has the lowest percentage of residency positions filled in the MRM, which were taken by seniors from US allopathic medical schools. The primary reason for this decline was because fewer seniors from US allopathic medical schools participated in the MRM for pathology positions (326 in 2008 versus 232 in 2017, a 28.8% decrease); however, the underlying reasons for this decline are unknown. In conclusion, over the past decade, substantially fewer seniors from US allopathic medical schools sought/filled pathology residency positions in the MRM. These findings are relevant for pathology residency recruitment, especially in the context of a projected decline in US pathologist workforce. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Life-style and death patterns of the Missouri RLDS church members.

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McEvoy, L; Land, G

1981-12-01

Members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (RLDS) are dissuaded from the use of tobacco, alcohol, and hot drinks. A well-balanced diet is also stressed. This study compares the 1972-78 mortality experience of the Missouri RLDS with three other population groups. The findings show Missouri RLDS experiencing age-adjusted death rates which are 22.6 percent lower than rates for Missouri non-RLDs whites; 19.6 per cent lower than the non-RLDS of Independence, Missouri; and 14.4 per cent lower than Utah residents. The RLDS display lower death rates than the two Missouri comparison groups for each of seven selected causes-particularly lung cancer, pneumonia/influenza, and violent deaths. Comparisons between the Missouri RLDS and Utah residents show an inconsistent pattern, with Utah residents having non-significantly lower death rates for lung cancer and ischemic heart disease, but with the Missouri RLDS having significantly lower rates for pneumonia/influenza and violent deaths. These inconsistencies are of interest because 72 per cent of Utah's population belong to the Mormon Church which advocates life-styles similar to the RLDS. If these disparate mortality patterns persist under a more direct comparison between the Missouri RLDS and Utah Mormons, they could provide the opportunity to assess the impact of similar life-styles in separate settings.

Church Vestries as Part of Church Administration in North Tobol Region During 1810-1860

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Tsys’ Olga

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The paper examines main characteristics, structure and functions of church vestries in North Tobol region during the period of 1810–1860. It is concluded that the church vestry as a governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church during the Synodal period acted as an information mediator between the diocese and parish. As a rule, the church vestry exercised the authority over a particular district or part of it. Responsibilities of vestries were mainly limited to gathering and interpreting various pieces of information, overseeing the accounting and documentation of the parish clergy, fining the clergy and laymen for minor misconduct, and distributing the consistory’s decrees. The paper also demonstrates that vestries were collegial units, where decrees of the diocese, as well as reports and presentations of its members were discussed. It should be noted that boundaries of the district under the vestry’s jurisdiction were vague and not clearly marked. The common drawback of the vestries, as part of church administration, was the ambiguity in definition and description of roles and responsibilities. It was discovered that the remoteness of church administration from the majority of its parishes was specific to North Tobol region. It is concluded that church vestries were set up as administrative and organisational centres, and played a significant role in the administration of the Russian Orthodox Church. However, in the course of time the vestries started to lose their original role, becoming a redundant mediator in diocese and parish relations, which, in turn, led to the full abandonment of church vestries.

Spiritual gifts for biblical church growth

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Brian A. DeVries

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This article examines the use of spiritual gifts for church growth, particularly in relation to the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit. The article begins with a definition of spiritual gifts and by highlighting their purpose for growing the church. This is followed by two practical considerations: How should Christian believers use spiritual gifts for church growth, and how should church leaders motivate gift use for this purpose? Since the Holy Spirit works though believers to build up the body of Christ, advocates of biblical church growth should seek to employ his means to motivate spiritual giftedness in the church.

The keys of the kingdom as paradigm for building up the church in reformed church government

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A. le R. du Plooy

1998-06-01

Full Text Available This article adopts an ecclesiological approach and concentrates on the prominent concepts the keys of the kingdom and building up the church. The article attempts to determine the significance those concepts may have for the government of the church and emphasises the close relationship between the keys of the kingdom and the building up of the church. According to Reformational viewpoints the administering of the keys serves the edification of the church. It becomes clear that the notae ecclesiae and the keys of the kingdom function as the basic elements of the church order and must be regarded as the basis or pillars upon which the church is built.

Churching Alone

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leth-Nissen, Karen Marie

bridging forms of social capital. Methodologically, I combined the use of surveys with interviews and fieldwork, including document sources and statistical data. In the course of my study, I worked in different modes – distanciation and participation – using both quantitative and qualitative research...... methods. My research approach resembles the approaches used in the research field of empirically informed practical theology. Though using a diverse research strategy, I do not claim to present a universal knowledge of the context of the church through this study; my goals are “particularity......The aim of my dissertation is to study changes in the use of the Danish folk church. Through my studies, I am establishing a new research concept: churching alone. I work as a practical theologian using methods from the sociology of religion. My theoretical perspectives are drawn from the research...

Correlations between attitude toward Christianity, prayer, and church attendance among 9- to 11-yr.-olds.

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Robbins, Mandy; Babington, Peter; Francis, Leslie J

2004-02-01

Data provided by 150 9- to 11-yr.-old primary school pupils in England showed scores on the Francis Scale of Attitude toward Christianity more highly correlated with (personal) prayer (r = .57) than with (public) church attendance (r = .23), providing support for the view that attitude scales access a deeper level of religiosity less contaminated by those contextual and social factors which may influence public church attendance more than personal prayer.

Church Tourism in Batangas Province, Philippines

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JAYZEL ANN. T. DE CASTRO

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Church tourism has clearly increased over the past ten years. Churches are an important part of the tourism product of many parts of the country. This study aimed to determine the contribution of the churches in terms of social, cultural and economic aspects of the place, to identify the problems encountered in the promoting church tourism and propose plan of action to sustain the tourism of the Province of Batangas through churches. The researchers used the descriptive method of research and utilized self-made questionnaire as the main data gathering instrument of the study. The respondents were consisting of 5 people in the offices of the pilgrim churches from Batangas City and 10 churchgoers. The respondents agree that pilgrim churches contribute to tourism in terms of social and economics aspect while they strongly agree in term of cultural aspect. The most commonly experienced problems were the accessibility of the transportation and an action plan was proposed to address the problems encountered. The recommendation addressed that roving guards should be provided to ensure the safety and security of the tourists during their visit in the church. The church personnel may provide creative and command activities that will encourage people. Also they may have a briefing about the history of the church so that if visitor needs information it easy for them to answer and an action plan may be implemented to solve the problem encountered.

Preparing Secondary Stem Teachers for High-Need Schools: Challenges of an Urban Residency Program

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Garza, Rubén; Duchaine, Ellen L.; Reynosa, Raymond

2013-01-01

Teaching residency programs that blend coursework with clinical experiences have emerged nationwide to prepare aspiring teachers for the demanding reality of teaching in high-need urban schools. The Teaching Residency Program for Critical Shortage Areas was created to help urban school districts with the challenge of recruiting and retaining…

John's gospel and the Johannine church: A mirror of events wifhin a text or/and a window on events within a church

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H. A. Lombard

1987-01-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the problem of an alleged Johannine church/ school. The hermeneutical paradigms and results of two mainline exegetical methods are assessed, namely the historico-critical method and literary criticism (a textimmanent procedure. Their respective approaches of using the text of John's Gospel (JG as a window and as a mirror are correlated. An analysis of the narrator's commentary (footnotes, asides furnished important conclusions. They are that a referential correlation exists between the worlds within and outside the text. The direction of reference runs from the textexternal to the textexternal worlds, furthermore, the pragmatics of JG as a religio-historical text justifies the assumption that the readers/church within and outside the text are to be identified as ambivalent entities consisting of both Jewish and Hellenistic elements.

Social topos of church architecture

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Zarochintseva Irina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article proves the idea that descendants are reminded about the history and culture of their country through the architectural forms of Church architecture. Church architecture expresses the power and greatness of folk feats, patriotism and love of freedom. Each church has its own history, includes the architectural style of its epoch, and occupies a certain position among the other religious buildings. Churches have city-forming significance and represent the sacred center of the city; as well they possess a sign, marking function in the area, which can be “read” as a common landmark in the social topes

Church, mission and reconstruction: Being a church with integrity in reconstruction discourse in post-colonial Zimbabwe

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Canon B. Shambare

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The church in Africa, like its counterparts elsewhere in the world, is called to fulfil the mission of God as expressed in the call ‘Missio Dei’ and influentially remains with the integrity of the mission of Christ (Missio Christos, which is liberative and practical. For Christ was not only concerned with the spiritual needs of the people, but also with their material well-being. The following question therefore arises: how can the church in Africa, in general, and in Zimbabwe, in particular, actively do God’s mission and remain with integrity in the midst of the reality of suffering. Furthermore, how can the church for mission and reconstruction be understood in a post-colonial Zimbabwe given the contextual realities of political crises, corruption, poverty, moral decadence, defined or censored truth, leadership crises and no freedom of expression? This article argues that, although the church is faced with these arduous realities, it remains called by God to do God’s mission. While in post-colonial Zimbabwe the socio-political, socio-economic and socio-religious situation might seem hopeless, the church has remained vibrant and alive for reconstruction theology. The transformation of society is possible given the authority and mission mandate of the church. This article argues that the church is a key player in reconstruction theology and in the transformation of society. For transformation to be possible, the church should witness to the gospel of Christ without fear of being labelled, castrated and persecuted. The article asserts that the spirit of the Bible should be revived in a time of reconstruction in Zimbabwe. The assumption in this article is that Zimbabwe is ready for reconstruction discourse. For this to happen, the researchers argue that the church as a critical relevant player in reconstruction needs to ‘be church’ in its missional mandates. Integrity is essential if a church wants to be relevantly missional and

Church music in the light of national legislation in the principality of Serbia and the Kingdom of Serbia

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Peno Vesna

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Officially, the Serbian Orthodox Church enjoyed a legally guaranteed status throughout the 19th century and Orthodox faith was considered to be prevalent both in the Principality of Serbia and in the Kingdom of Serbia. Nevertheless, after gaining its autonomy within the Constantinople Patriarchate in 1831 (under whose forced jurisdiction it had been since 1766, Knez Milos’s attitude and a number of state provisions led to the unsparing diminishing of the Church authority together with frequent subversions of the Church Canon law. Introduction of the constitutional and legislative framework for the activities of the Serbian church, the enforcement of institutionalized mechanisms of control, and above all, direct interference of the State authorities in the elections of Church hierarchs and their activities, marked relations of the Church and the State in the 19th century. “Might makes right” rule was always on the State side. Investigations so far have least examined those provisions of the Government concerning general and theological education, in which church music also found its place. Presentation and analysis of the facts about the beginnings of organized music education go in favor of the existing findings on concurrencies and discrepancies in two cultural policies - that of the State and the one of the Church. Attitudes of the Sovereign and the Government towards the educational process, so vital during the decades of the State formation, are also indicative for affirmation of chanting practice and music art in general, as are (non- conflicting interests between the prelates and distinguished public figures on one, and those in charge at the ministries on the other side. This paper presents all relevant government legislations regulating religious and music education at regular and theological schools. Attempts of the Church dignitaries and learned Serbian musicians to raise the level of music culture with the help of the State

Connecticut church passes genetics resolution.

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Culliton, B J

1984-11-09

The Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ, which represents the largest Protestant denomination in the state, has passed a resolution affirming an ethical duty to do research on human gene therapy and is planning to form local church groups to study the scientific and ethical issues involved. The resolution is intended to counter an earlier one proposed by Jeremy Rifkin to ban all efforts at engineering specific traits into the human germline. The Rifkin proposal had been endorsed by a large number of religious leaders, including the head of the U.S. United Church of Christ, but was subsequently characterized by many of the church leaders as overly restrictive.

Honour and Shame in a Church of England Primary School

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Wilson, Tom

2014-01-01

While students of Islamic societies and cultures are aware of the influence of dynamics of honour and shame on behaviour, these factors are not always recognized by those who engage with Muslims in the UK. This paper will discuss the impact of concerns related to honour and shame on the behaviour of Muslim pupils in a Church of England primary…

Beliefs About Sex and Parent-Child-Church Sex Communication Among Church-Based African American Youth.

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Moore, Erin; Berkley-Patton, Jannette; Bohn, Alexandria; Hawes, Starlyn; Bowe-Thompson, Carole

2015-10-01

Parent-child sex communication has been shown to be protective against sexual risk among African American youth. The current study sought to use the theory of planned behavior as a framework for focus group discussions (N = 54 youth participants aged 12-19 years) to explore church youths' (a) sex beliefs and values (attitudes), (b) sources and evaluation of sex communication and education (subjective norms), (c) facilitator/barriers to adolescent sexual risk reduction and communication behaviors (perceived behavioral control), and (d) intentions to engage in these behaviors. Additionally, participants identified strategies for consideration in developing tailored parent-child-church sex communication education programs for use in African American churches. Themes suggested both positive and negative attitudes toward premarital sex and parents and churches as key sources of sex education and communication. Strategies to enhance parent-child-church sex communication are discussed in the context of these findings.

Churches, chaplains and the Great War

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Takken, A.J.

2015-01-01

When in 1914 the European nations mobilised for war, the churches followed suit. Notwithstanding pre-war church peace conferences and close international cooperation, most churches and churchmen immediately and whole-heartedly supported their nation’s participation in war and provided the religious

The Dutch Reformed Church as a prominent established South African church: In transition towards the 21st century

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Pieter Kruger

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The Dutch Reformed Church (Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk is in transition because of the influences of the more recent South African epochs of democratisation, Africanisation and globalisation. The histories of these epochs extend over more than 20 years and have had a significant influence on the church. The Dutch Reformed (DR Church changed institutionally because its place and influence within society changed considerably as a result of political and social transformation since 1994. The ongoing process of Africanisation that accompanies these transformations brings certain reactions to the bosom of the church via the experiences of its members. Most are Afrikaners being more inclined to westernised social frames of reference. Ironically, these people are more susceptible to the effects of globalisation, especially secularisation, which transposes the religious set-up of the DR Church into an open and individuated system. These developments pose major challenges to the DR Church in the sense that it has to reconsider how it approaches society, what it can contribute to the ecumenical church, why it is necessary to reflect on its denominational identity and what its academic, theological endeavours in these regards entail.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article has an interdisciplinary scope because the multiplicity of the present-day calls for interdisciplinary academic reflection. For the purpose of this article, Church Historiography helps to systemise recent ecclesiastical developments within the DR Church. To clarify the influences of these developments on the DR Church, sociological premises are incorporated to describe them within a broader social context. References to the conducted empirical study serve to explain respondents� (members of the DR Church social and religious constructs regarding these ecclesiastical and sociological phenomena.

Emerging Churches in Post-Christian Canada

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Steven Studebaker

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The traditional mainline and evangelical churches in Canada, as in most western countries, are either in decline or static. Taken as a measure of the future, the prospects for Christianity in Canada, and more broadly the West, are bleak. Post-Christian Canada, however, contains thriving alternative and innovative forms of church, often called ‘emerging’ churches. They take many forms of expression, but share common theological convictions. Based on site research and personal interviews, this article describes the various types and contexts of these churches in Canada. It then highlights three of their central theological characteristics. First, rejecting the ‘culture wars’ social involvement of Christendom churches, they embrace practices and initiatives that transform their local communities. Second, they embrace an incarnational and contextual understanding of Christian life and ministry. Eschewing mega-church franchise models, they endeavor to shape their ministry to the their local communities. Third, they adopt a comprehensive rather than compartmental spirituality.

Church unions and their consequences in Poland

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Antoni Mironowicz

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Orthodox Christians in Poland have faced numerous attempts to be forced into union with the Roman Catholic Church, ranging from the thirteenth to the twentieth century. The first attempt at a union between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church took place as early as the mid-thirteenth century. Another attempt at forcing the Orthodox Church into union with Rome took place during the reign of Ladislaŭ II Yagiello. The problem of church union returned in the reign of Alexander the Yagiellonian. When Ivan III rejected all projects for bringing the Florence such a union into practice, discussion on church union disappeared until the end of the sixteenth century. The mission of the papal legate, Father Antonio Possevino, to Ivan IV, had been intended to draw Moscow into the union, and its failure caused the papacy to concentrate its efforts on the Orthodox Church in Poland. The Ruthenian bishops’ obedience to the Pope was officially announced on the 8 October 1596. The decisions of the Uniate-Catholic synod were met with numerous protests from the Orthodox clergy and nobility. The larger part of the clergy and the faithful, together with bishops remained in the Orthodox camp. Despite the failure of the Brest Synod in fully uniting Orthodox and Roman churches, new union projects concerning the Orthodox Church in Poland continued to arise prior to the end of 18th century. The Vatican’s interest in the Orthodox Church in Central Europe was renewed at the end of the First World War. On April 1st, 1917, the Pope created the Congregation for the Oriental Churches which was responsibile for all issues relating to the activities of all the Eastern denominations. Despite aims at unification, attempts at church union have had a negative influence on the relations between the Roman Catholic and Polish Orthodox Church in contemporary Poland. The result of centuries of attempts at unification under the Pope has been fragmentation and division.

Mentoring during Medical School and Match Outcome among Emergency Medicine Residents.

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Dehon, Erin; Cruse, Margaret H; Dawson, Brandon; Jackson-Williams, Loretta

2015-11-01

Few studies have documented the value of mentoring for medical students, and research has been limited to more subjective (e.g., job satisfaction, perceived career preparation) rather than objective outcomes. This study examined whether having a mentor is associated with match outcome (where a student matched based on their rank order list [ROL]). We sent a survey link to all emergency medicine (EM) program coordinators to distribute to their residents. EM residents were surveyed about whether they had a mentor during medical school. Match outcome was assessed by asking residents where they matched on their ROL (e.g., first choice, fifth choice). They were also asked about rank in medical school, type of degree (MD vs. DO), and performance on standardized tests. Residents who indicated having a mentor completed the Mentorship Effectiveness Scale (MES), which evaluates behavioral characteristics of the mentor and yields a total score. We assessed correlations among these variables using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Post-hoc analysis using independent sample t-test was conducted to compare differences in the MES score between those who matched to their first or second choice vs. third or higher choice. Participants were a convenience sample of 297 EM residents. Of those, 199 (67%) reported having a mentor during medical school. Contrary to our hypothesis, there was no significant correlation between having a mentor and match outcome (r=0.06, p=0.29). Match outcome was associated with class rank (r=0.13, p=0.03), satisfaction with match outcome (r= -0.37, pmentors, a t-test revealed that the MES score was significantly higher among those who matched to their first or second choice (M=51.31, SD=10.13) compared to those who matched to their third or higher choice (M=43.59, SD=17.12), t(194)=3.65, pmentor during medical school does not impact match outcome, but having an effective mentor is associated with a more favorable match outcome among medical students

Religious Authority in African American Churches: A Study of Six Churches

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Karen Hye-cheon Kim Yeary

2011-11-01

Full Text Available A sociological study of religious authority and gender in the context of a rural, impoverished community was conducted in African American churches in one county of the Arkansas Lower Mississippi Delta region to understand relationships between religious leadership, gender, race, and social justice. Three female and three male African American pastors were interviewed as key-informants of their churches to investigate views of female religious authority, and to compare and contrast the congregational culture of female-headed vs. male-headed churches. Among male-headed congregations, views of gender and leadership were complex, with beliefs ranging from no support to full support for female-headed congregations. Two congregational cultures emerged from the data: Congregations with a Social Activist orientation focused on meeting the social needs of the community through Christ, whereas congregations with a Teach the Word orientation stressed the importance of meeting the spiritual needs of the community through knowing the Word of God. Although aspects of both congregational cultures were present to some extentin all six congregations studied, the Social Activist culture played a more dominant narrative in female-headed congregations, whereas the Teach the Word culture was more evident in male-headed congregations. This study reports preliminary information about gender and religious authority in rural African American churches by revealing the different clergy training requirements and church placements of female and male clergy, a myriad of views about female religious authority in the African American faith community, and through uncovering two distinct congregational cultures. This study also enhances understanding on the role of gender in Black churches’ perceptions and interactions with rural, socioeconomically challenged communities.

A Korean perspective on megachurches as missional churches

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Cornelius J.P. Niemandt

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Both the megachurch and the missional church are on-going global phenomena. Working from the premise that the church has to be missional, this article operates from a Korean perspective and researches whether a megachurch can be missional. The megachurch is not simply a very large church in terms of membership or the physical size of its building(s � because of the influence of the interaction between socio-cultural, historical, and theological backgrounds, the megachurch has its own missiological and ecclesiological perspectives. The megachurch understands that the growth of an individual church implies the expansion of the kingdom of God, which means that the individual church has a responsibility to be both functionally and structurally sound, in order to ensure the efficient growth of the kingdom. This is an influential tendency that is found not only in larger size churches, but in all churches who are trying to achieve the quantitative growth of the church by way of evangelisation. The Korean megachurches, represented by the Poongsunghan Church, display these characteristics. The missional church is not simply a mission-driven church, sending many missionaries to other countries; the missional church believes that all churches are sent to the world by God, who wants to reconcile the whole universe with himself. The implication of this is that the church has to restore its missional essence in order to be able to participate in the mission of God. Thus, the missional church is a reforming movement that witnesses to God�s rule by recovering its apostolic nature. The characteristics of this movement are clearly visible in one of the case studies � the Bundang Woori Church. The importance of the missional movement for Korean churches is emphasised.Interdisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The research is a case study of Korean megachurches from a missional perspective. The research represents a critique of practises in

Influences of a Church-Based Intervention on Falls Risk Among Seniors.

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Briggs, Morgan; Morzinski, Jeffrey A; Ellis, Julie

2017-08-01

Prior studies illustrate that community-based programs effectively decrease falls risk in older adults and that faith-based programs improve health behaviors. The literature is unclear whether faith-based initiatives reduce seniors' fall risks. To tackle this gap, a long-term partnership led by 10 urban churches, a nearby nursing school, and a medical school developed a study with 3 objectives: determine baseline health concerns associated with falls (eg, depression, polypharmacy), implement a nurse-led, faith-based health education initiative for community-dwelling African American seniors at-risk of hospitalization, and assess pre- to post -program fall frequency. The 100 Healthy, At-Risk Families study team implemented 8 monthly educational health sessions promoting self-care and social support. Community nurses led the 60- to 90-minute sessions at each of 10 churches. To collect study data, nurses interviewed enrolled seniors pre- and post-intervention. Descriptive and comparison statistics were analyzed in Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Senior data at baseline found high rates of polypharmacy and physical imbalance, and no significant depression or gaps in social support. There was not a statistically significant change pre- to post-program in fall frequency "in prior year." Study findings reveal insights about African American senior health and fall risks. Church settings may provide a protective, psychosocial buffer for seniors, while polypharmacy and mobility/balance concerns indicate need for continued attention to fall risks. No increase in pre- to post-program falls was encouraging.

Religious Authority in African American Churches: A Study of Six Churches

OpenAIRE

Yeary, Karen Hye-cheon Kim

2011-01-01

A sociological study of religious authority and gender in the context of a rural, impoverished community was conducted in African American churches in one county of the Arkansas Lower Mississippi Delta region to understand relationships between religious leadership, gender, race, and social justice. Three female and three male African American pastors were interviewed as key-informants of their churches to investigate views of female religious authority, and to compare and contrast the congre...

Sex and the Church : a study of the Catholic Church and reproductive health in Chile

OpenAIRE

Longenecker, Karen

2010-01-01

This work explores the modern day discourse on sexuality in Chile with particular attention given to the influence of the Catholic Church on reproductive health policy. The Catholic Church has historically been involved in popular social reform efforts in the 19th and 20th centuries, and was also heavily involved as the protectorate of human rights during the Pinochet dictatorship. Due to this popular reputation of the Church after the dictatorship and during the transition to democracy, the ...

School Governors and the Religious Ethos of C of E Voluntary Aided Primary Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Leslie J.; Stone, Ernest A.

1995-01-01

Charts attitudes of the first generation of governors appointed to the Church of England voluntary aided primary schools in the Chichester (England) diocese, following the new Instruments of Government implemented in 1985. The foundation governors remain highly committed to maintaining a distinctive church-related ethos in these schools. (60…

One in the Spirit: Multiculturalism in Church Libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilton, Donna L.

2001-01-01

Describes the importance of creating church libraries that include multicultural materials, examining preliminary points to consider (how multiculturalism varies from church to church, factors to consider in building a diverse collection, ethnic group characteristics, and the multicultural church collection). Discusses finding and ordering…

Church mediation - een vak apart

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Annelies Klinefelter; dr Hans A.J. Jonker

2009-01-01

Welke rol kan mediation in de kerk spelen in de diverse geledingen en specifieke activiteiten? In dit artikel wordt ingegaan op kerkelijke conflicten, gelaagdheid in church mediation, en specifieke dilemma's van church mediation. Daarnaast komen enkele benaderingen aan bod zoals: helende

Getting young adults back to church: A marketing approach

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Michelle C. van der Merwe

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Worldwide, church membership is decreasing. A decline in the number of young adults that attend church services is also evident. The purpose of the research was to determine whether the application of a well-established body of knowledge of marketing theories and principles could be used by churches to encourage young adults to return to the church. The application of services marketing to the church as a non-profit organisation is discussed by focussing on non-physical and physical atmospheric cues in the church’s servicescape that could enhance church attendance. A quantitative approach was used by testing the opinions of 200 church service attendees of different denominations. The findings indicated that certain elements in the servicescape of a church may be useful in attracting young adults. It was found that music is a strong determinant of whether young adults attend church services, followed by layout and design of the church and then by the signs and symbols used in the church. Females reported significantly higher levels of positive perceptions concerning the layout and design. Although the research showed that some marketing elements, such as a positive servicescape, could improve church attendance, other personal elements such as forming personal relationships with fellow Christians and God need to be further explored.

Can Medical School Performance Predict Residency Performance? Resident Selection and Predictors of Successful Performance in Obstetrics and Gynecology

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Stohl, Hindi E.; Hueppchen, Nancy A.; Bienstock, Jessica L.

2010-01-01

Background During the evaluation process, Residency Admissions Committees typically gather data on objective and subjective measures of a medical student's performance through the Electronic Residency Application Service, including medical school grades, standardized test scores, research achievements, nonacademic accomplishments, letters of recommendation, the dean's letter, and personal statements. Using these data to identify which medical students are likely to become successful residents in an academic residency program in obstetrics and gynecology is difficult and to date, not well studied. Objective To determine whether objective information in medical students' applications can help predict resident success. Method We performed a retrospective cohort study of all residents who matched into the Johns Hopkins University residency program in obstetrics and gynecology between 1994 and 2004 and entered the program through the National Resident Matching Program as a postgraduate year-1 resident. Residents were independently evaluated by faculty and ranked in 4 groups according to perceived level of success. Applications from residents in the highest and lowest group were abstracted. Groups were compared using the Fisher exact test and the Student t test. Results Seventy-five residents met inclusion criteria and 29 residents were ranked in the highest and lowest quartiles (15 in highest, 14 in lowest). Univariate analysis identified no variables as consistent predictors of resident success. Conclusion In a program designed to train academic obstetrician-gynecologists, objective data from medical students' applications did not correlate with successful resident performance in our obstetrics-gynecology residency program. We need to continue our search for evaluation criteria that can accurately and reliably select the medical students that are best fit for our specialty. PMID:21976076

Mentoring During Medical School and Match Outcome Among Emergency Medicine Residents

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Erin Dehon

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Few studies have documented the value of mentoring for medical students, and research has been limited to more subjective (e.g., job satisfaction, perceived career preparation rather than objective outcomes. This study examined whether having a mentor is associated with match outcome (where a student matched based on their rank order list [ROL]. Methods: We sent a survey link to all emergency medicine (EM program coordinators to distribute to their residents. EM residents were surveyed about whether they had a mentor during medical school. Match outcome was assessed by asking residents where they matched on their ROL (e.g., first choice, fifth choice. They were also asked about rank in medical school, type of degree (MD vs. DO, and performance on standardized tests. Residents who indicated having a mentor completed the Mentorship Effectiveness Scale (MES, which evaluates behavioral characteristics of the mentor and yields a total score. We assessed correlations among these variables using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Post-hoc analysis using independent sample t-test was conducted to compare differences in the MES score between those who matched to their first or second choice vs. third or higher choice. Results: Participants were a convenience sample of 297 EM residents. Of those, 199 (67% reported having a mentor during medical school. Contrary to our hypothesis, there was no significant correlation between having a mentor and match outcome (r=0.06, p=0.29. Match outcome was associated with class rank (r=0.13, p=0.03, satisfaction with match outcome (r= -0.37, p<0.001, and type of degree (r=0.12, p=0.04. Among those with mentors, a t-test revealed that the MES score was significantly higher among those who matched to their first or second choice (M=51.31, SD=10.13 compared to those who matched to their third or higher choice (M=43.59, SD=17.12, t(194=3.65, p<0.001, d=0.55. Conclusion: Simply having a mentor during medical

Conceptions of Church Slavonic

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Helmut Keipert

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In our time Church Slavonic is a “language without native speakers,” but it is not in all respects a “dead” one. It is for this reason that the Slavs have given it a great variety of names, the different use of which in philological publications heavily depends on the respective linguists’ connotative purposes (e.g., national and ideological interests and so forth. As a rule, the description of the language is based on the analysis of written or printed texts. Only recently have a few additional corpora been introduced in addition to the well-known group of “classical” Old Church Slavonic manuscripts, which, for all their merits in the history of Slavistics, can give only a vague idea of the rich language tradition of Church Slavonic as a whole, since, as a means of actual (oral communication, it can nowadays be observed only in the liturgy. The article discusses the main linguistic conceptions applied to Church Slavonic in the past and present (root language, i.e., proto-language, common language, literary language [Schriftsprache], Ausbau language, etc.; singles out binaristic approaches in opposition to vernaculars; gives an overview of the numerous varieties to be differentiated within the language (connected to regions, chronology, functions, individuals, and groups; recalls the role of reconstruction in modern textbooks and the widely neglected construction devices used in early grammars and dictionaries; and, at the end, refers to the possibility of including Church Slavonic as a model for comparative judgments on degrees of diversity in the structural development of Slavonic languages.

Overcoming violence - a basic task of Christian churches

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Wolfgang Huber

2011-06-01

Full Text Available In this article � based on the second of two keynote lectures at a conference on violence � the view is developed that the task of the church with respect to violence consists mainly in overcoming violence. In the first part of the article dealing with the basic tasks of the church it is argued that the task to overcome violence is close to the essence of the church. The point of departure is taken in Article 7 of the Augsburg Confession, which understands the church as the �communion of saints� and names the pure proclamation of the gospel and the right administration of the sacraments as the two characteristics of the church. The Christian message that the church has to proclaim the gospel entails a preferential option for nonviolence that includes the responsibility to put an end to existing violence. In the second part of the article attention is given to the implications the basic task of the church in overcoming violence holds for the practice of the church. It is argued that the starting point is that the church has to proclaim the gospel of peace and as a community of faith become a community of peace herself. Some of the most important practical consequences the proclamation of the gospel of peace has for the church as a community of action, for her work in education, for her promotion of justice and for her solidarity with those in need, are discussed.

Democracy in understanding of the Orthodox church.

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Grigorios M. Liantas

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Subject of this paper is the notion of “democracy” in understanding and practice of the Ortho-dox Church. Beginning with genesis of the term and its application in ancient Greece author of the paper presents similarities and differences between concepts of “democracy” and “conciliarity”. “Democracy” is a form of government in which people are the source of political authority which is executed by elected representatives and rules on behalf of a nation. However, organization of the Orthodox Church is not “democratic” in common understanding of the term. Every member of the Church has the same duties and carries on the same mission, but everything is based on equality of the Apostles to whom Christ has entrusted spreading of the Gospel and establishment of the Church. “Democracy” in life of the Orthodox Church bears a name of “conciliarity” (greek „συνοδικότης” and it is lived in an unceasing community of all the Church members among themselves and their Divine Head mainly in the Mystery of Eucharist, the core of unity of the Church in Christ. Institution of conciliarity is not just a matter of Church administration or canon law but constitutes fundamental principle of ecclesiology. The fact of presence of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Trinity at each Council provides conciliarity with charismatic character. Organization of the Orthodox Church as ob-served in monastic community of Mount Athos, the world most ancient existing democracy, is set as an example for all social-political systems aiming to improve organization of society.

Partnering with public schools: a resident-driven reproductive health education initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Kelly; Zhu, Tao Y; Raidoo, Shandhini; Zhao, Lulu X; Sammarco, Anne; Ashby, Karen

2014-02-01

To assess the impact of a resident-driven sexual health educational initiative in an inner-city Cleveland middle school. 10 resident physicians and 57 students in 7(th) and 8(th) grade participated in this prospective cohort study. Residents taught 3 sessions on the topics of basic anatomy and physiology, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STI), contraception, and safe relationships. Outcome measures included the percentages of students able to name at least 3 different STIs and contraceptive methods; to name potential complications of STIs; and to correctly identify condoms and abstinence as the only contraceptive methods also protective against STI transmission. Significant improvements were noted in students' baseline knowledge of human anatomy, contraception, and safe sex practices after completion of the curriculum. The percentage of students able to name at least 3 forms of birth control increased from 1.7% to 70.7% (P schools. The socioeconomic burden of teen pregnancy justifies comprehensive efforts to improve reproductive health education. Copyright © 2014 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Territorial Dioceses and Ethnic Episcopies in the Structure of the Church Organization of the First Bulgarian Kingdom (Canonical Aspects

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Archpriest Alexander Zadornov

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The coexistence of ethnic and territorial principles in the structure of ecclesiastical organizations is a well known fact in church history. Both principles are equally legitimate from the point of view of canonical law. The “ethnic principle” was based on legal norms of the so-called 34th Apostolic Rule, and contrary to the opinion of scholars of the 19th century, it was still in use after the era of the Ecumenical Councils. This fact must be considered by students of the history of Church organizations in the First Bulgarian Kingdom, too. The observations regarding the structure of church organizations in Simeonic Bulgaria make it possible to assume the coexistence of ethnic and territorial principles of church organizations in his kingdom. As is known, Slavonic church schools were established in the southwestern part of the First Bulgarian Kingdom after 886. They were aimed at training the Slavonic clergy for the Slavonic church organization. In 893, the Bulgarian King Simeon was elevated to the throne, and a Slavonic eparchy headed by St. Clement of Ohrid was established in the southwestern territories of the First Bulgarian Kingdom. As a result, heterogeneous church organizations were established in the region, and church structures of ethnic and territorial types appeared. They differ from each other by the language of their church services. Old Church Slavonic must have been used as a liturgical language in the ethnic Slavonic eparchy. Since direct historical evidence for such heterogeneous church structure in the First Bulgarian Kingdom is absent, new interpretations of sources made on the basis of canonical law can be of importance for Slavonic studies.

Church Attendance and Religious Experience

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Marianne Nilsen Kvande

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have shown that gender may moderate the relationship between religiousness and mental health in most countries, but few studies have been conducted in Norway and Denmark. This study examined gender differences in religious experiences and church attendance as predictors of existential well-being among 295 women and 233 men from the general Norwegian population. Analyses showed that the structural equation models for women and men did not differ significantly on the global level. The models for women and men, however, showed different patterns. Among men, church attendance and negative religious experiences predicted existential well-being; among women, positive and negative religious experiences were related to existential well-being, but church attendance was not. The present findings suggest that men may benefit more from active religiousness, whereas women may benefit more from affective religiousness. Comparing these results with research in other cultural contexts, we find that different operationalizations of church attendance yield the same types of patterns across cultural contexts. Consequently, the benefits of religiousness may be similar for women and men irrespective of cultural context.

Ethiopian church forests : opportunities and challenges for restoration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wassie Eshete, A.

2007-01-01

In Northern Ethiopia almost all dry Afromontane forests have been converted to open agricultural lands. Only small isolated fragments remain around churches ("church forests"), but these are many. This study analyses forest community structure and composition of the church forests, investigates

Women and Popular Church

OpenAIRE

Maria Brendalí Costa; EST

2013-01-01

From the early 1960s, the Popular Church organized and influenced the actions, ideas and objectives of the Brazilian civil society. From the Feminist Theology, the article reflects on the different ways which this praxis influenced, through principles, worldviews and methodologies, the actions performed by women in the 1980s who engaged in the Urban Popular Church in suburbs of cities which belonged to the diocese of Caxias do Sul. The study is bibliographic, documental and is analyzed throug...

Gnosticism, church unity and the Nicene Creed

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C. F.C. Coetzee

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Gnosticism (derived from the Greek word “gnosis; knowledge” is the well-known phenomenon or movement which dates from the first centuries of church history. The teaching of Gnosticism questioned and/or contradicted the teaching of the church on some of the fundamental truths of Scripture. Apart from Gnosticism, the Early Church also had to deal with the heresy of Arianism. In the Nicene Creed, formulated by the councils of Nicea (325 AD and Constantinople (381 AD the universal or catholic church responded officially to the heresies of both Gnosticism and Arianism. In the final edition of the Nicene Creed we also find an article on the unity, holiness, catholicity and apostolicity of the church. Both Gnosticism and Arianism posed a serious threat to the unity of the church.   In our times we experience a revival of ancient Gnosticism, both pagan and “Christian”. This revival is also called the New Age or the Age of Aquarius. Within the framework of this new worldview, we are witnessing a rediscovery of gnosis. The discovery and publication of certain ancient gnostic texts like the Nag Hammadi Codices, play a significant role in this revival. Consequently the canon of Scripture is questioned or openly rejected and also the creeds based on that Scripture.   The Nicene Creed played a major and decisive role in preserving and maintaining the unity of the church on the basis of the truth of Scripture. This age-old creed is today just as relevant and important in proclaiming and confessing the true faith and preserving the true unity of the church.

A Church History of Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lausten, Martin Schwarz

A Church History of Denmark from the Missionary periode, through the Middle Ages, the Lutheran Reformation, the Ortodoxy, Pietisme, Enlightenment and det History of the 19. and 20. century......A Church History of Denmark from the Missionary periode, through the Middle Ages, the Lutheran Reformation, the Ortodoxy, Pietisme, Enlightenment and det History of the 19. and 20. century...

Church Colleges Today. Perspectives of a Church Agency on Their Problems and Possibilities. Studies in Christian Higher Education, No. 15.

Science.gov (United States)

Geler, Woodrow A., Ed.

Six articles giving the perspective of the United Methodist Church on the problems and possibilities in higher education are presented. The topics include: Why is the Church in Higher Education?, Church-College Relationships and Challenges, Higher Education for Blacks, The Crisis in Enrollment, New Generations for New Days, and Trends and…

MEANS OF ESTABLISHING CHURCH PROPERTY AND FUNDING SOURCES

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Cricovean Mircea

2013-07-01

Regarding the administration of goods, the Church finds guidance in the laws of the State to which it belongs (Stan, 1952 but taking into consideration the fact that the Church cannot “have its special principles and rules contradicted”(Floca, 1990: 448. However, the church, in fulfilling its purpose - the salvation of believers, needs wealth or heritage. This is not to understand that the Church can “lose its essential character, supernatural character, because, for the Church the earthly possessions and temporal happiness are not an immediate end” (Floca, 1990: 451-452. To understand the Church’s sources of financing it is necessary to take account of its properties. Along the time the church was holder of ownership rights. Its property had to be maintained, at least, so it needed funding. The Church’s canonical and statutory provisions are those governing the Church’s source of funding. They cannot conclusively be understood without observing the principles and rules specific for the ecclesiastical wealth management. Noted should be that previously there were no generally accepted rules on the management of financial resources of the church. The canonical, legal and statutory establishments have become customary in time, making it possible this way, by the dioceses supervisors, that sources of funding should be directed towards the maintenance of the Church, of the worship and of social activities.

Restoration and Rehabilitation of world heritage Site of Chupan Church

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S. Darvish Rohani

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Church of Chupan is located in Jolfa cityin north of Iran and is laid at south side of Arax River. Built of the church traced back to 14th to 15th century and the time when Armenians were inhabited in the region. Chupan church had been inscribed at World Heritage List of UNESCO under no 1262 in 2008, as one of the five churches of “Armenian Monasteries of Azerbaijan province of Iran” dossier. As it is located at a religious and tourism road of Darresham and each year most of Armenian from all over the world visited the church as a part of a religious ceremony, also as the same church on opposite side of the Arax in Republic of Nakhchivan is completely destroyed between 1998-2002 and the church is the only existing evidence of these two couple church, the restoration and rehabilitation of chupan church is very important. Because of very bad statues of structure stability and long-term neglect of the conservation and preservation of the building, restoration and rehabilitation of the church in the earliest was necessary. Restoration of this church was my MA degree thesis and now as a Ph.D student in field of urban design and planning student, I am working on the next step which is to revitalization and rehabilitation of the church.

Restoration and Rehabilitation of world heritage Site of Chupan Church

Science.gov (United States)

Darvish Rohani, S.

2015-08-01

Church of Chupan is located in Jolfa cityin north of Iran and is laid at south side of Arax River. Built of the church traced back to 14th to 15th century and the time when Armenians were inhabited in the region. Chupan church had been inscribed at World Heritage List of UNESCO under no 1262 in 2008, as one of the five churches of "Armenian Monasteries of Azerbaijan province of Iran" dossier. As it is located at a religious and tourism road of Darresham and each year most of Armenian from all over the world visited the church as a part of a religious ceremony, also as the same church on opposite side of the Arax in Republic of Nakhchivan is completely destroyed between 1998-2002 and the church is the only existing evidence of these two couple church, the restoration and rehabilitation of chupan church is very important. Because of very bad statues of structure stability and long-term neglect of the conservation and preservation of the building, restoration and rehabilitation of the church in the earliest was necessary. Restoration of this church was my MA degree thesis and now as a Ph.D student in field of urban design and planning student, I am working on the next step which is to revitalization and rehabilitation of the church.

Self-secularisation as challenge to the church

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Jaco Beyers

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The concept of self-secularisation has been identified by Wolfgang Huber, bishop of the German Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD, when he reflected on the context of the church in Germany. Self-secularisation however, is a worldwide phenomenon with effects in South Africa as well. After discussing the origin of the concept and its interpretations, the author tries to identify instances of self-secularisation within especially the Afrikaansspeaking churches, although not limited to them, in South Africa. The theological jargon comes under scrutiny, civil religion, the pluralistic society within which the church exists, the effect of emotionalism, the commercialisation of the church, the role of mass media and the phenomenon of infotainment, rationalisation and a lack of ethics are some of the elements identified and discussed. Finally the author attempts a correction by indicating what the church ought to do in order to counter the effects of self-secularisation.

Why I Left the Church

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leth-Nissen, Karen Marie Sø

2014-01-01

both drivers and triggers. The drivers are the motifs and reasons building up the possibility of leaving the church. The trigger is the straw the breaks the camel's back, and is therefore just a trigger, and not as important as the drivers. The study argues that economy as a reason for leaving...... to better explain the multifaceted reasons why members decide to leave the National Church. The aspects explored are the motifs, thoughts and reflections of the former members. Methods applied will be qualitative life-historical semi-structured interviews. The study produces data comparable with a similar...... the church is more of a trigger than actually a driver, why we should be more aware of the other reasons for resigning membership....

Precarious housing in the Salvokop neighbourhood: A challenge to churches in the inner City of Tshwane

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Ezekiel Ntakirutimana

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This article describes the daunting challenge of precarious housing in Salvokop located in the southern part of inner City of Tshwane, Gauteng Province. Insecure tenure, unmaintained dwellings, overcrowding, mushrooming of backyard shacks and the rise of the informal settlement, all that led to deep levels of vulnerability and neighbourhood deterioration. Current conditions show that life in that neighbourhood is fraught as substandard housing degenerated into slum and squalor. This concern emerged among other salient pressing issues of poverty and vulnerability from the World Café and Focus Groups with the inner city churches including those from Salvokop. The article set out to describe precarious housing, unpleasant living conditions owing to the fact that human beings stay in unsuitable dwellings while the environment deteriorates. Taking into account their circumstances, the article’s aim was to recapture the extent to which the residents suffer as a result of living in dwellings unfit for human habitation, rethinking an alternative model to respond. A theological agenda for future ecclesiological engagement was discerned forthwith recommendations. The article makes a contribution towards the theology of the city in that it stimulates church practices and housing of poor people in Tshwane. It does so by engaging in a unique way grassroots knowledge from the different inner city congregations. This process used the platform of surveys, World Café style gatherings and Focus Groups. In conversation with the primary source, this article also contributed with original data generated with the Salvokop residents whose stories helped to expend on horizons of housing, which is acknowledged. All the inner city church contributors of the realisation of the study objectives are also recognised.

The first coronation churches of medieval Serbia

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Kalić Jovanka

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The medieval ceremony of coronation as a rule took place in the most important church of a realm. The sites of the coronation of Serbian rulers before the establishment of the Žiča monastery church as the coronation church of Serbian kings in the first half of the thirteenth century have not been reliably identified so far. Based on the surviving medieval sources and the archaeological record, this paper provides background information about the titles of Serbian rulers prior to the creation of the Nemanjić state, and proposes that Stefan, son of the founder of the Nemanjić dynasty, was crowned king (1217 in the church of St Peter in Ras.

Sacred Space: A Beginning Framework for Off-Planet Church

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, T. K.

As governments and corporations continue to engage space security, commerce, exploration and colonization, the Christian Church will not be far behind. Historically the Church has always been part of the first waves of explorers and colonizers, with its ideological interests being easily supported by generous resources and strong infrastructures. The exploring Church has not always been a friendly guest, however, and at times has initiated or condoned great harm. This paper offers a beginning framework as one way of insuring an appropriate presence in space for the Church. This framework is built with three common religious planks, namely, theology, ecclesiology and church worker vocation. Each of these is recast in terms of the off-planet scenario. This paper concludes that an appropriate off-planet Church will be founded on an "exomissiological" theology, will embrace an ecclesiology that emphasizes religious health, and will adequately select, train and monitor its off-planet church workers.

Church, mission and ethics. Being church with integrity

African Journals Online (AJOL)

documentaries and books proved this point. A quick ... Triune God's new creation and involvement in this world. It is quite clear .... reformation history into modern times, the church struggled with issues ..... Augustine and his Manichaean audience: ... Randi, J., 1987, The faith healers, Prometheus Books, Buffalo, NY. Reuver ...

Partnership in Learning between University and School: Evidence from a Researcher-in-Residence

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Ann-Marie; O'Neill, Amy; Mooney Simmie, Geraldine

2015-01-01

The status of school placement in the Republic of Ireland has recently been elevated in importance within a reconceptualisation of initial teacher education (ITE). This paper shares the findings from one case study of a school--university partnership enacted in this regard. The partnership involved a researcher-in-residence at the school…

Relational leadership and the missional church

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Jacob J. Breedt

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The global realities regarding cultural shifts and the transition between traditional, modern and postmodern world perspectives have particular implications for leadership in general. In several institutions, including those in commercial, educational, medical and religious circles, leaders face the challenges of constant change in lifestyle, relational intelligence and responsibility. The combined impact of these changes in thought and culture, information technology, globalisation and racial, ethnic and religious pluralism has displaced the historic role the church has traditionally played. In this article it was argued that the church would have to take a hard look at relationships, in order to be the successful missional church which was demonstrated by Jesus Christ. The church needs to change, evolve and advance in relational intelligence and leadership � and leaders should set the pace. This implies that a paradigm shift is necessary; it is believed that this can be achieved through the proposed relational leadership style, as clearly demonstrated in the Trinitarian discussion. The Trinity, especially a relational Trinity, revealed the core understanding of missional ecclesiology and leadership and showed that as a result of the total �oneness� of God, there is no hierarchical order in the Godhead and as such the church should function and operate with the Trinity as its model and example.

Church as heterotopia

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Tanya van Wyk

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This article reflects on an ecclesiastical institution as a spatial panoptic structure which domesticates representational space as a hierarchy of power devoid of a sensitivity for the ‘human Other’ (Autrui. The notion of heterotopia is promoted to deconstruct spatiality and linearity (time as theological binary concepts. Being church as heterotopia does not deny the desire for the utopian dimension in religious thinking but holds on to utopian thinking amidst adversity and diversity. Therefore the concept of heterotopia is used to describe reconciliatory diversity, which is characteristic of an inclusive postmodern church which is a space where unity is not threatened by diversity, where the one is not afraid of the Other.

Effective strategic leadership: Balancing roles during church ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effective strategic leadership: Balancing roles during church transitions. ... a substantive grounded theory of organisational change and leadership, particularly focusing on the manifestation and management of organisation inertia in churches ...

Modern Church Construction in Urals. Problems and Prospects

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Surin, D. N.; Tereshina, O. B.

2017-11-01

The article analyzes the problems of the modern Orthodox church architecture in Russia, special attention is paid to the problems of the Ural region. It justifies the importance of addressing to this issue connected with the Orthodox traditions revival in Russia over the last decades and the need to compensate for tens of thousands of the churches destroyed in the Soviet period. The works on the theory and history of the Russian architecture and art, studies of the architectural heritage and the art of building of the Ural craftsmen are used as a scientific and methodological base for the church architecture development. The article discloses the historically formed architectural features of the Russian Orthodox churches the artistic image of which is designed to create a certain religious and aesthetic experience. It is stated that the restoration of the Russian church construction tradition is possible on the background of architectural heritage. It sets the tendencies and vital tasks in church construction and outlines a complex of measures to solve these tasks at the public and regional levels.

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES OF PARISH CLERGY IN CIRCUMSTANCES OF GOVERNMENTALIZING OF ORTHODOX CHURCH IN RUSSIAN EMPIRE OF 19 TH CENTURY

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Светлана Геннадиевна Зубанова

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the experience of the Russian empire of the 19 th century in creating the conditions for social activities of the Russian Orthodox Church. The author describes such types of the Russian Orthodox Church activities aimed at helping those in need as helping the poor, coordinating the work of poor-houses, collecting donations, supporting parochial schools, poor houses, orphanages, hospitals, construction and reconstruction of churches. The author analyzes the role of the parochial patronages in the charity and social service activities, as well as in the moral and spiritual education of the population. The work of the well-known members of the clergy which forms a part of the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian history in general is given as an example of the above mentioned activities. The article extensively covers the responsibilities of parish priests, the difficulties which they come across, and highlights the reasons for the negative attitude towards the clergy in the late 19 th - early 20 th centuries. The author summarizes the historical lessons of the social activity of the Russian Orthodox Church. The article provides grounds for the opinion that the social activities of the Church should not interfere with its main religious functions, and the partnership of the state and the Russian Orthodox Church in the social projects should contribute to the improvement of people’s life and their moral and spiritual growth.

Relational Principles for Effective Church Leadership

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Watt, Willis M.

2014-01-01

In the 21st century, effective church leaders need to be prepared to emphasize and demonstrate ethical leadership, personal responsibility, and community service. The foundation for success in all those areas lies in the ability of church leaders to initiate, develop, and maintain positive functioning relationships. Based on over 40 year's…

Indoor radon levels in Columbus and Franklin county, Ohio residences, commercial buildings, and schools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grafton, H.E.

1990-01-01

In this paper data is presented for 2 residential radon surveys, one survey of city-owned buildings, and survey of Columbus Public Schools. The first residential survey used volunteer participants and employed a 48 hour activated carbon measurement: 4425 measurements in the data. The second survey consisted of 120 randomly selected residences in which alpha track detectors were placed for from 60 to 120 days. A survey of 52 city-owned buildings in which screening measurements were obtained using activated carbon, alpha track, and E-PERM radon detectors is included in the data. Also a survey of 25 Columbus Public Schools in which E-PERM radon monitors were used to obtain measurements is detailed in the data. More than 72% of the volunteer survey residences showed screening measurements of 4.0 pCi/L or greater while the random survey revealed 92% of the residences with radon levels of 4.0 pCi/L or higher. Schools tested in the survey also showed elevated radon levels with 20% of the tested structures with an average radon level of 4.0 pCi/L. Work is still in progress on city-owned buildings and Columbus Schools. The authors conclude that any owner or lessor of occupied buildings in Franklin County, Ohio should perform screening measurements and should be prepared to also perform follow-up measurements

Experiencing Churches as Spiritual and Religious Places: A Study on Children's Emotions in Church Buildings during Scholastic Field Trips

Science.gov (United States)

Kindermann, Katharina; Riegel, Ulrich

2018-01-01

Going on a field trip to the church, pupils can experience lived religion. But how do they feel during such a church visit? In this paper, we analyse statements of 516 German third graders (about 8 years old) made after they had visited their local church on a field trip. Using affective schema theory, we develop a conceptual model of emotions in…

Orientation of English Medieval Parish Churches

Science.gov (United States)

Hoare, Peter G.

Our understanding of the alignment of English medieval parish churches, after more than three centuries of research, is far from complete. The arrangement of relatively few structures has been explained beyond reasonable doubt, and tests of the overwhelmingly popular festival orientation theory are often insufficiently rigorous to provide convincing answers. Much work remains to be done, including verifying and analyzing some of the existing raw data, determining whether the present church was dedicated at the time of construction, examining wills for evidence of early dedications, measuring the effect of eastern horizons on sunrise azimuths, and consulting excavation reports to assess whether earlier buildings may have influenced the arrangement of those churches that replaced them.

Acoustic energy relations in Mudejar-Gothic churches.

Science.gov (United States)

Zamarreño, Teófilo; Girón, Sara; Galindo, Miguel

2007-01-01

Extensive objective energy-based parameters have been measured in 12 Mudejar-Gothic churches in the south of Spain. Measurements took place in unoccupied churches according to the ISO-3382 standard. Monoaural objective measures in the 125-4000 Hz frequency range and in their spatial distributions were obtained. Acoustic parameters: clarity C80, definition D50, sound strength G and center time Ts have been deduced using impulse response analysis through a maximum length sequence measurement system in each church. These parameters spectrally averaged according to the most extended criteria in auditoria in order to consider acoustic quality were studied as a function of source-receiver distance. The experimental results were compared with predictions given by classical and other existing theoretical models proposed for concert halls and churches. An analytical semi-empirical model based on the measured values of the C80 parameter is proposed in this work for these spaces. The good agreement between predicted values and experimental data for definition, sound strength, and center time in the churches analyzed shows that the model can be used for design predictions and other purposes with reasonable accuracy.

Thermoluminescence dating of some Hungarian medieval churches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasa, I.; Bajnoczy, G.

1984-01-01

Thermoluminescence dating of three Hungarian historic churches was performed using the quarz inclusion technique and sup(60)Co gamma irradiation. Quarz grains obtained from the bricks were irradiated and the radiation doses were measured by CaSOsub(4):Dy TL dosemeters. Glow curves of irradiated and non-irradiated samples were also measured. From the results it was concluded that the ages of two churches were 10 and 30 percent less, respectively, than the ages estimated earlier. The age of the third church proved to be correct. (R.P.)

Love and Truth in Social Involvement of the Church

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Henryk Szmulewicz

2012-09-01

Full Text Available This study begins with a brief outline of the essence of the whole encyclical Caritas in veritate . Benedict XVI expresses the desire for „the dialogue with the world”. He understands this dialogue as a special kind of the service of the Church towards eternal love and truth, fully revealed in Christ. The dialogue of the Church with the world, in the spirit of love and truth, is accomplished every day at the level of so-called official relations. There are numerous opinions that in the past the Church repeatedly neglected the dialogue with the world. Indeed, the Church historians point out the existence of examples of the fall of the authority of the Holy See in particular countries and circumstances. Similarly, the Church is the sign of objection in the contemporary world. Instructed by past experiences the Church is aware that what is necessary for the renewal of culture and society, is evangelical love and truth.

Writers and chanters in the nineteenth century as keepers of the tradition of Serbian church music

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Marjanović Nataša

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, parts of the memoir literary works from the second half of the nineteenth century are presented as important sources for the research of Serbian traditional church chant. The testimonies on church music from diaries, memoirs and autobiographical notes by famous Serbian writers, statesmen and politicians, namely Jovan Subotić, Jakov Ignjatović, Milan Savić, Milica Stojadinović Srpkinja, Todor Stefanović Vilovski, Vladimir Jovanović and Kosta Hristić, were analyzed. Those writings bring to light a time when church chant was appreciated as an important part of the spiritual, folk heritage and had an important role in everyday culture of Serbian people both in the Habsburg Monarchy and in the Principality and Kingdom of Serbia. The authors wrote about musical skills of chanters from clerical, church circles and about the practice of chanting among school teachers. They also described different kinds of musical performances of church chant among laymen and children. These sources testify to writers’ general and musical education and experiences, to their environment and its relation to the aesthetics of spiritual folk tradition. This paper also analyzes sources in the context of the history and theory of literature, having in mind the authors’ commentary techniques and narrative style. Those issues are discussed in relation to the poetics of romanticism, Biedermeier and realism in Serbian literature. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 177004: Identiteti srpske muzike od lokalnih do globalnih okvira: tradicije, promene, izazovi

Radio and the Church – a Historical Glance

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Carl-Mario Sultana

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Radio is a very powerful mass communication medium. In radio broadcasting, one can hear the echo of Christ’s words to his apostles in the missionary discourse: “You received without charge, give without charge...What you hear in whispers, proclaim from the house tops” (Mt 10,8b.27. Although the Church uses radio as a means to transmit the Good News of salvation, and we as human beings receive radio transmissions as a part of our daily life, we barely stop to think and reflect upon the underlying aspects of radio as a means of communication. In this paper, the Author endeavours to give a historical overview of what makes radio an important medium for evangelisation according to four key documents of the Church, while also studying the underlying theological positions found in these documents. These documents enable us to study radio as a broadcasting medium, highlighting the possible reactions of the Church to radio and how the Church changed its stance on radio over the years. The reason for focussing specifically on radio is for two particular reasons: from the very beginning, the Church has considered radio as a means for evangelising the masses. Notwithstanding this, what is going to be discussing in the paper can be equally applied to Television as a mass communication medium. Secondly, the Church took an active role in radio broadcasting by asking Guglielmo Marconi himself to construct the Vatican Radio in 1931. The documents of the Church also offer us a theology of radio as a mass communication medium, with unity, progress and evangelisation being the fundamental aspects. Church documents posit that not everything should be broadcasted over radio but only messages which bring about peace and unity.

Parenting Intervention for Prevention of Behavioral Problems in Elementary School-Age Filipino-American Children: A Pilot Study in Churches.

Science.gov (United States)

Javier, Joyce R; Coffey, Dean M; Schrager, Sheree M; Palinkas, Lawrence A; Miranda, Jeanne

This study aims to test an evidence-based parenting program offered in churches among Filipino-American parents and estimate effect size for a fully powered trial. Twenty-two parents of children aged 6 to 12 years were randomly assigned to either an intervention or a waiting-list control group. Parents' perceptions of child behavior, parenting practices, and parenting stress were obtained at baseline. Parents in the experimental group attended The Incredible Years School Age Program, which consisted of 12 weekly 2-hour sessions. A follow-up assessment was performed after the intervention and 12 weeks later. The intervention was subsequently repeated with the control group. Satisfaction was assessed with a 40-item measure. Analysis of covariance was used to compare the intervention group postintervention versus the control group. Paired t-tests compared mean parenting practices, parenting stress, and child behavior outcomes. Satisfaction was assessed descriptively. Twenty-two parents completed all assessments and the intervention. Analysis of variance comparing intervention and control groups with repeated measures (pre- and post-test measures) revealed that the program has a positive impact on parenting stress, parenting practices (physical punishment, positive verbal discipline), and parent's perception of their child's behavior (internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and number of problematic behaviors). Analyses of all participants comparing pre- and post intervention revealed improvements in parenting stress, positive verbal discipline, and child externalizing and total problem behaviors. Families reported high satisfaction with the content and format of the intervention. Results support the feasibility of providing an evidence-based parenting program to Filipino parents in churches to prevent future behavioral health problems.

Divine empowerment: The Holy Spirit and church revitalisation

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Brian A. DeVries

2015-07-01

Full Text Available How do principles of church revitalisation correlate with the divine work of the Holy Spirit? This article argues that the Spirit is the primary agent of church revitalisation, and churchleaders should cooperate with the Spirit as he works for revitalisation. Thus the Spirit empowers church leaders who are used by him to revive, renew, and revitalise a church community. After briefly defining the Spirit’s empowerment with biblical examples, this article examines the underlying principles of empowerment for church leaders, followed by briefly considering methodology for church revitalisation. The author concludes by suggesting several signs of biblical empowerment in a local church community. Goddelike bemagtiging: Die Heilige Gees en kerkherstel. Watter plek beklee die goddelike werking van die Heilige Gees in die beginsels van kerkherstel? Hierdie artikel poneer dat die Heilige Gees die primêre agent is om nuwe lewe in die kerk te bring en kerkleiers behoort onder leiding van die Heilige Gees hulle hiervoor te beywer. Die Heilige Gees bemagtig dus die kerkleiers wat Hy gebruik om ’n kerklike gemeenskap te laat herleef, te vernuwe en hulle te besiel met lewenskragtigheid. Die Gees se bemagtiging word kortliks aan die hand van bybelse voorbeelde gedefineer, waarna die grondliggende beginsels vir die bemagtiging van die kerkleiers ondersoek word. Daarna word die metodologie om nuwe lewenskrag in die kerk te bring kortliks oorweeg. Die outeur sluit af deur verskeie tekens uit te lig wat op skriftuurlike bemagtiging van die Heilige Gees in die plaaslike kerkgemeenskap dui.

Personality traits of Church Planters in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Paas, S.; van Saane, J.W.; Foppen, Annemarie

2017-01-01

In this article we present the results of a Big Five personality test among 59 religious entrepreneurs (church planters) in Europe, and we compare these results with (a) a general database, and (b) existing research among secular entrepreneurs. Our study concludes that church planters are

The amazing growth of the early church

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Wim A. Dreyer

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The church grew rapidly during the first centuries. The question is: Why? Generations of scholars approached this question from different perspectives and with different methods. Historical research, analysis of early Christian texts and theological reflection were the most common methods used to shed light on the growth of the church. In this contribution five different models of growth were discussed, using the approach of A.M. Schor as a point of departure. These models of church growth were put under the headings of an apostolic mission model, values reproduction model, social reaction model, network model with an institutional model added.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN WESTERN SIBERIA IN THE LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES

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A. A. Valitov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The paper looks at the educational activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in Western Siberia from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. The analysis of archival material reflects the foundation, development and evolution of parish schools in Western Siberia; the activity of the eparchy inspectors and parish school boards being outlined. The main emphasis is on the Tomsk eparchy – the regional leader in successful primary school development in Western Siberia. For many Russian citizens then, the parish schools were the only available educational institutions. In Western Siberia, the ascetic enlightening activity of the clergymen had a great impact on raising the literacy level; the process being complicated by the vast territories, remoteness of the settlements, and lack of local schools. The research demonstrates the parallel evolution of the parish and civil education, however, the former one was always ahead in many aspects. The competition between the two systems stimulated new effective educational methods and teacher training processes, and contributed a lot to the Russian primary education development. The paper might be of interest to the experts in education and church history, and local historians

The Dutch Reformed Church Mission in Swaziland - A dream come true

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Arnau van Wyngaard

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This article covers the time from 1652 onwards when employees of the Dutch East India Company – most of whom were members of the Reformed Church in the Netherlands – arrived at the Cape of Good Hope in present South Africa. With time, a new church, the Dutch Reformed Church, was established in the Cape. In 1836, a number of pioneers moved from the Cape to the east of South Africa and some of them eventually made Swaziland their new home. Although most members of the white Dutch Reformed Church opposed any integration with Christians from other races, there was nevertheless a desire that they should join a Reformed Church. In 1922, the first Dutch Reformed congregation in Swaziland was established in Goedgegun in the southern region of the country, intended for the exclusive use of white, Afrikaans-speaking church members. In 1944, the first Reformed congregation for Swazi members was formed, which later became known as the Swaziland Reformed Church. This article documents the history of this church and concludes with a description of the Swaziland Reformed Church in 1985, with four missionaries from South Africa ministering in the four regions of Swaziland.

Conversion growth of Protestant churches in Thailand

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visser, M

2008-01-01

This study set out to answer the question what factors are conducive for church growth through conversion in Protestant Thai churches. After 180 years of unhindered Protestant missionary activity only 0.3% of ethnic Thai, about 185,000 people, have become Protestants. Though small, ethnic Thai

Skrif en Kerkorder/Scripture and church order | Celliers | Acta ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This enables the congregation to adhere to its calling for obedience, love, and witness, so that the church can continue to exist. The outlines of the nature and order of the church should be addressed in all church orders to avoid pragmatism and arbitrariness on the one hand, and to create space for the various demands of ...

Church, freedom and bolshevisation of Moscow University

Science.gov (United States)

Gaina, Alex

2008-05-01

A short description of events, occured in Russia after 1917 with emphasysis on main phyilosophycal curents such as marxism and believing, first of atheistic content and second of christian moralty content is given. It is argued, that bolshevicks contributed to progress of Russia, but this was reached by mean of purges and terror, during which many peoples were killed, especially representatives of the Russian Ortodox church. A list of scientists, which contributed more than other to the bolshevisation of the Russia and Moscow University, particularly, is given. The controverse between Hegel and Einstein from one part and Marx and bolshevicks from other part is examined also. The bolshevicks destroyed the Russian ortodox church, instead of its modernisation, is argued. The Calendar in the Russian Ortodox church is discussed, which is Julian, and it is argued, that a peaceful dialogue between the representatives of the Church and scientists is needed in order to make a transition to the Gregorian one.

Poland: A Dark Side of Church Cultural Policy

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Szocik Konrad

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The cultural policy of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland is incorporated into state-run cultural policies. The organs of public authority enforce the objectives of Church regardless of Church’s actual ability to influence the society. It should be pointed out that the secularization of religion in Poland is frequently misinterpreted and usually equated with its deprivatization. It is worth mentioning that Catholicism is the dominant religion of the country and the Roman Catholic Church has hold a special position in Poland and play a major role in the country’s social and political life. In practice, however, Polish society appears to be religiously indifferent. This paper proves that the official, state-run cultural policy in Poland is based on favoritism of the Roman Catholic Church, regardless of Church’s actual ability to wield influence on society. Thus, there is a variety of implicit and explicit cultural policies implemented by the authorities to support Church. This work also aims at addressing the question of social attitudes to women, especially the one concerning the UN and EU law embracing women’s rights, until recently still not implemented in Poland. This paper further explores some peculiarities of this topic as an example of a specific outcome of Church cultural policy and its impact on both the past and present-day society.

Church parties in the Arian controversy: problems of typologization

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Georgy Zakharov

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to the problems of typologization of the church parties of the 4th century. This historical phenomenon arises within the framework of a long church conflict, called the Arian crisis. The designations of the church parties used by contemporaries are polemical concepts and do not correspond to the self-consciousness of their supporters. In the early Christian heresiological tradition and in the modern historiography, the basis of church parties’ classification is their theological position. However, it is necessary to take into account other consolidating factors, such as Eucharistic communion and church-political activity. The formation of church parties, as a rule, was directly related to the development of the synodal institution. Analysis of sources in the 4th century allows us to distinguish, in addition to the extensive currents - macro-parties - claiming a universal or regional consensus based on the heritage of one of the representative and authoritative councils, some small consolidated groups - micro-parties, which gather for little councils and constantly coordinate their actions within the ecclesiastical confrontation. Micro-parties could exist both within the limits of macro-party, in many respects determining the trends of it’s development, and beyond it’s boundaries. In the latter case, it is actually a marginal church group rallied around one or more extraordinary theologian, sometimes even without the episcopal rank.

The Church of Deaf Sociality: Deaf Churchgoing Practices and "Sign Bread and Butter" in Bangalore, India

Science.gov (United States)

Friedner, Michele

2014-01-01

This article ethnographically analyzes the practices of deaf young adults in Bangalore, India. As sign language is not used by families, schools, or other institutions, the church is a crucial educational space. Churchgoing provides deaf young adults with opportunities to orient themselves toward other deaf young adults, to develop new ideas of…

Measuring the Contribution of Independent Christian Secondary Schools to Students' Religious, Personal, and Social Values

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Leslie J.; ap Siôn, Tania; Village, Andrew

2014-01-01

From the late 1960s independent Christian schools have emerged in England and Wales, initiated either by churches or by parents. Many of these new independent schools are linked through the Christian Schools Trust. The impact that these schools are exerting on their students may be of interest for the churches with which they are associated and of…

Church-Based Recruitment to Reach Korean Immigrants: An Integrative Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Chorong; Jang, Myoungock; Nam, Soohyun; Grey, Margaret; Whittemore, Robin

2017-04-01

Although the Korean church has been frequently used to recruit Korean immigrants in research, little is known about the specific strategies and process. The purpose of this integrative review was to describe recruitment strategies in studies of Korean immigrants and to identify the process of Korean church-based recruitment. Thirty-three studies met inclusion criteria. Four stages of church-based recruitment were identified: initiation, endorsement, advertisement, and implementation. This review identified aspects of the church-based recruitment process in Korean immigrants, which are different from the Black and Hispanic literature, due to their hierarchical culture and language barriers. Getting permission from pastors and announcing the study by pastors at Sunday services were identified as the key components of the process. Using the church newsletter to advertise the study was the most effective strategy for the advertisement stage. Despite several limitations, church-based recruitment is a very feasible and effective way to recruit Korean immigrants.

Aurora Borealis, A Painting by Frederic Edwin Church

Science.gov (United States)

Love, J. J.

2015-12-01

This year marks the sesquicentennial anniversary of the end of the American Civil War. In 1865, the same year as the War's end, the great American landscape artist, Frederic Edwin Church, unveiled Aurora Borealis, a painting that depicts a fantastic, far-northern place, an auroral arch stretched across a quiet night-time sky, above dark mountains and a frozen sea. Church was born in Connecticut, lived in New York, and traveled to Labrador; he would have often seen the northern lights. Church might have also been influenced by the spectacular displays of aurora that were caused by some unusually intense magnetic storms in 1859. Aurora Borealis can certainly be interpreted in terms of 19th-century romanticism, scientific philosophy, and Arctic missions of exploration, all subjects of interest to Church. As with so many of his paintings, Church's meticulous attention to detail in Aurora Borealis reveals his deep admiration of nature. But his depiction of auroral light is a curious and possibly intentional departure from natural verisimilitude. Some art historians have suggested that Church painted Aurora Borealis as a subdued tribute to the end of the Civil War, with the drapery of auroral light forming an abstract representation of the American flag. If so, then colors of the flag have been unfurled across a cold and barren landscape, not in extravagant celebration, but in somber recognition of the reality of post-war desolation and an uncertain future.

The facilitation by church leaders in overcoming resistance to change.

OpenAIRE

2008-01-01

Little has been done to address the issue of how to overcome resistance to change in a change effort in the church world. “How to overcome resistance to change?” is a question that requires serious consideration among church leaders. Church leaders continue to act in ways that produce resistance to change and ultimately failed change efforts. These actions on the part of church leaders often strengthen and reinforce the sources of resistance to change, making it very difficult for change to b...

The birth of an Empire of Two Churches : church property, theologians, and the League of Schmalkalden

OpenAIRE

Ocker, Christopher

2010-01-01

Did the creation of Protestant churches in Germany during Luther's generation follow someone's intentions? Heiko Oberman, appealing to a medieval Luther, portrays the reformer as herald of a dawning apocalypse, a monk at war with the devil, who expected God to judge the world and rescue Christians with no help from human institutions, abilities, and processes. This Luther could not have intended the creation of a new church. Dorothea Wendebourg and Hans-Jürgen Goertz stress the diversity of e...

[Effect of student knowledge in gastronomy schools and origin of residence on their nutritional habits and nutritional status].

Science.gov (United States)

Chalcarz, W; Klemczak, L; Krajewski, P

1991-01-01

Nutritional habits and nutritional status of 142 pupils of a Gastronomic School Complex were examined from the standpoint of the year of school, school marks and place of residence. It was found that the year of school and place of residence exerted an effect on the nutritional habits of pupils. These young people failed to prefer dishes and food products recommended in the prophylaxis of civilization diseases. In all subjects the levels of total lipids and beta-lipoproteins exceeded the upper range of the norm. Hemoglobin concentration fluctuated within the lower range of the norm, and that of glucose--within the upper range of the norm. When completing school, the pupils displayed a lowered protein level and elevated glucose level. Pupils inhabiting the school boarding house ought to take part in the decisions on the menu and on food purchases. Recommendations concerning nutrition in the prophylaxis of civilization diseases ought to be as soon as possible introduced into the teaching program of the Gastronomic School Complex.

The church and nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, G.O.

1978-03-01

The subject is covered in sections, entitled: foreword (explaining that report is a synopsis of the Hearing on Nuclear Energy arranged by the World Council of Churches, held in Sigtune, Sweden, June 24 to 29, 1975); humanity's energy needs); alternative sources of energy (nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, non-nuclear processes; some generalisations (concerning the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy to various sections of the world); what risks are acceptable (radiation hazards, reactor safety, radioactive wastes, misuse of Pu, safeguarding); nuclear weapons; nuclear energy - a challenge to the Churches; social and ethical issues; certain conclusions; postscript -the American move. (U.K.)

HEALS: A Faith-Based Hypertension Control and Prevention Program for African American Churches: Training of Church Leaders as Program Interventionists.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodani, Sunita; Sullivan, Debra; Pankey, Sydney; Champagne, Catherine

2011-01-01

Background. A 12-session church-based HEALS program (healthy eating and living spiritually) was developed for hypertension control and prevention program in African Americans (AAs). This study presents specifics of training lay health educators to effectively deliver HEALS to high-risk AAs. Methods. A one-day workshop was conducted by the research experts in an AA church. Five church members were recruited to be program interventionists called church health counselors (CHCs). Results. Using principles of adult education, a training protocol was developed with the intention of recognizing and supporting CHCs skills. CHCs received training on delivering HEALS program. The process of training emphasized action methods including role playing and hands-on experience with diet portion measurements. Conclusion. With adequate training, the community lay health educator can be an essential partner in a community-based hypertension control programs. This may motivate program participants more and encourages the individual to make the behavior modifications on a permanent basis.

A Viennese Project in Valpovo (Croatia. Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Valpovo and Baroque Churches with Two-Bay Naves

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Horvat-Levaj, Katarina

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Valpovo (1733–1736, exceptional both in its spatial organization and the design of its exterior, was constructed in specific circumstances in the aftermath of the liberation of Slavonia from the Ottoman occupation. The old lands of Valpovo, with the medieval fort of Morović, were, in accordance with the Habsburg politics, given as a feud to Baron Hilleprand by Charles VI. The baron initiated the construction of a monumental parish church on his estate by commissioning its design in Vienna, as evidenced by the rich archival material on Hilleprand's property housed at the State Archive in Osijek. In keeping with the provenance of its design, the church was built as a monumental structure consisting of a two-bay nave covered with domical vaults and flanked by a narrower semicircular groin-vaulted sanctuary and a facade belfry. The type represented by the church in Valpovo – single-aisled structure with two bays – was a sort of innovation by Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt, inspired by the famous church of San Fedele in Milan (1569 and often used by Hildebrandt in his own church projects built under the patronage of high Austrian nobility, such as the parish church in Seelowitz in Moravia (1722–27 with an integrated facade belfry, or the parish churches in Aspersdorf (1730, Stranzendorf (1733 and Großstelzendorf (1735–37. This architectural type was adopted and further developed by Hildebrandt's contemporaries, especially his immediate follower Franz Anton Pilgram, a Viennese architect whose design for the parish church in Münchendorf (1740 shows great similarity with the Valpovo church, both in its proportions and in the treatment of details. All this is hardly surprising if one keeps in mind the Viennese origin and the courtly status of the commissioner and donor of the parish church in Valpovo. It took more than two decades for the spatial features of this church to

REMARKS ON THE CHURCH IN THE CONSUMER SOCIETY ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

1.1 Product and services are inseparable. In business the concept of the customer is of paramount importance. The customer is so powerful that .... the early history of the church, it has always been evident that the church makes a difference in ...

the racial discourse and the dutch reformed church

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) distanced itself from racism in the middle eighties, and in ... “card” is part of the current debate, and the church is part of the discussion ...... Race an inequality in Brazil, South Africa and the United. States.

A pastoral examination of the Christian Church's response to fears of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-02-24

Feb 24, 2014 ... churches), the second is the African Independent Churches and the third is ..... Spiritual warfare is a lifestyle, not just an occasional event of .... and are mutually exclusive', The church leader in Africa: A training publication of.

Empathy scores in medical school and ratings of empathic behavior in residency training 3 years later.

Science.gov (United States)

Hojat, Mohammadreza; Mangione, Salvatore; Nasca, Thomas J; Gonnella, Joseph S; Magee, Mike

2005-12-01

The authors designed the present study to examine the association between individuals' scores on the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE; M. Hojat, J. S. Gonnella, S. Mangione, T. J. Nasca, & M. Magee, 2003; M. Hojat, J. S. Gonnella, T. J. Nasca, S. Mangione, M. Vergare, & M. Magee, 2002; M. Hojat, S. Mangione, T. J. Nasca, M. J. M. Cohen, J. S. Gonnella, J. B. Erdmann, J. J. Veloski, & M. Magee, 2001), a self-report empathy scale, during medical school and ratings of their empathic behavior made by directors of their residency training programs 3 years later. Participants were 106 physicians. The authors examined the relationships between scores on the JSPE (with 20 Likert-type items) at the beginning of the students' 3rd year of medical school and ratings of their empathic behavior made by directors of their residency training programs. Top scorers on the JSPE in medical school, compared to Bottom scorers, obtained a significantly higher average rating of empathic behavior in residency 3 years later (p prosocial and helping behavior, it is important for investigators to further enhance our understanding of its correlates and outcomes among health professionals.

Calvin’s view on church discipline and unity: a South African perspective

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P.J. Strauss

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The reformer John Calvin, born in 1509, considers discipline and unity as two essential aspects of the Christian church. According to him, the bond of church discipline is a way to unite church members in the truth of the Word and the Christian faith based thereupon. If discipline is exercised with exaggerated strictness and without compassion, tolerance and love, it can break the unity. Because church unity is essentially a unity of faith, or a unity in the truth of the Word, discipline can sever adulterated elements that threaten the unity from the church. Discipline, if correctly ap- plied, builds the unity of the church as a unity in religious truths.

Medieval Round Churches and the Shape of the Earth.

Science.gov (United States)

Haagensen, Erling; Lind, Niels C

2015-12-01

There is a unique cluster of four medieval round churches, linked by a simple geometry, on Bornholm Island in the Baltic Sea. Why so many and why so close together? Immediate simple answers are "Just by chance" and "For no reason." Why are the churches round? "Defense." This essay proposes another hypothesis for this unique situation: the churches are astronomical observatories, meant to solve a scientific problem (Is the Earth really spherical?) and a practical problem (How far is it to sail west to the Orient?). The capacity and desire to find answers, together with other practical needs related to astronomy, can better explain these round churches' special architecture. The geometry that connects them fits the ideal pattern with an angular accuracy of 1 minute of a degree. The round churches may be the earliest astronomical observatories in Christian Europe; other hypotheses have been shown to be untenable. Their location provides for a good method to estimate the Earth's extent in the east-west direction, seemingly the earliest such measurements.

The Russian Orthodox Church in Religious Space of Kazakhstan: Stages and Peculiarities of Institutional Model (XVIII – Beginning of ХХ Centuries

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Yuliya A. Lysenko

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The article features attempts on analyzing the cultural – historic situation, which conditioned the formation of orthodox population and institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan in XVIII – beginning of XX centuries. The article also features the construction techniques of diocesan, parochial schools in the region and the main activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan. The results of complex analysis let determine the decree of integration effectiveness in cultural-religious space of the region, to reveal influential objective and subjective factors.

The Christian Churches, the State, and Genocide in Rwanda

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Court, Anthony

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The churches in Rwanda have exercised considerable political influence during both the colonial and post-colonial periods. Although formally autonomous institutions subordinate to the state, in actuality they have cultivated political influence through their religious teachings and secular role as the loci of material and social resources. However, there is at least one key factor, which has contributed to their fluctuating political influence within Rwanda. During the colonial period, the dominant Catholic Church functioned within a colonial regime of indirect rule, predicated on sustaining the political authority of a Tutsi-dominated Central Court presiding over the territories roughly contiguous with the present-day republic. This threefold division of power and authority acted as a brake upon the hegemonic ambitions of the Church, the royal house and the colonial administrators. Following the abolition of the monarchy in 1961, the structure of political power and authority of the state was fundamentally transformed, clearing the way for the emergence of a state church whose political role in the two Hutu dominated post-colonial republics would have significant historical implications. In this essay, I argue that it was this structural transformation of the Rwandan polity - marking the shift from a trilateral to a dual relationship between state and Church -, which contributes to our understanding of how the Church became embroiled in the mass violence and genocide in the twentieth century Rwandan polity.

Against all odds: Alphaeus Zulu and racism in church and society

OpenAIRE

Simangaliso Kumalo, R; Mbaya, Henry

2015-01-01

This article examines the response of Bishop Alphaeus Hamilton Zulu to the racism that was prevalent in both the church and society when he was elected as the first African Bishop of the Anglican Church in South Africa. Clergy, especially bishops, are by virtue of their ecclesial positions expected to transcend racial prejudices, to embrace all members of their churches and to transform their churches to multi-racial ones. This means that they have to deal with racial stereotypes both within ...

INCREASING ECONOMIC WELFARE OF CHURCH CONGREGATION : A CONCEPT OF EMPOWERMENT

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TONGAM SIHOL NABABAN

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In our community, many structural problems unresolved well, especially in social and economic life. Seeing this reality, the Church needs to have a sensitivity and a strong commitment to encourage cooperation of some parties to empower people, especially its congregation. Congregation of the Church, especially the poor need to be raised and empowered to pursue their own welfare through economic business. One manifestation of the Church's task is to empower the community-based and to revitalize its role more focused on optimizing the institution of community economy. For that, it is important to use the Model of Empowerment of Congregation-Based Community Economic in form of business partnership. The success of congregation economic empowerment lies in the motivation and orientation of the actors themselves, where the Church is expected to seriously fight. Keywords: Church, Congregation, Community-Based Economic, Business Partnership,  Empowerment.

Solar and Calendrical Symbolism in the Early Medieval Finnish Church Murals

Science.gov (United States)

Ridderstad, Marianna

2015-05-01

The earliest church murals of the first stone churches in Finland were painted at the time when Christianity had only just become the official faith in the region and the old ethnic religion was still widely practiced. The 'pagan' motifs of these Early Medieval Finnish church murals reflect the complexity of the religious beliefs in this transition phase. The church actively transformed the festivals of the vernacular religion by giving Christian meanings to the symbols and rituals, as well as by replacing the ethnic deities with Christian figures. The solar symbolism and the calendrical motifs of the church murals are interpreted as imagery largely based on the Christianized remnants of the pre-Christian annual festivals. The earliest church murals thus provide important insight into the pre-Christian religious beliefs of late Iron Age Finland. Many of the motifs and symbols represented in the murals are related to the annual fertility cult and the solar goddess as one of its central figures.

Black churches and HIV/AIDS: factors influencing congregations’ responsiveness to social issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Fulton, Brad R

2011-01-01

The ambivalent response of many black churches to current social issues has caused some scholars to question the centrality of black churches within African-American communities. Using a nationally representative sample of black congregations, this study engages the debate about the institutional centrality of black churches by focusing on their response to HIV/AIDS. Although many congregational studies treat black churches as a monolithic whole, this analysis identifies heterogeneity among black churches that shapes their responsiveness to social issues. Contrary to prior claims, a congregation's liberal-conservative ideological orientation does not significantly affect its likelihood of having an HIV/AIDS program. Beyond assessing churches’ internal characteristics, this study uses institutional theory to analyze churches as open systems that can be influenced by their surrounding environment. It demonstrates that externally engaged congregations are significantly more likely to have a program. These results indicate that black churches maintain institutional centrality by engaging their external environment.

SOME CHURCH MANAGEMENT IN THE PRINCIPALITY SOUTHEAST RUSSIA IN XI-XII CENTURIES

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Наталья Вячеславовна Логачёва

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This paper shows that the joint cooperation of church and state in the principalities of South-Eastern XI-XII centuries. Emphasizes that the problem is not only scientific but also of practical interest for the modern Russian society. This experience is for national history an invaluable contribution to the field, both secular and ecclesiastical administration in feudal principalities and Old Russian state as a whole. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the process of establishing the relationship between church and state, which were formed, changed and improved over the centuries. In particular, the article says that the medieval relations between church and state were more active and expressed that the church served a number of public functions and is thus, a special part of government agencies and their authorities. At the same time, the author notes that the church was in this historical financial content of the state apparatus. In view of this church-state relations in ancient Russia, primarily in the South-East of Russia, wore a special character - the church was interested in the state, and the state - in the church.

Christian Church: A Catalyst for Economic Development in Nigeria

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Toshiba

The issue of economic development is of national concern. The. Nigerian economy ..... The Christian church has provided both moral and economic impetus ... posits that the church needs to concentrate on the business of creating economic ...

Unshackling the Church

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Vuyani Vellem

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In whose ‘order’, ‘newness’ and ‘foundation’ is ecclesiology based in South Africa? The colonial legacy of pigmentocracy, the cultural domination and annihilation of the indigenous dispensation of black Africans, is not devoid of institutional structures of faith and their historical performance in South Africa. The church is one institution in South Africa that played a crucial role in perpetrating perversities of racial, economic and cultural exclusion with a fetish of its institutional character that is still pervasive and dangerously residual in post-1994 South Africa. By presenting a brief outline of the basics on ecclesiology, the article argues that things remain the same the more things seem to change if the methodological approach to ecclesiology circumvents the edifice and foundations on which the history of ecclesiology in South Africa is built. To unshackle the church, a Black Theology of liberation must begin from and debunk the foundations of models of ecclesiology that are conceived on perverse theological and ideologised forms of faith that have become residually hazardous in South Africa post-1994.

Pentecostal mission spirituality: a study of the classical Pentecostal Churches in Ghana

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White, Peter

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Mission is not just about proclaiming the gospel - it encompasses spiritual preparation of those involved in both mission activity and in converted souls. This approach is what is termed as mission spirituality in this article. Mission spirituality is the means by which churches and individual believers participate in the mission of God, through the way they live in and by the Holy Spirit, in order to know the will of God regarding what He is doing in their context and to follow His example. In view of the importance of mission spirituality in missionary activities of the church, this article explores the mission spirituality of the classical Pentecostal churches in Ghana (The church of Pentecost, Christ Apostolic Church International, The Apostolic Church Ghana and the Assemblies of God.

Elaborating on ubuntu in a Johannesburg inner-city church

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Elina Hankela

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article was originally delivered as the speech of the winner of the 2014 Donner Institute Prize for Outstanding Research into Religion, and deals with some core findings of the research that won the prize, namely, the doctoral thesis Challenging Ubuntu: Open Doors and Exclusionary Boundaries at the Central Methodist Mission in Johannesburg. The author approaches the meanings of ubuntu (Nguni: humanity/humanness in the context of a Methodist church that sheltered thousands of African migrants in its premises in the inner city of Johannesburg. Using ethnographic research methods, she analyses both the inclusionary message of humanity preached at the church and the exclusionary boundaries between the people who lived in the church and the local congregation that worshipped there. Based on the social dynamics of the church community, the author suggests the rules of reciprocity and survival as some of the socio-moral patterns that set the boundaries to the actualisation of the moral ideal of ubuntu in this context. Overall, the case of this particular church speaks to a broader discussion of the meaning of and limits to being human in one world.

HEALS Hypertension Control Program: Training Church Members as Program Leaders.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodani, Sunita; Beayler, Irmatine; Lewis, Jennifer; Sowders, Lindsey A

2014-01-01

Health disparities related to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) including stroke have remained higher in the African-Americans (AAs) than in other populations. HEALS is a faith-based hypertension (HTN) control program modified according to AA community needs, and delivered by the church-lay members called church health advisors (CHAs). This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of training CHAs as HEALS program leaders. Four CHAs completed a 10-hour HEALS program training workshop at the Church, conducted by the nutrition experts. Workshop was evaluated by CHAs on their level of satisfaction, clarity of contents covered and comfort in delivery the program to the church congregation. The overall six main HEALS curriculum components were completed. Workshop was highly evaluated by CHAs on length of training, balance between content and skills development, and level of satisfaction with program delivery. Church-based culturally modified health promotion interventions conducted by the community lay members may be a way to reduce health disparities in ethnic minorities.

Portuguese Cistercian Churches - An acoustic legacy

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Rodrigues, Fabiel G.; Lanzinha, João C. G.; Martins, Ana M. T.

2017-10-01

The Cistercian Order (11th century) stands out as an apologist of the simplicity and austerity of the space. According to the Order of Cîteaux, only with an austere space, without any distractions, the true spiritual contemplation is achieved. This Order was an aggregator and consolidator pole during the Christian Reconquest. Thus, as it happens with other Religious Orders, Cîteaux has a vast heritage legacy. This heritage is witness, not only of the historical, but also social, political, and spiritual evolution. This legacy resumes the key principles to an austere liturgy, which requirements, in the beginning, are based on the simplicity of worship and of the connection between man and God. Later, these requirements allowed the development of the liturgy itself and its relation with the believers. Consequently, it can be concisely established an empirical approach between the Cistercian churches and the acoustics conditioning of these spaces. This outcome is fundamental in order to understand the connection between liturgy and the conception of the Cistercian churches as well as the constructed space and its history. So, an analysis of these principles is essential to establish the relation between acoustic and religious buildings design throughout history. It is also a mean of understanding the knowledge of acoustics principles that the Cistercian Order bequeathed to Portugal. This paper presents an empirical approach on Cistercian monastic churches acoustics. These spaces are the place where the greatest acoustic efforts are concentrated and it is also the space where the liturgy reaches greater importance. On the other hand, Portugal is a country which has an important Cistercian legacy over several periods of history. Consequently, the Portuguese Cistercian monastic churches are representative of the development of the liturgy, the design of spaces and of the acoustic requirements of their churches since the 12th century until the 21st century and it is of

Getting young adults back to church: A marketing approach

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2013-04-04

Apr 4, 2013 ... In a business context, marketing is used to recruit new customers. Similarly, the .... church can be used as a basis for young adults to experience the church .... the spatial relationships (distances) between the items, whereas ...

Hiding behind the Cloth: Child Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church

Science.gov (United States)

Dale, Kathryn A.; Alpert, Judith L.

2007-01-01

The existence of child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church has shocked many. In this article, the authors review the history of child sexual abuse in the church, the recent events that brought this tragedy into societal consciousness, and the efforts by the church to conceal the abuse. Two sources of empirical literature, the general…

Statements of the church on the peaceful use of nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feldhaus, S.

1990-01-01

Also the churches participated in the extensive discussion of energy politics effected in the FRG in the middle of the 70ies by the increased use of nuclear energy. There are a whole host of statements of the church, from general questions of energy supply to concrete yes/no statements on the further peaceful use of nuclear energy. Within the framework of a comparative analysis it has been tried to bring out of records the chronological order of statements on this subject made by both churches as well as by the ecumenical movement, the differences and common ground with regard to the analysis categories, the way the church sees herself, theological interpretations, ethical criteria and thus the requirements concerning energy politics based on these. The result shows that there are considerable differences of opinion between the Catholic and the Protestant Church about nuclear energy whereas the ecumenical statements constitute a real compromise as in the end the opinion of none of the two churches could gain full acceptance. (orig.) [de

Church Member Support Benefits Psychological Well-Being of Pregnant African American Women

Science.gov (United States)

Giurgescu, Carmen; Murn, Nicole L.

2016-01-01

Depression during pregnancy is common, and pregnant African American (AA) women are more likely to experience depressive symptoms compared with pregnant non-Hispanic white women. This study explored AA women’s experience of church attendance, church member support, depressive symptoms, and psychological well-being at 15–25 weeks’ gestation. Nurses need to be aware of the importance of church support and encourage clergy and church members to be supportive of pregnant women. PMID:27119803

Northeast Church Rock Mine

Science.gov (United States)

Northeast Church Rock Mine, a former uranium mine 17 miles northeast of Gallup, NM in the Pinedale Chapter of the Navajo Nation. EPA is working with NNEPA to oversee cleanup work by United Nuclear Corporation, a company owned by General Electric (GE).

Hierarchy of the Russian Church and Relations between the Horde and the Russian Church during the Tatar-Mongol Invasion of 1237–1240 according to Contemporary Estimates.

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T.R. Galimov

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: The author analyzes activities of the Russian church and its supreme hierarchs during the most active period of the Russian-Horde conflict (1237–1240. Materials: Old Russian chronicles and tales remain the main source of information on the activities of the church hierarchy during the military-political confrontation between Russian principalities and the Horde. As it has been shown by studies of recent years, complex of scenes depicting the struggle against the invaders is not so clear, as it was considered to be in the national historiography for many decades. This observation allows a new reading of the reports on church life in Rus’ during the most acute phase of Russian-Horde war. Results and novelty of the research: Events of 1237–1240 led to a fundamental change in the existing situation in Rus’. This concerned not only the power but also religious institutions. The results of this study suggest that behavior of church hierarchs became the main cause of changes in the socio-political and economic spheres of ancient Russian ecclesiastical organization. The church accepted the rule of the Horde over Rus’ and the Horde benefits and awards reinforced the higher clergy’s loyalty to the khans’ power. This circumstance required the church to declare its stance in respect to the new power. As a result, the need for accepting existing relations between the church and the Horde found its justification in the concept of “Plagues of God”. Such an ideological justification removed conquerors’ responsibility for the ills that befell Rus’ and justified contacts between the church and the Horde. Old Russian sources do not provide direct estimates of the prelates’ behavior. But reading of the chronicle reports leave the impression that contemporaries assessed the behavior of the church quite ambiguously and probably reprehensibly.

Christianization of folk customs: An example of Ox'Church

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Ivanović-Barišić Milina

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the process of transformation of a pre-Christian custom in Zuce, a village near by Belgrade. The custom is called 'provlaka', held all until the WW II on August 29. This custom was established after the cattle pest in the village. Since WW II, however, this day is celebrated as the village St. patrons/slava day. After the village church has been built and blessed in 2002, the day became also celebrated as one of the church's slava days. Transformation of holidays assumes vanishing of some and appearance of some other segments of the given custom: 1. Until WW II the most important segment of the custom 'provlaka' was extracting wild fire and passage of people and cattle. This custom was maintained with an aim of preventive protection against epidemics. 2. A significant feature of annual celebration of calendar holidays included collective gatherings. On this day people visit relatives from other villages, attend lunch together, and gather at a particular village spot in the afternoon. 3. The beginning of the church building has allowed introduction of religious elements in celebration. In the morning, it is a time usually to attend a liturgy, while what follows represent some inherited customs like reception and eating together with relatives and friends. 4. After the village church has been built and blessed in 2002, the day became also celebrated as one of the church's slava days. This assumes presentation of the village cake maker and cake cutting in the church, accompanied by a local priest.

THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELING OF THE ROMANESQUE CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA DE CASTRELOS (VIGO – SPAIN USING TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNER

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A. Soria-Medina

2013-07-01

Full Text Available This article shows the results obtained in the three dimensional survey of the church of Santa Maria of Castrelos realized through a terrestrial Laser Scanner. The Church of Santa Maria of Castrelos, which was built in the early thirteenth century, is located in Vigo Spain. It is a Romanesque style church with a nave and semicircular apse with three gates decorated with rosettes and typically Romanesque geometrical figures. The survey was conducted by the laboratory of Close Range Photogrammetry of Natural Resources Department, Mining School, at University of Vigo – Spain, jointly with the Geomatics Department, Federal University of Parana – Brazil. This work explores the use of laser scanning for the surveying, three-dimensional modeling and documentation of historical monuments but also the generation of quoted plans and cross sections of this Romanesque church in the city of Vigo. The resolution of point clouds used to obtain the models varied according to need. Namely, the point cloud used for three-dimensional model for the general external and internal church was used with an approximate step width of 10 cm, while 5 cm and 1 cm step widths were used for details of geometric figures and rosettes. The results of both the three-dimensional model and the plans and sections are in accordance with the specifications and scales of representation usually used in conventional surveys of historic monuments recommended in the specialized literature in the area. The objective of this study is showing the potential of the use of terrestrial laser scanner in the documentation of historical heritage through achieving the 3D model by joining external and internal point clouds and the generation of planes and sections of the church of Santa Maria of Castrelos, Vigo.

Insight into the Fulnek Church and Parish Medieval Building Chronology

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Augustinková Lucie

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The church of the Holy Trinity and parish in Fulnek was for nearly four centuries an Augustinian canonry and collegiate church (1293-1389. The medieval church and parish building chronology, however, have not been thus far established. From research between 2015 and 2016 we have been able to identify medieval portions of the buildings, clarify the site medieval construction phases and date the parish buildings (formerly the canonry from dendrochronological analysis of embedded wooden scaffolding.

Theologian in the service of the Church

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Gheorghe Metallinos

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The word about God anticipates some knowledge of God, and the knowledge of God can never be a fruit of the rational, intellectual, metaphysical research, but only of the holy-spiritual experience. Consequently, a theologian of the Church is not the rational man, however great his achievements may be, but the spirtual man, who has the experience of the Saints, namely who has tasted and is living the states of purification, illumination and deification. Disconnected from the reality of the spiritual life, a theologian becomes a false prophet. On the other hand, the Church cannot be divided into two parts, one that ministers to the believers in the place of worship, and another one that speaks from the teacher’s desk, through the theologians’ voice, but is one and the same Church. Actually, there is no existence more tragic than the one of a theologian, on any education level, teaching things to which he is not connected on the inside, by the heart, and which he does not accept or believe. If such a thing means failure for any science, however, for the area of Theology it is directly suicidal. In fact, the lack of the Orthodox and ecclesial way of thinking and living makes the person theologizing in the area of the Orthodoxy dangerous, because as an officially recognized teacher of Orthodox Theology, he functions as a representative of the Church tradition, while he is nothing but a false prophet. And, while, probably, the science of philology is not endangered by an unlearned philologist or the science of law by an unjust legist, the science of theology is logically denied in the person of its servant who is an unbelieving or atheist theologian and creates very great obstacles in the way of the accomplishment of the redeeming mission of the Church in the world.

Probabilistic Feasibility of the Reconstruction Process of Russian-Orthodox Churches

Science.gov (United States)

Chizhova, M.; Brunn, A.; Stilla, U.

2016-06-01

The cultural human heritage is important for the identity of following generations and has to be preserved in a suitable manner. In the course of time a lot of information about former cultural constructions has been lost because some objects were strongly damaged by natural erosion or on account of human work or were even destroyed. It is important to capture still available building parts of former buildings, mostly ruins. This data could be the basis for a virtual reconstruction. Laserscanning offers in principle the possibility to take up extensively surfaces of buildings in its actual status. In this paper we assume a priori given 3d-laserscanner data, 3d point cloud for the partly destroyed church. There are many well known algorithms, that describe different methods of extraction and detection of geometric primitives, which are recognized separately in 3d points clouds. In our work we put them in a common probabilistic framework, which guides the complete reconstruction process of complex buildings, in our case russian-orthodox churches. Churches are modeled with their functional volumetric components, enriched with a priori known probabilities, which are deduced from a database of russian-orthodox churches. Each set of components represents a complete church. The power of the new method is shown for a simulated dataset of 100 russian-orthodox churches.

A Model Program for Churches and Ex-Offender Reintegration.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, Thomas; Ryan, Patricia; Parikh, Crystal

1998-01-01

Prison Fellowship Ministries' church and community based Transition of Prisoners (TOP) program in Detroit is examined. TOP mobilizes, trains, and equips primarily African-American churches and volunteers to assist ex-offenders to successfully reintegrate into their community. Preliminary outcome data suggest that participation in TOP reduces need…

Iceland as a western country. How to classify medieval church law in the vernacular

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Lára Magnúsardóttir

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Iceland’s subjection to the king of Norway in 1262-64 was followed by a legislation in which a law book for Church and spiritual matters was composed in the vernacular for each country. Such law was implemented in Iceland in 1275 along with a separate secular law book in 1281. Both books remained in force until the middle of the 16th century. A church law that was separate, both from the secular law and that of Roman Church appears to set Iceland apart from other Western European countries where spiritual matters were governed according to the Latin law of the Roman Church. This has been viewed as an indication of constant rivalry between the religious and secular authorities, usually presenting the Church as an overreaching and even oppressive institution against which laity struggled. But a comparison of Icelandic Church law with the Latin Canon law shows that the Church in Iceland submitted entirely to the authority of the Roman Church and thus shows that the Icelandic Church law was, despite its obscure language, a specific representation of the law of the Roman Church. A Norwegian concordat from 1277 shows the king’s recognition of separate spiritual and temporal jurisdictions. This cooperation is readily apparent in later court cases.

Alexios I Komnenos and his Church Policy

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Iakovos MENELAOU

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Alexios I Komnenos has been characterized as a gifted military leader. Nevertheless, apart from his military career and after he took the throne, Alexios proceeded to certain measures in order to revive an empire in condition of decline. Alexios established himself as a defender of Orthodoxy, since he helped monasticism, fought heresies and supported the building or renewal of foundations, such as monasteries and churches. In this paper, I deal with Alexios’ church policy and how he defended Orthodoxy.

Assessment of indoor and outdoor PM species at schools and residences in a high-altitude Ecuadorian urban center.

Science.gov (United States)

Raysoni, Amit U; Armijos, Rodrigo X; Weigel, M Margaret; Montoya, Teresa; Eschanique, Patricia; Racines, Marcia; Li, Wen-Whai

2016-07-01

An air monitoring campaign to assess children's environmental exposures in schools and residences, both indoors and outdoors, was conducted in 2010 in three low-income neighborhoods in Z1 (north), Z2 (central), and Z3 (southeast) zones of Quito, Ecuador - a major urban center of 2.2 million inhabitants situated 2850 m above sea level in a narrow mountainous basin. Z1 zone, located in northern Quito, historically experienced emissions from quarries and moderate traffic. Z2 zone was influenced by heavy traffic in contrast to Z3 zone which experienced low traffic densities. Weekly averages of PM samples were collected at schools (one in each zone) and residences (Z1 = 47, Z2 = 45, and Z3 = 41) every month, over a twelve-month period at the three zones. Indoor PM2.5 concentrations ranged from 10.6 ± 4.9 μg/m(3) (Z1 school) to 29.0 ± 30.5 μg/m(3) (Z1 residences) and outdoor PM2.5 concentrations varied from 10.9 ± 3.2 μg/m(3) (Z1 school) to 14.3 ± 10.1 μg/m(3) (Z2 residences), across the three zones. The lowest values for PM10-2.5 for indoor and outdoor microenvironments were recorded at Z2 school, 5.7 ± 2.8 μg/m(3) and 7.9 ± 2.2 μg/m(3), respectively. Outdoor school PM concentrations exhibited stronger associations with corresponding indoor values making them robust proxies for indoor exposures in naturally ventilated Quito public schools. Correlation analysis between the school and residential PM size fractions and the various pollutant and meteorological parameters from central ambient monitoring (CAM) sites suggested varying degrees of temporal relationship. Strong positive correlation was observed for outdoor PM2.5 at Z2 school and its corresponding CAM site (r = 0.77) suggesting common traffic related emissions. Spatial heterogeneity in PM2.5 concentrations between CAM network and sampled sites was assessed using Coefficient of Divergence (COD) analysis. COD values were lower when CAM sites were paired with outdoor

The Potential Role of Business Intelligence in Church Organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Felder, Charmaine

2012-01-01

Business intelligence (BI) involves transforming data into actionable information to make better business decisions that may help improve operations. Although businesses have experienced success with BI, how leaders of church organizations might be able to exploit the advantages of BI in church organizations remains largely unexplored. The purpose…

Activity Engagement: Perspectives from Nursing Home Residents with Dementia

Science.gov (United States)

Tak, Sunghee H.; Kedia, Satish; Tongumpun, Tera Marie; Hong, Song Hee

2014-01-01

Engagement in social and leisure activities is an indicator of quality of life and well-being in nursing homes. There are few studies in which nursing home residents with dementia self-reported their experiences in activity engagement. This qualitative study describes types of current activity involvement and barriers to activities as perceived by nursing home residents with dementia. Thirty-one residents participated in short, open-ended interviews and six in in-depth interviews. Thematic content analysis showed that participants primarily depended on activities organized by their nursing homes. Few participants engaged in self-directed activities such as walking, visiting other residents and family members, and attending in church services. Many residents felt they had limited opportunities and motivation for activities. They missed past hobbies greatly but could not continue them due to lack of accommodation and limitation in physical function. Environmental factors, along with fixed activity schedule, further prevented them from engaging in activities. Residents with dementia should be invited to participate in activity planning and have necessary assistance and accommodation in order to engage in activities that matter to them. Based on the findings, a checklist for individualizing and evaluating activities for persons with dementia is detailed. PMID:25489122

Missional church and local constraints: A Dutch perspective

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Rein Brouwer

2009-09-01

Full Text Available The missional church concept promises to guide local churches in the direction of a new identity and mission. It is a response to a sense of ecclesiological and congregational urgency that is felt all over the world. In Africa, North America and Europe, churches and local faith communities have been challenged by the changes in the religious state of affairs since the 1960s. Whether we still call it �secularisation� or rephrase it as �differentiated transformation�, the face of religion is changing globally. In many parts of the world, this raises a feeling of crisis that gives way to the redef nition of the mission and purpose of the church. �Missional church�, however, is a precarious concept. Nobody disagrees with the intention but can it be more than an inspiring vision? In order to realise this vision, a multi-layered and multi-dimensional analysis of �culture� is essential. We should move the analysis beyond the philosophical interpretation of relatively abstract and evasive macro-level processes, such as �modernity� and �post-modernity�. The future of the missional church depends on a differentiated and empirical, informed perspective on culture. For this purpose, this article proposes the concept of ecology: A system of diverse populations, including populations of congregations and faith communities, that interacts with these populations and with their specific environments. Preparing a missional congregation for the future should be accompanied with a thorough empirical investigation into the ecology of the congregation. We should be thinking intensively about and looking for vital ecologies.

Healthcare and Catholic identity in the universal Church.

Science.gov (United States)

Danneels, C D

1987-10-01

Two topics that are closely related to the daily work and the primordial concern of Catholic healthcare givers are the meaning and sense of Catholic healthcare institutions, and the relationship between a particular Church and the universal Church, especially since the Second Vatican Council. Some question whether it is worthwhile to maintain independent Catholic institutions, rather than working with others in nondenominational healthcare institutions. Christian institutions are indispensable as a defense against the well-organized forces of evil in the world, and because togetherness is needed in the struggle for good and for faith. Without this togetherness, the danger exists that the power of faith will be taken over by the power of money and financial interest groups. The elements of the Catholic identity of institutions and organizations are a service to the world, the Gospel message, a balance between technology and humanism, a permanent solicitude for the whole person, and a respect for human liberty. This Catholic identity must be fostered in our institutions, especially among the laypeople working there. The relationship between the universal Church and local Churches has come under stress since the Second Vatican Council, and a balance must be found. The problem has two aspects: the theological, and the cultural and psychological. A sound communion theology must be established to provide a good perspective on the relationship. In addition, a dialogue must be established between Rome and the particular Churches to prevent the universal message of Christ in his Gospel from conflicting more and more with local styling of the message.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Employing the Church as a Marketer of Cancer Prevention

Science.gov (United States)

Lumpkins, Crystal Y.; Coffey, Candice R.; Daley, Christine M.; Greiner, K. Allen

2013-01-01

Health promotion programs designed to address colorectal cancer disparities among African Americans are increasing. Unfortunately, this group still shoulders a disproportionate mortality burden in the United States; these numbers are also reflective of colorectal cancer (CRC) disparities in the Midwest. The purpose of this study was to extrapolate results from in-depth interviews and brief surveys on the effectiveness of the church as a social marketer of CRC-prevention messages. Results show that pastors believe the congregation has limited knowledge about CRC risk and prevention; they also believe the church can improve cancer-prevention communication among members and those affiliated with the church. PMID:23718957

Spolia from the Church of St. Nicholas in Nikoljac

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Pejić Svetlana

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Two, so far unknown, spolia with carved interlace ornaments, built into the wall of the Church of St. Nicholas in Nikoljac are analyzed. These spolia are a part of the collection of fragments discovered earlier in the Church of St. Peter in Bijelo Polje. A comparative analysis was performed on a multitude of pre-Romanic material, in order to determine the time when they were made and whether they originated from any specific circle of stonemasons, and also to identify the initial position of the fragments in the liturgical church furniture for which they had been carved. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 177036

Instituting dispute resolution procedures in the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe church

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Norman Chivasa

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The need to institute dispute resolution procedures in the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM in Zimbabwe church informs this study. Remarkably, one of the most critical problems facing the AFM in Zimbabwe church is intrachurch disputes, which manifest in diverse forms such as pastors’ transfers disputes, election disputes and pastors’ performance disputes. Such disputes have produced undesirable consequences not only for pastors but also for the wellbeing of the church in general. Intrachurch disputes require internal mechanisms to manage them so that constructive rather than destructive results are achieved. To do this, internal dispute resolution procedures become critical as they provide a framework for the constructive resolution of disputes. The lived experience of disputes in the AFM in Zimbabwe church confirms the appropriateness of systems theory, which states that social institutions are vulnerable to disharmony owing to differing interacting elements. To mitigate the negative impact associated with disputes, this study proposes the need to institute dispute resolution procedures in the AFM in Zimbabwe, because the church currently relies only on disciplinary procedures to address disputes. The study further emphasises that instituting dispute resolution procedures will help the church handle disputes from within its ranks without necessarily involving local courts, which may have negative financial and relationship implications. Finally, the study develops a model for dispute resolution procedures as an instrument that can assist local churches in AFM in Zimbabwe church to handle disputes as and when they arise.

Acoustic simulations of Mudejar-Gothic churches.

Science.gov (United States)

Galindo, Miguel; Zamarreño, Teófilo; Girón, Sara

2009-09-01

In this paper, an iterative process is used in order to estimate the values of absorption coefficients of those materials of which little is known in the literature, so that an acoustic simulation can be carried out in Mudejar-Gothic churches. The estimation of the scattering coefficients, which is even less developed, is based on the size of the irregularities. This methodology implemented is applied to six Mudejar-Gothic churches of Seville (southern Spain). The simulated monophonic acoustic parameters, both in the frequency domain and as a function of source-receiver distance (spatial distribution), are analyzed and compared with the in situ measures. Good agreement has been found between these sets of values, whereby each parameter is discussed in terms of the just noticeable difference. This procedure for existing buildings, especially for those which are rich in heritage, enables a reliable evaluation of the effect on the maintenance, restoration, and conditioning for new uses, as well as the recreation of the acoustic environment of ancient times. Along these lines, the acoustic influence of the timber roof and the presence of the public in these churches have also been studied.

Oral Sources and Missionary Historiography in Igbo Church History ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The paper takes a look at the problems of oral sources and missionary historiography in Igbo church history, 1940-2012. Findings show that the problems of missionary and African Christian oral informants and historiographers had significant effect on Igbo church history. Primary and secondary means in the collection of ...

Scientific evaluation of wall paintings from Bunesti Evangelical Church, Brasov county

Science.gov (United States)

Baciu, Annamaria; MǎruÅ£oiu, Constantin; Bibire, Cristina; Vornicu, Nicoleta; Dreve, Simina

2013-11-01

Evangelical Church in the village Bunesti, Brasov county, is part of the fortified churches built since the XIV century at the south-eastern territory of Transylvania. Developed by addition in several stages during centuries, the church begun as Catholic chapel, then that was amplified in the sixteenth century, when Reform was adopted by the Saxon communities. In that period the building was extended in length and height and the catholic specific iconographic decorations were cancelled by covering with different layers of plaster and paint. The campaign of introducing in touristic circuit of old Saxon fortified churches generated, in terms of maintenance and renovations undertaken, the discovery of significant wall paintings, as treasures to be rescued and put into value. Our present efforts are focused on scientific evaluation of mural paintings found in Evangelical Church from Bunesti, by XRF and specific analysis performed on 10 different samples of mural paintings, completing visual and artistic analysis in order to establish the strategies for their recovering and preservation.

Selection criteria of residents for residency programs in Kuwait.

Science.gov (United States)

Marwan, Yousef; Ayed, Adel

2013-01-19

In Kuwait, 21 residency training programs were offered in the year 2011; however, no data is available regarding the criteria of selecting residents for these programs. This study aims to provide information about the importance of these criteria. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from members (e.g. chairmen, directors, assistants …etc.) of residency programs in Kuwait. A total of 108 members were invited to participate. They were asked to rate the importance level (scale from 1 to 5) of criteria that may affect the acceptance of an applicant to their residency programs. Average scores were calculated for each criterion. Of the 108 members invited to participate, only 12 (11.1%) declined to participate. Interview performance was ranked as the most important criteria for selecting residents (average score: 4.63/5.00), followed by grade point average (average score: 3.78/5.00) and honors during medical school (average score: 3.67/5.00). On the other hand, receiving disciplinary action during medical school and failure in a required clerkship were considered as the most concerning among other criteria used to reject applicants (average scores: 3.83/5.00 and 3.54/5.00 respectively). Minor differences regarding the importance level of each criterion were noted across different programs. This study provided general information about the criteria that are used to accept/reject applicants to residency programs in Kuwait. Future studies should be conducted to investigate each criterion individually, and to assess if these criteria are related to residents' success during their training.

Responses to migration: Tensions and ambiguities of churches in Pretoria Central and Mamelodi East

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Wayne Renkin

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This article is a result of research being conducted to explore how churches in two regions of the City of Tshwane – Pretoria Central and Mamelodi East – respond to urban change and vulnerability. Both regions are deeply affected by urban migration patterns. Firstly, I will explore various forms of migration – transnational, rural-urban, urban–suburban and generational – and the causes of migration – social-economic and political – as experienced and described by the churches themselves. Secondly, I will seek to reflect on some of the tensions or ambiguities of how churches respond to migration, how the identity, self-understanding or locatedness of churches inform their responses to migration, and/or how churches and their identity are shaped by migration – commuter or local church, home or temporary church.

The Irish Church Disestablishment Act (1869) and the General Synod of the Church of Ireland (1871): The Art and Structure of Educational Reform

Science.gov (United States)

McCormack, Christopher F.

2018-01-01

Historians have observed that the period 1860-1890 was educationally progressive. This paper identifies the renaissance with the creation of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland in the aftermath of Church Disestablishment. Disestablishment legislation facilitated the inclusion of the laity in Synod. The paper argues that the lay-clerical…

The Brand's PREACH Model: Predicting Readiness to Engage African American Churches in Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Dorine J; Alston, Reginald J

2017-09-01

Despite many attempts to reduce health disparities, health professionals face obstacles in improving poor health outcomes within the African American (AA) community. To promote change for improved health measures, it is important to implement culturally tailored programming through a trusted institution, such as the AA church. While churches have the potential to play an important role in positively impacting health among AAs, it is unclear what attributes are necessary to predict success or failure for health promotion within these institutions. The purpose of this study was to create a model, the Brand's PREACH ( Predicting Readiness to Engage African American Churches in Health) Model, to predict the readiness of AA churches to engage in health promotion programming. Thirty-six semistructured key informant interviews were conducted with 12 pastors, 12 health leaders, and 12 congregants to gain information on the relationship between church infrastructure (physical structure, personnel, funding, and social/cultural support), readiness, and health promotion programming. The findings revealed that church infrastructure has an association with and will predict the readiness of a church to engage in health promotion programming. The ability to identify readiness early on will be useful for developing, implementing, and evaluating faith-based interventions, in partnership with churches, which is a key factor for sustainable and effective programs.

The political economy of churches in Denmark, 1300-2015

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paldam, Martin; Paldam, Ella

2017-01-01

The paper reports new time-series for the numbers and sizes of churches in Denmark over a 715-year period. Per capita, the new series are termed church densities. A pattern emerges in the series that corresponds to the main development in the economy: Until 1750, the economy was in the traditional...

The Pauluskerk: an unorthodox church in Rotterdam

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Frank van der Hoeven

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The tale of the rebuilding of the Pauluskerk (St. Paul’s Church in the Dutch city of Rotterdam is a multilayered story that blurs the lines between architecture, societal issues, policymaking and urban redevelopment.The original Pauluskerk was built in the late 1950s in a city centre that was still recovering from the damage it suffered during the Second World War. The church may never have received the attention it has were it not for Reverend Visser, who developed the church into a refuge for the outcasts of Dutch society: asylum seekers, homeless people and drug addicts. Visser’s activism eventually evolved into the Perron Nul (Platform Zero initiative, through which he organized support for the addicted and indigent on a scale not seen before in the city.The close proximity of the Pauluskerk to Rotterdam Central Station and the controversy surrounding its mission brought it slowly but steadily onto a collision course with the renewal and redevelopment of the station area, which would eventually lead to the demolition of the original Pauluskerk in 2007 and the construction of a new church building as part of the CalypSO project, designed by British architect William Alsop.This article brings these story lines together to showcase the complex process involved in an inner-city urban development founded in the well-established practice of local democracy, where consensus-seeking is the norm, even when this crosses societal borders.

Indicators of Commitment to the Church: A Longitudinal Study of Church-Affiliated Youth.

Science.gov (United States)

Dudley, Roger L.

1993-01-01

Examined late adolescents who drop out of church and others who remain committed to it. Survey of Seventh-day Adventist youth found commitment related to cognitive, experiential, and activity dimensions of religion. Ethical considerations, perception of one's importance to local congregation, and peer influence also played part in stepwise…

Acoustic analysis in Mudejar-Gothic churches: experimental results.

Science.gov (United States)

Galindo, Miguel; Zamarreño, Teófilo; Girón, Sara

2005-05-01

This paper describes the preliminary results of research work in acoustics, conducted in a set of 12 Mudejar-Gothic churches in the city of Seville in the south of Spain. Despite common architectural style, the churches feature individual characteristics and have volumes ranging from 3947 to 10 708 m3. Acoustic parameters were measured in unoccupied churches according to the ISO-3382 standard. An extensive experimental study was carried out using impulse response analysis through a maximum length sequence measurement system in each church. It covered aspects such as reverberation (reverberation times, early decay times), distribution of sound levels (sound strength); early to late sound energy parameters derived from the impulse responses (center time, clarity for speech, clarity, definition, lateral energy fraction), and speech intelligibility (rapid speech transmission index), which all take both spectral and spatial distribution into account. Background noise was also measured to obtain the NR indices. The study describes the acoustic field inside each temple and establishes a discussion for each one of the acoustic descriptors mentioned by using the theoretical models available and the principles of architectural acoustics. Analysis of the quality of the spaces for music and speech is carried out according to the most widespread criteria for auditoria.

Acoustic analysis in Mudejar-Gothic churches: Experimental results

Science.gov (United States)

Galindo, Miguel; Zamarreño, Teófilo; Girón, Sara

2005-05-01

This paper describes the preliminary results of research work in acoustics, conducted in a set of 12 Mudejar-Gothic churches in the city of Seville in the south of Spain. Despite common architectural style, the churches feature individual characteristics and have volumes ranging from 3947 to 10 708 m3. Acoustic parameters were measured in unoccupied churches according to the ISO-3382 standard. An extensive experimental study was carried out using impulse response analysis through a maximum length sequence measurement system in each church. It covered aspects such as reverberation (reverberation times, early decay times), distribution of sound levels (sound strength); early to late sound energy parameters derived from the impulse responses (center time, clarity for speech, clarity, definition, lateral energy fraction), and speech intelligibility (rapid speech transmission index), which all take both spectral and spatial distribution into account. Background noise was also measured to obtain the NR indices. The study describes the acoustic field inside each temple and establishes a discussion for each one of the acoustic descriptors mentioned by using the theoretical models available and the principles of architectural acoustics. Analysis of the quality of the spaces for music and speech is carried out according to the most widespread criteria for auditoria. .

The data collection/data distribution center: building a sustainable African-American church-based research network.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldmon, Moses; Roberson, James T; Carey, Tim; Godley, Paul; Howard, Daniel L; Boyd, Carlton; Ammerman, Alice

2008-01-01

This article describes the Carolina-Shaw Partnership for the Elimination of Health Disparities efforts to engage a diverse group of Black churches in a sustainable network. We sought to develop a diverse network of 25 churches to work with the Carolina-Shaw Partnership to develop sustainable health disparities research, education, and intervention initiatives. Churches were selected based on location, pastoral buy-in, and capacity to engage. A purposive sampling technique was applied. (1) Collecting information on the location and characteristics of churches helps to identify and recruit churches that possess the desired qualities and characteristics. (2) The process used to identify, recruit, and select churches is time intensive. (3) The time, energy, and effort required managing an inter-institutional partnership and engage churches in health disparities research and interventions lends itself to sustainability. The development of a sustainable network of churches could lead to successful health disparities initiatives.

Constantine and Christianity: The formation of church/state relations ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper discusses the effects of the events and legislation of that period on both church and state. It will attempt to explain how as a result of Constantine's policies, the Christian Church and the Roman State each gained control of, and influence over the other. This in turn resulted in a mutual dependency which allowed ...

The racial discourse and the Dutch Reformed Church: Looking ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this article is to give a descriptive-empirical description of the relationship between the DRC and race by using the Church Mirror surveys. An altered social distance scale is used to measure church acceptance. In the discourse on race, acceptance and unity in the DRC with regard to racial prejudice and attitudes ...

21st Century Notae Ecclesiae specifically necessary for churches

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Test

2011-06-07

Jun 7, 2011 ... the true church from the false as arcane disciplines. However, these marks ... gospel is by the spread of gossip. ... are the four conditions of the true church. ..... to share the good news of the kingdom' (WCC, NMC 2005:11,. §41). .... February 2010, from http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=505.

Ranking Spain's medical schools by their performance in the national residency examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Valcarcel, B G; Ortún, V; Barber, P; Harris, J E; García, B

2013-12-01

Medical school graduates in Spain must take a uniform national exam (called "examen MIR") in order to enter postgraduate training in a specialty. Its results offer a unique opportunity to rank medical schools according to this exam. We measured differences in the MIR exam results among Spanish medical schools and assessed the stability of the MIR-based rankings for the period 2003-2011. In the year 2011 a total of 6873 residency positions nationwide were offered by the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality. These positions covered 47 specialties distributed over 231 training centers. A total of 11,550 medical graduates (including 1997 foreign graduates) took the MIR examination. Marked differences among medical schools were evident. The median graduate from medical school #1 and #29 occupied the positions 1477 and 5383, respectively. These figures correspond to a standardized ranking of 21 out of 100 for medical school #1 (that is, 1477/6873; half of medical school #1 obtained better [below position 21%] and half worse [over position 21%] results) and a standardized ranking of 70 out of 100 for medical school #29. While 81% of the medical school #1 graduates were amongst the best 3000 MIR exams and only 5% above the 5000 position the corresponding figures for medical school #29 graduates were 21% and 44%, respectively. The ranking position of the 29 medical schools was very stable between the years 2003 and 2011. There are marked differences in medical schools in Spain and these differences are very consistent over the years 2003-2011. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Atomic energy - challenge to the church. Atomenergie - Herausforderung an die Kirchen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Altner, G [comp.

1977-01-01

In the nuclear debate, the church has astonishingly soon and clearly stated its point of view and supported the social-ethic commitment of many of its members, of preachers, bishops, and church councils. This volume, in its first part, presents and comments on the church's statements concerning the nuclear problem, with special interest in the focal points of the nuclear debate, i.e. Wyhl, Brokdorf, Biblis, Grafenrheinfeld, and Borken. The second part deals with the challenge of nuclear power.

The law and financial transparency in churches: reconsidering the form 990 exemption

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John Montague

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Il contributo - già apparso su Cardozo Law Review, vol. 35, october 2013, n. 1, pp. 213-265 - è ora pubblicato per la cortesia dell’EditoreTABLE OF CONTENTS: Introduction - I. Legislative History A. Early Legislative History of the Information Return Requirement - The Revenue Act of 1943 - 2. The Imposition of the Unrelated Business Income Tax in 1950 - 3. Expanding the Information Return and Unrelated Business Income Tax in 1969 - B. Televangelist Scandals During the 1980s - C. Recent Legislative History of the Information Return - 1. The William Aramony Scandal and Aftermath - 2. Recent Revisions to Form -II. Increased public access to and use of FORM 990 Information Returns - III. Churches should not be exempt from filing form - A. Churches Are Especially Susceptible to Financial Abuses /- 1. Many Churches Lack Basic Forms of Oversight and Accountability, Revealing Too Much Trust in the Honesty of Religious People - 2. Churches Where Power is Concentrated in the Hands of One Leader Provide the Ideal Structure for Financial Abuse - 3. Even at Churches with More Independent Boards, Leaders Still Maintain Undue Influence - 4. The Nature of Spiritual Leadership Gives Church Pastors Extraordinary Power - 5. Hierarchical Churches also Lack Proper Financial Oversight, and Lay Members Have Little Say in Accountability - B. Churches Themselves Would Benefit from Increased Transparency and Accountability - 1. Greater Transparency May Increase Donations - 2. Requiring Transparency Would Mitigate the Inevitable Fall in Donations from Scandals at Similar Institutions -3. Financial and Other Scandals, Caused or Exacerbated by Lack of Transparency, Have the Potential to Damage the Spiritual Lives of Churchgoers - C. Many Churchgoers Would Likely Welcome More Financial Transparency - D. Financial Transparency is Consistent with the Teachings of Many Churches - E. Self-Regulation Is Insufficient to Prevent Financial Abuse

The use of the term ‘DNA’ as a missiological metaphor in contemporary Church narratives

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Scott Andrews

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Missiologists propose that the Church and mission are inseparable as the Church has its very being because there is mission, and it is the Missio Dei which constitutes the Church. In recent history the Anglican Church has interpreted this as the essential ‘DNA’ of the local church which is to be a missional community. The church’s mission therefore is presented as the gift of participating through the Holy Spirit in the Son’s mission from the Father to the world. In other words, it is proposed that the Church is both the fruit of God’s mission and the agent of His mission. But, in order to communicate this relationship between Church and mission in a postmodern context, the use of new metaphors and new terminologies, which are derived from our contemporary context, is shaping new ways of thinking. An exploration of the development of missional churches considers the significance of developing and embedding what has become referred to as missional DNA or mDNA at every level of the organisation of the Church. This mDNA is the outward model of missional behaviour that compels the whole church to reach a lost world. It can be seen from evidence-based, case study research amongst large churches in the UK that there is consistency in the adoption and use of the term DNA by its leadership in reference to the local church’s values and its attitude towards mission. This article explores the hypothesis that the term DNA is commonly accepted amongst local churches as a contributor to a contemporary language that forms the narrative of the Church and explores its feasibility and shortcomings as an adopted missiological metaphor.

PROMOTING TRADITIONAL FAMILY BY THE CHURCH – RELIGIOUS MARKETING STRATEGIES

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Ciprian GAVRA

2016-09-01

Full Text Available We live in a postmodern period where the old values or imperatives have lost the force as they were replaced by new values. Amidst this chaos, the Church opens its road by promoting values such as family and marriage based upon responsibility, understanding, compromise, etc. If the current trends move towards the personal satisfaction with everything this aspect involves, the Church is trying to preserve the traditionalism, the union between a man and a woman, the marriage. In our work we aim to analyze the methods by which the Orthodox Church promotes the heterosexual marriage.

Financing of the National Churches in the Nordic Countries, England and Scotland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjems, Sidsel; Bille, Trine

This article analyses the financing of seven national churches in a large comparative study. The national churches in the Nordic countries and in England and Scotland are compared. They have many similarities in terms of history, intertwinement with the state, type and level of religiosity...... of the population, public role and public responsibilities, but the level of financing differs greatly. The purpose of the article is to discuss possible explanations for the differences in the level of financing. Adjusting for cost of public service tasks and for GDP leaves a large difference in financing among...... the seven national churches. We suggest that the source of finance is a determinant factor for the level of finance of national churches. Comparing the sources and level of financing of seven national churches in the Nordic countries, England and Scotland shows that financing by a taxation right yields...

Ecumenical church renewal: the example of the United Reformed Church.

OpenAIRE

Camroux, Martin Frederick

2014-01-01

Background to the Research.\\ud In his enthronement sermon as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1942 William Temple famously declared the ecumenical movement to be ‘the great new fact of our era’. For much of the twentieth century it was the major metanarrative of Church renewal. By the end of the century however the enthusiasm had largely dissipated, the organizations which represented it were in decline, and the hoped for organic unity looked further away than ever. Surprisingly little has been wr...

Volunteer work in the church among older Mexican Americans.

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, Neal; Hayward, R David

2012-07-01

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that influence the amount of volunteer work that older Mexican Americans perform in the place where they worship. The relationship between religion and volunteering is viewed from a social identity perspective. Data from a nationally representative sample of older Mexican Americans suggest that Evangelical/Pentecostal church members spend more time performing volunteer work at church than older Mexican Americans who affiliate with other denominations. Moreover, the findings indicate that the difference in the amount of volunteering between the two groups can largely be explained by differences in the nature of the spiritual support that Evangelical/Pentecostal receive from their fellow church members as well as depth of their commitment to their faith.

Liquidation of the Belarusian Renovationist Church in 1934–1938

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Baranenko Viktor

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the process of liquidation in 1934-1938 of the Belarusian Renovationist Church as a religious community having its hierarchical and organisational structure. The study is based on a complex of legal archival documents. The aim of the paper is to describe the activity of renovationist institutions in the territory of the BSSR in the absence of a collective form of government of the Russian Orthodox (Renovationist Church during the period of “independent clerical government”. The paper also gives statistics on the clergy and Orthodox ecclesiastical institutions of the BSSR in the 2nd half of the 1930s. It also discusses forms of adaptation of Orthodox clergy to prohibitions and limitations imposed by the state during the period of the “Great Purge”. The main conclusion of the paper is that the reason for the disappearance of Church Renovationism in the BSSR was the oppressive politics of the Soviet government against the Belarusian Renovationist Church fi gures.

360° FILM BRINGS BOMBED CHURCH TO LIFE

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K. Kwiatek

2012-09-01

Full Text Available This paper explores how a computer-generated reconstruction of a church can be adapted to create a panoramic film that is presented in a panoramic viewer and also on a wrap-around projection system. It focuses on the fundamental principles of creating 360º films, not only in 3D modelling software, but also presents how to record 360º video using panoramic cameras inside the heritage site. These issues are explored in a case study of Charles Church in Plymouth, UK that was bombed in 1941 and has never been rebuilt. The generation of a 3D model of the bombed church started from the creation of five spherical panoramas and through the use of Autodesk ImageModeler software. The processed files were imported and merged together in Autodesk 3ds Max where a visualisation of the ruin was produced. A number of historical images were found and this collection enabled the process of a virtual reconstruction of the site. The aspect of merging two still or two video panoramas (one from 3D modelling software, the other one recorded on the site from the same locations or with the same trajectories is also discussed. The prototype of 360º non-linear film tells a narrative of a wartime wedding that occurred in this church. The film was presented on two 360º screens where members of the audience could make decisions on whether to continue the ceremony or whether to run away when the bombing of the church starts. 3D modelling software made this possible to render a number of different alternati ves (360º images and 360º video. Immersive environments empower the visitor to imagine the building before it was destroyed.

360° Film Brings Bombed Church to Life

Science.gov (United States)

Kwiatek, K.

2011-09-01

This paper explores how a computer-generated reconstruction of a church can be adapted to create a panoramic film that is presented in a panoramic viewer and also on a wrap-around projection system. It focuses on the fundamental principles of creating 360º films, not only in 3D modelling software, but also presents how to record 360º video using panoramic cameras inside the heritage site. These issues are explored in a case study of Charles Church in Plymouth, UK that was bombed in 1941 and has never been rebuilt. The generation of a 3D model of the bombed church started from the creation of five spherical panoramas and through the use of Autodesk ImageModeler software. The processed files were imported and merged together in Autodesk 3ds Max where a visualisation of the ruin was produced. A number of historical images were found and this collection enabled the process of a virtual reconstruction of the site. The aspect of merging two still or two video panoramas (one from 3D modelling software, the other one recorded on the site) from the same locations or with the same trajectories is also discussed. The prototype of 360º non-linear film tells a narrative of a wartime wedding that occurred in this church. The film was presented on two 360º screens where members of the audience could make decisions on whether to continue the ceremony or whether to run away when the bombing of the church starts. 3D modelling software made this possible to render a number of different alternati ves (360º images and 360º video). Immersive environments empower the visitor to imagine the building before it was destroyed.

Do otolaryngology residency applicants relocate for training?

Science.gov (United States)

Gebhard, Grant M; Hauser, Leah J; Dally, Miranda J; Weitzenkamp, David A; Cabrera-Muffly, Cristina

2016-04-01

To determine whether there is an association between the geographic location of an applicant's undergraduate school, medical school, and residency program among matched otolaryngology residency applicants. Observational. Otolaryngology residency program applications to our institution from 2009 to 2013 were analyzed. The geographic location of each applicant's undergraduate education and medical education were collected. Online public records were queried to determine the residency program location of matched applicants. Applicants who did not match or who attended medical school outside the United States were excluded. Metro area, state, and region were determined according to US Census Bureau definitions. From 2009 to 2013, 1,089 (78%) of 1,405 applicants who matched into otolaryngology residency applied to our institution. The number of subjects who attended medical school and residency in the same geographic region was 241 (22%) for metropolitan area, 305 (28%) for state, and 436 (40%) for region. There was no difference in geographic location retention by gender or couples match status of the subject. United States Medical Licensing Exam step 1 scores correlated with an increased likelihood of subjects staying within the same geographic region (P = .03). Most otolaryngology applicants leave their previous geographic area to attend residency. Based on these data, the authors recommend against giving weight to geography as a factor when inviting applicants to interview. NA. © 2015 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Assessment of Participation of Churches in Social Forestry in Uyo ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

These reasons, individually had significant (p<0.05) influence on respondents' unwillingness to plant trees on vacant lands. There is need for enlightenment campaigns in churches in Uyo LGA of Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, to deflate wrong beliefs that trees host evil spirits. Keywords: Participation, churches, social forestry, Uyo ...

''Your Big Wedding Day''. Temporal Goal in Church Marriage Rituals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Robinson, R.; Hermans, C.A.M.; Scheepers, P.L.H.; Schilderman, J.B.A.M.

2007-01-01

In this contribution the authors explore notions about the origin and destiny of bridal couples’ relationships from participants’ views of church marriage rituals. A church wedding can be a pivotal moment in a bridal couple’s life, and on these occasions people tend to contemplate the past and the

Pilgrimage to Wellness: An Exploratory Report of Rural African American Clergy Perceptions of Church Health Promotion Capacity

Science.gov (United States)

Carter-Edwards, Lori; Hooten, Elizabeth Gerken; Bruce, Marino A.; Toms, Forrest; Lloyd, Cheryl LeMay; Ellison, Calvin

2013-01-01

Churches serve a vital role in African American communities and may be effective vehicles for health promotion in rural areas where disease burden is disproportionately greater and healthcare access is more limited than other communities. Endorsement by church leadership is often necessary for the approval of programs and activities within churches; however, little is known about how church leaders perceive their respective churches as health promotion organizations. The purpose of this exploratory pilot was to report perceptions of church capacity to promote health among African American clergy leaders of predominantly African American rural churches. The analysis sample included 27 pastors of churches in Eastern NC who completed a survey on church health promotion capacity and perceived impact on their own health. Capacities assessed included perceived need and impact of health promotion activities, church preparedness to promote health, health promotion actions to take, and the existence and importance of health ministry attributes. The results from this pilot study indicated a perceived need to increase the capacity of their churches to promote health. Conducting health programs, displaying health information, collaborations within the church (i.e., kitchen committee working with the health ministry), partnerships outside of the church, and funding were most commonly reported needed capacities. Findings from this exploratory work lay the foundation for the development of future, larger observational studies that can specify some of the key factors associated with organizational change and ultimately health promotion in these rural church settings. PMID:22694157

The unusual practices within some Neo-Pentecostal churches in South Africa: Reflections and recommendations

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Mookgo S. Kgatle

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This article reflects and makes recommendations on the recent unusual practices within some Neo-Pentecostal churches in South Africa. Neo-Pentecostal churches in South Africa refer to churches that have crossed denominational boundaries. These churches idolise the miraculous, healing, deliverance and enactment of bizarre church performances often performed by charismatic and highly influential spiritual leaders. There have been unusual practices within some Neo-Pentecostal churches that include, among others, the eating of grass, eating of snakes, drinking of petrol, spraying of Doom on the congregants and other experiences. There are many possible theological, psychological and socio-economic explanations for these unusual practices. Given the facts that many South Africans experience various socio-economic challenges, it is argued here that the socio-economic factor is the main explanation for the support of these unusual practices. The unusual practices within some Neo-Pentecostal churches in South Africa are critically unpacked by looking at various churches where the incidents happened. The possible theological, psychological and socio-economic explanations for such practices are outlined in detail. Recommendations are made based on the scientific findings on the unusual practices.

Calvin on church and government

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W.A. Dreyer

2010-07-01

Full Text Available This article examines Calvin’s understanding of civil govern- ment as well as the relationship between church and govern- ment against the background of radical political change during the sixteenth century. It becomes clear that Calvin had an organic understanding of church, government and people. These three entities are interwoven and interact on the basis of the covenant and civil contract. Calvin’s approach, however, is not limited to the covenant, but has a surprising richness and diversity. He integrated theological, juristic and philosophical concepts in his understanding of the state. It is further shown that Calvin’s high regard for civil government, entrenched the corpus christianum, even though he clearly distinguished between ecclesiastical and civil governance. It is also shown that Calvin had a fundamental influence on many of the political concepts which are generally accepted within modern democra- cies.

House Church: Investigating Chinese Urban Christians’ Choice of Religious Practicing Site in Wuhan, China

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Junqiang Han

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we discuss the reasons why urban Christians choose certain sites for religious activities and explain the rapid development of house churches in urban areas in China from the perspective of individual Christians, through survey data obtained by the Chinese Urban Research Center for Ethnic and Religious Affairs Management in the city of Wuhan. We found that Christians who attend religious activities in urban house churches are generally younger in age, higher in education level, and more likely to be working in independent, private, or foreign-invested enterprises. Further investigation reveals that “Three-Self churches” are few in number and poorly planned geographically, resulting in very limited service abilities, thus being far from satisfactory for all believers. Moreover, the activities of such churches are unvaried and lack attractiveness. On the other hand, in house churches, Christians are able to build tight-knit social networks and house churches are more competitively aware in the “religious market”, leading some urban Christians to choose house churches, thereby inciting the fast development of house churches in Chinese urban areas.

Feminists and their perspectives on the church fathers' beliefs regarding women: An inquiry

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Hannelie Wood

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The church fathers and their views on women were influenced substantially and significantly by philosophical voices, such as that of Aristotle and Plato, amongst others. A brief account on Aristotle�s and Plato�s ideas about women, from feminist perspectives, will be touched upon. The article furthermore explores feminist voices, regarding the church fathers� thinking about women, and how these views contributed to women�s subordination and domination. The research will focus on the many varied views on women held by Latin church fathers, such as Tertullian (c. 155�255, Cyprian (c. 200�258 AD, Jerome (c. 347�419, Ambrose (c. 339�397 and Augustine (354�430, and the Greek church fathers, such as Clement of Alexander (c. 150�215, Origen (c. 185�254 and Chrysostom (c. 347�407, from the perspective of feminists. It will be contended that an insensitive and too early denunciation of the early church fathers as misogynists often occurs in women�s history without taking into consideration the church fathers� philosophical and social contexts and, hence, the opinions that formed their views. One such theory that helped to shape the church fathers� views about women is the classic medical theory, and this therefore merits a brief discussion. Another important point one has to take into account is the church fathers� perceptions of the carnal (sexual and the spiritual world that shaped their views about women.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: History teaches us what people before us did, what their intentions were and where they failed or went wrong. If historical viewpoints about women reflect women�s subordination and oppression, they force women to discover their roots and their past. The church fathers, however, inherited a long tradition of debates, beliefs, and arguments regarding women�s moral, intellectual, and natural capacities. Therefore, generalised, simplified, and unsympathetic views

Church Schools, Educational Markets and the Rural Idyll

Science.gov (United States)

Hemming, Peter J.; Roberts, Christopher

2018-01-01

Researchers have begun to explore the role that faith schools play in contemporary educational markets but the emphasis to date has been on urban rather than rural contexts. This article approaches the issue of marketisation through a qualitative case-study comparison of two Anglican primary schools in contrasting rural localities in England and…

Church-State Relations in Cameroon's Postcolony: The Case of the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The socio-political role of mainline Christian churches in the African postcolony tends to be more complex than a number of pessimistic and optimistic scholars originally assumed. There is growing evidence that the relations between church leaders and the authoritarian and corrupt elites, who seek to exercise hegemony in ...

Mathematical-geographical analysis of the orientation of St John’s church of the Studenica monastery

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Tadić Milutin

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Considering the fact that ecclesiastical rules do not precisely say that a church must be directed “to the East” or “to sunrise”, it should always be checked if there is a connection between the orientation of a church and geometry of the Sun. In this paper, such examination is performed on the example of the church of St. John (the 13th century, one of four churches of the Studenica monastery, in the following way: 1 using gnomon method, the azimuth of the main longitudinal axis of the church is measured; 2 the altitude above the horizon of the point in which the extended axis of the church touches the true horizon is determined by cartometry; 3 the most probable dates when the Sun rises at that point are determined: May 7th according to Gregorian calendar, or April 30th according to Julian calendar, in the 13th century. The applied method is described in details and it can be applied for the analysis of the orientation of any other medieval church. This method can determine the time when the church was founded, as well as the fact if the church is original, or possibly erected on the foundations of some older sacral object.

Effective strategic leadership: Balancing roles during church transitions

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Noel J. Pearse

2011-08-01

Full Text Available As part of their responsibilities of leading the organisation, strategic leaders are responsible for leading change. This article investigated the application of the strategic leadership of change within the church context. A Straussian approach to the grounded theory method was used to generate a substantive grounded theory of organisational change and leadership, particularly focusing on the manifestation and management of organisation inertia in churches within South Africa that were transitioning from a programme based to a cell based church design. This article reported on one aspect of this study and focused on the patterns of leadership roles. It further distinguished between effective and ineffective leadership patterns that either enhanced or compromised the credibility of the leader and by implication, affected the success of the change intervention. The results of the study were discussed from the perspective of social capital theory, thereby contributing to understanding the role of strategic leaders in building social capital within the context of organisation change.

The Church of St. Stephan on Šćepan polje near Soko-grad

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Popović Marko

2007-01-01

, one or two on each side, similar to the monophores in the western bay. Apart from the narthex, another, later construction was observed next to the original church. On its northern side, along the western bay and the lateral side of the choir, a parakklesion, that is, a small funerary chapel was added on, in the middle of which a large stele once stood, of which now only fragments exist. The entire interior of the church of St. Stephan was deco-rated with frescoes. Rather small fragments of the wall painting were discovered in the debris, not only of the original church but also of the narthex, as well as of the northern funerary chapel. It was observed that they were all of the same quality, painted on mortar of a uniform texture which suggests that all the painting was done as soon as the additional buildings were finished. On the discovered fragments, one can recognise the dark blue back-ground of the former compositions, and the borders painted in cynober. On several fragments, there were preserved sections of or whole letters from Serbian Cyrillic texts. On several fragments that may have originated from the aureoles or parts of robes, traces of gold leaf were visible, which would indicate the splendour and representativeness of the frescoes that decorated the endowment of the grand duke, Sandalj Hranić. With the shape of the foundation of a single-nave church, divided into three bays and with rectangular choir spaces, the church of St. Stephan continued the tradition of the early Rascia school of Serbian architecture (13th beginning of 14th century, which represented a significant novelty at the time when it appeared. In Serbia, in the last decades of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century, the predominant plan of the churches, the triconche, was based on the Holy Mount models. The decision by the donor, the grand duke Sandalj, to give his endowment the features of the earlier, Rascia heritage, in the times when the Serbian territories had been broken

Spiritual and Affective Responses to a Physical Church and Corresponding Virtual Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Murdoch, Matt; Davies, Jim

2017-11-01

Architectural and psychological theories posit that built environments have the potential to elicit complex psychological responses. However, few researchers have seriously explored this potential. Given the increasing importance and fidelity of virtual worlds, such research should explore whether virtual models of built environments are also capable of eliciting complex psychological responses. The goal of this study was to test these hypotheses, using a church, a corresponding virtual model, and an inclusive measure of state spirituality ("spiritual feelings"). Participants (n = 33) explored a physical church and corresponding virtual model, completing a measure of spiritual feelings after exploring the outside and inside of each version of the church. Using spiritual feelings after exploring the outside of the church as a baseline measure, change in state spirituality was assessed by taking the difference between spiritual feelings after exploring the inside and outside of the church (inside-outside) for both models. Although this change was greater in response to the physical church, there was no significant difference between the two models in eliciting such change in spiritual feelings. Despite the limitations of this exploratory study, these findings indicate that both built environments and corresponding virtual models are capable of evoking complex psychological responses.

24 CFR 964.140 - Resident training.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... TENANT PARTICIPATION AND TENANT OPPORTUNITIES IN PUBLIC HOUSING Tenant Participation § 964.140 Resident... Resident Management Corporations and duly elected Resident Councils; (3) Public housing policies, programs... colleges, vocational schools; and (4) HUD and other Federal agencies and other local public, private and...

Getting young adults back to church: A marketing approach | van der ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Getting young adults back to church: A marketing approach. ... A decline in the number of young adults that attend church services is also evident. The purpose of the research ... Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT

What Would They Do? Latino Church Leaders and Domestic Violence

Science.gov (United States)

Behnke, Andrew O.; Ames, Natalie; Hancock, Tina U.

2012-01-01

Understanding what Latino church leaders believe about domestic violence, and what they do when they confront it, is a key step in developing programs to help them engage in domestic violence prevention and intervention activities in their congregations. This article presents the findings from an exploratory study of 28 Latino church leaders. The…

The political economy of churches in Denmark over 700 years

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paldam, Ella; Paldam, Martin

This paper reports new macro time-series for the number and size of churches in Denmark from year 1300 to 2000. Church densities are defined as the series per capita. The densities are interpreted as a proxy for religiosity. It is falling throughout all 700 years, but two events gave an extra fall...

The Birth of a Faith School in the Post-Dearing Era: Asking Questions and Consultation, and Getting Things Done

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Worsley, Howard

2005-01-01

The article is an historical account of the establishment of a new voluntary aided secondary school, named Nottingham Emmanuel School. The national and local contexts are established and discussed in practical and theological reflective ways by examining four key questions; (1) will the church take risks in education; (2) can the church deliver in…

Galileo's Religion Versus the Church's Science? Rethinking the History of Science and Religion

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, D. B.

Galileo's conflict with the Catholic Church is well recognized as a key episode in the history of physics and in the history of science and religion. This paper applies a new, historiographical approach to that specific episode. It advocates eliminating the science and religion. The Church concluded that the plainest facts of human experience agreed perfectly with an omniscient God's revealed word to proclaim the earth at rest. Supported by the Bible, Galileo, God-like, linked the elegance of mathematics to truths about nature. The Church, in effect, resisted Galileo's claim to be able to think like God, instead listening to God himself - and paying close attention to what man himself observed. We can thus see that the phrase ``Galileo's religion versus the Church's science'' is as meaningful (or meaningless) as the usual designation ``Galileo's science versus the Church's religion.''

Moving the School and Dancing Education: Case Study Research of K-5 Students' Experiences in a Dance Residency

Science.gov (United States)

Leonard, Alison E.

2012-01-01

This dissertation chronicles the qualitative case study of a dance artist-in-residence at a diverse and inclusive K-5 school in an urban district, integrating science, social studies, physical education, music, and visual arts school curriculum and culminating in two public performances. This study focused on how students made meaning through this…

Remarks on the church in the consumer society: similarities and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Pastors should make it clear that the gospel message is not a product for sale; however the gospel message should be directed at the needs of people. This article outlines the influence of the consumer society on the church. The article also outlines the similarities and dissimilarities between the church and the consumer ...

The place and role of youth in the liturgical life of the Church

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Isbasoiu Iulian

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The Church takes good care of each single person, from the beginning of their lives, giving them all the support so that they achieve the final goal of human creation: their salvation. From birth, man is involved in the liturgical life of the Church, which initiates them as members, transforming them progressively into active members, who participate on their own free will in the divine worship and in the social and cultural events held by it. Acknowledging the role that the young have in the activity of the Church we will discuss in our study an overall view of their involvement in liturgical life. We will emphasize the role of the Church in completing the religious information received within the family, as well as methods to help the Church get the young involved in the liturgical, social and cultural activities held by it. In addition, we will highlight the decisive role the priest has in motivating the young by using the power of the word (preach and catechesis and above all by personal example. Applying the most suitable methods in order to get the young people closer to the Church and involving them in the life of the Christian community offers the Church the certitude of fulfilling its role within the contemporary society.

1 Corinthians 14:33b�36 in light of women and church leadership in Nigeria

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Solomon O. Ademiluka

2017-01-01

Full Text Available 1 Corinthians 14:33b�36 contains the injunction by Paul that women should not speak in the church. In Nigeria, many of the mainline denominations exclude women from church leadership, basing the doctrine on this passage. This research examines the text with a view to assessing its relevance for women�s participation in church leadership with a focus on contemporary Nigeria. An examination of the history of the Jews reveals that women had a very small role in religious leadership. However, Jesus in his woman-friendly ministry marked a change in the male-dominated social structure. Paul built upon this, having many women as co-preachers; which would contradict a literal interpretation of 1 Corinthians 14:33b�36. However, the text is best understood from the perspective of the Greek term ekklesia. In its popular context, it refers to the assembly of a Greek city-state in which women were not permitted to speak. In similar Christian assemblies, they were permitted on the basis of the Christian brotherhood. Apparently, in the Corinthian church, women were abusing this privilege by disrupting church services, which warranted Paul�s order. This being the case, the crucial issue is the disorderliness being caused by the women, and not their participation. Therefore, in this text it was not the intention of Paul to establish a doctrine disallowing women from participating in church leadership. Hence, for the Nigerian context, the text does not provide a basis for excluding women from church leadership.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This research involves the disciplines of New Testament theology and church history. It examines 1 Corinthians 14:33b�36 with a view to assessing its relevance for women participation in church leadership and anticipates a situation in which all the mainline churches in Nigeria would involve women in church leadership.

Development and Testing of the Church Environment Audit Tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaczynski, Andrew T; Jake-Schoffman, Danielle E; Peters, Nathan A; Dunn, Caroline G; Wilcox, Sara; Forthofer, Melinda

2018-05-01

In this paper, we describe development and reliability testing of a novel tool to evaluate the physical environment of faith-based settings pertaining to opportunities for physical activity (PA) and healthy eating (HE). Tool development was a multistage process including a review of similar tools, stakeholder review, expert feedback, and pilot testing. Final tool sections included indoor opportunities for PA, outdoor opportunities for PA, food preparation equipment, kitchen type, food for purchase, beverages for purchase, and media. Two independent audits were completed at 54 churches. Interrater reliability (IRR) was determined with Kappa and percent agreement. Of 218 items, 102 were assessed for IRR and 116 could not be assessed because they were not present at enough churches. Percent agreement for all 102 items was over 80%. For 42 items, the sample was too homogeneous to assess Kappa. Forty-six of the remaining items had Kappas greater than 0.60 (25 items 0.80-1.00; 21 items 0.60-0.79), indicating substantial to almost perfect agreement. The tool proved reliable and efficient for assessing church environments and identifying potential intervention points. Future work can focus on applications within faith-based partnerships to understand how church environments influence diverse health outcomes.

The Catholic Church, Moral Education and Citizenship in Latin America

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Klaiber, Jeffrey

2009-01-01

The Catholic Church, with deep roots in the history of Latin America, exercises considerable influence on all levels of society. Especially after the Second Vatican Council and the bishops' conference at Medellin (1968) the Church took up the banner of human rights and the cause of the poor. During the dictatorships and in the midst of the…

Kingdom, church and civil society: A theological paradigm for civil ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This article deals with the role that churches can and should play in civil society to develop societal morally. The central-theoretical argument is that the biblical notion of the kingdom of God can, when it is systematically and theologically developed, offer an acceptable foundation for the civil action of churches. In light of this ...

Impossible Subjects: LGBTIQ Experiences in Australian Pentecostal-Charismatic Churches

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Mark A. C. Jennings

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This paper is the product of in-depth interviews with 20 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Queer (LGBTIQ people who identify, or formerly identified, as members of Pentecostal-Charismatic Christian (PCC churches. Interviewees typically found themselves confronted with a number of choices (not necessarily mutually exclusive: remain closeted, come out but commit to remaining celibate, undergo “SOCE” (Sexual Orientation Conversion Efforts therapy, or leave. Most left their churches, often after agonising attempts to reconcile their faith and their sexuality. Several of the practices adopted by Australian PCC churches exclude LGBTIQ people from full participation in their own congregations, rendering them “impossible subjects.” Australian Pentecostalism’s surprisingly egalitarian history, wherein the spiritually authorised ministry of women was both recognised and celebrated, suggests another, more inclusive way forward in regard to this vexed issue.

Does students' exposure to gender discrimination and sexual harassment in medical school affect specialty choice and residency program selection?

Science.gov (United States)

Stratton, Terry D; McLaughlin, Margaret A; Witte, Florence M; Fosson, Sue E; Nora, Lois Margaret

2005-04-01

To examine the role of gender discrimination and sexual harassment in medical students' choice of specialty and residency program. Anonymous, self-administered questionnaires were distributed in 1997 to fourth-year students enrolled in 14 public and private U.S. medical schools. In addition to reporting the frequency of gender discrimination and sexual harassment encountered during preclinical coursework, core clerkships, elective clerkships, and residency selection, students assessed the impact of these exposures (none, a little, some, quite a bit, the deciding factor) on their specialty choices and rankings of residency programs. A total of 1,314 (69%) useable questionnaires were returned. Large percentages of men (83.2%) and women (92.8%) experienced, observed, or heard about at least one incident of gender discrimination and sexual harassment during medical school, although more women reported such behavior across all training contexts. Compared with men, significantly (p harassment influenced their specialty choices (45.3% versus 16.4%) and residency rankings (25.3% versus 10.9%). Across all specialties, more women than men experienced gender discrimination and sexual harassment during residency selection, with one exception: a larger percentage of men choosing obstetrics and gynecology experienced such behavior. Among women, those choosing general surgery were most likely to experience gender discrimination and sexual harassment during residency selection. Interestingly, correlations between exposure to gender discrimination and sexual harassment and self-assessed impact on career decisions tended to be larger for men, suggesting that although fewer men are generally affected, they may weigh such experiences more heavily in their choice of specialty and residency program. This study suggests that exposure to gender discrimination and sexual harassment during undergraduate education may influence some medical students' choice of specialty and, to a lesser

The Training of Semiliterate Rural Pastors in the Northwest Region Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church

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Fellows, Timothy Steven

2014-01-01

A common plea in missions is the need to train pastors and church leaders for the rapidly multiplying churches in the Majority World, resulting in numerous formal and nonformal theological education training programs. In spite of these efforts, many rural churches remain without pastors. Using appreciative inquiry and participatory…

The Filling Station as a Fresh Expression of church for consideration ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... whether it meets the values of authentic missional churches. In examining whether The Filling Station ought to be considered for import into appropriate local congregational contexts, it enquires whether it satisfactorily addresses prevailing social trends affecting churches, including consumerism and the need for identity.

Gendered representations of fatherhood in contemporary South African church imagery from three Afrikaans corporate churches

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Leandra H. Koenig-Visagie

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The South African secular media do not frequently portray men in parental roles; on the other hand, it seems that media and visual culture created by the Christian sector is more likely to engage with issues of fatherhood. Accordingly, it is relevant to explore representations of fatherhood in the Christian context, as these constitute some of the few examples of men�s parental roles in the South African visual culture landscape. Through a Barthean visual semiotic analysis, this article describes and problematises the representation (and non-representation of certain aspects of fatherhood in the recent visual culture of three Afrikaans corporate churches in the Pretoria-Centurion area. It further establishes that strong connections between breadwinning, male headship and fatherhood exist in images created by these churches. Fathers are mainly shown as patriarchs, heads of households and as active outdoor adventurers. We argue that although men are depicted as involved parents, there are certain limitations and exclusions to this involvement.

The role of church youth in the transformation agenda of South African cities

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Eugene Baron

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The churches in City of Tshwane have incredible youth capital. There is so much energy and passion that fill the concrete walls of the mushrooming churches. This article emerges from a research that was conducted to explore religious innovation and competition amidst demographic and social change among churches in the City of Tshwane. The data of the study suggest that the impetus behind most of the innovation and development in the churches is borne from the hearts and minds of the young people. The striking involvement of the youth in the congregations, their participation and also the reflection in the data in terms of youth agency highlight the concern on their involvement in urban, social change, with specific reference to the City of Tshwane. The article assesses the participation of the church youth in the transformation of the city.

The Presbyterian Churches in New South Wales, 1823-1865 : with particular reference to their Scottish relations

OpenAIRE

Bridges, Barry John

1987-01-01

This study covers the period from arrival of the first minister to union of most congregations in a Church unconnected with the Scottish parent Churches. My thesis is that reliance on the Scottish Churches was a necessary condition for establishment of the Presbyterian Church in the Colony but also the principal cause of failure to attempt to become a major religious force. Equality with the Church of England was conceded gradually and, initially, reluctantly and from the first State aid and ...

Entrustable Professional Activities for Entering Residency: Establishing Common Osteopathic Performance Standards in the Transition From Medical School to Residency.

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Basehore, Pamela M; Mortensen, Luke H; Katsaros, Emmanuel; Linsenmeyer, Machelle; McClain, Elizabeth K; Sexton, Patricia S; Wadsworth, Nicole

2017-11-01

Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) are measurable units of observable professional practice that can be entrusted to an unsupervised trainee. They were first introduced as a method of operationalizing competency-based medical education in graduate medical education. The American Association of Medical Colleges subsequently used EPAs to establish the core skills that medical students must be able to perform before they enter residency training. A recently published guide provides descriptions, guidelines, and rationale for implementing and assessing the core EPAs from an osteopathic approach. These osteopathically informed EPAs can allow schools to more appropriately assess a learner's whole-person approach to a patient, in alignment with the philosophy of the profession. As the single accreditation system for graduate medical education moves forward, it will be critical to integrate EPAs into osteopathic medical education to demonstrate entrustment of medical school graduates. The authors describe the collaborative process used to establish the osteopathic considerations added to EPAs and explores the challenges and opportunities for undergraduate osteopathic medical education.

Using a Catholic Model: The Consequences of the Changing Strategic Purpose of Anglican Faith Schools and the Contrasting Interpretations within Liberalism

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Johnson, Helen

2003-01-01

Until comparatively recently, the survival and success of Church of England and Roman Catholic schools within the English dual system was not given much attention by liberal commentators. However, the general popularity of faith schools among parents and their particular role within current government policy has encouraged the Church of England to…

An extravaganza of old church music

OpenAIRE

Mercieca, Simon

2005-01-01

To celebrate the completion of its first course in Diploma in Music (Sacred Music), the Mediterranean Institute has invited the Choir of the University of Palermo to Malta to give three public performances in local Churches.

Quality and equitable education in primary and secondary schools ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Families, communities, schools and churches play a crucial role in reducing or reinforcing both social and educational inequalities in Zimbabwe. Leadership in schools plays a pivotal role in ensuring discipline and promoting quality education in their institutions. This paper seeks to highlight the issues that affect schools in ...

The early medieval tesserae from the St Servatius Church excavations in Maastricht - The Netherlands (1981-1989)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Panhuysen, T.

2016-01-01

In the eighties of the last century a massive excavation was carried out in the Church of St Servatius in Maastricht in the context of an overall restoration of the church building which dates from the 11th to 15th century. The Servatius Church was originally a grave church that was founded in the

Optimal setpoint operation to reduce peak drying of a church organ

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schijndel, van A.W.M.

2008-01-01

The paper presents the characteristics of the Walloon Church in Delft (Netherlands) and a description of constraints for the indoor climate, giving criteria for the indoor air temperature and relative humidity with the focus on the preservation of the monumental church organ. The set point operation

Implementation of evidence-based HIV interventions for young adult African American women in church settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Jennifer M

2014-01-01

To assess the barriers and facilitators to using African American churches as sites for implementation of evidence-based HIV interventions among young African American women. Mixed methods cross-sectional design. African American churches in Philadelphia, PA. 142 African American pastors, church leaders, and young adult women ages 18 to 25. Mixed methods convergent parallel design. The majority of young adult women reported engaging in high-risk HIV-related behaviors. Although church leaders reported willingness to implement HIV risk-reduction interventions, they were unsure of how to initiate this process. Key facilitators to the implementation of evidence-based interventions included the perception of the leadership and church members that HIV interventions were needed and that the church was a promising venue for them. A primary barrier to implementation in this setting is the perception that discussions of sexuality should be private. Implementation of evidence-based HIV interventions for young adult African American women in church settings is feasible and needed. Building a level of comfort in discussing matters of sexuality and adapting existing evidence-based interventions to meet the needs of young women in church settings is a viable approach for successful implementation. © 2014 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

The founder of the church of Saint George at Pološko

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Pavlović Dragana

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The paper seeks to establish who was the founder of the church of Saint George at Pološko and revise the conclusions of previous researchers regarding this issue. According to the opinion commonly adopted in the scholarly literature, Jovan Dragušin, a cousin of King Dušan, had merely undertaken the construction of church at Pološko, whereas his mother was responsible for the completion of construction and painting of frescoes in the church. Through an analysis of written and visual sources the conclusion is reached that the sole person responsible for the construction and painting of the church at Pološko was the nun Maria, the mother of Jovan Dragušin. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 177036: Srpska srednjovekovna umetnost i njen evropski kontekst

The Roman Catholic Church, the Holocaust, and the demonization of the Jews

Science.gov (United States)

Kertzer, David I.

2015-01-01

Following eleven years’ work, in 1998 a high-level Vatican commission instituted by Pope John Paul II offered what has become the official position of the Roman Catholic Church denying any responsibility for fomenting the kind of demonization of the Jews that made the Holocaust possible. In a 2001 book, The popes against the Jews, I demonstrated that in fact the church played a major role in leading Catholics throughout Europe to view Jews as an existential threat. Yet defenders of the church position continue to deny the historical evidence and to launch ferocious ad hominem attacks against scholars who have researched the subject. The anti-Semitism promulgated by the church can be seen as part of the long battle it waged against modernity, with which the Jews were identified. PMID:27011787

African American church-based HIV testing and linkage to care: assets, challenges and needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Jennifer M; Thompson, Keitra; Rogers, Christopher

2016-01-01

The US National HIV AIDS strategy promotes the use of faith communities to lessen the burden of HIV in African American communities. One specific strategy presented is the use of these non-traditional venues for HIV testing and co-location of services. African American churches can be at the forefront of this endeavour through the provision of HIV testing and linkage to care. However, there are few interventions to promote the churches' involvement in both HIV testing and linkage to care. We conducted 4 focus groups (n = 39 participants), 4 interviews and 116 surveys in a mixed-methods study to examine the feasibility of a church-based HIV testing and linkage to care intervention in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Our objectives were to examine: (1) available assets, (2) challenges and barriers and (3) needs associated with church-based HIV testing and linkage to care. Analyses revealed several factors of importance, including the role of the church as an access point for testing in low-income neighbourhoods, challenges in openly discussing the relationship between sexuality and HIV, and buy-in among church leadership. These findings can support intervention development and necessitate situating African American church-based HIV testing and linkage to care interventions within a multi-level framework.

Exarh of the Bulgarian Church metropolitan Stephen and the Moscow Patriarchy

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Kostriukov Andrei

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The article covers the last period of church-administrative activity of the Sofia’s metropolitan Stephаn (Shokov. The author describes the testimonies of contemporaries about the character and personal qualities of this ambiguous hierarch. In 1945–1948 metropolitan Stephan was the exarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and participated in the Meeting of heads and representatives of Autocephalous Orthodox Churches in 1948. The author considers the circumstances of the dismissal of metropolitan Stephаn and his exile as especially important and interesting ones. The meeting of 1948 became the critical event in the exarch’s destiny. Being the supporter of ecumenism, metropolitan Stephen tried unsuccessfully to convince Patriarch Alexis of his rightness in order not to allow the condemnation of ecumenical contacts by the Moscow meeting. However Moscow looked on ecumenism differently in those days. In Moscow the Soviet management aspired to establishment of the centre of World Orthodoxy and tried to cite the Moscow Patriarchy against Constantinople that was under the influence of the USA and the Great Britain. As the Constantinople Patriarchy approved the ecumenical movement, the Moscow Patriarchy has been forced to take of an opposite position. Therefore, the participation of the Russian Church and Churches of the socialist countries in the ecumenical movement was impossible. Metropolitan Stephan, supporting the superiority of the Moscow Patriarchy in the World Orthodoxy, supported the active participation of all Local Churches in the ecumenical movement. The communistic management applied the maximum force to the exarch in order he has not made undesirable statements at the meeting. The fate of metropolitan Stephan has been decided after this meeting. In 1948 he was fired and exiled. The Moscow Patriarchy did not exclude the possibility of moving of metropolitan Stephаn to Russia and his location in any monastery. However metropolitan

Non-Resident Fathers' Relationships with Their Secondary School Age Children: Determinants and Children's Mental Health Outcomes

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Flouri, Eirini

2006-01-01

Data from 520 British secondary school age children were used to explore determinants of and mental health outcomes (measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) from their non-resident fathers' relationships (child-reported father's involvement and frequency of contact) with them. Frequency of contact was negatively related to time…

Computing Beyond the Church-Turing Limit

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Robert

2009-05-01

Dershowitz and Gurevich claim to have proven the Church-Turing theorem starting from a set of 4 reasonable postulates. (Bulletin of Symbolic Logic, vol. 14, num. 3, Sept. 2008, pg. 299) But their postulate II assumes fixed vocabulary. Humans, however, change their vocabulary words (and concepts) over time. My Asa H artificial intelligence also changes its vocabulary. (Trans. of the Kansas Acad. of Sci., vol. 109, no. 3/4, pg 159, 2006, www.bioone.org/archive/0022- 8443/109/3/pdf/i0022-8443-109-3-159.pdf) Their postulate I excludes nondeterministic transitions between states. I don't know how often humans flip a coin but my Asa H does employ random transitions under certain circumstances. Perhaps humans and Asa H go beyond the Church-Turing limit. (Trans. Kansas Acad. of Sci., 108, 3/4, pg. 169, 2005)

Silence or condemnation: The Orthodox Church on homosexuality in Serbia

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Miloš Jovanović

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the representation of the gay population in the discourse of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The declarations of Church bodies and officials, as well as unofficial public statements of prominent believers regarding gay persons are analysed. There is an ambivalent attitude towards gay people that is usually expressed in the ‘hate the sin, love the sinner’ formula. There is also a different kind of ambivalence: the Serbian Orthodox Church as well as its faithful either stick to the ‘policy of silence’ regarding LGBT(Q issues, or they resort to a very strong moralistic judgment and condemnation. This was particularly noticeable around the time of the gay parade taking place in Belgrade in 2010, as well as during the public discussion before the passing of the anti-discrimination law in the national assembly in 2009. The inclusion of philosophical and medical concepts in theological discourse can also be ascertained. As a result, besides the expected ‘sin’, the categories of ‘unnatural/contrary to nature’ and ‘(mental illness’ are often mentioned in the Church discourse, which is usually saturated with accentuated anti-Westernism.

Subjective study of preferred listening conditions in Italian Catholic churches

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Martellotta, Francesco

2008-10-01

The paper describes the results of research aimed at investigating the preferred subjective listening conditions inside churches. The effect of different musical motifs (spanning Gregorian chants to symphonic music) was investigated and regression analysis was performed in order to point out the relationship between subjective ratings and acoustical parameters. In order to present realistic listening conditions to the subjects a small subset of nine churches was selected among a larger set of acoustic data collected in several Italian churches during a widespread on-site survey. The subset represented different architectural styles and shapes, and was characterized by average listening conditions. For each church a single source-receiver combination with fixed relative positions was chosen. Measured binaural impulse responses were cross-talk cancelled and then convolved with five anechoic motifs. Paired comparisons were finally performed, asking a trained panel of subjects their preference. Factor analysis pointed out a substantially common underlying pattern characterizing subjective responses. The results show that preferred listening conditions vary as a function of the musical motif, depending on early decay time for choral music and on a combination of initial time delay and lateral energy for instrumental music.

NIGERIAN PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES AND THEIR PROSPERITY ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

UWUJA ALEX

prosperity messages are a safe guard against poverty in Nigeria. .... As the leader of the Pentecostal movement, Seymour (in 1906) received an invitation ... CAC led to the formation of prayer groups and Churches to cushion the effect of the.

The church's missionary efforts among domestic workers with special reference to Johannesburg West / by Malatsi Samuel Mofokeng

OpenAIRE

Mofokeng, Malatsi Samuel

2007-01-01

This research deals with the role of the church in its efforts to bring the gospel to domestic workers with reference to five church denominations in Johannesburg-West namely, the Methodist, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Anglican and the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa. Church leaders of the above mentioned church denominations used the integrated ministry by introducing programmes, projects and skills training along side the preaching of the gospel to empower domestic workers spiritua...

Facilitators and Barriers to Implementing Church-Based Adolescent Sexual Health Programs in Baltimore City.

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Powell, Terrinieka W; Weeks, Fiona H; Illangasekare, Samantha; Rice, Eric; Wilson, James; Hickman, Debra; Blum, Robert W

2017-02-01

Black churches are an important community resource and a potentially powerful actor in adolescent health promotion. However, limited research exists describing the factors that may influence the successful implementation of evidence-based adolescent sexual health programs in churches. In the present study, a multi-informant approach was used to identify facilitators and barriers to implementing adolescent sexual health programs in black churches. Nine Black churches located in Baltimore, MD, were recruited to participate in this study. The senior pastor and youth minster from each congregation participated in an in-depth interview (N = 18). A total of 45 youth (ages 13-19 years) and 38 parents participated in 15 focus groups. Qualitative data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a qualitative content analytic approach. Participants agreed that comprehensive adolescent sexual health education should be available for youth in black churches. They also believed that abstaining from sex should be discussed in all adolescent sexual health programs. Three facilitators were discussed: widespread endorsement of church-based adolescent sexual health education, positive influence of youth ministers on youth, and life lessons as teaching tools. Four barriers are described: perceived resistance from congregants, discomfort among youth, lack of financial resources, and competing messages at home about sexual health. Our findings suggest that churches are a preferred place for adolescent sexual health education among some parents and youth. Study findings also reinforce the feasibility and desirably of church-based adolescent sexual health programs. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Trust Building Recruitment Strategies for Researchers Conducting Studies in African American (AA) Churches: Lessons Learned.

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Bonner, Gloria; Williams, Sharon; Wilkie, Diana; Hart, Alysha; Burnett, Glenda; Peacock, Geraldine

2017-12-01

An initial and vital important step in recruiting participants for church-based hospice and palliative care research is the establishment of trust and credibility within the church community. Mistrust of medical research is an extremely important barrier hindering recruitment in African American (AA) communities. A church-based EOL dementia education project is currently being conducted at four large urban AA churches. Church leaders voiced mistrust concerns of previous researchers who conducted investigations in their faith-based institutions. We explored strategies to ameliorate the mistrust concerns. Specific aim: To identify trust-rebuilding elements for researchers following others who violated trust of AA church leaders. Face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted from a convenient sample of four established AA church leaders. Interviews were held in the informants' churches to promote candor and comfort in revealing sensitive information about trust /mistrust. Content analysis framework was used to analyze the data. Elements identified from the analysis were then used to create themes. Multidimensional overarching themes emerged from the analysis included: Experience with researchers (positive and extremely negative), violation of trust and trust building strategies. Findings suggest that researchers who wish to conduct successful studies in the AA religious institutions must implement trust rebuilding strategies that include mutual respect, collaboration and partnership building. If general moral practices continue to be violated, threat to future hospice and palliative care research within the institutions may prevail. Thus, potential benefits are thwarted for the church members, AA community, and advancement of EOL care scholarship.

The State-Church Relationship in Post-Communist Romania

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ANCA GORGAN

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Starting from the Romanian edition of Lavinia Stan and Lucian Turcescu’swork Religion and Politics in Post-Communist Romania, we argue in favour of thenecessity to study the relationship between the State and the Romanian OrthodoxChurch using an approach which takes into account the details and the possibleexistent perspectives, bringing a plus of objectivity, which is so needed in a fieldperceived as a sensible one. The arguments put forward will be justified by thehistorical tradition of the State-Church relationship in the Byzantine Empire, but alsoin Romania, as well as by the predominantly Orthodox structure of our country.

The real crisis of the church

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2015-05-21

May 21, 2015 ... various religious communities, in courses of theology and religious studies and in the field of ... is used a great deal in North Atlantic Reformed circles these ... (e.g. China and Korea) and in Africa the church is growing.

Activity of Russian Orthodox clergy in establishing parochial schools in the second half of XIX — the beginning of the XX century

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Ikonnikov Sergei

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article analyses activity of parish clergy of Voronezh Diocese in the area of national education in the second half of XIX and the beginning of the XX century. On the basis of archival and published sources the author have made a thorough research on the contribution of Orthodox clergy to improving the literacy rate of population through establishment of church schools on the example of Voronezh Diocese. Overwhelming quantity of peasants had absolutely no education then. Deep-rooted superstitions and prejudices were widespread among the population of Voronezh region. Local selfgovernment institutions carried out establishing national schools, but their eff orts were not suffi cient. Moreover, teachers of national schools weren’t loyal to the traditional orthodox values, preferring to teach children new “progressive” ideas. Church authorities made deacon a staff member in tructure of Russian orthodox parishes to provide more eff ective work. In 1884, government of Alexander III appealed to the church to make better contribution to national education among peasant population of the Empire. The clergy were aware of importance of the newly established responsibilities and actively engaged in the work on opening church schools. Local pastors conducted the work to raise awareness of importance of basic ducation among peasants. This article analyzes the work of Voronezh Diocese Clergy on development church schools, discusses both the positive aspects of activity of parochial clergy and obvious defects. The author comes to the conclusion that the priests had made a signifi cant contribution to the development of public education despite the lack of support from the state, the rejection of church schools by zemstvo and the diffi culties associated with poor economic standing of the clergy.

The role of the theology of retribution in the growth of Pentecostal-Charismatic churches in Africa

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Jonathan Kangwa

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This article considers the contribution of the theology of retribution to the growth of Pentecostal-charismatic churches in Africa. It argues that the beliefs and practices of African Pentecostal-charismatic churches uphold the theology of retribution. The success of prophecy and healing in these churches is based on their extensive engagement with the theology of retribution. To show this, the article begins with a brief review of the principle of retribution, describing it as resulting from the conception of a perfect and just universe in which every human deed brings with it consequences. Good deeds are followed by good consequences, evil deeds have bad consequences. Based on this understanding of retribution, the article discusses beliefs and practices of Pentecostal-charismatic churches which support the principle of retribution and whose involvement in healing and prophecy is attractive to Africans. The article concludes that the current discourse on Pentecostal-charismatic churches in Africa focuses strongly on the aspects of healing and prophecy while neglecting the contribution made by the theology of retribution to the popularity of these churches.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Located within African theologies and African church history, this article maintains that the current discourse on Pentecostal and charismatic churches in Africa, as it concentrates on healing and prophecy, overlooks the role played by the theology of retribution in the growth of these churches.

Competencies for first year residents - physicians' views from medical schools with different undergraduate curricula.

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Fürstenberg, Sophie; Schick, Kristina; Deppermann, Jana; Prediger, Sarah; Berberat, Pascal O; Kadmon, Martina; Harendza, Sigrid

2017-09-07

Frameworks like the CanMEDS model depicting professional roles and specific professional activities provide guidelines for postgraduate education. When medical graduates start their residency, they should possess certain competencies related to communication, management and professionalism while other competencies will be refined during postgraduate training. Our study aimed to evaluate the relevance of different competencies for a first year resident required for entrustment decision from the perspective of physicians from medical faculties with different undergraduate medical curricula. Nine hundred fifty-two surgeons and internists from three medical schools with different undergraduate medical curricula were invited to rank 25 competencies according to their relevance for first year residents. The rankings were compared between universities, specialties, physicians' positions, and gender. Two hundred two physicians participated, 76 from Hamburg University, 44 from Oldenburg University, and 82 from Technical University Munich. No significant differences were found regarding the top 10 competencies relevant for first year residents between the universities. 'Responsibility' was the competency with the highest rank overall. Internists ranked 'Structure, work planning and priorities' higher while surgeons ranked 'Verbal communication with colleagues and supervisors' higher. Consultants evaluated 'Active listening to patients' more important than department directors and residents. Female physicians ranked 'Verbal communication with colleagues and supervisors' and 'Structure, work planning and priorities' significantly higher while male physicians ranked 'Scientifically and empirically grounded method of working' significantly higher. Physicians from universities with different undergraduate curricula principally agreed on the competencies relevant for first year residents. Some differences between physicians from different positions, specialties, and gender were

A Church with the Poor – Lessons From Scripture and From ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The church has an essential role to play in communities riddled with poverty, disease, and despair. Communities in informal-settlement areas suffer a great deal. Churches in these communities are often small and have few means for alleviating poverty. In the Bible, the community of God is a community of love. Although ...

THE HEIDELBERG CATECHISM AND THE CHURCH

African Journals Online (AJOL)

in the CMa 125 the ministry of the gospel as human contribution is added. We conclude with the .... the main manual for instruction of the Christian faith, also on the church. It is remarkable that leading .... De Jong, r. 2013. Trouw. [Online.] ...

City’s lost jewel. History of Cracow’a All Saints church till the end of XVI century

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Katarzyna Walczak

2013-12-01

Full Text Available One of the oldest churches in Krakow, dedicated to All Saints, was situated between Grodzka and Franciszkańska Street. It was build in the XIII century, could had been replacement church for first Cracow’s parish, which was transferred from Saint Trinity church. The name of All Saints church was mentioned for the first time in Vita S. Stanislai. The second time in 1278 his rector Arnold was noted. Most interesting fact is that in the Tables of Pence from 1325–1327 you can find two rectors, who had separate salary and were called rectors of wooden and brick churches. In 1490 church got a collegiate title. Than double rectory was liquidated and positions of provost and dean were established. Church was a place where Brotherhood of the Poor created by Bishop Zbigniew Oleśnicki used to work. Our knowledge of churches looks comes from iconography which was made when the building was already a ruin. According to those sources church had two naves, was oriented and had simply completed presbytery. The building had adhered tower, sacristy, treasure and chapel, called capella antiqua. Description of the interior of the church comes from 1599, when Jerzy Radziwiłł, Bishop of Cracow had visited it. According to the decision of the City Beautification Committee, the church was demolished in 1835, and church’s equipment was sold on auction. The tower survived till 1840, when it shared the fate of the rest of the building.

Karl Barth's role in church and politics from 1930 to 1935

African Journals Online (AJOL)

p1243322

have severe consequences for the Protestant Church in the years to come, were the following: .... In an attempt to deal with Barth's insights from 1930 to1935, I will examine his ...... 17 “It is neither the same perception, conviction or deliberate learning that brings people to the church and ..... LESSONS TO BE LEARNED.

Karl Barth's definition of church in politics and culture: Growth points ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The article describes briefly Karl Barth's views on church, its role in politics and how it relates to culture. This is done by identifying the way in which the church participates in the social realm through its relationship with the State. The historic religious question asks whether there is a natural mutual-determining relationship ...

Tracking Residents Through Multiple Residency Programs: A Different Approach for Measuring Residents' Rates of Continuing Graduate Medical Education in ACGME-Accredited Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrne, Lauren M; Holt, Kathleen D; Richter, Thomas; Miller, Rebecca S; Nasca, Thomas J

2010-12-01

Increased focus on the number and type of physicians delivering health care in the United States necessitates a better understanding of changes in graduate medical education (GME). Data collected by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) allow longitudinal tracking of residents, revealing the number and type of residents who continue GME following completion of an initial residency. We examined trends in the percent of graduates pursuing additional clinical education following graduation from ACGME-accredited pipeline specialty programs (specialties leading to initial board certification). Using data collected annually by the ACGME, we tracked residents graduating from ACGME-accredited pipeline specialty programs between academic year (AY) 2002-2003 and AY 2006-2007 and those pursuing additional ACGME-accredited training within 2 years. We examined changes in the number of graduates and the percent of graduates continuing GME by specialty, by type of medical school, and overall. The number of pipeline specialty graduates increased by 1171 (5.3%) between AY 2002-2003 and AY 2006-2007. During the same period, the number of graduates pursuing additional GME increased by 1059 (16.7%). The overall rate of continuing GME increased each year, from 28.5% (6331/22229) in AY 2002-2003 to 31.6% (7390/23400) in AY 2006-2007. Rates differed by specialty and for US medical school graduates (26.4% [3896/14752] in AY 2002-2003 to 31.6% [4718/14941] in AY 2006-2007) versus international medical graduates (35.2% [2118/6023] to 33.8% [2246/6647]). The number of graduates and the rate of continuing GME increased from AY 2002-2003 to AY 2006-2007. Our findings show a recent increase in the rate of continued training for US medical school graduates compared to international medical graduates. Our results differ from previously reported rates of subspecialization in the literature. Tracking individual residents through residency and fellowship programs provides

The black church as the womb of black liberation theology?: Why the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2015-04-30

Apr 30, 2015 ... Southern Africa (URCSA) is not a genuine black church? This article ..... peculiar constituency of black slaves and freed men[sic] what no one else was .... church in the USA, which started during the early 20th century when ...

THE CONCEPT OF IDENTITY IN THE SOCIO-POLITICAL DISCOURSE OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

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E. M. Morozov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes the strategy of the Russian Orthodox Church for the revival of national, state and church identity in Russia. The peculiarities of the church interpretation of the concept of identity and the risks of loss of national identity are revealed from the standpoint of the Church. The author concludes that in the socio-political discourse of the Orthodox Church the concept of identity is presented as a cultural and social marker and is comprehended in the paradigm of conformity with established standards and behavioral responses. Spiritual identity is seen in Orthodoxy through an appeal to the religious tradition and is correlated with the moral imperative formed in the past and with the social and legal code. The Church considers the Orthodox self-identification of citizens and its participation in sociocultural transformations of Russia to be important factors of state identity. In declarations on the topic of Christian identity, the leaders of the Church rely on the idea of Russian religious philosophy about the genetic connection of Orthodoxy with national consciousness. The tendency of Orthodox participation in the public examination of secular cultural events, in teaching schoolchildren (“General Professional Competences’ in the course of ‘The Basics of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics” and in the scientific activity of higher educational institutions (the inclusion of “theology” in the list of scientific disciplines of the Higher Certifying Commission is developing. Public support for the interaction of the Church with state institutions of culture and education is regarded by the author as a factor of acquiring institutional features of identity by Orthodoxy. The active participation of the Church in the public discussion on the relationship between Russia and European countries is motivated by the desire to develop international cooperation, which is hampered by the value contradictions that the �

Ancient Worship Wars: An Investigation of Conflict in Church Music History

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Michael J. Wood

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to prove that conflict in church music is nothing new. Even in the time of the early church fathers, dissenting views on what were acceptable and unacceptable practices in church music were present. The music of the 2nd century through the 14th century is examined. The method used to find specific conflicts in church music history involved reading early Christian literature on music. When possible, both sides of the conflicts included in the project are presented. However, oftentimes only one side of an argument can be found since there is not an abundant supply of early Christian writings on music. When this is the case, a brief attempt at reconstructing the opposing side is made. The most important resources for this research were James McKinnon’s Music in Early Christian Literature and Oliver Strunk’s Source Readings in Music History: Revised Edition. These were integral to this project as they provided primary sources translated into English.

The Origins and Growth of Ragged Schools in Wales, 1847-c. 1900.

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Grigg, Russell

2002-01-01

Investigates the establishment of ragged schools in nineteenth century Wales. States they dealt with the many shabbily clad, underprivileged youth found roaming the streets. Explains Wales focused on creating church and boarding schools. Concludes that other schools eventually provided welfare based services which caused ragged school's demise.…

"Holy Rus": The Geopolitical Imagination in the Contemporary Russian Orthodox Church

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Suslov, M. D.

2014-01-01

The author analyzes the geographical and geopolitical ideas inherent in the concept of "Holy Rus" as used by Patriarch Kirill and other hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church.......The author analyzes the geographical and geopolitical ideas inherent in the concept of "Holy Rus" as used by Patriarch Kirill and other hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church....

Determinants of undernutrition among primary school children residing in slum areas of a Nigerian city.

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Ndukwu, C I; Egbuonu, I; Ulasi, T O; Ebenebe, J C

2013-01-01

Undernutrition remains the largest contributor to the global disease burden. Different factors affecting the nutritional status of children need to be studied to determine those to be targeted in a country like Nigeria, characterized by widespread poverty and inequitable distribution of wealth. This study was aimed at ascertaining the relationship between prevailing socioeconomic and environmental factors, and the nutritional status of children residing in a typical urban slum. A cross-sectional descriptive study of 788 children aged 6-12 years selected by stratified, multistage random sampling method from public primary schools in slum and non-slum areas of Onitsha was carried out. Their nutritional status was determined using anthropometric measures. The socioeconomic and environmental variables of interest were analyzed to determine their relationship with undernutrition in the children. Socioeconomic status was the major determinant of nutritional status in this study. Poor housing also affected the nutritional status of the slum children who were significantly from poorer families than those residing in non-slum areas (χ2 = 66.69, P = 0.000). This study highlights the need for an effective nutrition program targeted at school children in urban slums surrounded by factors predisposing them to undernutrition.

Seismic performance assessment of three masonry churches through FE simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Milani, Gabriele; Shehu, Rafael; Valente, Marco

2017-07-01

The paper presents some seismic analyses on three masonry churches located in Emilia-Romagna (Italy), recently stricken by a devastating earthquake sequence from 20th to 29th May 2012. These churches have a similar geometrical configuration, consisting of three naves, a central colonnade and a simple apse. Limit analyses are conducted on the most important macro-elements of the structure and a full investigation of the churches is carried out by means of the commercial FE Code SAP2000, in both linear and non-linear ranges. Two accelerograms are considered: one is defined in accordance with Italian code response spectrum and the other is based on a natural record of the 29th May earthquake. For both scenarios, the seismic behaviour of the churches is analysed in detail and some vulnerability considerations are drawn. A remarkable consistency is found between limit analyses of macro-elements and response spectrum analyses, whilst some discrepancies can be noted for non-linear dynamic analyses. The results put in evidence the insufficient strength of the apses for shear actions, the columns of the naves for bending moments, the façade for overturning and the triumphal arch for the formation of an in-plane four hinges mechanism.

Influence of Architectural Features and Styles on Various Acoustical Measures in Churches

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, Antonio Pedro Oliveira De.

This work reports on acoustical field measurements made in a major survey of 41 Catholic churches in Portugal that were built in the last 14 centuries. A series of monaural and binaural acoustical measurements was taken at multiple source/receiver positions in each church using the impulse response with noise burst method. The acoustical measures were Reverberation Time (RT), Early Decay Time (EDT), Clarity (C80), Definition (D), Center Time (TS), Loudness (L), Bass Ratios based on the Reverberation Time and Loudness rm (BR_-RT and rm BR_-L), Rapid Speech Transmission Index (RASTI), and the binaural Coherence (COH). The scope of this research is to investigate how the acoustical performance of Catholic churches relates to their architectural features and to determine simple formulas to predict acoustical measures by the use of elementary architectural parameters. Prediction equations were defined among the acoustical measures to estimate values at individual locations within each room as well as the mean values in each church. Best fits with rm R^2~0.9 were not uncommon among many of the measures. Within and interchurch differences in the data for the acoustical measures were also analyzed. The variations of RT and EDT were identified as much smaller than the variations of the other measures. The churches tested were grouped in eight architectural styles, and the effect of their evolution through time on these acoustical measures was investigated. Statistically significant differences were found regarding some architectural styles that can be traced to historical changes in Church history, especially to the Reformation period. Prediction equations were defined to estimate mean acoustical measures by the use of fifteen simple architectural parameters. The use of the Sabine and Eyring reverberation time equations was tested. The effect of coupled spaces was analyzed, and a new algorithm for the application of the Sabine equation was developed, achieving an average of

Is past academic productivity predictive of radiology resident academic productivity?

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Stephanie K; Fitzgerald, James T; Boyse, Tedric D; Cohan, Richard H

2002-02-01

The authors performed this study to determine whether academic productivity in college and medical school is predictive of the number of publications produced during radiology residency. The authors reviewed the records of 73 radiology residents who completed their residency from 1990 to 2000. Academic productivity during college, medical school, and radiology residency, other postgraduate degrees, and past careers other than radiology were tabulated. The personal essay attached to the residency application was reviewed for any stated academic interest. Residents were classified as being either previously productive or previously unproductive. Publication rates during residency and immediately after residency were compared for the two groups. For the productive residents, a correlation analysis was used to examine the relationship between past frequency of publication and type of previous activity. Least-squares regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between preresidency academic productivity, advanced degrees, stated interest in academics, and other careers and radiology residency publications. There was no statistically significant difference in the number of articles published by those residents who were active and those who were not active before residency (P = .21). Only authorship of papers as an undergraduate was weakly predictive of residency publication. These selected measures of academic productivity as an undergraduate and during medical school are not helpful for predicting publication during residency. There was no difference in publication potential between those residents who were academically productive in the past and those who were not.

The Coptic Church in South Africa: The meeting of mission and migration

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David A. Ogren

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Previously identified as an entrenched Egyptian community, Copts have propelled themselves into the greater Africa through two main phenomena: migration and mission. Copts have recast displacement to transcend powerlessness and loss by highlighting the sovereign opportunity to consolidate identity in new contexts and widen the fold of the Coptic community, expressed through ecumenism, holistic ministry, cultural sensitivity and the presentation of the Coptic Church as essentially ‘African’. In migration, the Coptic Church creates identity through physical presence (church buildings, recasting the narrative (African originality, employing a rubric of sovereignty (agency rather than passivity and engaging others ecumenically (gaining Orthodox legitimacy. Beyond reaching out to migrants, much energy has been devoted to mission by establishing institutions, including a missionary training department at the Institute of Coptic Studies and a Department of African Studies in Cairo. In mission, the Coptic Church extends its influence beyond migrants to include non-Copts and non-Christians through ecumenism, social programs and the presentation of Copts as essentially African.

An Architecture for the Electronic Church: Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Grubiak, Margaret M

2016-04-01

More than a university, Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was also the headquarters for evangelist Oral Roberts's electronic church. The electronic church in America, dominated by Christian evangelicals, used technology to spread the Gospel over radio airways and television signals to a dispersed audience. Yet evangelicals like Roberts also constructed ambitious campuses in real space and time. The architecture of Oral Roberts University visualized a modern and "populuxe" image for the electronic church in the 1960s and 1970s. The university's Prayer Tower purposely alluded to the Seattle Space Needle, aligning religion and the Space Age, and the campus's white, gold, and black color palette on late modern buildings created an image of aspirational luxury, conveying Roberts's health and wealth gospel. Oral Roberts University served as a sound stage for Roberts's radio and television shows, a pilgrimage point for his audience, and a university dedicated to training evangelicals in the electronic church.

The history of the Russian Orthodox Church in Denmark (1741-2016 seen in a Danish-Russian historical perspective

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Christensen Carsten Sander

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the history and the problems of the Russian Orthodox Church in Denmark – and here seen in a Danish-Russian historical perspective, especially, in the last 300 years. The relations between the Danes and the Orthodox Church began, however, around 900 years before, in the Eastern European state of Kievan Rus. The article shows that the history of the church is closely linked to the political development in Russia. In this article, the history of the church and the changing Russian congregations will be illuminated in a historical perspective so that both the church and church buildings will throw a new light on the role of the Russian Church in both Danish and Russian history. In addition, it will be analysed to what extent trade policy, strategy and power policy and family relations have influenced the role and position of the Russian Church in Danish history.

Discovering and exploring ubuntu-language in the dialogue between the Dutch Reformed Church and the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa

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Lieze Meiring

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Discussions with members of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC and the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA in Ohrigstad illustrate the possibilities of ubuntu-language in overcoming racism and prejudice. After proposing a number of meanings and values related to ubuntu, this research explores the role of ubuntu-language � and at times the lack thereof � in the concrete relationship between these two faith communities as an expression of recent South African history. Ubuntu-language seems to offer unique outcomes in this relationship in strengthening identity, unleashing vitality, celebrating diversity, awakening solidarity, revealing humanity, bolstering individualism and enhancing Christianity.

An Evaluation of Spatial Organization of the Church Architecture of Kerala during the Sixteenth to Seventeenth Centuries

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Panjikaran, S.; Vedamuthu, R.

2013-05-01

The churches of Kerala of the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries exhibits an architectural character which is different from that of the indigenous Church Architecture of Kerala. Preliminary studies show that the spatial organization of these churches also varied from that of the indigenous churches of Kerala. Did these variations in spatial organization arise of any change in functional requirements of churches? How did the indigenous Architectural character adapt to these changes or did it give way to a new style? The objective of this study is to understand the spatial organization of the indigenous Church Architecture of Kerala and to evaluate the changes in spatial organization during the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries. This study is primarily based on field survey and documentation, evaluation is done by relying on the Rapoport's theory. It is concluded that the church architecture of this period is a fusion of the Western and Eastern ecclesiastical traditions in terms of spatial organization and planning.

The Influence of Pastors' Ideologies of Homosexuality on HIV Prevention in the Black Church.

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Quinn, Katherine; Dickson-Gomez, Julia; Young, Staci

2016-10-01

Young, Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV, and Black Churches may be a source of stigma which can exacerbate HIV risk and contribute to negative health and psychosocial outcomes. Findings from this study are based on 21 semi-structured interviews with pastors and ethnographic observation in six Black Churches. Interview transcripts and field notes were analyzed in MAXQDA using thematic content analysis. Although pastors espoused messages of love and acceptance, they overwhelmingly believed homosexuality was a sin and had difficulty accepting YBMSM into their churches. The tension around homosexuality limited pastors' involvement in HIV prevention efforts, although there still may be opportunities for some churches.

The influence of pastors’ ideologies of homosexuality on HIV prevention in the Black Church

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Quinn, Katherine; Dickson-Gomez, Julia; Young, Staci

2016-01-01

Young, Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV and Black churches may be a source of stigma which can exacerbate HIV risk and contribute to negative health and psychosocial outcomes. Findings from this study are based on 21 semi-structured interviews with pastors and ethnographic observation in six Black Churches. Interview transcripts and field notes were analyzed in MAXQDA using thematic content analysis. Although pastors espoused messages of love and acceptance, they overwhelmingly believed homosexuality was a sin and had difficulty accepting YBMSM into their churches. The tension around homosexuality limited pastors’ involvement in HIV prevention efforts, although there still may be opportunities for some churches. PMID:27099095

Liturgical language of the Eastern Slavonic Orthodox Churches. The Position of The Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church’s Faithful Concerning Liturgical Language

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Tomasz Stempa

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The analysis of collected materials from the life of the Slavic Orthodox Churches indicates, that in some cases Church Slavonic language is no longer a current or justifiable liturgical language. Bilingualism was introduced or Church Slavonic language was replaced by national languages. A closer investigation into the liturgical language situation in Orthodox Churches reveals that the topicality and the validity of using Church Slavonic language as a liturgical language depends on a few factors. As in the case of the non-canonical Orthodox Churches in Macedonia and Ukraine, the Church Slavonic language has been replaced by national languages for nationalistic reasons. In the case of Bulgaria and Serbia, the main factor that has influenced this change is treating Orthodox Church as a national church. In Eastern Slavonic Orthodox Churches (Belarus, Poland and Russia, changing the liturgical language has occurred at a slow pace. The history of churches in XIX and XXI century, the temper and character of Eastern Slavs have had an influence on this. In this case, the biggest opponent of the Church Slavonic language is democracy in a broad sense. Orthodox Christians in Poland still want to pray in the Church Slavonic language. It is worth mentioning, that in churches, where the national language is used, Church Slavonic language has not been completely removed from liturgical life. Bilingualism of liturgical languages is common and in some cases, when the place is considered as backbone for the Orthodox Church, reversion to Church Slavonic language has been noted (Serbia, Bulgaria.

Within the School and the Community--A Speaker's Bureau.

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McClintock, Joy H.

Student interest prompted the formation of a Speaker's Bureau in Seminole Senior High School, Seminole, Florida. First, students compiled a list of community contacts, including civic clubs, churches, retirement villages, newspaper offices, and the County School Administration media center. A letter of introduction was composed and speaking…

SOCIAL ACTIVITY OF RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN 1990-2000S: CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS AND EXPERIENCE OF REALIZATION

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Мария Александровна Симонова

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This article deals with the essential characteristics of the social activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 1990-2000s. There are characterized priorities, shape, effective practice of social work and examined the conceptual foundations of the social activities of the Russian Orthodox Church. The analysis enables to establish the conceptual framework and the specifics of the social activities implementation of the Russian Orthodox Church. Particular attention is paid to the study of the status of the Russian Orthodox Church in the state and society. The specificity of the Social Concept of the church was active development, determined by social practices. In this regard, special attention is paid to the activities of the spiritual and educational centers, which are formed into a single system connected to various forms of ecclesiastical education and social service. In the analyzed period the Church clarified its position towards the state and civil society institutions and identified the principles and promising areas of cooperation. The Russian Orthodox Church has become one of the key social institutions that implement the function of the spiritual care of the moral state of society.

The church and the secular: The effect of the post-secular on Christianity

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Jaco Beyers

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Paradigms determine relationships. During the Enlightenment period Emile Durkheim proposed a relationship between the sacred and the profane. Religion, which is concerned with the sacred, was defined in terms of being different from the profane. The profane came to denote the secular. The organic character of religion caused some scholars to predict the end of the church at the hand of modernisation and rationalisation. Some scholars instead envisaged a new form and function of the church. Some scholars anticipated the growth of Christianity. Reality shows that Christianity has not died out but seems to be growing. The new era we are currently in (identified as the postmodern has been described as the post-secular age where a process of re-sacralisation takes place. How will the post-secular influence the church? What will the relationship between the church and the secular be like under a new paradigm? This article suggests that within a postmodern paradigm, the post-secular will emphasise the place of the individual in the church. Fragmentation of society will also be the result of the post-secular. Religiosity in future will have to contend with fundamentalism and civil religion.

The Spanish Church and the American Social Help (1954-1968

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José Luis Mínguez Goyanes

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The historical research about the contemporaneous Spanish Church has most of all pay attention to the política dimension in the Church-State relationships, disregarding dates about welfare work and social help. Cardenal Quiroga Palacios, President from the episcopal Committee for Charity, was the maximun responsible in the distribution of the American Social Help. Together with a Bibliography, the Article offers documentation from the «Archivo Histórico Diocesano de Santiago».

Dimensions of religiousness and cancer screening behaviors among church-going Latinas.

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Allen, Jennifer D; Pérez, John E; Pischke, Claudia R; Tom, Laura S; Juarez, Alan; Ospino, Hosffman; Gonzalez-Suarez, Elizabeth

2014-02-01

Churches are a promising setting through which to reach Latinas with cancer control efforts. A better understanding of the dimensions of religiousness that impact health behaviors could inform efforts to tailor cancer control programs for this setting. The purpose of this study was to explore relationships between dimensions of religiousness with adherence to cancer screening recommendations among church-going Latinas. Female Spanish-speaking members, aged 18 and older from a Baptist church in Boston, Massachusetts (N = 78), were interviewed about cancer screening behaviors and dimensions of religiousness. We examined adherence to individual cancer screening tests (mammography, Pap test, and colonoscopy), as well as adherence to all screening tests for which participants were age-eligible. Dimensions of religiousness assessed included church participation, religious support, active and passive spiritual health locus of control, and positive and negative religious coping. Results showed that roughly half (46 %) of the sample had not received all of the cancer screening tests for which they were age-eligible. In multivariate analyses, positive religious coping was significantly associated with adherence to all age-appropriate screening (OR = 5.30, p religious coping could increase the impact of cancer control interventions for Latinas.

Confessing the Catholicity of the Church

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sarot, M.

2013-01-01

Starting from a recent discussion in the Netherlands about the application of the Pontifical Council for Social Communication for the internet extension ‘.catholic,’ the author inquires into the meaning of confessing the catholicity of the church. He shows that ‘catholic’ is a title phrase, a

Effective strategic leadership: Balancing roles during church ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2011-08-15

Aug 15, 2011 ... Received: 10 Nov. 2010. Accepted: ... as strategic leadership) or 'inner growth engines' of an organisation that account for its success. (Hoskisson ... a cell church design, the central characteristic being affected was the sense ...

Forging a Collaborative Relationship between the Black Church and the Counseling Profession

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Adksion-Bradley, Carla; Johnson, Darrell; Sanders, JoAnn Lipford; Duncan, Lonnie; Holcomb-McCoy, Cheryl

2005-01-01

In the field of counseling, there has been a growing awareness of the important role the Black church plays in African American communities. Although counseling professionals have begun recognizing the influence the Black church has in the lives of African Americans, there seems to be little information on how counselors can collaborate with…

Women, sexuality, ecology, and the church.

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Ruether, R R

1993-01-01

This abridged article originally was given as a lecture at Seattle University. The view presented is that women's status within the Catholic Church is subordinate to men's status, and that the Church is misguided in its notion of protection of and support for life. Affirmation of life is not promoted by isolated acts of giving birth, but exists in a social and ecological system in a community over time. The fit between children being born and the network to sustain their lives is misaligned. The minority of the world's population has control over the majority of the world's resources, while the majority live in misery, poverty, and starvation. The affirmation of the value of human life must be both qualitative and quantitative. The woman must be empowered, and not continually defined and controlled by male decision makers. Being prolife means to change the conditions of women and the conditions that deny most humans adequate food, clear air and water, housing, and land to sustain life. The American Catholic Bishops confuse teachings on abortion and teachings on nuclear arms buildup. American Catholic Bishops have had great difficulty formulating a pastoral letter on women, which is unfair to the growing number of women who are alienated by the treatment of the church. The denigration of women is deeply imbedded within Catholicism and Christianity, in general, in spirituality and practice. The issue of abortion has more to do with paternalism and women's sexuality and reproduction than valuing or nonvaluing fetal life. Women are denied leadership within the church because of women's sinful nature and the need for paternalism as a punishment for self-determination. St. Augustine stated that two men were not created in God's image and lack personhood. Thomas Aquinas agreed with Aristotle that women are defective due to a gestational process which deprives women of full mental, moral, or physical humanity. Only a man can fulfill the role of priest. The taboo of woman

Enacting the Carnegie Foundation call for reform of medical school and residency.

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O'Brien, Bridget C; Irby, David M

2013-01-01

On the 100th anniversary of the Flexner Report, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching published a new study of medical education. This study, titled Educating Physicians: A Call for Reform of Medical Schools and Residency Programs, contained four primary recommendations intended to stimulate innovation and improvement in medical education. In this article, the authors examined the ways others have applied the four recommendations from Educating Physicians within and beyond medical education. In their review of 246 publications citing the Carnegie work, they found that the recommendation for integration was addressed most frequently, often through descriptions of integration of curricular content in undergraduate medical education. The recommendation to focus on professional identity formation was the second most frequently addressed, followed by standardization and individualization, then inquiry, innovation, and improvement. The publications related to these latter three recommendations tended to be conceptual rather than descriptive or empirical. Publications spanned the continuum of medical education (from medical school to residency to physicians in practice) and even into other fields, but undergraduate medical education received the most attention. The authors discuss common themes among the citing publications and highlight opportunities for further discussion and innovation. Many exciting developments have occurred in medical education and beyond since the publication of Educating Physicians in 2010. Thus far, most of the publications citing the Carnegie recommendations describe incremental changes in medical education, particularly in the area of integration. Some of the conceptual work around these recommendations, coupled with a variety of external factors such as changes in health care and accreditation systems, suggests the potential for changes that are more transformative in nature.

The role of the church in the struggle against poverty: A Hervormde Kerk in Suidelike Afrika perspective

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S. P. Mpanza

1996-12-01

Full Text Available The essence of being a church is love. The church as an organization based on love has the responsibility of loving God, his people and the world which God himself loved first. This paper is about the responsibility of a 'poor church', the Hervormde Kerk in Suidelike Afrika, which despite its poverty still has the vocation of becoming meaningful to its members. Two appeals are made here: firstly, that both the rich and the poor churches should, despite their circumstances, play their roles in combating poverty among their members. Secondly, churches should shift from charity work to development.

The Use of Government Funding and Taxing Power to Regulate Religious Schools.

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Capps, Kline; Esbeck, Carl H.

1985-01-01

Reviews the concept of governmental funding of private schools and whether this would be the means whereby unwanted and obstrusive regulations would be applied to those schools. Government funding in Spain, Malta, and France was the mechanism by which those governments extended control over church-related schools. (MD)

Important Skills for Internship and the Fourth-Year Medical School Courses to Acquire Them: A National Survey of Internal Medicine Residents.

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Pereira, Anne G; Harrell, Heather E; Weissman, Arlene; Smith, Cynthia D; Dupras, Denise; Kane, Gregory C

2016-06-01

To obtain feedback from internal medicine residents, a key stakeholder group, regarding both the skills needed for internship and the fourth-year medical school courses that prepared them for residency. This feedback could inform fourth-year curriculum redesign efforts. All internal medicine residents taking the 2013-2014 Internal Medicine In-Training Examination were asked to rank the importance of learning 10 predefined skills prior to internship and to use a dropdown menu of 11 common fourth-year courses to rank the 3 most helpful in preparing for internship. The predefined skills were chosen based on a review of the literature, a national subinternship curriculum, and expert consensus. Chi-square statistics were used to test for differences in responses between training levels. Of the 24,820 internal medicine residents who completed the exam, 20,484 (83%) completed the survey, had complete identification numbers, and consented to have their responses used for research. The three skills most frequently rated as very important were identifying when to seek additional help and expertise, prioritizing clinical tasks and managing time efficiently, and communicating with other providers around care transitions. The subinternship/acting internship was most often selected as being the most helpful course in preparing for internship. These findings indicate which skills and fourth-year medical school courses internal medicine residents found most helpful in preparing for internship and confirm the findings of prior studies highlighting the perceived value of subinternships. Internal medicine residents and medical educators agree on the skills students should learn prior to internship.

Measuring resident well-being: impostorism and burnout syndrome in residency.

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Legassie, Jenny; Zibrowski, Elaine M; Goldszmidt, Mark A

2008-07-01

Assessing resident well-being is becoming increasingly important from a programmatic standpoint. Two measures that have been used to assess this are the Clance Impostor Scale (CIS) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). However, little is known about the relationship between the two phenomena. To explore the prevalence and association between impostorism and burnout syndrome in a sample of internal medicine residents. Anonymous, cross-sectional postal survey. Forty-eight internal medicine residents (postgraduate year [PGY] 1-3) at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry (62.3% response rate). Short demographic questionnaire, CIS and MBI-HSS. Impostorism and burnout syndrome were identified in 43.8% and 12.5% of residents, respectively. With the exception of a negative correlation between CIS scores and the MBI's personal accomplishment subscale (r = -.30; 95% CI -.54 to -.02), no other significant relations were identified. Foreign-trained residents were more likely to score as impostors (odds ratio [OR] 10.7; 95% CI 1.2 to 98.2) while senior residents were more likely to experience burnout syndrome (OR 16.5 95% CI 1.6 to 168.5). Both impostorism and burnout syndrome appear to be threats to resident well-being in our program. The lack of relationship between the two would suggest that programs and researchers wishing to address the issue of resident distress should consider using both measures. The finding that foreign-trained residents appear to be more susceptible to impostorism warrants further study.

The role of Sunday schools in Christian socialisation of children in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study recommends that improved and well equipped Sunday schools would be attractive and effective in religiously educating African children and youth hence positively influencing them and enhancing their quality of life. Keywords: Sunday schools, Church, indigenous education, Mass media, Christian education ...

Poverty and Christian Welfare Scheme: Evidence from the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion Osun State, Nigeria

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S. Awoniyi

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Existing studies on welfare schemes in Nigerian Churches have focussed on the political and economic perspectives, neglecting the ethical dimension which has a stronger basis in the Bible. This study, therefore, examined the welfare scheme of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion, Osun State, Nigeria as evidence with a view to assessing their method of generating welfare resources, as well as their implementation and monitoring strategy against the provision of the Bible on welfare ethics. Data were obtained through interviews, observation and questionnaire. In-depth interviews were conducted with 90 randomly selected key informants including 12 clergy, 24 poor members of the church, 18 welfare scheme officers and 36 beneficiaries. Four welfare schemes were observed between 1991 -2012 in a total of 30 Anglican Churches in major towns in Osun State. A total of 600 copies of the questionnaire were purposively administered to beneficiaries, church members and welfare scheme officers. Out of these, 550 were retrieved and analysed using percentages. The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion generated resources for welfare schemes through compulsory  levies, donations, annual harvest proceeds, offering collection ,tithes/offering and foreign assistance .Four categories of welfare schemes were adopted: Health care delivery, vocational rehabilitation, micro-credit loans, and women’s empowerment. One implementation strategy was adopted, namely, social advocacy. The church utilized sensitisation mechanism, widow retreat workshops, free health campaign, radio/television programmes and supportive counselling. Welfare scheme for the Church of Nigeria offered socio-economic benefits to members of the Church, but they were weakened by limited human coverage, insufficient funds and poor monitoring. These call for moral reorientation on the part of stakeholders in order to inculcate the ethics of justice and fairness as enshrined in the Bible.

A Qualitative Phenomenological Analysis Exploring Digital Immigrants' Use of Church-Based Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning

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Brinkman-Kealey, Renee

2012-01-01

Individuals and societies have traditionally sought answers to important questions in life through religion. In the 21st century, physical churches with clergy are no longer the sole source of spiritual answers or knowledge. Since the late 1960s, church attendance has been declining. Church leaders have begun to implement new methods such as using…

Historical and artistic aspects of St Nicholas's Church in Czulice

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Lucyna Rotter

1999-12-01

Full Text Available Czulice is a village in the Małopolskie voivodeship; the village which belongs to the Kocmyrzów/Luborzyca municipality. The parish church is the place which offers the faithful an opportunity­ to deepen their religious life; it also becomes a reflection of their care and involvement. Understandably, priests, landowners and parishioners strove to adorn the temple in the most distinguished manner. The church in Czulice is a treasure trove of priceless heritage dating back from medieval to contemporary times.

ptimal setpoint operation to reduce peak drying of a church organ

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A. W.M. van Schijndel

2008-03-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the characteristics of the Walloon Church in Delft (Netherlands and a description of constraints for the indoor climate, giving criteria for the indoor air temperature and relative humidity with the focus on the preservation of the monumental church organ. The set point operation of the Heating Venting and Air Conditioning (HVAC system is evaluated by simulation. The next main model components are presented and combined in a single integrated model: 1 a whole building response model for simulating the indoor temperature and relative humidity, 2 a Partial Differential Equation (PDE based model for simulating detailed dynamic moisture transport in the monumental wood (church organ and 3 a SimuLink controller model. The building model is validated with measurements. The main advantage of the integrated model is that it directly simulates the impact of HVAC control set point strategies on the indoor climate and the church organ. Two types of control strategies are discussed. The first type is a limited indoor air temperature-changing rate. The second type is a limited indoor air relative humidity changing rate. Recommendations from international literature suggest that 1 a changing rate of 2 K/h will preserve the interior of churches and 2 a limited drying rate is important for the conservation of monumental wood. This preliminary study shows that a limitation of indoor air temperature changing rate of 2 K/h can reduce the peak drying rates by a factor 20 and a limitation of the relative humidity changing rate of 2%/h can reduce the peak drying rates by a factor 50. The second strategy has the disadvantage that the heating time is not constant.

Technical Limitations in Merging Secular and Sacred Functions in Monumental Churches

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Piatkowska, Ksenia

2017-10-01

The abandonment of churches and their adaptation for secular purposes is a current subject in Europe and worldwide. Most cases involve objects that were desacralized and then rebuilt as a whole object for alternative functions. Thus far, the merging of secular and sacred functions in one monumental Catholic church has not raised any issues. The paper describes the case of St. Catherine’s Church in Gdansk, Poland, where sacred function exists parallel to the new secular function being implemented. The study is based on the authentic, professional experience of the author. It describes the technical limitations arising from the need to ensure destinies for the optimal conditions of both sacred and secular function, while avoiding undesirable interference between them. The author further identifies architectural solutions most relevant to current requirements for protection of sacred zones in the church, for preservation of the monument, and for optimal function of a modern science museum. Significant design issues include: the inviolability of the sacred zone, preservation of the historical value of the monument, proper operation of new secular zones in compliance with contemporary standards of safety, performance of the assumed mission and profitability. The research indicates specific areas where the highest probability of collision exists between the sacred and profane and where technical problems are likely to occur.

Main Revival Movements in the Catholic Church Before the Second Vatican Council

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Michał Białkowski

2018-06-01

Full Text Available From the middle of the 19th century until convocation of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965, several spiritual and intellectual revival movements were visible in the Catholic Church. They had one overarching objective – return to the origins (French: ressourcement. The revival of Biblical Studies, as the first of these movements, was implemented mainly at two specialist universities: the School of Practical Biblical Studies (French: École pratique d’études bibliques of Father Marie-Joseph Lagrange OP and at the Pontifical Biblical Institute (Pontificium Institutum Biblicum founded by Pope Saint Pius X. The Movement of Liturgical renewal, on the other hand, began at the Benedictine abbeys in Belgium, France and Germany, and was later popularised by Father Prosper Guéranger OSB, Father Lambert Beauduin OSB and Father Odo Casel OSB. Similarly as in the case of the Biblical revival, the teaching of successive Popes – and of Pius XII in particular – had a significant influence on changes in the Catholic liturgy. In contrast, the Ecumenical Movement was characterised by its bottom-up nature, and its beginnings were associated initially with Protestant missionary circles. An important contribution to this transformative movement were meetings between the Catholic and the Anglican Church, known as the Malines Conversations (French: Conversations des Malines, as well as the Una Sancta ecumenical movement developing robustly in Germany. Finally, the last crucial phenomenon – ain particular from the perspective of genesis of the Second Vatican Council – was the rise of Nouvelle Théologie, a new school of thought in Catholic theology. Its representatives include leading theologians of the 20th century: Father Henri de Lubac SJ, Father Karl Rahner SJ, Father Yves Congar OP, Father Marie-Dominique Chenu OP, as well as Father Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI and Father Hans Küng. It should be emphasised all the above Catholic renewal

Plagiarism in Personal Statements of Anesthesiology Residency Applicants.

Science.gov (United States)

Parks, Lance J; Sizemore, Daniel C; Johnstone, Robert E

2016-02-15

Plagiarism by residency applicants in their personal statements, as well as sites that sell personal statements, have been described, and led in 2011 to advice to avoid plagiarism and the caution that plagiarism detection software was available. We screened personal statements of 467 anesthesiology residency applicants from 2013-2014 using Viper Plagiarism Scanner software, and studied them for plagiarism. After quotes and commonly used phrases were removed, 82 statements contained unoriginal content of 8 or more consecutive words. After the study, 13.6% of personal statements from non-United States medical school graduates, and 4.0% from United States medical school graduates, contained plagiarized material, a significant difference. Plagiarized content ranged up to 58%. Plagiarism continues to occur in anesthesiology residency personal statements, with a higher incidence among graduates of non-United States medical schools.

Violence in post-apartheid South Africa and the role of church and theology

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C.F.C. Coetzee

2004-08-01

Full Text Available South Africa is known as one of the most violent countries in the world. Since the seventeenth century, violence has been part of our history. Violence also played a significant role during the years of apartheid and the revolutionary struggle against apartheid. It was widely expected that violence would decrease in a post-apartheid democratic South Africa, but on the contrary, violence has increased in most cases. Even the TRC did not succeed in its goal to achieve reconciliation. In this paper it is argued that theology and the church have a great and significant role to play. Churches and church leaders who supported revolutionary violence against the apartheid system on Biblical “grounds”, should confess their unbiblical hermeneutical approach and reject the option of violence. The church also has a calling in the education of young people, the pastoral care of criminals and victims, in proclaiming the true Gospel to the government and in creating an ethos of human rights.

The ‘enemy within’ the post-Vatican II Roman Catholic Church

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Graham A. Duncan

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965 is regarded as one of the most significant processes in the ecumenical church history of the 20th century. At that time, a younger generation of Roman Catholic theologians began to make their mark in the church and within the ecumenical theological scene. Their work provided an ecumenical bridge between the Reforming and the Roman Catholic ecclesiastical traditions, notwithstanding the subsequent negative response of the Roman church hierarchy. Despite important advances, recent pontificates significantly altered the theological landscape and undermined much of the enthusiasm and commitment to unity. Roman Catholic theological dissent provided common ground for theological reflection. Those regarded as the ‘enemy within’ have become respected colleagues in the search for truth in global ecclesiastical perspective. This article will use the distinction between the history and the narratives of Vatican II.

The evangelical church of Zaire and the female ordained ministry 1

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M. M. Mulemfo

1997-12-01

Full Text Available African culture(s had assigned inferior roles to women in society. The first Christian missionaries did very little to liberate women from this cultural enslavement. The missionaries's understanding of the leadership roles of women was not very different from that of African culture and its societal organisation. Many churches in Africa had kept to this cultural conservatism and also adopted the missionary theology. However, there are some Christians who accept women into the pastoral ministry, while others consider this move as blasphemous and unbiblical. The role of the church in this conflictual issue is to elaborate a new biblical hermeneutic which would help the church to create a conducive environment where men and women would understand their humanity on an equal basis and participate in God's salvific mission for the world.

Communities: Development of church-based counselling teams

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Stella D. Potgieter

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Pastoral care is a biblical mandate to the Church to be involved in the lives of God’s people. A key metaphor used by Jesus to describe his pastoral role was that of a shepherd. Thus, to be God’s shepherds and instruments of healing and transformation in God’s world is an imperative to all people, clergy and laity alike. The brokenness in South African society is strikingly apparent, exacerbated by the effects of exceptionally high criminal behaviour as statistics show. The demand for pastoral care and assistance with various personal problems is on the increase, with many non-church goers turning to churches for help. Also apparent in South Africa is the acute shortage of trained individuals to offer care and counselling. The task of offering care is not the sole responsibility of clergy, as all are called to be shepherds and caregivers. The importance and urgency in training church-based counselling teams cannot be overstated. More so in that we are becoming increasingly aware that not only are individuals in need of care, but whole communities are struggling with trauma and life’s challenges, and often do not know whom to turn to. In pursuance of the realisation that pastoral care is the function and duty of all Christians, this article will delineate in particular an explanation of lay counselling, reasons for its importance including biblical foundations, where and how ordinary South Africans can get involved, and will propose certain models and approaches for getting started. These models will not be discussed in depth, but present an opportunity for the next. Teams for these models consist of professional counsellors, but ought not to be restricted to a select few, as all are called to this special ministry and can be trained for the task, which will include on-going supervision and mentoring. The overall purpose of this article is to highlight the urgency of training lay counsellors and some recommendations will be made how to

Semi-renovationism in the Russia Orthodox Church in the middle of 1920-s.: toward the question about the church policy’s estimate of bishop Irenaeus (Shulgin of Elabuga and bishop Alexiy (Kuznetsov of Sarapulsk

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Zimina Nina

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The article concerns the activity of the St. Petersburg Department of the Moscow Society for Religious education, targeted to give the western Christians the knowledge about the affairs’ state of the Eastern Church. The author identifies the literature published and translated by Russian theologians and members of clergy for western Christians from 1871 to 1880. She describes the work’s methods of the Department. The response of western theologians was the publication of works about the Eastern Church. Members of the St. Petersburg Department managed to fulfill designated tasks despite the short period of activity. They illuminated as much as possible the state of the contemporary Church, a church history and theology and assisted western and east Christians in the dialog’s development.

The church organist’s rappers: Redefining roles and strategies in music education

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Rosa van As

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Arts and culture teachers often are ill-equipped to meet the requirements of school music programmes. They labour especially to accommodate the diverse musical preferences of learners. This discussion accordingly describes the implementation of a once-off rap programme at an inner-city secondary school in Pretoria. It shows the programme evolving fitfully into a remarkably effective synergy between a teacher (trained as a church organist, the formal schooling system, school learners as well as community musicians. However, this synergy was dependent on the teacher relinquishing her cultural and musical preferences in favour of a popular music programme linked to the social experiences of learners. The successful unfolding of this programme demanded that the teacher surrender the conventional status of omniscient, authoritative educator in accordance with the principles of learner-centered approaches. The role of the teacher consequently became that of project coordinator and facilitator, while the needs, goals and actions of learners were central to, and motivated experiential and reflective group learning. Learners applied theoretical knowledge in musical creation and performance, continuously assessed their progress, and redefined their objectives as required. The consequent development by them of a combination of communicative, cognitive, emotional and social skills reveals the value in music education of oral processes of learning, as well as the role of community musicians. It also underscores the value of the school as formal setting of social interaction and education, as well as the indispensable – if redefined – role of the educator.

"Give Us the Words": Protestant Faith Leaders and Sexuality Education in Their Churches

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Hach, Alexa; Roberts-Dobie, Susan

2016-01-01

A small sample of faith leaders from the USA's three largest Mainline Protestant denominations (American Baptist, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and Methodist) were interviewed as part of a case study regarding sexuality education in their churches. The interview schedule, based on a previous Alan Guttmacher Institute designed…

Action and Church : Pastoral Work as the Focal Point of a Liberating Ecclesiology

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Först, Johannes; Dillen, Annemie; Wolfteich, Claire

2016-01-01

Pastoral work is the church in action. That is perhaps the most concise definition of pastoral work. Despite its briefness, however, it offers an ingenious point of departure for reflecting on key issues concerning the church and its task in the world. Based on this short definition, the current

Resident and program director gender distribution by specialty.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Timothy R; Elliott, Beth A; Warner, Mary Ellen; Brown, Michael J; Rose, Steven H

2011-12-01

Although enrollment of women in U.S. medical schools has increased, women remain less likely to achieve senior academic rank, lead academic departments, or be appointed to national leadership positions. The purpose of this paper is to compare the gender distribution of residency program directors (PDs) with residents and faculty in the 10 largest specialties. The gender distribution of residents training in the 10 specialties with the largest enrollment was obtained from the annual education issue of Journal of the American Medical Association. The gender distribution of the residents was compared with the gender distribution of PDs and medical school faculty. The number of programs and the names of the PDs were identified by accessing the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education web site. Gender was confirmed through electronic search of state medical board data, program web sites, or by using internet search engines. The gender distribution of medical school faculty was determined using the Association of American Medical Colleges faculty roster database (accessed June 15, 2011). The correlation between female residents and PDs was assessed using Pearson's product-moment correlation. The gender distribution of female PDs appointed June 1, 2006, through June 1, 2010, was compared with the distribution appointed before June 1, 2006, using chi square analysis. Specialties with higher percentages of female PDs had a higher percentage of female residents enrolled (r=0.81, p=0.005). The number of female PDs appointed from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2010, was greater than the number appointed before July 1, 2006, in emergency medicine (pWomen remain underrepresented in PD appointments relative to the proportion of female medical school faculty and female residents. Mechanisms to address gender-based barriers to advancement should be considered.

Applying Expectancy Theory to residency training: proposing opportunities to understand resident motivation and enhance residency training

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Shweiki E

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Ehyal Shweiki,1 Niels D Martin,2 Alec C Beekley,1 Jay S Jenoff,1 George J Koenig,1 Kris R Kaulback,1 Gary A Lindenbaum,1 Pankaj H Patel,1 Matthew M Rosen,1 Michael S Weinstein,1 Muhammad H Zubair,2 Murray J Cohen1 1Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA; 2Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA Abstract: Medical resident education in the United States has been a matter of national priority for decades, exemplified initially through the Liaison Committee for Graduate Medical Education and then superseded by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. A recent Special Report in the New England Journal of Medicine, however, has described resident educational programs to date as prescriptive, noting an absence of innovation in education. Current aims of contemporary medical resident education are thus being directed at ensuring quality in learning as well as in patient care. Achievement and work-motivation theories attempt to explain people's choice, performance, and persistence in tasks. Expectancy Theory as one such theory was reviewed in detail, appearing particularly applicable to surgical residency training. Correlations between Expectancy Theory as a work-motivation theory and residency education were explored. Understanding achievement and work-motivation theories affords an opportunity to gain insight into resident motivation in training. The application of Expectancy Theory in particular provides an innovative perspective into residency education. Afforded are opportunities to promote the development of programmatic methods facilitating surgical resident motivation in education. Keywords: learning, education, achievement

THE FORTIFIED CHURCHES FROM TRANSYLVANIA - HOW WELL ARE THEY KNOWN BY THE ROMANIAN CITIZENS?

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Serb Silvana Valentina

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The Fortified Churches from Transylvania represent an important category of historical and religious sights of the anthropic touristic potential - historic cultural potential of this region. However, they are not exploited from a touristic point of view at their fair value, one reason being the weak promoting activity, especially the lack of information among citizens about the existence of these churches. In this paper, I intend to highlight on the information level awareness among the Romanian citizens regarding the existence of these churches, to identify which are the most well known and visited churches and to establish the profile of those who visit the churches. In the end, the results of this research impose a set of measures to improve the level of information among the Romanian citizens concerning the existence of this historic and religious heritage. The paper is relevant for the doctoral research project called Marketing Places - religious and historical sights of touristic interest from Transylvania under the guidance of Professor Doctor Marius Pop, Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, during 1st of October 2009 - 1st of October 2012.

Handling of pastoral misconduct and discipline: Evidence from the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe church

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Norman Chivasa

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Misconduct has permeated almost every community across the globe and Christian churches have not been spared either. The two basic questions that the current study addresses were what are some of the reported behaviours of male pastors that constitute misconduct in the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM in Zimbabwe church?; and is there any policy framework in the AFM in Zimbabwe designed to repair distressed relationships between offending pastors and the church? Results showed that in the AFM in Zimbabwe, pastoral misconduct is seen as a negative force that militates against sustaining harmony in the church. As such, whenever a male pastor commits an act of misconduct, disciplinary action is taken against him. It was also found that constructive dialogue to address misconduct is still a blind spot in the church under review. And because there is no policy framework to amend distressed relationships after administering discipline, social interactions between offending pastors and the church remain antagonistic. In view of the identified problem, this study proposed that the AFM in Zimbabwe might need to embrace a peace building framework because it has the propensity to repair broken relationships and to build friendships, social networks and trust between people. This framework can be instrumental in repairing distressed relations between offending pastors and the church at large. The strength of peace building lies in the values of brotherly love, forgiveness, reconciliation and relationship building, which are compatible with Christianity.

The state-church relations in Estonia during the years 1944 - 1953

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Nepochatova Marina

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The article features an analysis of the nature and dynamic of church-state relations in Estonia during the first years following its integration into the USSR. In 1944 the religious situation in the republic was characterized by a number of distinctive attributes. The local population, which had lived prior to the accession of the Baltics to the USSR in 1944 in an atmosphere of relative religious freedom, presented the Soviet authorities with a new phenomenon that would have to be reckoned with. The Plenipotentiaries for Estonia appointed by the Council on ROC Affairs at the USSR Council of Ministers were able to convince their superiors of the need to tread carefully in light of the local specifics. The article deals with an analysis of the distinctive features of the Estonian Orthodox Church. As a secondary denomination in the region, it felt the powerful influence of Lutheran customs and rites. The ethnic heterogeneity of the fold and pronounced language barrier determined the choice of candidacy for the ruling eparchy. The Estonian diocese was rather well endowed with cathedrals, meaning that the main problem of church life in the USSR since the easing of persecution in 1944-1947 - the opening of new parishes - was not an issue in Estonia. On the whole, the church-state relations that dominated the republic in 1944-1947 were quite stable, just as they were around the country; moreover, they were typified by a cautious policy on the part of the Soviet authorities. In 1948-1949 the situation began to deteriorate across the country and Estonia was no exception. The difference was in the methods used: in Estonia, the decision was made to fight the Church and its clergy primarily through collectivization, which was actively pursued in the Baltics beginning in the early 1950s. Collectivization left rural parishes and their clergy in dire straits, and religious life in the countryside began to wane. Yet, the arrival from the central regions

Voluntary dehydration among elementary school children residing in a hot arid environment.

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Bar-David, Y; Urkin, J; Landau, D; Bar-David, Z; Pilpel, D

2009-10-01

Voluntary dehydration is a condition where humans do not drink appropriately in the presence of an adequate fluid supply. This may adversely affect their physical and intellectual performance. The present study aimed to describe the prevalence of voluntary dehydration among elementary school children of different ethnicities and countries of birth. Four hundred and twenty-nine elementary school children, aged 8-10 years, from four subpopulations (Israeli-born Jewish and Bedouin-Arab children, and immigrant children who recently arrived to Israel from Eastern Europe and from Ethiopia) were studied. The level of dehydration was determined by noontime urine osmolality, from samples taken over 1 week in mid-summer. Urine osmolality dehydrated group was that of Israeli-born Jewish children, whereas the Bedouin-Arab children were the least dehydrated. A high proportion of children who reside in a hot and arid environment were found to be in a state of moderate to severe dehydration. Bedouin ethnicity was associated with better hydration, whereas Israeli-born Jews were most severely dehydrated. Educational intervention programmes promoting water intake should start in early childhood and continue throughout life.

Creating social spaces to tackle AIDS-related stigma: reviewing the role of church groups in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Campbell, C; Skovdal, M; Gibbs, A

2011-08-01

An expanding body of literature explores the role of African church groups in facilitating or hindering the support of people living with AIDS and challenging or contributing to HIV/AIDS-related stigma. Treating church groups as social spaces in which HIV/AIDS-related stigma may potentially be challenged, we systematically review this literature, identifying five themes that highlight the complex and contradictory role of the church as a potential agent of health-enhancing social change. In many ways the church perpetuates HIV/AIDS-related stigma through (i) moralistic attitudes and (ii) its reinforcement of conservative gender ideologies. However some churches have managed move towards action that makes a more positive contribution to HIV/AIDS management through (iii) promoting various forms of social control for HIV prevention, (iv) contributing to the care and support of the AIDS-affected and (v) providing social spaces for challenging stigmatising ideas and practices. We conclude that church groups, including church leadership, can play a key role in facilitating or hindering the creation of supportive social spaces to challenge stigma. Much work remains to be done in developing deeper understandings of the multi-layered factors that enable some churches, but not others, to respond effectively to HIV/AIDS.

47 THE ROLE OF SUNDAY SCHOOLS IN CHRISTIAN ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

HP

Sunday schools, Church, indigenous education, Mass media, Christian ... The result of this has been the emergence of social problems and other challenges. .... to provide both religious and elementary education to the children of the poor,.

Culture, pouvoir et eglise (Culture, Power, and Church)

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Vallin, Pierre

1973-01-01

Examines the historical evolution of the terms "culture" and "civilization" in Europe beginning with the medieval concept of the "studium," and focuses on the influence of the church in shaping these concepts. (RL)

The Catholic Church & Social Justice Issues: An Expose of Vatican Power in America.

Science.gov (United States)

Mumford, Stephen D.

1983-01-01

Three popular modern movements--ERA, family planning, and legal abortion--all undermine church authority and power by having as their ends the promotion of acts that completely counter the tenets with which the church leadership has indoctrinated its congregants. Actions the Vatican has taken to counter these threats are discussed. (RM)

Affected by Ritual : Predictors of Agreement with Church Marriage Rites in The Netherlands

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Robinson, Remco; Hermans, Chris; Scheepers, Peer; Schilderman, Hans

2007-01-01

Why do couples opt for a church wedding ritual living in a modern secularized society. Based on the ritual form hypothesis of Lawson and McCauley, the authors identify the specific church wedding rites as special agent rituals and the rites that form the ritual framework of every eucharist or prayer

Needs Assessment for Incoming PGY-1 Residents in Neurosurgical Residency.

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Brandman, David M; Haji, Faizal A; Matte, Marie C; Clarke, David B

2015-01-01

Residents must develop a diverse range of skills in order to practice neurosurgery safely and effectively. The purpose of this study was to identify the foundational skills required for neurosurgical trainees as they transition from medical school to residency. Based on the CanMEDS competency framework, a web-based survey was distributed to all Canadian academic neurosurgical centers, targeting incoming and current PGY-1 neurosurgical residents as well as program directors. Using Likert scale and free-text responses, respondents rated the importance of various cognitive (e.g. management of raised intracranial pressure), technical (e.g. performing a lumbar puncture) and behavioral skills (e.g. obtaining informed consent) required for a PGY-1 neurosurgical resident. Of 52 individuals contacted, 38 responses were received. Of these, 10 were from program directors (71%), 11 from current PGY-1 residents (58%) and 17 from incoming PGY-1 residents (89%). Respondents emphasized operative skills such as proper sterile technique and patient positioning; clinical skills such as lesion localization and interpreting neuro-imaging; management skills for common scenarios such as raised intracranial pressure and status epilepticus; and technical skills such as lumbar puncture and external ventricular drain placement. Free text answers were concordant with the Likert scale results. We surveyed Canadian neurosurgical program directors and PGY-1 residents to identify areas perceived as foundational to neurosurgical residency education and training. This information is valuable for evaluating the appropriateness of a training program's goals and objectives, as well as for generating a national educational curriculum for incoming PGY-1 residents.

New Insights about St Michael’s Church in Ston

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Ivana Tomas

2016-01-01

Full Text Available St Michael’s church in Ston is an important monument of medieval architectural heritage within a wider area of Dubrovnik and the only positively attested monument of the so-called southern Dalmatian single-nave dome type in the area of historical Zahumlje. The church stands on the top of the Gradac hill or St Michael’s Mount (107 m.a.s.l., at the location of an earlier fortification. Based on an analysis of St Michael’s architecture, as well as its stone furnishing, the author has argued that the church is pre-Romaneseque in origin. It has also been suggested that the belfry (the structure to the west was built together with the church, since the concept of the ground plan (the width-length ratio, the slightly protruding apse, its small dimensions, as well as its vertical stratigraphy (the belfry and the dome indicate that it was constructed as a ruler’s chapel. It is most probable that the church was dedicated to Archangel Michael from the very beginning, as the cult of the heavenly host-leader as the patron saint of rulers and their military campaigns was widespread among the upper classes in the early Middle Ages. The time of construction should most probably be connected with the first historically attested and significant ruler of Ston – Duke Mihajlo Višević (before 910 – after 928, who raised Ston to an administrative and ecclesiastical centre of this Sclavinia. An analysis of the younger layer of sculpture in St Michael’s (the monumental window frames and a fragment with human face, as well as its murals, has suggested that the ruler’s chapel was furnished more richly around the mid-11th century. Considering the historical sources on Ston in this period, it has been suggested that its renovation took place at the initiative of Stefan Vojislav (before 1018 – 1043/1050, founder of the Vojislavljević dynasty. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that Vojislav, having defeated Byzantium and its allies (among them the

Comprehensive personal witness: a model to enlarge missional involvement of the local church

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Hancke, Frans

2013-06-01

Full Text Available In the The Split-Level Fellowship, Wesley Baker analysed the role of individual members in the Church. He gave a name to a tragic phenomenon with which Church leaders are familiar. Although true of society in general it is especially true of the church. Baker called the difference between the committed few and the uninvolved many, Factor Beta. This reality triggers the question: Why are the majority of Christians in the world not missionally involved through personal witness and which factors consequently influence personal witness and missional involvement? This article explains how the range of personal witness and missional involvement found in local churches are rooted in certain fundamental factors and conditions which are mutually influencing each other and ultimately contribute towards forming a certain paradigm. This paradigm acts as the basis from which certain behavioural patterns (witness will manifest. The factors influencing witness are either described as accelerators or decelerators and their relativity and mutual relationships are considered. Factors acting as decelerators can severely hamper or even annul witness, while accelerators on the other hand, can have an immensely positive effect to enlarge the transformational influence of witness. In conclusion a transformational model is developed through which paradigms can be influenced and eventually changed. This model fulfils a diagnostic and remedial function and will support local churches to enlarge the individual and corporate missional involvement of believers.

Jurisprudence, Peyote and the Native American Church.

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Lawson, Paul E.; Scholes, Jennifer

1986-01-01

Examines federal and state governments' attempts to suppress peyote use in Indian rituals as historically Christian-inspired. Focuses on questions of morality versus criminal law. Explains history and development of Native American Church of North America. Examines nine contemporary peyote trials. Concludes larger questions of tribal sovereignty…

Community and Christianity in the Black Church.

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Morris, Joseph R.; Robinson, Dianne T.

1996-01-01

Explores the experience of Christianity for many African Americans and how such experience provides a foundation for social activism. Discusses Black church burnings with respect to the more traditional Christian African American view of religion. Explores implications for incorporating the religious traditions of Christian African Americans into…

Church and state in South Africa and human rights

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Piet J. Strauss

2015-10-01

Full Text Available After the Second World War, there was a universal rise and greater acknowledgement of human rights, which entered churches and ecumenical organisations’ way of thinking. Human rights influenced the church’s understanding of justice and human dignity both internally and externally. The concept of human dignity came from the biblical believe that man is created in the image of God. In South Africa human rights were also increasingly recognised and respected. A charter of human rights was included as chapter 2 of the 1996 Constitution and churches regard human dignity as a central tenet of their approach to members and non-members. Differences between church and state on the issue have arisen as the result of differences on the freedom of religion. Church and state in South Africa can complement each other in the promotion of human dignity. Opsomming: Kerk en staat in Suid-Afrika en menseregte. Na die Tweede Wêreldoorlog is menseregte wêreldwyd erken en aanvaar. Dit was ook die geval in kerke en ekumeniese organisasies. Menseregte het kerke se siening van geregtigheid en menswaardigheid in hulle interne sowel as eksterne optrede beïnvloed. Die begrip menswaardigheid het ontstaan uit die bybelse oortuiging dat die mens na die beeld van God geskape is. In Suid-Afrika is menseregte ook toenemend erken en aanvaar. ’n Verklaring van menseregte is as hoofstuk 2 in die 1996-grondwet ingesluit en kerke beskou menswaardigheid as toonaangewend in hulle benadering van mense binne en buite die kerk. Verskille tussen die kerk en die staat in Suid-Afrika oor menseregte het ontstaan as gevolg van verskille oor die inhoud van die vryheid van godsdiens. Teen hierdie agtergrond kan kerk en staat mekaar egter aanvul in die bevordering van menseregte.

Thinking beyond Secularism: The Catholic Church and Political Practice in Rural South India

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Aparna Sundar

2012-04-01

Full Text Available This article re-opens the debate on secularism in India by looking at a religion and a region that has historically been marginal to this discourse, focusing on the way in which the Catholic Church has historically mediated the relationship between individuals and the state, among the fishing communities of South India. The Catholic Church’s dominant position among the fishing communities, its minority status within India, as well as theological and other shifts that have taken place within the global Church, lead it to articulate a secular, even radical politics as its primary mode of religious engagement. Radical clergy, many from fishing backgrounds, act as both organic and traditional intellectuals in the Gramscian sense, linking the traditional religious concerns of the Church to the secular interests of their parishioners. Likewise, villagers participate in Church-generated associations spaces to secure wider political goals. The paper concludes that certain forms of religious organisation in the public sphere might indeed be compatible with democracy, citizenship, and even secularism.

The early Korean Protestant Churches' impact on Korea's ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-06-20

Jun 20, 2014 ... general and the Korean Presbyterian Church in particular on the early phases of .... The missionary first asks for religious liberty, and then proclaims ..... which was historically founded in 1907, in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Concept And Its Implementation During The Reconstruction Of The Church Of Blessed Virgin Mary In Chojna

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Płotkowiak, Maciej

2015-12-01

St. Mary's parish church in Chojna was erected at the turn of XIV and XVc. in a shape of three aisles, hall church without transept, completed from the west with a single tower and from the east with polygonal presbytery with an ambulatory attached. The convergence of characteristic structural and decorative features with employed ones in medieval churches being attributed to Hinrich Brunsberg's fabric resulted in such a way, that also authorship of St. Mary in Chojna was assigned to this legendary architect and master builder of late Middle Ages period. The church was destroyed by fire during WWII in February 1945 and since then had remained as an open ruin. In 1997 reconstruction procedure of the church was begun under the leadership of the author and it still continues. This text consists of the sum of experiences connected with confronting design ideas and solutions with their executions on the site during construction works.

The Political Position of Southeast Russian Church Council (1919 During the Civil War

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Biriukova Iuliia

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The article studies the attitude of the Southeast Russian Church Council toward rather an inhomogeneous politically White Movement. This council took place in Stavropol in 1919. Various socio-political forces, represented at the council, tried to take advantage of that assembly in order to use its authority for political causes, but the council successfully ignored such attempts. According to the council the main purpose of the Church was to work constructively in a religious and moral sphere. Since the White Army became an ally of the Church in its struggle with militant atheism, the leader of the White Movement General Anton Denikin was the only political fi gure who received a special support from the council

CHURCH, Category, and Speciation

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Rinderknecht Jakob Karl

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The Roman Catholic definition of “church”, especially as applied to groups of Protestant Christians, creates a number of well-known difficulties. The similarly complex category, “species,” provides a model for applying this term so as to neither lose the centrality of certain examples nor draw a hard boundary to rule out border cases. In this way, it can help us to more adequately apply the complex ecclesiology of the Second Vatican Council. This article draws parallels between the understanding of speciation and categorization and the definition of Church since the council. In doing so, it applies the work of cognitive linguists, including George Lakoff, Zoltan Kovecses, Giles Fauconnier and Mark Turner on categorization. We tend to think of categories as containers into which we sort objects according to essential criteria. However, categories are actually built inductively by making associations between objects. This means that natural categories, including species, are more porous than we assume, but nevertheless bear real meaning about the natural world. Taxonomists dispute the border between “zebras” and “wild asses,” but this distinction arises out of genetic and evolutionary reality; it is not merely arbitrary. Genetic descriptions of species has also led recently to the conviction that there are four species of giraffe, not one. This engagement will ground a vantage point from which the Council‘s complex ecclesiology can be more easily described so as to authentically integrate its noncompetitive vision vis-a-vis other Christians with its sense of the unique place held by Catholic Church.

Exploring the role of the church as a ‘reformation agency’ in enhancing a socially transformative agenda in South Africa

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Micheal M. van Wyk

2017-03-01

Full Text Available International political, social, economic and religious developments influence how local communities operate. The South African church society is influenced by such developments taking place globally and which clearly influence how local churches function. This article explores the role of the contemporary church as a ‘reformation agency’ in enhancing a socially transformative agenda in South Africa. A qualitative research approach – an interpretative phenomenology design – was employed to negotiate a shared understanding through conversation and intersubjective meaning-making with church ministers, with the primary focus being their subjective experience of the changing role of the church in enhancing a transformative agenda in a South African context. A purposive sampling (n = 6 consisted of local church leaders who participated in the face-to-face and telephonic semi-structured interviews to achieve the purpose of the study. The findings clearly show that deliberate and intentional actions by churches allow them to become a voice for the marginalised, to create spaces for searching for excellence and to increase the quality of servant leadership, all as vehicles for transforming church society. Furthermore, servant leadership is a social phenomenon, a philosophy-in-practice aimed at leading by example to achieve a common goal. To accomplish this, church ministers are required to spearhead the challenge as a prerequisite to creating ‘lived experienced’ opportunities for members as an inward-outward spiritual journey. Finally, church leaders believed that transformation is a secular dimension, but that it can also be aligned towards God’s redemption plan and enhancing a socially just transformation agenda. Ultimately, this study proposed several recommendations to allow the local church to be relevant in practicing and promoting stronger unity and reconciliation amongst all churches nationally and globally.

A missional study of Ghanaian Pentecostal churches' leadership ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2015-06-11

Jun 11, 2015 ... Leadership is an organisational challenge, and the nature of the church ..... word; a priestly people, offering the sacrifice of a life lived ..... Dessler, G., 2012, Supervision and leadership in a changing world, Pearson Education,.

Can changes in psychosocial factors and residency explain the decrease in physical activity during the transition from high school to college or university?

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Van Dyck, Delfien; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Deliens, Tom; Deforche, Benedicte

2015-04-01

When students make the transition from high school to college or university, their physical activity (PA) levels decrease strongly. Consequently, it is of crucial importance to identify the determinants of this decline in PA. The study aims were to (1) examine changes in psychosocial factors in students during the transition from high school to college/university, (2) examine if changes in psychosocial factors and residency can predict changes in PA, and (3) investigate the moderating effects of residency on the relationship between changes in psychosocial factors and changes in PA. Between March 2008 and October 2010, 291 Flemish students participated in a longitudinal study, with baseline measurements during the final year of high school and follow-up measurements at the start of second year of college/university. At both time points, participants completed a questionnaire assessing demographics, active transportation, leisure-time sports, psychosocial variables, and residency. Repeated measures MANOVA analyses and multiple moderated hierarchic regression analyses were conducted. Modeling, self-efficacy, competition-related benefits, and health-related, external and social barriers decreased, while health-related benefits and time-related barriers increased from baseline to follow-up. Decreases in modeling and time-related barriers were associated with a decrease in active transportation (adjusted R(2) = 3.2%); residency, decreases in self-efficacy, competition-related benefits, and increases in health- and time-related barriers predicted a decrease in leisure-time sports (adjusted R(2) = 29.3%). Residency only moderated two associations between psychosocial factors and changes in PA. Residency and changes in psychosocial factors were mainly important to explain the decrease in leisure-time sports. Other factors such as distance to college/university are likely more important to explain the decrease in active transportation; these are worth exploring in

"In my house": laying the foundation for youth HIV prevention in the Black church.

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Lightfoot, Alexandra F; Woods, Briana A; Jackson, Melvin; Riggins, Linda; Krieger, Kathleen; Brodie, Kimberly; Gray, Phyllis; Howard, Daniel L

2012-01-01

This article describes the process our community-academic partnership used to lay the groundwork for successful implementation of an adolescent-focused, evidence-based HIV/AIDS prevention curriculum in two Black churches. We highlight the challenges encountered and lessons learned in building a relationship with two churches, garnering the pastor's support, and implementing the curriculum within church youth groups. We engaged a Community Advisory Board (CAB) made up of youth, parents, and diverse faith leaders to ensure community relevance and guide project development, implementation, and evaluation. Using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach helped us to (1) engage diverse, intergenerational community members, (2) initiate a "culturally humble" process to build relationships with faith leaders, (3) remain responsive to stakeholder concerns, and (4) open the door to HIV prevention in the Black church. Finding effective and responsive ways to implement HIV/AIDS prevention in faith settings is facilitated by engaging diverse partners throughout the research process.

Well-being in residency training: a survey examining resident physician satisfaction both within and outside of residency training and mental health in Alberta

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Patten Scott

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite the critical importance of well-being during residency training, only a few Canadian studies have examined stress in residency and none have examined well-being resources. No recent studies have reported any significant concerns with respect to perceived stress levels in residency. We investigated the level of perceived stress, mental health and understanding and need for well-being resources among resident physicians in training programs in Alberta, Canada. Methods A mail questionnaire was distributed to the entire resident membership of PARA during 2003 academic year. PARA represents each of the two medical schools in the province of Alberta. Results In total 415 (51 % residents participated in the study. Thirty-four percent of residents who responded to the survey reported their life as being stressful. Females reported stress more frequently than males (40% vs. 27%, p Residents highly valued their colleagues (67%, program directors (60% and external psychiatrist/psychologist (49% as well-being resources. Over one third of residents wished to have a career counselor (39% and financial counselor (38%. Conclusion Many Albertan residents experience significant stressors and emotional and mental health problems. Some of which differ among genders. This study can serve as a basis for future resource application, research and advocacy for overall improvements to well-being during residency training.

SOCIAL ACTIVITY OF RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN 1990-2000S: CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS AND EXPERIENCE OF REALIZATION

OpenAIRE

Мария Александровна Симонова

2014-01-01

This article deals with the essential characteristics of the social activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 1990-2000s. There are characterized priorities, shape, effective practice of social work and examined the conceptual foundations of the social activities of the Russian Orthodox Church. The analysis enables to establish the conceptual framework and the specifics of the social activities implementation of the Russian Orthodox Church. Particular attention is paid to the study of ...

ROLE OF COMMON VESTRY OF ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH IN MAROSEIKA STREET IN SPIRITUAL LIFE OF MOSCOW IN XXTH CENTURY

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Анна Филипповна Грушина

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The article concentrates on the history of the formation and development of the Common Vestry of Moscow Church of St. Nicholas in Klenniki. There are revealed the outstanding characteristics of the living, its spiritual origins and bonds. In the centre of the research is the ministration of two hegumens of the church, namely: archpriest Alexius Mechov and his son priest Sergius Mechov. The father started the penancing-liturgical family and the son continued the father's work, retained and enriched his pastoral heritage. The Common Vestry of the Church of St. Nicholas in Klenniki, which had been guided by father Sergius, turned out to be one of the most wonderful phenomena of the Russian Church history of the previous century. In the years of the persecutions against the Church it survived. The peculiarity of this living was that it was disintegrated after the shutdown of the church and the taking away of the pastors. This peculiarity is unique not only for Moscow, but also for all Russian Orthodox Church.

School-Church/Synagogue Partnerships: A Comparative Case Study of Religious Capital Enrichment

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Kaplowitz, Tracy

2015-01-01

The context for this study is the increased focus on school-community partnerships in the United States. With limited research having been conducted on high-achieving schools, this is a case study of one of America's top 100 high schools, a Jewish day school; this article reports on its school-synagogue partnership. Like most research on…

The Dynamism of the Sacraments of Healing in the Service of Church Community Building

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Marek Kluz

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Inspired by the prophetic vision of Blessed John Paul, the pastors of the Church in Poland made huge efforts to ensure that the Church is becoming a real home for her children. The statement became the keynote of the Polish Pastoral Program at the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century. Building the Church community is of key importance for creating a common sense of fraternity, unity and peace in the world. The sacraments play a fundamental role in enhancing the process. Among all the sacraments, the so called Sacraments of Healing, namely the sacrament of penance and reconciliation and the sacrament of anointing of the sick, are of crucial importance, since they constitute an indispensable element of ecclesial identity. The article aims at showing the clearly ecclesial character of the sacrament of penance and the sacrament of the anointing. It also points out that faithful Christian fulfilment of all obligations arising from the sacraments of penance and anointing becomes the leaven of the Gospel, making the community of unity, love and peace present in the Church. Man reconciled with God in the Sacrament of Penance and strengthened in the Sacrament of the Anointing contributes to the growth of the whole Church and her holiness. Therefore, every important aspect of the life of the Church, and all that gives it the true dimension and meaning, can be found in the Sacraments of Healing.

NEW WAYS TO DEVELOP AND PPROMOT TOURISM THROUGH RESTORATION OF WOODEN CHURCHES FROM BUZAU REGION

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Elena-Teodora, NECULA

2014-11-01

Full Text Available With highlighting of the wooden churches from the sub-Carpathian region is possible to make projects of development and promovation of tourism in Buzau. Publishing a book of the wooden churches witch presents the overview on architecture helps with the prom ovation of tourism by bringing new light on the full set, geographical specking it brings new territory to view. Advantage by placing wooden churches in the vicinity of hermitage caves from Buzau will attract even more interest of the large public for seed region. Realizing a few projects of conservation-restoration of wooden churches which are declared historical monuments, will bring a local developing from a cultural-tourist view. A particular case is the wooden church "Saints Emperors" from the vicinity city Nehoiu which has ruttier access, helps with the cost for restoration and number of viewers. Through realizing interventions of conservation-restoration and placing it in a favorable aesthetic view, the monument can be used in a cultural-tourist circuit of international important and this way it can help with the growth of value of monuments and developing cultural-tourist with the final scope heightening the economy.

The Benefits of Partnership Schemes to Schools and Research Students: A Case Study of the Researchers in Residence Scheme

Science.gov (United States)

Barley, Helen; Karim, Muhammed; Gilchrist, Myra; Gillies, Andrew

2013-01-01

To meet the needs of a modern Scottish society, a "Curriculum for Excellence" enables teachers to deliver a more coherent and skills-based curriculum, involving partnerships with external agencies. This article analyses the work of one host school/researcher team through the Researchers in Residence scheme in an Edinburgh secondary…

PUPILS’ AND STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS AND REPRESENTATIONS OF THE WOODEN CHURCHES IN MARAMUREŞ, ROMANIA

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SORIN-ALIN KOSINSZKI

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The main objective of the research was to study the perceptions and representations of some pupils and students, living in Maramureş, of the wooden churches from Maramureş and their employment as tourist attractions. The specific objectives of this research were the following: conceiving, analysing and applying a research instrument for the perceptions and representations on the wooden churches from Maramureş and their employment as tourist attractions, the analysis and interpretation of the obtained results. The following research hypothesis was tested: pupils and students do not have very precise representations of the wooden churches in Maramureş and their employment as tourist attractions. After the questionnaire was applied and the results were analyzed, the working hypothesis was confirmed.

What Medical Oncologist Residents Think about the Italian Speciality Schools: A Survey of the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM on Educational, Clinical and Research Activities.

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Anna Moretti

Full Text Available Relevant heterogeneity exists among Postgraduate Schools in Medical Oncology, also within the same country. In order to provide a comprehensive overview of the landscape of Italian Postgraduate Schools in Medical Oncology, the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM undertook an online survey, inviting all the residents to describe their daily activities and to express their overall satisfaction about their programs.A team composed of five residents and three consultants in medical oncology prepared a 38 items questionnaire that was published online in a reserved section, accessible through a link sent by e-mail. Residents were invited to anonymously fill in the questionnaire that included the following sub-sections: quality of teaching, clinical and research activity, overall satisfaction.Three-hundred and eleven (57% out of 547 invited residents filled in the questionnaire. Two-hundred and twenty-three (72% participants declared that attending lessons was frequently difficult and 153 (49% declared they did not gain substantial improvement in their knowledge from them. Fifty-five percent stated that they did not receive lessons on palliative care. Their overall judgment about didactic activity was low in 63% of the interviewed. The satisfaction for clinical activity was in 86% of cases good: 84% recognized that, during the training period, they acquired a progressive independence on patients' management. About research activity, the majority (79% of participants in the survey was actively engaged in managing patients included in clinical trials but the satisfaction level for the involvement in research activities was quite low (54%. Overall, 246 residents (79% gave a positive global judgment of their Medical Oncology Schools.The landscape of Italian Postgraduate Schools in Medical Oncology is quite heterogeneous across the country. Some improvements in the organization of teaching and in the access to research opportunity are needed; the

Exploring the Influence of Social Determinants, Social Capital, and Health Expertise on Health and the Rural Church.

Science.gov (United States)

Plunkett, Robyn; Leipert, Beverly; Olson, Joanne

2016-09-01

In rural communities, religious places can significantly shape health for individuals, families, and communities. Rural churches are prominent community centers in rural communities and are deeply woven into rural culture. Thus, health influences arising from the rural church likely have health implications for the greater community. This article explores health influences emerging from rural churches using social determinants of health, social capital, and health expertise. Although nurses are important health resources for all populations, their value in rural areas may be exceedingly significant. The contribution of nurses to church-based health capital in rural communities may be quite significant and underestimated, although it remains poorly understood. © The Author(s) 2015.

Finding a Golden Mean in Education Policy: Centering Religious and Public Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Bruce S.; McSween, Rose Byron; Murphy, Peter

2012-01-01

The separation between Church and State, private and public education, is blurring, and coming together, as the government gives families vouchers to attend private and religious schools. Religious groups are starting and supporting their own charter schools, and local jurisdictions (cities and counties) are providing free transportation and food…

Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Guam and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Military Relocation (2012 Roadmap Adjustments)

Science.gov (United States)

2015-07-01

whether for cultural practices, recreation, tourism , or academic study would also diminish the cultural resources of Guam. MITIGATION MEASURES AND...opportunities for important cultural practices. Reduced access to cultural sites, whether for cultural practices, recreation, tourism , or academic study...playgrounds, active sports areas, parks, residences, motels, hotels, schools, churches, places of worship, libraries, and hospitals. C 72 (Exterior

Church and Society. The Role of Religious Journals in the Difusion of the Biblical Element within the Historical Banat area. 1867-1918

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Alin Cristian Scridon

2015-01-01

The church press published important documents regarding the religious life of Romanians from Transylvania and Banat. This publication also included details regarding the religious life of the school from Banat. The Biserica şi Şcoala magazinewas published in the western historical Banat, in Arad. This was possible due to the fact that Timisoara, the most important city in Banat, had a Romanian Orthodox Deanery that was dependent on the Diocese of Arad, before the establishment of the Dioces...

Church Hierarchy and the Elections of 5 June 1949 in Colombia

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Andrés Felipe Manosalva Correa

2014-01-01

Full Text Available During the elections of 5 June 1949 in Colombia, the bishops and archbishops  of the Catholic Church voiced their opinion regarding the exercise of vote. According to general opinion, the Church was homogeneously conservative and intractable with respect to communism and liberalism; however, the article shows that there were different positions within that hierarchy. Some were intractable, others less so, and there was even a special case of moderation: that of the then Bishop of Manizales, Luis Concha Córdoba.

Medical Student Interest in Flexible Residency Training Options.

Science.gov (United States)

Piotrowski, Madison; Stulberg, Debra; Egan, Mari

2018-05-01

Medical residents continue to experience high rates of burnout during residency training even after implementation of the 2003 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty-hour restrictions. The purpose of this study is to determine medical student interest in flexible residency training options. Researchers developed an 11-question survey for second through fourth-year medical students. The populations surveyed included medical students who were: (1) attending the 2015 American Academy of Family Physicians National Conference, the 2015 Family Medicine Midwest Conference, and (2) enrolled at University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, Drexel University College of Medicine, and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The survey was completed by 789 medical students. Over half of medical students surveyed indicated that they would be interested in working part-time during some portion of their residency training (51%), and that access to part-time training options would increase their likelihood of applying to a particular residency program (52%). When given the option of three residency training schedules of varying lengths, 41% of male students and 60% of female students chose a 60-hour workweek, even when that meant extending the residency length by 33% and reducing their yearly salary to $39,000. There is considerable interest among medical students in access to part-time residency training options and reduced-hour residency programs. This level of interest indicates that offering flexible training options could be an effective recruitment tool for residency programs and could improve students' perception of their work-life balance during residency.

Four-dimensional conversion for spiritual leadership development: A missiological approach for African churches

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Kalemba Mwambazambi

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The process of a four-dimensional conversion and/or transformation strives in helping the leadership of an organisation, especially such as the church, with practical ways that may lead to the development of an effective leadership by observing the four important aspects of human spirituality as elaborated on in the article. The spiritual, intellectual, moral and socio-political dimensions of the transformation can be catered for so that the complete inner being of humans, as well as their social and political attitudes and behaviours, can equally be transformed to maximum spiritual, personal and socio-political profitability. Mutombo-Mukendi demonstrates that the need for a spiritual leadership that can contribute to an effective transformation of Africa is dire, both for the church and the larger community. The real challenge is how to develop such leadership. This article provides intentional and practical ways that may lead to the development of the needed leadership. Four-dimensional transformation of people can be planned and carried out both in the church arena and in the surrounding communities. Skills development and transfer can also take place when skilled people from the church work with unskilled people from the community.

A critical historical analysis of the South African Catholic Church's HIV/AIDS response between 2000 and 2005.

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Joshua, Stephen Muoki

2010-12-01

The South African HIV and AIDS experience is unique in many ways considering the country's delayed and robust epidemic, the apartheid context, and successive HIV-denialist government regimes. While the struggle for democracy may have overshadowed the enormity of the unfolding HIV epidemic, there was also a delay in constructive religious responses to it early on. In 1990, HIV/AIDS was declared a Catholic institutional focus, and by 2000 the Church had established the largest system of care and treatment in the country besides that of the government. However, the Catholic Church suffered severe criticism on account of its anti-condom policy to HIV prevention. As a result, the institutional Church underwent both organisational and ideological changes in an attempt to adapt to the contextual challenges brought about by HIV and AIDS. Informed by archival collections and oral sources, this article endeavours to critically analyse the HIV/AIDS-related care and treatment activities of the Catholic Church in South Africa between 2000 and 2005. It argues that the complex interplay between HIV and AIDS, the controversy about condom use, and the availability of antiretroviral therapy, accompanied by church activists' multiple engagements with these issues, changed the Church's institutional HIV/AIDS response at that time, in effect transforming the Catholic Church in South Africa into a substantial health asset and agent. However, its stance against the use of condoms for HIV prevention, informed by a larger religious tradition on sexuality, proved to be a health liability.

Uusi andmeid Mihkli kiriku vanemast ajaloost / New data on the early history of the church of Mihkli

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Ain Mäesalu

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The church of Mihkli is located in Pärnumaa County, approximately 40 km north-west of Pärnu. It is unknown when the limestone building of the church was constructed. The current vaulted church was probably built in the fourth quarter of the 13th century.Preparatory works for building a new roof for the church of Mihkli were carried out in August 2011. The removal of a layer of debris, which had cumulated on top of the vaults of the church, uncovered a layer of soil containing human bones. The results of the archaeological excavations there have led to the assumption that the human bones were brought there in the 19th century together with soil taken from the immediate vicinity of the church, where there used to be a cemetery during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern periodSome of the 55 finds were originally grave goods. A bronze ring, three iron knives, an iron belt-buckle and four silver coins can be considered as such. The artefacts have been dated to the 15th and 16th centuries, whereas the coins were minted in 1515 (?, 1577, 1621 and 1664.The 26 shards of window-glass, some with traces of painting, which were found in the soil, are probably remnants of the church windows. The extraordinary finds were two bronze book clasps that are similar to book clasps used in Northern-Germany and the Netherlands in the 16th century.Three three-ponged sconces produced at the end of the 19th century were found in the holes in the walls located 80–90 cm below the top of the northern and southern walls of the church. The sconces were taken apart and hid in these holes in 1943 during the Second World War.It is now clear, as a result of the excavations that the original stone church had been without vaults, with a simple beam ceiling and plastered from the inside. A two metre long passage within the upper part of the northern wall of the church revealed that it had originally been a fortified church.This paper also discusses if priest Henry, the author

Church of St. Peter and Paul in the village under Kopaonik

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Raičević Slobodan

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In the border of the municipality towards Kosovo, Kuršumlija preserved the St. Cemetery's church of Peter and Paul in village Lukovo near the famous rehabilitation center Lukovo's spa. Church is one nave with a semicircular apse at the east vaults with semicircular arch reinforced with cross sec­tion curve, which relies on a few strong pilasters placed inside long walls. According to folk tradition the church was built in the middle ages and served to diggers and foundries of lead ores of King Milutin. Upon termination of exploitation ore the church neglected and in the 19th century it suffered its first renewal 1871st and another 1895th year. Saved epigraphic inscription with carved year of renewal (1895th, icons and wall decor of the church provide information about reliably judging its recent history and artistic value. Soon after the bricklaying work 1895th Church has received from the altar wall of icons, and after that, and mural painting small artistic value. The crown of the vault is painted Pantocrator, about whose performances are painted scenes of the Transfiguration, Ascension of Christ, Vavedenje and Entry into Jerusalem. On the western wall are shown the Dormition of the Mother of God and in the first zone are shown standing figures of Sts. Constantine and Helena, St. Simon Mir refills and St. Prince Lazar - kefaloforos. On the triumphal arch are Old. Testament scenes of hospitality and sacrifice of Abraham and in the apse bust of God Savaot. In the zone of standing figures are shown Sts. Druid, St. Czar Uroš and St. King Stephen, St. Sunday, St. Petka, St. Procopius, and St. George. From the figures standing at the altar of bishops are shown St. John Chrysostom, St. Sava Serbian, St. Basil the Great and St. Athanasius. There was saved the altar compartments with icons. At the czar's gate are shown Blagovesti and in the order of main icons: Christ Almighty, Mother of God with Christ, St. John the Forerunner, icons of patron St

Specifics of nursing care for members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church

OpenAIRE

VOTRUBOVÁ, Veronika

2016-01-01

Seventh Day Adventist Church was established in the United States in the 19th century and belongs among the Protestant churches. Adventists are characterized by the fact that they expect the second coming of Jesus Christ and hold Saturday holy for celebration of God. The theoretical part deals with the definition of multicultural nursing, nursing and describes the nursing process. It is focused on nursing models Leininger and Giger with Davidhizar. Another part of the theoretical work deals w...

From Alexander von Humboldt to Frederic Edwin Church: Voyages of Scientific Exploration and Artistic Creativity

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Frank Baron

2005-04-01

Full Text Available Article in English, Abstracts in Spanish, German and English.Stephen Jay Gould wrote recently that “when Church began to paint his great canvases, Alexander von Humboldt may well have been the world’s most famous and influential intellectual.” Humboldt’s influence in the case of the landscape artist Church is especially interesting. If we examine the precise relationship between the German explorer and his American admirer, we gain an insight into how Humboldt transformed Church’s life and signaled a new phase in the career of the artist. Church retraced Humboldt’s travels in Ecuador and in Mexico. If we compare the texts available to Church and the comparison of Church’s paintings and the texts and images of Humboldt’s works we can arrive at new perspectives on Humboldt’s extraordinary influence on American landscape painting in the nineteenth century.

An Innovative Clinical Skills “Boot Camp” for Dental Medicine Residents

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Jenny Castillo

2017-05-01

Full Text Available During a 1-year hospital-based residency, dental residents are required to rotate through many departments including surgery, medicine, and emergency medicine. It became apparent that there was a gap between clinical skills knowledge taught in dental school curriculum and skills required for hospital-based patient care. In response, a simulation-based intensive clinical skill “boot camp” was created. The boot camp provided an intensive, interactive 3-day session for the dental residents. During the 3 days, residents were introduced to medical knowledge and skills that were necessary for their inpatient hospital rotations but were lacking in traditional dental school curriculum. Effectiveness of the boot camp was assessed in terms of knowledge base and comfort through presession and postsession surveys. According to resident feedback, this intensive introduction for the dental residents improved their readiness for their inpatient hospital-based residency.

Explaining seemingly paradoxical consumer experiences: conjoining weekly road rage and church attendance.

Science.gov (United States)

Gau, Li-Shiue; Woodside, Arch G; Martin, Drew

2015-02-01

The purposes of the current study are threefold: Provide evidence that an extreme paradoxical group exists-people frequently attending church and exhibiting road rage, profile this group, and frame possible explanations for the seemingly paradoxical behaviors. This study employs data from a national (USA) lifestyle survey conducted by Market Facts with 3,350 American respondents. The major questions asked about church participation and road-rage behavior ("giving a finger" and "flashing headlights"). Nomologically, relevant activities include 3 items for church goers and 3 items for road-rage givers. Additionally, 14 items profiled the lifestyles of the unique paradoxical behavior segment. Utilizing cross-tabulation tables, property space analyses identify the double extreme (XX) group (18 people) and other 6 groups with a significant chi-square test, confirming the extreme group exists. Analyses of variance test results show that comparing nomologically relevant activities among the seven groups is all statistically significant, indicating the nomological validity is met. Overall, the XX group tends to have more males, be younger, and have a higher proportion of people working in sales. The profile of lifestyle analyses shows the XX group members have both high ambitions and expectations, might be very frustrated individuals, and equip with the adventurous and masculine traits related to aggression. The XX behavior group's demographic and psychographic characteristics portray similar lifestyles that differ from other groups. Case-based analyses provide further contextual information of nuances to XX segment individuals. The limited energy theory, the Eagleman's theory of unconscious mind, and justification theory help to explain why people conjointly go to church and commit road rage. Addressing chronic paradoxical behaviors provides implications for social de-marketing to reduce aggressive anti-social behavior such as road rage. Frequent church attendance may

Plagiarism in residency application essays.

Science.gov (United States)

Segal, Scott; Gelfand, Brian J; Hurwitz, Shelley; Berkowitz, Lori; Ashley, Stanley W; Nadel, Eric S; Katz, Joel T

2010-07-20

Anecdotal reports suggest that some residency application essays contain plagiarized content. To determine the prevalence of plagiarism in a large cohort of residency application essays. Retrospective cohort study. 4975 application essays submitted to residency programs at a single large academic medical center between 1 September 2005 and 22 March 2007. Specialized software was used to compare residency application essays with a database of Internet pages, published works, and previously submitted essays and the percentage of the submission matching another source was calculated. A match of more than 10% to an existing work was defined as evidence of plagiarism. Evidence of plagiarism was found in 5.2% (95% CI, 4.6% to 5.9%) of essays. The essays of non-U.S. citizens were more likely to demonstrate evidence of plagiarism. Other characteristics associated with the prevalence of plagiarism included medical school location outside the United States and Canada; previous residency or fellowship; lack of research experience, volunteer experience, or publications; a low United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 score; and non-membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. The software database is probably incomplete, the 10%-match threshold for defining plagiarism has not been statistically validated, and the study was confined to applicants to 1 institution. Evidence of matching content in an essay cannot be used to infer the applicant's intent and is not sensitive to variations in the cultural context of copying in some societies. Evidence of plagiarism in residency application essays is more common in international applicants but was found in those by applicants to all specialty programs, from all medical school types, and even among applicants with significant academic honors. No external funding.

Catholic Church-State Relations in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: A Review of 20 Years

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Beatrice K.F. Leung

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The Catholic Church and the Hong Kong British Government formed warm relations when the Church became the contractor of the government to provide education and social and medical service. The British did not provide democracy to Hong Kong but allowed ample freedom including religious freedom which the Hong Kong Catholics would like to protect in the post-colonial period under the Communist Party rule. For religious freedom, right after Hong Kong became the Special Administrative Region (HKSAR, the Hong Kong Catholic Church under the prophetic and vocal leadership of Bishop Joseph Zen, became very active in political participation. Zen’s leadership was short-lived (1996-2009 and the soft-spoken Bishop John Tong replaced him with a different approach of consolidating the church without antagonising the government with social issues.

Knowledge and attitudes of residents regarding electroconvulsive therapy

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Gokay Alpak

2015-02-01

Full Text Available AIM: To determine the knowledge and attitudes of non-psychiatry residents about electroconvulsive therapy (ECT and additionally to make a comparison between residents of medical sciences and surgical sciences. METHODS: The study consisted of 176 medical school graduates in their residency training (119 medical sciences, 57 surgical sciences at a university hospital. All subjects are asked to fill a questionnaire prepared by the authors. RESULTS: Among all, 58 of the medical sciences residents (48.7%, and 32 of the surgical sciences residents (56.1% had reported that they have never observed any ECT session. There was no statistically significant difference between the residents of the two groups in terms of theirs attitudes towards ECT (p>0.05. The residents of surgical sciences differed from the others only in their response to the question that sought answer whether they would agree to have any of their relatives to undergo ECT. They more often disagreed to this statement (p=0.02. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge and attitudes of residents in medical, and surgical sciences about ECT seemed to be similar. Despite their significant amount of knowledge about ECT the residents showed similar attitudes towards it with the patients and their caregivers that were previously reported in the literature. Additionally, the results also suggest that current training in medical schools need a revision that would eventually improve attitudes of medical graduates towards ECT. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2015; 14(1.000: 33-38

Church-based social marketing to motivate older adults to take balance classes for fall prevention: cluster randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

DiGuiseppi, Carolyn G; Thoreson, Sallie R; Clark, Lauren; Goss, Cynthia W; Marosits, Mark J; Currie, Dustin W; Lezotte, Dennis C

2014-10-01

Determine whether a church-based social marketing program increases older adults' participation in balance classes for fall prevention. In 2009-10, 51 churches (7101 total members aged ≥ 60) in Colorado, U.S.A. were randomized to receive no intervention or a social marketing program. The program highlighted benefits of class participation (staying independent, building relationships), reduced potential barriers (providing convenient, subsidized classes), and communicated marketing messages through church leaders, trained "messengers," printed materials and church-based communication channels. Between-group differences in balance class enrollment and marketing message recall among congregants were compared using Wilcoxon Two-Sample Test and regression models. Compared to 25 control churches, 26 churches receiving the social marketing program had a higher median proportion (9.8% vs. 0.3%; psocial marketing effectively disseminated messages about preventing falls through balance classes and, by emphasizing benefits and reducing barriers and costs of participation, successfully motivated older adults to enroll in the classes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improved HVAC operation to preserve a church organ

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schijndel, van A.W.M.; Schellen, H.L.; Wit, de M.H.

2009-01-01

The common operation of heating systems installed in churches in the Netherlands has led to typical building physics problems directly related with heating. One of the main problems is the drying related shrinkage and damage to (monumental) wooden organs under cold winter conditions. The paper

Leadership for the church: The shepherd model

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-05-30

May 30, 2014 ... also monarchical leaders (2 Sm 5:2) and God himself (Is 40:11; Ps 23:1). The prophetic ... referred to are Abraham (Gn 12:16); Rachel (Gn 29:9); Jacob ... these functions are contrary to the shepherds of Ezekiel's era, ..... Volf, M., 1998, After our likeness: The church as the image of the trinity, Wm. B.

U-Shaped Relationship between Years of Residence and Negative Mental Health Outcomes among Rural-to-Urban Children in Migrant Schools in Beijing, China: The Moderating Effects of Socioeconomic Factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Jin; Wang, Ri-Chu; Yin, Xing; Fu, Lin; Liu, Zheng-Kui

2017-01-01

This study aimed to test the relationship between length of residence and mental health in a school-based sample of migrant children who studied in migrant schools. A total of 7,296 rural-to-urban migrant children were recruited from 58 schools in Beijing and assessed by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Children's Depression Inventory. A quadratic relationship was found between mental health and length of residence. The results suggested that the scores for anxiety and depression were high during the initial resettlement after migrating and then decreased. However, after approximately 8 years, the scores increased. Our findings also showed a significant moderating effect of family socioeconomic status on the relation between mental health and length of residence. This study provided empirical evidence for a better understanding of psychosocial factors on the mental health of migrant children during the process of urbanization in China.

Healing in Herero culture and Namibian African independent churches

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Selaelo T. Kgatla

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The current phenomenon of Namibian African Independent Churches (NAICs draws attention from various people in civil society in Namibia. Although the ministries of NAICs are engaged with activities which are unusual for Christian churches, such as healing the people, fighting against evil spirits and power, performing certain rituals, prophesying and leading the worship services with African Traditional Religion (ATR as a frame of reference in 21st century, they do have a very big influence on various aspects of society in Namibia, which cannot be ignored. This is because those activities are familiar to the everyday lives of Africans and in touch with their culture. With regards to this, this article focuses on the causes of integration or harmony between the Herero culture and the NAICs.

Lead theft--a study of the "uniqueness" of lead from church roofs.

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Bond, John W; Hainsworth, Sarah V; Lau, Tien L

2013-07-01

In the United Kingdom, theft of lead is common, particularly from churches and other public buildings with lead roofs. To assess the potential to distinguish lead from different sources, 41 samples of lead from 24 church roofs in Northamptonshire, U.K, have been analyzed for relative abundance of trace elements and isotopes of lead using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, respectively. XRF revealed the overall presence of 12 trace elements with the four most abundant, calcium, phosphorus, silicon, and sulfur, showing a large weight percentage standard error of the mean of all samples suggesting variation in the weight percentage of these elements between different church roofs. Multiple samples from the same roofs, but different lead sheets, showed much lower weight percentage standard errors of the mean suggesting similar trace element concentrations. Lead isotope ratios were similar for all samples. Factors likely to affect the occurrence of these trace elements are discussed. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Racism and xenophobia: The role of the Church in South Africa

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Jerry Pillay

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Racism and xenophobia have become a worldwide issue and challenge. The recent flood of immigrants and refugees into Europe and America has put this matter on the world map. In South Africa racism and xenophobia have, in recent times, reached explosive proportions and have greatly intensified the need for the Church to get more deeply involved in the creation of racial harmony and peace as it works towards the fullness of life for all people. This chapter explored the challenges of racism and xenophobia in South Africa and concluded by discussing the role of the Church in combating these realities.

Leadership succession patterns in the apostolic church as a template for critique of contemporary charismatic leadership succession patterns

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Cephas Tushima

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The pattern of leadership succession observed globally in most contemporary Pentecostal movements and churches can be characterised as dynastic succession. Yet historic modern Pentecostalism (in the Azusa tradition prided itself on being biblical. This article explores the biblical sources, examining first the leadership structure and then the leadership succession patterns in the apostolic church as well as the extra-biblical sources of the apostolic patristic era. Our findings from this New Testament (and patristic sources survey of leadership succession in the apostolic church and post-apostolic churches furnish a template for critical evaluation of the prevalent succession approaches of contemporary Pentecostal groups. Critical elements of apostolic and leadership structure and succession patterns are highlighted, and needed inferences are drawn for the re-shaping of leadership and its succession in contemporary Christian ministries and churches. Keywords: Azusa; Apostolic Leadership; Leadership Succession; Pentecostalism; Evangelicals; Leadership Patterns

The urban explosion of black majority churches : their origin, growth, distinctives and contribution to British Christianity / by Babatunde Aderemi Adedibu

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Adedibu, Babatunde Aderemi

2010-01-01

British church history in the last sixty years is best described as a “coat of many colours”. This image is appropriate because of the growth and proliferation of Black Majority Churches in urban areas of the British Isles. The advent of these churches has contributed to the prevailing pluralistic theological landscape. This thesis aims to evaluate the current status of Black Majority Churches with respect to their origin, growth, distinctives and contributions to British Ch...

The wall painting in the church of the assumption of the virgin in village Donje Korminjane

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Ženarju, Ivana S.

2014-01-01

As a part of religious revival in the 19th century church of the Assumption of the Virgin in the village Done Korminjane, was renewed. Painter Avram Dičov was engaged to paint the church interior in the 1870, along with his companions Zafir, Todor and Spiro. The decorative program of wall painting was common for the parish churches in the Diocese of Raska and Prizren in the 19th century. The program was organized in two horizontal zones on the walls, and vault was painted as well. The altar a...

Medieval Churches in Shushica Valley (South Albania and the Slavonic Bishopric of St. Clement of Ohrid

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Skënder Muçaj

2014-08-01

In St. Clement’s bishopric Church Slavonic was used as a liturgical language. For that purpose, a set of Byzantine liturgical books was translated from Greek into Church Slavonic, and Clement took an active part in this process. Liturgical pecularities of these books partially observed in Greek manuscripts of South Italian provenance testify to the hypothesis that Greek sources of the earliest Church Slavonic translations belonged to liturgical tradition of Epirus, similar to those of South Italy. This also proves the location of St. Clement’s bishopric in the valley of the Shushica River.

A Niche in a Conflict Area: The Development of the Baptist Church in the Areas of Petrinja, Glina, Sisak and Dvor

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Laura Šakaja

2007-06-01

Full Text Available One of the aspects of social changes during the transitional period in most post-socialist countries was the revival of religion. The revival of Churches that accompanied the national upsurge in some countries was associated with the growth of post-socialist nationalism. This discussion focuses on the development of a different, transnational religious option in an area of ethnic conflict. It analyses the development of the Baptist Church in the post-conflict region of Banovina. The paper is based on interviews conducted mostly among representatives and members of the Baptist Church. After the Croatian Homeland War, in Banovina there was an increase in the number of members of this Church. Among new members the majority were ethnic Serbs, persons from mixed marriages and former communists. Neither the Catholic Church nor the Serbian Orthodox Church were acceptable options to them. The authors conclude that the Baptist option was sustainable due to three factors. First, the development of the Church was based on an already existing tradition and on memories of events from World War II, which were activated by the new war situation at the beginning of the Nineties. Second, the Baptist Church ensured a middle, transnational option in an ethnically mixed setting, and in this way attracted all those who were looking for a neutrality niche in an ethnically strongly divided and conflictive society. Third, the active involvement and help of humanitarian organisations associated with the Baptist Church, during the war and the afterwards, helped to create an image of the Baptist Church as a shelter. These humanitarian activities made it possible for the Baptist Church to leave the shadows and become “visible”, and thus prevail over perceptions in which it was seen as an obscure sect.

Does Residency Selection Criteria Predict Performance in Orthopaedic Surgery Residency?

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Raman, Tina; Alrabaa, Rami George; Sood, Amit; Maloof, Paul; Benevenia, Joseph; Berberian, Wayne

2016-04-01

More than 1000 candidates applied for orthopaedic residency positions in 2014, and the competition is intense; approximately one-third of the candidates failed to secure a position in the match. However, the criteria used in the selection process often are subjective and studies have differed in terms of which criteria predict either objective measures or subjective ratings of resident performance by faculty. Do preresidency selection factors serve as predictors of success in residency? Specifically, we asked which preresidency selection factors are associated or correlated with (1) objective measures of resident knowledge and performance; and (2) subjective ratings by faculty. Charts of 60 orthopaedic residents from our institution were reviewed. Preresidency selection criteria examined included United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 scores, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores, number of clinical clerkship honors, number of letters of recommendation, number of away rotations, Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) honor medical society membership, fourth-year subinternship at our institution, and number of publications. Resident performance was assessed using objective measures including American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) Part I scores and Orthopaedics In-Training Exam (OITE) scores and subjective ratings by faculty including global evaluation scores and faculty rankings of residents. We tested associations between preresidency criteria and the subsequent objective and subjective metrics using linear correlation analysis and Mann-Whitney tests when appropriate. Objective measures of resident performance namely, ABOS Part I scores, had a moderate linear correlation with the USMLE Step 2 scores (r = 0.55, p communication skills" subsection of the global evaluations. We found that USMLE Step 2, number of honors in medical school clerkships, and AOA membership demonstrated the strongest correlations with resident performance. Our

Investigations of biodeterioration by fungi in historic wooden churches of Chiloé, Chile.

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Ortiz, Rodrigo; Párraga, Mario; Navarrete, José; Carrasco, Ivo; de la Vega, Eduardo; Ortiz, Manuel; Herrera, Paula; Jurgens, Joel A; Held, Benjamin W; Blanchette, Robert A

2014-04-01

The use of wood in construction has had a long history and Chile has a rich cultural heritage of using native woods for building churches and other important structures. In 2000, UNESCO designated a number of the historic churches of Chiloé, built entirely of native woods, as World Heritage Sites. These unique churches were built in the late 1700 s and throughout the 1800 s, and because of their age and exposure to the environment, they have been found to have serious deterioration problems. Efforts are underway to better understand these decay processes and to carryout conservation efforts for the long-term preservation of these important structures. This study characterized the types of degradation taking place and identified the wood decay fungi obtained from eight historic churches in Chiloé, seven of them designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Micromorphological observations identified white, brown and soft rot in the structural woods and isolations provided pure cultures of fungi that were identified by sequencing of the internal transcribed region of rDNA. Twenty-nine Basidiomycota and 18 Ascomycota were found. These diverse groups of fungi represent several genera and species not previously reported from Chile and demonstrates a varied microflora is causing decay in these historic buildings.

A relevant liturgy for Reformed churches of African origin concerning liturgical music

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Letšosa, R.S.; De Klerk, B.J.

2007-01-01

The question to be answered in this article is: How can the Reformed Churches of African origin come to liturgical music that is Biblical and contextual? The following basis theoretical principles for Reformed Churches can be summarised: Liturgical music must be faithful to the Bible and it has to glorify God; it must edify the congregation and the music should be composed in such a way that people should sing from the heart, through the Spirit and in understanding. Liturgical music is a spir...

O papel da igreja na educação escolar masculina na década de 1950 The catholic church's role in male education in the 1950's

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Miriam Waidenfeld Chaves

2012-08-01

Full Text Available É possível afirmar que estudos sobre colégios católicos, ao propiciarem uma compreensão acerca das estratégias de socialização por eles utilizadas, estariam cooperando para elucidação das novas configurações de poder da Igreja. Acreditamos que os valores e comportamentos ali fabricados constituam a base da ação de sua liderança leiga, que expressariam certos modos de pensar da Igreja. Este texto pretende mostrar que o trabalho educacional religioso, desenvolvido por um tradicional colégio católico para moços no Rio de Janeiro nos anos 1950, ao moldar certo tipo de aluno, espera que a moral cristã impregne suas vidas. Os conceitos de socialização e juventude, o Rio de Janeiro e a Igreja nos anos 1950 são os temas abordados num primeiro momento. Em uma segunda etapa, chama-se a atenção para o conjunto de práticas de educação religiosa utilizado pela escola, bem como para algumas características sociais dos alunos que se encontravam sujeitos a essa ação pedagógica.It is possible to claim that studies on Catholic schools, while providing an understanding on the strategies of socialization, also contribute to make visible new configurations of the Catholic Church's power. We believe that the values and behaviors produced in the Catholic Church are the basis for the actions of its lay leadership, which could even express certain specific ways of thinking inside the Church. This paper aims to demonstrate how the religious educational work developed by a traditional Catholic school for boys in Rio de Janeiro in the 1950's hopes to instill Christian morality in the boys' lives while molding a certain type of student. The concepts of socialization and youth in addition to Rio de Janeiro and the Catholic Church in the 1950's will be explored at first. Further, the focus of the paper will turn to all the practices of religious education used by the above mentioned traditional Catholic school as well as some social

Resident perceptions of anatomy education: a survey of medical school alumni from two different anatomy curricula and multiple medical specialties.

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Bohl, Michael A; Gest, Thomas R

2011-01-01

In 2004, the University of Michigan Medical School reduced its gross anatomy curriculum. To determine the effect of this reduction on resident perceptions of their clinical preparedness, we surveyed alumni that included residents from the original and new shortened curricula. A Likert-scale survey was sent to four classes of alumni. Respondents were compared in old curriculum (OC) and new curriculum (NC) groups, surgical specialty (SS) and nonsurgical specialty (NS) groups, and subgroups of SS and NS were compared for differences between OC and NC. Mean response scores were compared using independent samples T-tests. As a single population (n = 110), respondents felt their anatomy education prepared them well for residency, that a more robust anatomy curriculum would be helpful, that dissection was important to their residency preparation, and that a 4th year anatomy elective was effective in expanding their anatomy education and preparing them for residency. No significant difference existed between OC and NC groups, neither as a whole nor as SS and NS subgroups. The SS group felt dissection was more important to their residency preparation than the NS group (P = 0.001) and that a more robust anatomy curriculum would have better prepared them for residency (P = 0.001). Thirty percent of SS respondents who did not take a 4th year elective commented that they wish they had. Fourth year anatomy electives were highly valued by residents, and respondents felt that they should be offered to students as a way of revisiting anatomy following the 1st year of clinical training. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Anatomists.

The church hisTory socieTy of souThern AfricA (chssA) ATTemPTing ...

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it is attempting to come of age and the prospects for the future are relatively positive. ... itself to be dominated by primarily Transvaal teachers' organizations and for ... the initial and recurring pleas and even attempts for a representative membership ... church history students in the ministry of the reformed churches attended.

Women ministers' experiences of gender discrimination in the Lutheran Church : a discourse analysis

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2011-01-01

M.A. The aim of this psychological study was to uncover women minister’s experiences of gender discrimination in the Lutheran Church by using a discourse analysis. Three female participants, who are involved in ministry in the Lutheran Church, were interviewed about their experiences and perceptions of gender discrimination. The resultant texts were analysed using Parker’s (2005) steps to discourse analytic reading. The discourses that were discovered indicate that power struggles are prev...

Survey of community pharmacy residents' perceptions of transgender health management.

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Leach, Caitlin; Layson-Wolf, Cherokee

2016-01-01

1) To measure the general perceptions and attitudes of community pharmacy residents toward transgender patients and health; 2) to identify gaps in didactic education regarding transgender health care among residents; and 3) to evaluate residents' level of support for pharmacists receiving education in transgender health care. This study was a cross-sectional survey delivered online. Community residency directors were e-mailed a cover letter and a 34-question online survey. The directors were asked to forward the survey to their residents for completion within 4 weeks. Responses were anonymous with no identifiers collected on the survey. Survey responses used a combination of open-response, multiple-choice, and Likert-scale questions aimed at gathering respondents' demographic information, perceptions of managing transgender patients and the need for receiving additional education in transgender health care. Overall, the results of the survey indicated that community pharmacy residents support integrating transgender health management into pharmacy education and recognize that the overwhelming barriers to care for these patients include discrimination and lack of provider knowledge. Significant findings include: 82.7% of community residents think that community pharmacists play an important role in providing care for transgender patients; 98.2% think that they have a responsibility to treat transgender patients; and 71.4% were not educated about transgender patient issues in pharmacy school. Only 36.2% of community residents felt confident in their ability to treat transgender patients. Community pharmacy residents list discrimination and lack of provider knowledge as the major barriers to care for transgender patients. Residents do not feel confident in their ability to treat and manage transgender patients. The majority of residents were not educated about transgender patient issues while in pharmacy school and think that community pharmacists need more education

A framework for crafting and implementing a congregational strategy in the local congregations of the Reformed Churches of South Africa

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Grobler, Aldeon B.; van der Walt, J. Louw; de Klerk, Barend J.

2012-01-01

The church is not like any other institution or organisation in society. Although the church is primarily invisible and spiritual, it is a visible organisation in the world, and it spans across borders of nations, languages and countries. John Calvin strongly rejected the notion that the church is only a spiritual organisation of which the visible administrative side is downplayed. The fellowship of the church must not only be seen as a mystical relation with Jesus Christ. During 2010, an emp...

Dimensions of sustainability for a health communication intervention in African American churches: a multi-methods study.

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Scheirer, Mary Ann; Santos, Sherie Lou Z; Tagai, Erin K; Bowie, Janice; Slade, Jimmie; Carter, Roxanne; Holt, Cheryl L

2017-03-28

Sustainability of evidence-based health promotion interventions has received increased research attention in recent years. This paper reports sustainability data from Project HEAL (Health through Early Awareness and Learning) a cancer communication implementation trial about early detection, based in African American churches. In this paper, we used a framework by Scheirer and Dearing (Am J Publ Health 101:2059-2067, 2011) to evaluate multiple dimensions of sustainability from Project HEAL. We examined the following dimensions of sustainability: (a) continued benefits for intervention recipients, (b) continuation of intervention activities, c) maintaining community partnerships, (d) changes in organizational policies or structures, (e) sustained attention to the underlying issues, (f) diffusion to additional sites, or even (g) unplanned consequences of the intervention. Project HEAL provided a three-workshop cancer educational series delivered by trained lay peer community health advisors (CHAs) in their churches. Multiple sources of sustainability were collected at 12 and 24 months after the intervention that reflect several levels of analysis: participant surveys; interviews with CHAs; records from the project's management database; and open-ended comments from CHAs, staff, and community partners. Outcomes differ for each dimension of sustainability. For continued benefit, 39 and 37% of the initial 375 church members attended the 12- and 24-month follow-up workshops, respectively. Most participants reported sharing the information from Project HEAL with family or friends (92% at 12 months; 87% at 24 months). For continuation of intervention activities, some CHAs reported that the churches held at least one additional cancer educational workshop (33% at 12 months; 24% at 24 months), but many more CHAs reported subsequent health activities in their churches (71% at 12 months; 52% at 24 months). No church replicated the original series of three workshops

Church-based health programs for mental disorders among African Americans: a review.

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Hankerson, Sidney H; Weissman, Myrna M

2012-03-01

African Americans underutilize traditional mental health services, compared with white Americans. The authors conducted a systematic review of studies involving church-based health promotion programs for mental disorders among African Americans to assess the feasibility of utilizing such programs to address racial disparities in mental health care. A literature review of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and ATLA Religion databases was conducted to identify articles published between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 2009. Inclusion criteria were as follows: studies were conducted in a church; the primary objective involved assessment, perceptions and attitudes, education, prevention, group support, or treatment for DSM-IV mental disorders or their correlates; number of participants was reported; qualitative or quantitative data were reported; and African Americans were the target population. Of 1,451 studies identified, only eight met inclusion criteria. Five studies focused on substance-related disorders, six were designed to assess the effects of a specific intervention, and six targeted adults. One study focused on depression and was limited by a small sample size of seven participants. Although church-based health promotion programs have been successful in addressing racial disparities for several chronic medical conditions, the literature on such programs for mental disorders is extremely limited. More intensive research is needed to establish the feasibility and acceptability of utilizing church-based health promotion programs as a possible resource for screening and treatment to improve disparities in mental health care for African Americans.

Unity and catholicity in the Korean Presbyterian Church: An ecumenical Reformed assessment

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Jaegeon Ha

2016-03-01

Full Text Available I attempt to find the main causes of the serious disunity in the Presbyterian Church in Korea (PCK, which started as one church but is now divided into more than 100 denominations, as well as a solution to promote the unity of the PCK. This attempt starts with an exegesis of Ephesians, with special reference to Ephesians 4:1�16, to understand the biblical principle on this matter. This article draws on a mature ecclesiology and a mature sense of unity as key concepts. After that, the history of the PCK disunity is briefly described, dealing with four major schisms. Based on this historical investigation, the disunity in the PCK is assessed. In addition, the weak sense of unity and weak ecclesiology of the PCK, which played a role in its disunity, are discussed in view of the confessions of faith, the ministry of the word and the Lord�s Supper, and ecumenical efforts in relation to national and international ecumenical organisations. Lastly, contributory suggestions based on the mature sense of unity are offered to the PCK in particular and the Reformed family and all Christian churches in general.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: In my ecumenical Reformed intradisciplinary assessment of unity and catholicity in the PCK, which started as one church but is now divided into more than 100 denominations, I identify the main causes of serious disunity in the PCK, namely a weak sense of unity, immaturity and secularisation.

The early Korean Protestant Churches’ impact on Korea’s democratisation: With special reference to the Korean Presbyterian Church

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Jae-Buhm Hwang

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This study examines the significant influence of the early Korean Protestant churches in general and the Korean Presbyterian Church in particular on the early phases of Korea’s democratisation. Firstly, the Western Protestant mission works in general were visibly conducive for dissemination and cultivation of egalitarian and democratic ideals, with the mission churches becoming sites of do-it-yourself democracy. Secondly, the Nevius (Mission Methods of the Korean Presbyterian Church came to foster the democratic spirit of self-support and self-government, resulting in its rapid growth. Thirdly, with the implementation of a nationwide, representative and democratic polity (presbytery with a constitution, the church even facilitated law-binding and institutional democracy for Koreans in general and Korean Christians in particular. Fourthly, the church’s democratic working deeply inspired Korean democratic politicians, especially Mr Changho Ahn, who had an important influence on the making of the Provisional Government of Korea and its Constitution.

Religious Education and the Media in the Elementary School.

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Riordan, Sister Mary

1981-01-01

This discussion of positive and negative aspects of media in religious education is based on Church documents, including and following the Documents of Vatican II, and on the author's own experiences as an elementary school teacher. Eleven references are listed. (Author/LLS)

Justice and the Missional Framework Document of the Dutch Reformed Church

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Jaco Botha

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article engages with the Missional Framework Document of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC from the perspectives of solidarity with the poor and justice for South African society. The democratic South Africa continues to face significant socio-economic problems and an increasingly dissatisfied population. In the light of this, the article presents an introductory conversation with the Missional Framework Document in order to ask whether it offers an adequate response to South Africa�s current contextual challenges. The lens through which this article will engage the Framework Document is the theological paradigm of justice, specifically the theory of justice presented by Nicholas Wolterstorff as well as some important contributions from contemporary South African scholars who advocate for a theology from the margins of society. It is contended that the DRC remains a predominantly white middle-class church. This social, economic and political location has an impact on the missional theology of the church as expressed in the Framework Document. Hence, we engage with the Missional Theology of the DRC by means of a paradigm that operates from the �underside� or the economic, political and social �margins� of South African society. We argue that any missional theology aimed at furthering God�s Kingdom in South Africa at present must develop in community with the marginalised majority of the nation. The critical engagement with the Framework Document will be done by sketching a theological landscape where current contextual realities are brought into relief against a kairos moment on which the efficacy of this church�s mission, indeed its public work and witness, is being called into question.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This interdisciplinary study in Systematic Theology and Ethics engages the missional theology found in the Missional Framework Document of the Dutch Reformed Church. Methodologically, the

The Russian Orthodox and Catholic Church in 1980 – the 1990th Years: to History of Relationship

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Larisa A. Koroleva

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In article relationship of Russian Orthodox Church and Catholic in 1980 – the 1990th years is considered. Dialogue development between them had not only internal political, but also foreign policy value. One of the most painful questions in relationship of Russian Orthodox Church and the question of the uniatsky church earlier existing in the territory of Ukraine and Belarus and restored in the second half of the 1980th years was Catholic. Divergences in a number of theological questions remained. In particular, it belonged to the doctrine confirmed with the Second Vatican Cathedral about Papal infallibility and a primacy of the Roman High priest. Peacekeeping activity was that sphere where the Russian Orthodox and Catholic churches most successfully cooperated though rivalry was present and here.

Trends in the Use of School Choice, 1993 to 2003. Statistical Analysis Report. NCES 2007-045

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Tice, Peter; Chapman, Christopher; Princiotta, Daniel; Bielick, Stacey

2006-01-01

Opportunities for school choice in the United States have expanded since the 1990s. This report uses data from the National Household Surveys Program (NHES) to present trends that focus on the use of and users of public schools (assigned and chosen), private schools (church-and nonchurch-related), and homeschoolers between 1993 and 2003. The…

Gene therapy, human nature and the churches.

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Dunstan, G R

1991-12-01

Moral analysis must begin with respect for the empirical features, the "facts of the case". Major advances in genetic knowledge and technology -- as in other sciences -- inevitably change mental attitudes. But they could not change human nature, a product of the distinctively human cerebral cortex. Human capacities like compassion and justice are our own and for us to guard. To ask (as some do) about a "right" to inherit a non-manipulated genome is to ask an unanswerable question: the language of rights is inappropriate in this context. Parents have a duty to safeguard and to serve the interests of their potential child. The medical duty is to help in that task in ways which they have limited freedom to choose. The role of churches is to be faithful to their deposit of faith and their theological principles, including that of freedom of conscience. Churches are too easily led in practice to over-rule conscience on grounds of authority, ecclesiastical or biblical, not sustained by convincing reason. This is most evident in some declarations concerning human reproduction. Better were it for them to help their faithful in moral reasoning, the ethics of choice; to keep consciences tender.

Tacit consent: the Church and birth control in northern Italy.

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Dalla-Zuanna, Gianpiero

2011-01-01

This article employs novel documentation to examine ways in which the Church's moral rules on contraception were (or were not) communicated to parishioners in a predominantly Catholic context in a period of rapid fertility decline: the diocese of Padua, in the northeastern Italian region of Veneto, during the first half of the twentieth century. The account is based on documents that have until now been overlooked: the moral cases discussed during the periodic meetings among Padua priests in the years 1916–58, and the written answers provided by priests in response to a question asked of them concerning their efforts to combat the limiting of births. This documentation reveals the limited effect on the reproductive behavior of the position of the Catholic Church against birth control.

Reducing Cancer Health Disparities through Community Engagement: Working with Faith-Based Organizations (Project CHURCH)

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Lorna H. McNeill, PhD, MPH, is Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Health Disparities at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. McNeill's research is on the elimination of cancer-related health disparities in minority populations. Her research has particular emphasis on understanding the influence of social contextual determinants of cancer in minorities, with a special focus of the role of physical activity as a key preventive behavior and obesity as a major cancer determinant. Her research takes place in minority and underserved communities such as public housing developments, black churches, community-based clinics and low-income neighborhoods-communities with excess cancer death rates. She has been continuously funded, receiving grants from various funding agencies (i.e., National Institutes of Health, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, etc.), to better understand and design innovative solutions to address obesity in racial/ethnic minority communities. Dr. McNeill is PI of several community-based studies, primarily working with African American churches. One is a called Project CHURCH, an academic-faith-based partnership established to: 1) identify underlying reasons for health disparities in cancer and cancer risk factors (e.g., screening, diet) among AAs using a cohort study (N=2400), 2) engage AAs as partners in the research process, and 3) to ultimately eliminate disparities among AAs. In 2014 Dr. McNeill furthered her partnership through the Faith, Health, and Family (FHF) Collaborative. The goals of FHF are to enhance the Project CHURCH partnership to address family obesity in African Americans, strengthen the partnership by developing a larger coalition of organizations and stakeholders to address the problem, assess church and community interest in family obesity and develop an agenda to address obesity in faith settings. To date we have 50 churches as members. Dr. McNeill is also director of the Center for Community

Picture Good Health: A Church-Based Self-Management Intervention Among Latino Adults with Diabetes.

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Baig, Arshiya A; Benitez, Amanda; Locklin, Cara A; Gao, Yue; Lee, Sang Mee; Quinn, Michael T; Solomon, Marla C; Sánchez-Johnsen, Lisa; Burnet, Deborah L; Chin, Marshall H

2015-10-01

Churches may provide a familiar and accessible setting for chronic disease self-management education and social support for Latinos with diabetes. We assessed the impact of a multi-faceted church-based diabetes self-management intervention on diabetes outcomes among Latino adults. This was a community-based, randomized controlled, pilot study. One-hundred adults with self-reported diabetes from a Midwestern, urban, low-income Mexican-American neighborhood were included in the study. Intervention participants were enrolled in a church-based diabetes self-management program that included eight weekly group classes led by trained lay leaders. Enhanced usual care participants attended one 90-minute lecture on diabetes self-management at a local church. The primary outcome was change in glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C). Secondary outcomes included changes in low-density lipoproteins (LDL), blood pressure, weight, and diabetes self-care practices. Participants' mean age was 54 ± 12 years, 81 % were female, 98 % were Latino, and 51 % were uninsured. At 3 months, study participants in both arms decreased their A1C from baseline (-0.32 %, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: -0.62, -0.02 %). The difference in change in A1C, LDL, blood pressure and weight from baseline to 3-month and 6-month follow-up was not statistically significant between the intervention and enhanced usual care groups. Intervention participants reported fewer days of consuming high fat foods in the previous week (-1.34, 95 % CI: -2.22, -0.46) and more days of participating in exercise (1.58, 95 % CI: 0.24, 2.92) compared to enhanced usual care from baseline to 6 months. A pilot church-based diabetes self-management intervention did not reduce A1C, but resulted in decreased high fat food consumption and increased participation in exercise among low-income Latino adults with diabetes. Future church-based interventions may need to strengthen linkages to the healthcare system and provide continued support to

Considering Weight Loss Programs and Public Health Partnerships in American Evangelical Protestant Churches.

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Miller, D Gibbes

2018-06-01

The obesity epidemic is a critical public health threat facing the USA. With the advent of American Evangelical Protestant (AEP) weight loss guides and narratives, AEP churches could potentially aid public health agencies in combatting obesity, and some scholars have called for investment in partnerships between public health agencies and religious institutions. This paper examines the theological and social underpinnings of AEP weight loss programs and considers the potential benefits and risks of public health partnerships with AEP churches to combat obesity. While AEP churches may be successful at empowering people to lose weight, AEP weight loss also carries several risks. These risks include reinforcing gendered bodily norms, stigmatizing both overweight bodies and unhealthy behaviors deemed to be sinful (for example, overeating), and failing to acknowledge social factors that promote obesity. These risks must be assessed and minimized to create appropriate public health weight loss partnerships with AEP communities.

Motier church - refurbishment of heating system; Kirche Motier Sanierung der Raumheizung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grizzetti, V.

2003-07-01

This final report for the Swiss Federal Office for Energy describes the refurbishment of the space heating system of the historical church in Motier, Switzerland. The 50-year old, inefficient electrical direct heating system of the church, which is a listed building, and the new, heat pump-based system are described. Heating energy is distributed via a warm-air system, geothermal energy provides the primary heat source for the heat pump. Technical details of the heating characteristics and energy consumption of the old and new heating systems are presented in the form of tables and diagrams. The maintenance of the heating system's ventilation unit is also discussed.

Bridging cultures: Nonprofit, church, and emergency management agency collaboration after the May 2013 Oklahoma tornado outbreak.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Haley; Pudlo, Jason

Community-based organizations, such as nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and churches, play an important role in helping individuals and communities bounce back after a disaster. The nature of disasters requires organizations across sectors to partner together to provide recovery services; however, collaboration is difficult even in times of stability and requires trust and communication to be built through prior collaborative relationships. These prior relationships rarely exist between the majority of the nonprofit sector, churches, and existing emergency management structures. Furthermore, these organizations often have very different cultures, values, and norms that can further hinder successful postdisaster collaboration. The authors use data collected from interviews with nonprofit and church leaders involved in recovery efforts after a series of devastating storms impacted central Oklahoma in 2013 to understand how well nonprofit and church leaders perceive their organizations collaborated with each other and with government and emergency management agencies in response and recovery efforts. Interview data suggest that NPOs and churches without a primary or secondary mission of disaster response and recovery have a difficult time collaborating with organizations involved in existing emergency management structures. The authors suggest that nonprofits with a primary or secondary purpose in disaster response are a potential bridge between other nonprofits and emergency management agencies.

The Muted Voice of the Catholic Church in Angola

Science.gov (United States)

2016-12-01

laboring for the Church in the spacious lands of Africa.” 87 Harkening back to the centuries of colonialism, this document anachronistically celebrates ...112 The peace conference, which was endorsed by Pope John Paul II, featured a 107Comerford, “The

Residents in difficulty—just slower learners? A case-control study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

O'Neill, Lotte; Norberg, Karen; Thomsen, Maria

2014-01-01

were matched for graduation year. Medical school exam failures, grades, completion time, and academic dispensations as predictors of case status were examined with conditional logistic regression. RESULTS In total 89 cases and 343 controls were identified. The total number of medical school re......-examinations and the time it took to complete medical school were significant individual predictors of subsequent difficulties (deceleration, transferral or dropout) in residency whereas average medical school grades were not. CONCLUSIONS Residents in difficulty eventually reached similar competence levels as controls...... during medical school; however, they needed more exam attempts and longer time to complete their studies, and so seemed to be slower learners. A change from “fixed-length variable-outcome programmes” to “fixed-outcome variable-length programmes” has been proposed as a way of dealing with the fact...

An enquiry on poverty discourses in public theology for the calling of the church to respond to poverty: A case for the Africa Inland Church in Kenya

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Noah K. Tenai

2016-08-01

Full Text Available As an emergent and rapidly growing international field of study, public theology has its focus on how Christian faith and practice impact on ordinary life. Its principle concern is thewell-being of society. In Africa, and in Kenya in particular, where poverty levels are still high, there is a need to enquire into the value and efficacy of the poverty discourses in publictheology, for the calling of the church to respond to poverty. One of the main and fast growingchurches in Kenya, the Africa Inland Church (AIC, has vast resources used for, amongst otherthings, various on-going work amidst the poor and the vulnerable in remote and poor areas. Due to the unrelenting nature of poverty in Kenya, the AIC needs a theological perspective, which is sufficiently sensitive to poverty and can enable it to respond to poverty moreeffectively. Public theology’s emphasis on gaining an entrée into the public square andadopting the agenda of communities, including public theology’s calling on churches toactively participate in rational and plausible public discourses, can assist the AIC to respondeffectively to the challenge of poverty in Kenya.

Canadian residents' perceptions of cross-cultural care training in graduate medical school.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Barinder; Banwell, Emma; Groll, Dianne

2017-12-01

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada specifies both respect for diversity as a requirement of professionalism and culturally sensitive provision of medical care. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the perception of preparedness and attitudes of medical residents to deliver cross-cultural care. The Cross Cultural Care Survey was sent via e-mail to all Faculty of Medicine residents (approx. 450) in an academic health sciences centre. Comparisons were made between psychiatry residents, family medicine residents, and other residency groups with respect to training, preparedness, and skillfulness in delivering cross-cultural care. Seventy-three (16%) residents responded to the survey. Residents in psychiatry and family medicine reported significantly more training and formal evaluation regarding cross-cultural care than residents in other programs. However, there were no significant differences in self-reported preparedness and skillfulness. Residents in family medicine were more likely to report needing more practical experience working with diverse groups. Psychiatry residents were less likely to report inadequate cross-cultural training. While most residents reported feeling skillful and prepared to work with culturally diverse groups, they report receiving little additional instruction or formal evaluation on this topic, particularly in programs other than psychiatry and family medicine.

Follower-Centric Influences on Sexual Decision Making in a Pentecostal Church Faith Community

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Elias Mpofu

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This study utilized participatory action research approaches to construct a follower-centric framework for measuring influences on sexual decision making by youth members of a church organization. Participants were Batswana Pentecostal church members self-reporting on their engagement in pre-marital sex (n = 68, females = 62%; age range 15–23 years; median age = 20.3 years from eight of 26 randomly selected congregations. They completed a multi-stage concept mapping process that included free listing of statements of potential influences on their sexual decisions. They then sorted the statements into groupings similar in meaning to them, and rated the same statements for relative importance to their sexual decisions. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis of the data yielded a five cluster solution in which church teachings emerged as most salient to the teenagers’ sexual decision making followed by future orientation, community norms, knowledge about HIV/AIDS and prevention education. While the youth believed to be influenced by religion teachings on primary sexual abstinence, they self-reported with pre-marital sex. This suggests a need for secondary abstinence education with them to reduce their risk for STIs/HIV and unwanted pregnancies. Concept mapping is serviceable to construct frameworks and to identify content of follower-centric influences on sexual decision making by church youth members.

Mitigating the Impact of Bats in Historic Churches: The Response of Natterer’s Bats Myotis nattereri to Artificial Roosts and Deterrence

Science.gov (United States)

Zeale, Matt R. K.; Bennitt, Emily; Newson, Stuart E.; Packman, Charlotte; Browne, William J.; Harris, Stephen; Jones, Gareth; Stone, Emma

2016-01-01

Bats frequently roost in historic churches, and these colonies are of considerable conservation value. Inside churches, bat droppings and urine can cause damage to the historic fabric of the building and to items of cultural significance. In extreme cases, large quantities of droppings can restrict the use of a church for worship and/or other community functions. In the United Kingdom, bats and their roosts are protected by law, and striking a balance between conserving the natural and cultural heritage can be a significant challenge. We investigated mitigation strategies that could be employed in churches and other historic buildings to alleviate problems caused by bats without adversely affecting their welfare or conservation status. We used a combination of artificial roost provision and deterrence at churches in Norfolk, England, where significant maternity colonies of Natterer’s bats Myotis nattereri damage church features. Radio-tracking data and population modelling showed that excluding M. nattereri from churches is likely to have a negative impact on their welfare and conservation status, but that judicious use of deterrents, especially high intensity ultrasound, can mitigate problems caused by bats. We show that deterrence can be used to move bats humanely from specific roosting sites within a church and limit the spread of droppings and urine so that problems to congregations and damage to cultural heritage can be much reduced. In addition, construction of bespoke roost spaces within churches can allow bats to continue to roost within the fabric of the building without flying in the church interior. We highlight that deterrence has the potential to cause serious harm to M. nattereri populations if not used judiciously, and so the effects of deterrents will need careful monitoring, and their use needs strict regulation. PMID:26771548

Effects of a Short Video-Based Resident-as-Teacher Training Toolkit on Resident Teaching.

Science.gov (United States)

Ricciotti, Hope A; Freret, Taylor S; Aluko, Ashley; McKeon, Bri Anne; Haviland, Miriam J; Newman, Lori R

2017-10-01

To pilot a short video-based resident-as-teacher training toolkit and assess its effect on resident teaching skills in clinical settings. A video-based resident-as-teacher training toolkit was previously developed by educational experts at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. Residents were recruited from two academic hospitals, watched two videos from the toolkit ("Clinical Teaching Skills" and "Effective Clinical Supervision"), and completed an accompanying self-study guide. A novel assessment instrument for evaluating the effect of the toolkit on teaching was created through a modified Delphi process. Before and after the intervention, residents were observed leading a clinical teaching encounter and scored using the 15-item assessment instrument. The primary outcome of interest was the change in number of skills exhibited, which was assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Twenty-eight residents from two academic hospitals were enrolled, and 20 (71%) completed all phases of the study. More than one third of residents who volunteered to participate reported no prior formal teacher training. After completing two training modules, residents demonstrated a significant increase in the median number of teaching skills exhibited in a clinical teaching encounter, from 7.5 (interquartile range 6.5-9.5) to 10.0 (interquartile range 9.0-11.5; P<.001). Of the 15 teaching skills assessed, there were significant improvements in asking for the learner's perspective (P=.01), providing feedback (P=.005), and encouraging questions (P=.046). Using a resident-as-teacher video-based toolkit was associated with improvements in teaching skills in residents from multiple specialties.

Rural education: Reimagining the role of the church in transforming poverty in South Africa

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Christo Thesnaar

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The desire to remember the plight of the poor in South Africa has reduced in the last 20 years after the transition from apartheid to freedom. To a large extent, Faith Based Organizations (FBOs and the religious society at large have lost their ‘dangerous memory’ which keeps us mindful of those who suffered and whose plight is usually forgotten or suppressed. In this contribution the conditions of poor farm school children in multigrade rural education will be scrutinised by unpacking the contextual factors that cause us to forget their plight. This article will seek to reimagine the role of the church in poverty-stricken South Africa by engaging with the work of Talcott Parsons, the practical theologian Johannes A. Van der Ven, as well as the work of the political theologian Johann Baptist Metz in order to affirm the focus of Practical Theology to transform society and to contribute to the quest for justice and liberation for the poor in rural education. This reimagining discourse has a fundamental responsibility to challenge the social, political and economic realities that shape the lives of human beings within rural education, remembering the plight of the poor, and participating on their journey towards liberation and healing. It is proposed that if the church can activate its ‘dangerous memory’ it will be able to reimagine its role by transforming our poverty-stricken South African society, open new avenues for breaking the cycle of poverty and contribute to rural education.

Luminescence (IRSL) dating of Yeni Rabat church in Artvin, Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Şahiner, Eren; Meriç, Niyazi; Uygun, Selda

2013-01-01

Luminescence dating is a chronological method that has been used extensively in terrestrial materials. In this study, we present Infrared Stimulated Luminescence (IRSL) dating results obtained for sediment and pottery samples taken from Yeni Rabat Church, Ardanuç, Artvin, Turkey. For this purpose, equivalent dose (ED) and annual dose rate (AD) of samples were measured. For annual dose rate, concentrations of radioactive isotopes (U, Th, K) were determined by using a high-purity germanium detector. For the equivalent dose, polymineral fine grain SAR (Single Aliquot Regenerative Dose) and MAAD (Multiple Aliquot Additive Dose) procedures were used. The optimal preheat temperature was determined for sediment and pottery samples. Ages were calculated by Aitken's luminescence age calculation method, which found 710±190 years for the pottery sample and 1450±370 years, 1390±420 years, 1430±310 years, 2210±520 years and 1640±390 years for different sediment samples, respectively. These estimated age ranges support the theory that Yeni Rabat Church could have been constructed in medieval times. - Highlights: ► The luminescence (IRSL) ages of the samples, taken from in Yeni Rabat church in Artvin-Turkey were found. ► Equivalent doses and annual doses were determined. ► Polymineral fine grain SAR (Single Aliquot Regenerative Dose) and MAAD (Multiple Aliquot Additive Dose) procedures were used

Leadership mentoring and succession in the Charismatic churches in Bushbuckridge

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Richard M. Ngomane

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Leadership mentoring and succession programmes are critical in the development and preparation of emerging leaders for leadership transitions. By virtue of their one-founder-leaders whose special leadership talents are usually celebrated by their followers, Charismatic church leaders may fail to identify and develop young emerging leaders who may be equally gifted to prepare them for leadership succession. This quantitative study investigated the state of leadership mentoring and succession programmes in the Charismatic churches in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, South Africa (Bushbuckridge is one of five local municipalities in the Ehlazeni District Municipality situated in the north-east of the Mpumalanga province in South Africa. It borders private game ranches and the Kruger National Park. A population of 287 respondents drawn from 48 churches from rural and urban locations was assessed. Many of them (85% were reported to have leadership mentoring programmes in their congregations and 72% of them reported that they had leadership succession programmes in place. Location was found to have no statistically significant effect on leadership mentoring. Gender and education levels were reported to have a statistically significant effect in describing leadership mentoring. Charismatic groupings in Bushbuckridge believe and take the Bible seriously as authoritative for faith, life and ministry. We therefore think it is appropriate to include in this article a relevant illustrative text – 2 Timothy 2:1–3.

Missionary Destinations and Diasporic Destiny: Spatiality of Korean/American Evangelism and the Cell Church

OpenAIRE

Han, Ju Hui Judy

2005-01-01

The existing literature on immigrant Korean Protestant churches in North America typically addresses identity formation and dynamics of assimilation in the context of North American religious pluralism and multiculturalism, particularly focusing on the role of religion in “maintaining ethnicity” and “preserving traditions.” In this literature, the immigrant Korean church is depicted as an ethnic enclave, a bounded territorial enclosure that facilitates adjustment and transition into the main...

A contribution to the study of architecture of the monastery church of St. Archangel Michael in Prilep

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Korunovski Sasho

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with architecture of the one of the most significant churches in the Prilep region that was built in the years around 1280 as a foundation of John, the megas chartoularious of the West. The main focus is on the typological concept of the church, and its’ unique combination of a two-domed and two-storeyed structure. In the survey the particular elements of the church structure are elaborated with a reference to the most striking structures that bear such elements in the architecture of the Byzantine sphere of influence.

Contamination of a church ceiling due to the burning of candles in combination with floor heating

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schellen, H.L.; Deelman, J.; Aarle, van M.A.P.

2005-01-01

An air heating system originally heated St. Martinus’ church in Weert. Together with a large restoration in 1984 a floor heating system replaced this heating system. After this major renovation a number of problems arose: due to the floor heating system and massive granite floor the church could

Contamination of a church ceiling due to the burning of candles in combination with floor heating

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schellen, H.L.; Aarle, van M.A.P.

2005-01-01

An air heating system originally heated St. Martin's church in Weert. Together with an extensive restoration in 1984 a floor heating system replaced this heating system. After this major renovation a number of problems arose: due to the floor heating System and massive granite floor the church could

Ecclesial Opposition to Large-Scale Mining on Samar: Neoliberalism Meets the Church of the Poor in a Wounded Land

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William Norman Holden

2012-09-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the government of the Philippines (adhering to the precepts of neoliberalism has promoted large-scale mining as a method of stimulating economic development. Mining, an activity with substantial potential for environmental harm, is staunchly opposed by the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines, particularly on the island of Samar. The crux of the church’s opposition to mining are the adverse environmental consequences that mining may impose upon the rural poor who, engaging in subsistence agriculture and aquaculture, are vitally dependent upon access to natural resources. Should there be a mining-related environmental disruption, these people will be thrust from subsistence into destitution. The commitment of the church to act on behalf of the poor emanates from the conciliar documents of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965, the fertile ground for liberation theology in the Philippines provided by the Marcos dictatorship (1972–1986, and by the commitment of the church in its 1992 Second Plenary Council to become a church of the poor. Samar contains quality mineralization set amid a wealth of biodiversity, grinding poverty, a simmering Maoist insurgency, and a vulnerability to natural hazards such as typhoons and El Niño induced drought. The opposition of the church to mining on Samar demonstrates the commitment of the church to be a church of the poor and how this praxis stands in contradistinction to the intellectual hegemony of neoliberalism.

The Church as a Bridge to Deliver Health Resources Via Telehealth

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-25

Obesity; Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Church; Healthcare Disparities; Minority Health; Mobile Health; Telehealth; Community-based Participatory Research; Primary Health Care; Weight Loss Programs; Health Behavior

THE BELHAR CONFESSION AND CHURCH AND SOCIETY: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Naudé 77-89, and for a more academic account, Naudé 1997. ... perspectives: The priestly task of the church requires it to proclaim in word and deed .... In the broader field of hermeneutics and Biblical Studies, the ... by feminist scholars, materialist exegetes, black and African theologians, .... But for the first years after 1982,.

Re-Building Coal Country: A Church/University Partnership

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Carl Milofsky

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This paper describes a developing partnership between a church-based service learning center and a university initiative to build a field station in a low-income community in the anthracite coal region of Pennsylvania. It is a case study of how secular and religious institutions have been collaborating to achieve the shared goal of improving social conditions in specific communities. The theoretical focus of the paper is on how a change from a “glass is half empty” to a “glass is half full” perception of the community opens new possibilities for change. This paper concentrates on the story of one partnership as a case study demonstrating current trends in service learning both within universities and within the Catholic Church in America. Analysis centers on the basic question of why the project had symbolic power for both partners and on the institutional processes within both organizations that helped the partnership grow. We use the framework of Assets-Based Community Development (ABCD, also known as the “strengths perspective”, to conceptualize the contrast.

Towards the Romanization of the Mexican Church in the Late-Nineteenth Century

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Cecilia A. Bautista García

2005-07-01

Full Text Available During  the second half of the nineteenth century,  the papacy designed a specific reform for catholicism in Latin America, consisting  in a gradual centralization of pontifical  authority in detriment of the power  exerted by local hierarchies. This process was known as Romanization and, in the  case of Mexico, was translated  into  a series of actions including the  arrival of special delegates from Rome with the purpose of intervening  in the ecclesiastical reorganization of local churches  and in the reshapement of Church-State relations.

RURAL CHURCHES, „PEARLS” OF RURAL ARCHITECTURE IN CRIȘANA AND MARAMUREȘ

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Alexandru ILIEȘ

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In Romania in general and in particular Crişana and Maramureș wooden churches are identifies of local identity. Using specific tools and methods used in geographical but complementary fields, in conjunction with an interdisciplinary architectural heritage element are analyzed wooden churches as tourist planning perspective. Each „land" and ethnographic area of the Tisa and Mureș north to south has a specific fingerprint identifiable architectural style of these „pearls" of Romanian folk architecture. This diversity is an element of favorable effects on tourism diversification and increasing the attractiveness of a region or locality.

Ali, Cunich: Halley's Churches: Halley and the London Queen Anne Churches

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Jason R.; Cunich, Peter

2005-04-01

Edmond Halley's enormous contribution to science has received much attention. New research adds an intriguing chapter to his story and concerns his hitherto unexplored association with the baroque architectural visionary Nicholas Hawksmoor, and some important Temple-inspired churches that were built in London in the early 1700s. We argue that Christchurch Spitalfields and St Anne's Limehouse, which were both started in the summer of 1714, were aligned exactly eastwards using ``corrected'' magnetic-compass bearings and that Halley influenced or aided Hawksmoor. By this time the men had probably known each other for 30 years and had recently worked together on the Clarendon Building in Oxford. Despite there being more than 1500 years of Chinese and about 500 years of Western compass technology at the time, these probably represent the first constructions planned using a modern-day ``scientific'' technique. The research also throws light on Halley's contended religious position.

Historic Church of the Holy Cross in Kielce - Valuable Substance and Cultural Heritage in the Space of the Modern City

Science.gov (United States)

Gil-Mastalerczyk, Joanna

2017-10-01

In the frequently modified city fabrics, sacral architecture still plays an important role defining aspects of spatial forms and their compositional relations to the surroundings. The historic church of the Holy Cross in Kielce (1903-1939) has been a characteristic sight, a landmark and a contributing factor to the structure of the modern city. Large dimensions and dominant vertical shapes give a sturdy, recognizable form to the church architecture. The body of this Neogothic church, original and distinguishable from its surroundings, has been highly appreciated by the community members. The church provides an example of the aesthetics of the time in which it was built, it also documents changes in the people’s lives and attitudes. It shows Poland’s economic, legal and social transformation. The church has gained a status of one of the symbols of the city.

The Byzantine wall-paintings in the church of Saint Theodore at Platanos, Kynouria (Arcadia

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Agrevi Maria

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The church of St Theodore (also known as "Sts Theodoroi" at Platanos, Kynouria, is a single-nave building of small dimensions. The interior surfaces of its walls preserve their Byzantine paintings, which are partially visible under the coat of plaster that covers most of them. The paintings exhibit affinity with wall-paintings of churches in the Peloponnese (neighbouring Laconia included, and can be dated to the last quarter of the thirteenth century.

As I see it: a study of African American pastors' views on health and health education in the black church.

Science.gov (United States)

Rowland, Michael L; Isaac-Savage, E Paulette

2014-08-01

The Black Church is the only institution that has consistently served the interest of African Americans, and there is no other institution in the African American community that rivals its influence (Camara, 2004). The spiritual well-fare, social support, health, and well-being of its people have been one of its main goals. With health disparities of African Americans still at an alarming rate, the Black Church has used informal education as a means to impart knowledge on health, as well as other non-religious and religious topics. One of the avenues least researched within the Black Church is the pastor's perception of its educational role in health and wellness and its efforts to reduce health discrimination and health disparities between African American and European Americans in the U.S. Since social justice appears as a theme and concern in the traditions of many churches, it is only appropriate that, among other things, the Black Church should address the issue of health education and interventions. The purpose of this study was to explore African American pastors' perceptions of the role of the Black Church in providing health care, health education, and wellness opportunities to African Americans. Many pastors reported their church provided some form of health education and/or health screenings. Their perceptions about the important issues facing their congregants versus African Americans in general were quite similar.

Toward a Resident Personal Finance Curriculum: Quantifying Resident Financial Circumstances, Needs, and Interests.

Science.gov (United States)

McKillip, Ryan; Ernst, Michael; Ahn, James; Tekian, Ara; Shappell, Eric

2018-04-26

Introduction Resident financial health has been linked to wellness and resiliency, yet financial literacy among residents is highly variable. While some medical school curricula include budgeting and student loan education, content on managing finances as a resident is usually lacking. We sought to quantitatively assess residents' financial circumstances, needs, and interests to inform the design of a resident personal finance curriculum. Methods Surveys were sent to residents in eight specialties at an academic medical center. Likert-type responses allowed respondents to rate their level of comfort (1 = Very Uncomfortable, 7 = Very Comfortable) and interest (1 = Very Uninterested, 7 = Very Interested) in various personal finance topics including budgeting, loan repayment, disability insurance, life insurance, home buying, and retirement planning. Details regarding financial circumstances, including assets, liabilities, and insurance, were also collected. Results of questions that utilized a Likert-type scale are reported as median (interquartile range). Results Of 346 residents surveyed, 144 (41.6%) responded. Residents were from Internal Medicine (56, 38.9%), Pediatrics (34, 23.6%), Emergency Medicine (18, 12.5%), and other specialties (36, 25.0%). Ninety-one (63.2%) reported educational loans, with an average balance of $191,730. Credit card balances exceeding $3,000 were reported by 11 (7.6%) respondents. One-hundred-two (70.1%) reported emergency savings, but only 65 (45.1%) reported having a retirement account (average balance $27,608). Respondents rated highest comfort levels with budgeting (5[4-6]), and lowest level of comfort with disability insurance (2[2-4]) and home buying (2[2-5]). Interest in learning each topic was high (6[5-7]), with retirement planning (6[5-7]), investing (6[5-7]), and home buying (6[5-7]) the topics of highest interest. Conclusion These results highlight the deficits in personal finance literacy among residents. Future work should

Entre l’Orient et l’Occident. Une église unique, avec un destin unique / Between the East and the West. A Unique Church, with a Unique Destiny

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tereza Sinigalia

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In 1909, the 19th of December, the Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Bucharest, Raymund Netzhammer, a Benedictine monk from the German abbey Einsiedeln, consecrated the Greek-Catholic church in Bucharest dedicated to St Basil the Great. As he wanted to have a church in the Romanian architectural style, he asked the architect Nicolae Ghika-Budeşti to design the project. It was inspired by the medieval Moldavian churches, with a lantern-tower above the nave, apparent brick façades and an outside decoration with enameled ceramic discs. The archbishop intention was to realize a synthesis between Romanian art and the Occidental one. So he decided to invite painters from the well-known in the Benedictine media Beuron School of Art, initiated by Petrus (Desiderius, as monk and Gabriel/Jakob Wüger from the abbey with the same name. The project for the inside murals was done by father Andreas Göser, who worked in the great Monte-Cassino abbey (Italy, the mother monastery of the Benedictine Order, too, and achieved by two painters from Ravensburg, Schiller and Ostermaier, who signed the cartoons, whose originals are kept in negatives on glass in the Einsiedeln abbey. Paintings were done in the pure Beuron style. The Christ Pantocrator (The Almighty was painted on the cupola of the tower, surrounded by Angels. The Virgin with Jesus Infant venerated by Angels occupied the semi-cupola of the chancel, as usually in the Oriental churches, and great archangels stood on the intrados of the triumphal arch. Four episodes from Saint Basil’s Life (Baptism, Ordination as a priest, St Basil is giving alms to the poor; St Basil is healing the emperor’s son were painted on the great surfaces below the arches of the nave. Christ as High Priest was to be found on the Western cupola. On the Western wall, in the Votive picture, the founder, archbishop Raymund Netzhammer, kneeled, dressed in simple Benedictine cassock, and offered the model of the church to St. Basil. As

Indicators of the church in John’s metaphor of the vine

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Johann Fourie

2013-09-01

Full Text Available This article aims to answer the question of what belongs to the essence of the church, as God intended it to be, by identifying certain indicators of the essence of the church through a study of one of the central metaphors of the New Testament: the vine in the Gospel of John. Through structural analyses, commentary and metaphorical analyses, several indicators of unity as part of the essence of the church emerge in this metaphor. These indicators are the primacy (or authority of Christ, trinitarian balance, equality, interdependence, inclusivity, growth and unity (in diversity. Hierdie artikel poog om die volgende vraag te beantwoord: Wat behoort tot die essensie van kerkwees soos God dit bedoel het? Dit word gedoen deur sekere aanwysers van die essensie van kerkwees te identifiseer vanuit ’n studie van een van die essensiële metafore vir kerkwees in die Nuwe Testament, naamlik die Wynstok in die Evangelie van Johannes. Deur middel van struktuuranalise, kommentaar en metaforiese analise kom verskeie eenheidsaanwysers as deel van die essensie van kerkwees in hierdie metafoor na vore. Hierdie aanwysers is die hoër gesag (of outoriteit van Christus, die balans van die Drie-eenheid, gelykheid, interafhanklikheid, inklusiwiteit, groei en eenheid (in diversiteit.

Pentecostalism & schisms in the Reformed Church in Zambia 1996

African Journals Online (AJOL)

the documentary evidence from church records and media coverage of the events ... The motivation to do this research emerged from ... Economic, political and social influences of globalization had ..... investment, tourism and natural calamities, to name a few. ... daily experiences of life define the shift in Zambian culture.

Can churches play a role in combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic? A study of the attitudes of christian religious leaders in Madagascar.

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Jerry S Rakotoniana

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Churches occupy an important social and cultural position in Madagascar. The sexual transmission of HIV raises controversies about the role that Churches can play in preventing HIV/AIDS. This cross-sectional survey investigated recommendations by religious leaders for condom use and other preventive strategies in the context of international guidelines. METHODS: A questionnaire was self-administered to a random sample of religious leaders. The questions related to preventive methods against HIV/AIDS such as: condom use, marital fidelity, sexual abstinence before marriage, and HIV-testing. Associations with recommendations for condom use were evaluated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Of 231 religious leaders, 215 (93.1% were willing to share their knowledge of HIV/AIDS with their congregations. The majority received their information from the media (N=136, 58.9%, a minority from their church (N=9, 3.9%, and 38 (16.4% had received prior training on HIV. Nearly all (N=212, 91.8% knew that HIV could be sexually transmitted though only a few (N=39, 16.9% were aware of mother-to-child transmission or unsafe injections (N=56, 24.2%. A total of 91 (39.4% were willing to, or had recommended (N=64, 27.7%, condom use, while 50 (21.6% had undergone HIV testing. Only nine (3.9% had ever cared for a person living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV. Multivariable logistic regression shows that condom use recommendations by religious leaders were negatively associated with tertiary level education (OR: 0.3, 95% CI 0.1-0.7, and positively associated with knowing a person at risk (OR: 16.2, 95% CI 3.2-80.2, knowing of an ART center (OR: 2.6, 95% CI 1.4-4.8, and receiving information about HIV at school (OR: 2.6, 95% CI 1.2-5.6. CONCLUSIONS: Malagasy church leaders could potentially become key players in HIV/AIDS prevention if they improved their knowledge of the illness, their commitment to international recommendations

Schools and the Law: A Patron's Introspection

Science.gov (United States)

Colton, Paul

2009-01-01

In Ireland, where education at both primary and second level is overwhelmingly denominational in character, patronage is exercised, in the main, by religious patrons. This article is an introspective analysis of current legal issues as they face one patron and schools under his patronage; it looks at the intersection of civil law with Church law;…

Church silver in the monetary reform of 1922-1924 years

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Ivanov Sergei, deacon

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This article offers support the claim expense seized in 1922 under the slogan of helping the starving of church property in the minting of coins in connection with the monetary reform. It is primarily a silver, whose share in the value of the selected property in the existing temples was 86 percent. Need dragmetalah as the reform of the circulation of money there, regardless of the problem of hunger 1921–1922 and determined refusal of the Bolshevik leaders from the course on monetary economy in the post-war chaos. Evidence for the main thesis of the article served as the internal reports of structural divisions of People’s Commissariat of Finance and the People’s Commissariat of Workers ‘and Peasants’ Inspection, which indicated that in the period of the campaign for the withdrawal and delivery of church property in the state store, recently seen as the main source of silver for coinage on Petrograd Mint. Information about church silver was present in the reports to send to the metal from Gokhran Mint statements and the amount of metal intended for coinage. Demand for silver for the execution of production programs for minting exceed the available reserves of the metal, which resulted in the purchase of silver on foreign markets and buying coins Imperial coinage in the population of the country. Silver in donations and reform played a role supportive factor for strengthening confidence in the paper currency treasury.

Cosmological Symbolism in the Decorative Cycles of Mid-Byzantine Churches

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Shrimplin, V.

2016-01-01

Fundamental links between theology and astronomy are widely reflected in the Judaeo-Christian tradition. From Genesis to Revelation, the great mysteries of the beginning and end of the universe, and the cycles of birth and death of individuals, are explained in terms of cosmological concepts. These are in turn reflected in art and architecture and nowhere more broadly, perhaps, than in Byzantine architecture and decoration. Following the Iconoclast prohibition of images in the Orthodox church (726-843), the mid-Byzantine period (843-1204) witnessed the primacy of the representation of the heavens in art and architecture. Reinforced by such writers as Cosmas Indicopleustes and Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, not only were individual images reflective of the heavens (nativity and rebirth at the winter solstice, and rebirth/resurrection at the spring equinox) but entire cycles of church decoration were devised so as to reflect the ordering of God's universe. The architecture and decoration of the quintessential mid-Byzantine cross-in-square church was symbolic itself of the universe, as at Hosios Loukas and Daphni (eleventh century). From the location of the Pantocrator in the central celestial dome, to the descending zones of squinches and pendentives and the lowest earthly zones, decorative schemes are used to reflect the view of the sky/heavens above earth. Hierarchical systems depicting the life of Christ and ascending/descending ranks of saints and angels were rigorously adhered to, with Mary in the apse as bridge between heaven and earth.

Social Relationships in the Church during Late Life: Assessing Differences between African Americans, Whites, and Mexican Americans.

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Krause, Neal; Bastida, Elena

2011-09-01

The purpose of this study is to see if there are differences in the social relationships that older African Americans, older whites, and older Mexican Americans form with the people where they worship. Data from two nationwide surveys are pooled to see if race differences emerge in eleven different measures of church-based social relationships. These measures assess social relationships with rank-and-file church members as well as social relationships with members of the clergy. The findings reveal that older African Americans tend to have more well-developed social relationships in the church than either older whites or older Mexican Americans. This is true with respect to relationships with fellow church members as well as relationships with the clergy. In contrast, relatively few differences emerged between older Americans of European descent and older Mexican Americans. However, when differences emerged in the data, older whites tend to score higher on the support measures than older Mexican Americans.

Reproductive rights in Poland: when politicians fear the wrath of the Church.

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Heinen, Jacqueline; Portet, Stéphane

2010-01-01

The historical prestige of the Polish Catholic Church is the result of its presence as a national symbol of resistance, both under foreign occupation and during the communist regime. In the post-communist era the power of the Church within the political arena has significantly increased, through the Concordat that was signed with the state as well as through formal and informal ties with political parties. Catholicism is the de facto religion of the state, even if Poland remains a nominally secular country. This was illustrated by the adoption, in 1993, of a total abortion ban. Although the relation of Poles to the Catholic dogma on sexuality and reproductive rights tends to be weak, fearing criticism from Church authorities, most politicians avoid controversial topics and express their commitment to Catholic dogma. Thus women's groups have encountered serious difficulties in their efforts to defend women's rights to sexual and reproductive autonomy. Although accession to the European Union has put Poland in an awkward position with respect to equality of rights between women and men, it has not fundamentally altered the real situation with respect to the controversial topic of abortion.

Undoing Racism in America: Help from the Black Church.

Science.gov (United States)

Vora, Erika; Vora, Jay A.

2002-01-01

Investigated whether a planned engagement of white college students, which had very little contact with African Americans, with members of a black community in a safe, welcoming environment (a black church) would significantly reduce racism. Participant surveys indicated that positive interactions between Blacks and Whites resulted in positive…

Christian Church: A Catalyst for Economic Development in Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Christian Church: A Catalyst for Economic Development in Nigeria. ... African Research Review ... The Nigerian economy had a truncated history from independence to present times and the economy has suffered series of economic instability because of a long period of unsustained growth in the per capital real income of ...

Essence of Daylight in the Cistercian Monastic Church of S. Bento de Cástris, Évora, Portugal

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Martins, Ana M. T.; Carlos, Jorge S.

2017-10-01

Natural light in the Cistercian churches is closely linked not only with the liturgical requirements at the “officium” but also with the canonical hours based on the "ora et labora" dictated by the Rule of St. Benedict. The Cistercian architecture, in its beginnings (12th century forward) is characterized by austerity, simplicity and the play of light and shadow that gives value to the monastic architectural space itself, making it perfect for a contemplative experience. In the Cistercian Monastery the church is the central piece of the monastic building. Nave, transept and apse are the main architectural components to which is added the choir. This paper contextualizes the importance and close connections of natural light, within the Cistercian Monasteries architecture. Thus the essence of daylight is analysed within the Church of the Monastery of S. Bento de Cástris, in Évora, Portugal. This former Monastery (13th - 19th centuries) includes the church, at the south-eastern corner which has not only a high choir, but also a low lateral choir (within the presbytery). Its unchanged exterior walls are made of solid masonry. Although the function of the walls is primarily structural, the windows allow the daylight to penetrate the space of the church. The church has two external façades facing northeast and southeast. The combined orientation effect of the church’s main axis and the sun trajectory determines how the sunlight reaches the interior of this architectural structure. This study presents the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the luminous environment in the church of S. Bento de Cástris, being the first based on the authors’ perception of the effect of the daylight within the different areas of the enclosed space. The appreciation of the spatial experiences was supported by quantitative daylight simulations that were conducted in selected areas within the space. With this paper is intended to contribute to the debate about the specificity

Ideologies of Black churches in New York City and the public health crisis of HIV among Black men who have sex with men.

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Wilson, Patrick A; Wittlin, Natalie M; Muñoz-Laboy, Miguel; Parker, Richard

2011-01-01

Black men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS in New York City (NYC). Black churches in NYC have a history of engaging in community mobilisation; however, research suggests that churches play a role in promoting stigma against Black MSM, which impedes prevention efforts. The goal of this study was to explore church ideologies surrounding sexuality and health, and the relationship of these ideologies to church mobilisation in response to HIV/AIDS among Black MSM. We conducted interviews and focus groups with pastors and parishioners at Black churches in NYC. Three prominent themes were identified: (1) 'Love the sinner, hate the sin'--distinguishing behaviour and identity; (2) 'Don't ask, don't tell'--keeping same-sex behaviour private; and (3) 'Your body is a temple'--connecting physical and spiritual health. We discuss the implications of these ideologies for church mobilisation and HIV prevention efforts. In doing so, we pay close attention to how ideologies may both impede and facilitate church dialogue around sexuality and heightened responses to the HIV crisis affecting Black MSM.

Defender of the Faith – hagiography’s topos in the Orthodox Church

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Michał Dżega

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this article, the author wanted to show the specific for Orthodoxy – topos Her defender. As demonstratedby this topos is universal for any kind of holiness. Starting from the Martyrs ending the Hierarchs and Ascetics, inthe Orthodox Church, there is a never-ending battle for Purity of the Faith in Christ. In this paper author have shown thethree main determinants for the Fight of Faith: 1 Holy Zeal, 2 Holy Pride and 3 Holy Insubordination. To confirm histhesis the author gives some examples from the history of the Eastern Orthodox Church. At the same time author usingthe patristic and liturgical texts.

Assessing Peer and Parental Influence on the Religious Attitudes and Attendance of Young Churchgoers: Exploring the Australian National Church Life Survey

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Francis, Leslie J.; Penny, Gemma; Powell, Ruth

2018-01-01

Drawing on data from the 2011 Australian National Church Life Survey (NCLS), this study was designed to assess peer and parental influence on frequency of church attendance, attitude toward church, and attitude toward Christianity among a sample of 6256 young churchgoers between the ages of eight and 14 years, attending a range of denominations,…

Roman Catholic Church and media in information age

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Kyyak Maksym Tarasovich

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Roman Catholic Church in the modern information age extensively exploits opportunities of traditional and new media. It has always been trying to be a dynamic and successive participant in the global information space. However, the media has become not only the most important attribute of the information society but also one of the most valuable instruments of religious authority.

American Views of the Progressive Catholic Church in Brazil, 1964-1972: From Suspicion to Collaboration

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ROMERO, SIGIFREDO

2017-01-01

Both the United States and the Brazilian Catholic Church played decisive roles during the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil between 1964 and 1985. Therefore, an understanding of the relationship between these influential political actors is imperative. This article explores American views of and interests in the Brazilian Catholic Church through a critical examination, categorization, discourse analysis and periodization of cables produced by the U.S. diplomatic mission in Brazil from 1...

'Now we know that the enemy is from within': Shembeites and the Struggle for Control of Isaiah Shembe's Legacy and the Church

OpenAIRE

Kumalo, Simangaliso; Mujinga, Martin

2017-01-01

In 1911, Isaiah Shembe (1865-1935) founded the Nazareth Baptist Church popularly known as KwaShembe (Dube 1936: 29). The church became the first amongst the Zulus to be founded 'with the quest to restore the Zulu to their glorious past' (Masondo 2004: 69-79). Today it is the oldest and most respected church founded with the intention of bringing Christianity and the quest for Zulu nationalism and culture together in South Africa. In its early days, the church was faced with much opposition fr...

Church acoustics: A state-of-the-art review after several decades of research

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Girón, Sara; Álvarez-Morales, Lidia; Zamarreño, Teófilo

2017-12-01

This work describes and analyses the principal contributions to the acoustics of occidental Christian churches from the second half of the last century to the present day, mainly in ancient historical churches. After more than six decades of research, it seems appropriate to summarise the major pieces of work in this field, and, to this end, this paper aims to provide an up-to-date document of all the most relevant studies which describe the exhaustive investigations of acoustic characterisation in time-consuming experimental campaigns carried out by several groups of researchers in various European countries. The article presents, for the research into church acoustics developed in each country, the experimental procedures, the results, discussions, the theoretical interpretations of the sound propagation in these spaces, the subjective aspects in the listening experience, and the method of implementation of computer simulation techniques and their applications in these complex enclosures. Other contributions from Asian and American continents are also included. Findings and advances in each of these areas as well as perspectives on their future challenges are summarized and discussed in this work.

HONEST TO GOD AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN CHURCHES IN 2016

African Journals Online (AJOL)

the rise of a liberal, secular and science-informed culture in Britain was undermining ..... up to God. Once again, Robinson argues for an ethically oriented view that ... How sound was Robinson's view of the future of his own Church of England.

Theological poverty of churches in the developing world: Its causes ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2010-11-29

Nov 29, 2010 ... also undeniable that the Korean Protestant churches, having more than 10 million adherents, have not yet .... new sense of sin, do away with his practice of religion, as base .... Recently, a leader of a North American mission.

Saxa loquuntur? Elasticity and capacity of age-old city churches

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Marieke C. Kuipers

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Redesignation, wholly or partly, appears to be the magic charm to preserve church buildings. Consequently, attention has shifted from retrospective restoration to prospective intervention for contemporary uses. Most new interventions were designed as 'reversible' additions. The question is how much cultural elasticity churches have in order to bear the sometimes substantial interventions for the sake of exploitation without losing their power of expression as places of worship. Does it only concern the preservation of the 'speaking stones' or also the space in between or around them? Another question is whether the concept of 'compatibility', usually meant in a technical sense, can also be used in a wider sense for the assessment of the cultural-historical, functional and architectonic appropriateness of the interventions. These questions are explored on the basis of seven monumental churches which are more or less comparable to the Rotterdam Laurenskerk. For the new 'ministry' for Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam Cornelis Wegener Sleeswijk aimed at congruity in use of material (natural stone and a timeless-traditional form language, but in 1980 this approach was criticized as being too historicizing. Pieterskerk in Leiden was redesignated as a multifunctional centre and restored for the second time in 2010. Consolidation, prevention of wear and tear and modest contemporary additions were the guidelines here. In 1984-1987 after a long search for a new use, Nieuwkerk in Dordrecht was converted into a combination of social hostel and supermarket after a design of Theo van Halewijn. This resulted in an intervention in which the conflict of interests between monument values and consumer values is inevitably expressed. Grote Kerk in Veere has had many functions. In spite of architectonic contrasts, the recent conversion (2004 into a music podium by Marx & Steketee was executed with more respect for the historical structure and more attention for coherence

Religion and Displacement in Africa: Compassion and Sacrifice in Congolese Churches in Kampala, Uganda

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauterbach, Karen

2014-01-01

This article is about the role of religion in contexts of displacement. The article looks at the role churches and church leaders play in the lives of refugees and more particularly the assistance that these actors provide. The analytical approach is to take into consideration both religious idea...... to refugees, how this is conceptualised as well as the practices in a perspective that includes the intersection between religious ideas (compassion and sacrifice) and ideas around social relationships, gift-giving and reciprocity....

Reasons for the migration of church members from one ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effects of secularisation and the Enlightenment, and their consequences at various levels, as well as the theories of McDonaldisation and Consumerism were taken into consideration to explain the migration of church members between congregations. The answer is not simple in the sense that two tendencies can be ...

Refusing to be Co-opted? Church Organizations and Reconciliation ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Zimbabwe, throughout its history, has had a culture of violence and impunity which has resulted in massive displacements of people, murder, physical and traumatic memories of the past. In all the epochs of violence, it is worth noting that some church organizations were vocal and castigated the politicians whilst others ...

The earliest phases of the parish church of Saint Margaret and Saint Stanislaus in Żębocin

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Sławomir Dryja

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The paper has been based on archaeological and architectural exploration of the church in Żębocin carried out in 2011. Żębocin, a village in the Miechów district and the Proszowice deanery, had its beginnings reportedly in the mid-11th century. However, the first squire of Żębocin documented in historical sources was Tomko, coat of arms unknown, mentioned in 1384. According to tradition, the first church in the village, which has not survived, was built in the years 1059–1071 and consecrated by St. Stanislas of Szczepanów. In a local legend, the wife of knight Mikołaj of Żębocin took shelter in the tower of a stone church in Żębocin during the unrest in the reign of Boleslaus the Brave. The stone foundation under the north-eastern corner of the chancel belonged probably to a stone building, its function unknown, which may have stood there already in those turbulent times. The extant church, erected in the mid-13th century or soon afterwards, was a small single-nave structure with a chancel closed with a straight wall, built from bricks (with a wendian bond pattern on its elevation on stone foundations. It combined two styles: Romanesque (as shown by the surviving splayed window in the northern elevation of the chancel and Gothic (the brick ogival frame in the northern elevation of the nave. The important question whether the church had a tower from the start and where that tower was located remains undecided; the tower could have been incorporated into the body of the nave from the west or built above the chancel; it could also have been added afterwards, in the 16th century at the latest. Reportedly, the church in Żębocin once had a defensive character and was located in knights’ fortified town. Its founder may have been a progenitor of the Strzemieńczyk or the Odrowąż families. It should be remembered that Romanesque single-nave “village” churches built on a simple plan are quite frequent in Central Europe; there are

Changes in community perspectives on the roles and rules of church forests in northern Ethiopia: evidence from a panel survey of four Ethiopian Orthodox communities

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Travis William Reynolds

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Some of the only Afromontane forest in northern Ethiopia today is on lands managed by followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, where for centuries priests and communities have conserved forest groves around church buildings. The ecological value of the thousands of church forests in Ethiopia has been widely acknowledged, but little is known about the diverse local institutions that govern these resources, or how such institutions might be changing in response to Ethiopia’s rapid recent economic development. This study uses a unique panel survey to explore changes in community perspectives on the social and ecological roles of church forests, and rules governing church forest use, in four Orthodox communities over time. Our sample consists of 122 household surveys conducted in 2002 and a further 122 surveys from 2014, with 71 households interviewed in both periods. We find that reported uses of church forests vary across forests and over time, with larger forests more likely to be used for extractive purposes such as firewood and construction timber, while smaller forests have become more restricted to renewable or non-extractive uses such as natural medicines, honey, and prayer. Results of logistic regression suggest church followers’ support for preserving church forests increases with age and access to alternative sources of firewood – including exotic Eucalyptus spp. plantations which are increasingly widespread in northern Ethiopia. We also observe a shift since 2002 away from an expectation that church followers themselves hold responsibility for rule enforcement in church forests to a perceived sharing of responsibility by church authorities (i.e. priests and government (i.e. police in 2014. Together the progressive introduction of exotic tree species in church forests combined with the erosion of religious norms surrounding local forest governance may threaten the integrity and diversity of these unique social-ecological systems.

Surgical Residency Training in Developing Countries: West African College of Surgeons as a Case Study.

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Ajao, Oluwole Gbolagunte; Alao, Adekola

2016-01-01

In 1904, William Halsted introduced the present model of surgical residency program which has been adopted worldwide. In some developing countries, where surgical residency training programs are new, some colleges have introduced innovations to the Halsted's original concept of surgical residency training. These include 1) primary examination, 2) rural surgical posting, and 3) submission of dissertation for final certification. Our information was gathered from the publications on West African College of Surgeons' (WACS) curriculum of the medical schools, faculty papers of medical schools, and findings from committees of medical schools. Verbal information was also gathered via interviews from members of the WACS. Additionally, our personal experience as members and examiners of the college are included herein. We then noted the differences between surgical residency training programs in the developed countries and that of developing countries. The innovations introduced into the residency training programs in the developing countries are mainly due to the emphasis placed on paper qualifications and degrees instead of performance. We conclude that the innovations introduced into surgical residency training programs in developing countries are the result of the misconception of what surgical residency training programs entail. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Secularization and changing moral views : European trends in church attendance and views on homosexuality, divorce, abortion, and euthanasia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Halman, Loek; van Ingen, Erik

2015-01-01

Analysing survey data from the European Values Study, we investigate whether and how changes in church attendance bring about changes in people’s acceptance of abortion, homosexuality, divorce, and euthanasia. We argue that decreasing church attendance not only should enhance overall acceptance of

Secularization and Changing Moral Views : European Trends in Church Attendance and Views on Homosexuality, Divorce, Abortion, and Euthanasia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Halman, Loek; Van Ingen, Erik

2014-01-01

Analysing survey data from the European Values Study, we investigate whether and how changes in church attendance bring about changes in people's acceptance of abortion, homosexuality, divorce, and euthanasia. We argue that decreasing church attendance not only should enhance overall acceptance of

Orthopedic Resident Anatomy Review Course: A Collaboration between Anatomists and Orthopedic Surgeons

Science.gov (United States)

DeFriez, Curtis B.; Morton, David A.; Horwitz, Daniel S.; Eckel, Christine M.; Foreman, K. Bo; Albertine, Kurt H.

2011-01-01

A challenge for new residents and senior residents preparing for board examinations is refreshing their knowledge of basic science disciplines, such as human gross anatomy. The Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Utah School of Medicine has for many years held an annual Orthopedic Resident Anatomy Review Course during the summer months…

Restoring San Xavier del Bac, "Our Church": Tohono O'odham Work to Restore the 200-Year-Old Church Built by Their Ancestors.

Science.gov (United States)

Fontana, Bernard L.

1995-01-01

The Tohono O'odham built Mission San Xavier del Bac for Franciscan missionaries in the late 1700s and have protected and cared for it through changing circumstances ever since. As part of a massive restoration project, outstanding experts have been restoring the church's painted and sculpted interior and training local Tohono O'odham to be…

General medicine vs subspecialty career plans among internal medicine residents.

Science.gov (United States)

West, Colin P; Dupras, Denise M

2012-12-05

Current medical training models in the United States are unlikely to produce sufficient numbers of general internists and primary care physicians. Differences in general internal medicine (GIM) career plans between internal medicine residency program types and across resident demographics are not well understood. To evaluate the general medicine career plans of internal medicine residents and how career plans evolve during training. A study of US internal medicine residents using an annual survey linked to the Internal Medicine In-Training Examination taken in October of 2009-2011 to evaluate career plans by training program, sex, and medical school location. Of 67,207 US eligible categorical and primary care internal medicine residents, 57,087 (84.9%) completed and returned the survey. Demographic data provided by the National Board of Medical Examiners were available for 52,035 (77.4%) of these residents, of whom 51,390 (76.5%) responded to all survey items and an additional 645 (1.0%) responded to at least 1 survey item. Data were analyzed from the 16,781 third-year residents (32.2%) in this sample. Self-reported ultimate career plans of internal medicine residents. A GIM career plan was reported by 3605 graduating residents (21.5%). A total of 562 primary care program (39.6%) and 3043 categorical (19.9%) residents reported GIM as their ultimate career plan (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.76; 99% CI, 2.35-3.23; P international medical graduates (22.0% vs 21.1%, respectively; AOR, 1.76; 99% CI, 1.50-2.06; P international medical graduates (57.3% vs 27.3%, respectively; AOR, 3.48; 99% CI, 2.58-4.70; P internal medicine residents, including those in primary care training programs, and differed according to resident sex, medical school location, and program type.

Leadership succession patterns in the apostolic church as a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2016-06-30

Jun 30, 2016 ... return to the biblical and early Christians sources (following the Renaissance clarion call .... church (based on Peter's speech in Acts 1) thus, 'These. Twelve have a ... patterned after the synagogue model (Boer 1976:28). This is ..... ministry is determinative of the approach to leadership style and the pattern ...

The Financial Relationship between Church and State in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Bijsterveld, S.C.

2007-01-01

Webpublication: The Financial Relationship between Church and State in the Netherlands, Law and Religion in Transitional Societies.. Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica, Oslo, Norway 2-3 December 2006. Co-sponsors: Council on Faith & International Affairs, Oslo Coalition on Freedom of Religion or Belief,

reasons for the migration of church members from one congregation

African Journals Online (AJOL)

of 'church-free' and thus churchless members is also familiar. Less well ... to join. This choice is being made increasingly less on the basis of the ..... McDonaldisation, by Erre (2009:21-42), and in that of Consumer Culture, by. Conradie ...

The Church of the Deans

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Ezio Albrile

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The article investigates the ways through which peculiar representations of the late Ancient World passed to the Middle Ages. Among them, the astrological discipline is one of the favorite vehicles. The sculptures and other decorations of the Romanesque churches, have rewritten this archaic knowledge in the context of the Christian faith. Another constant presence in the imaginary of Western Christianity are the fabulous creatures related to what in astrology are the Decans. These odd Egyptian deities had at some time before the sixth century of our era made the long voyage to India and back they had travelled to Islamic lands, and so finally returned to Byzantium and the West.

Science Applied for the Investigation of Imperial Gate from Eighteenth Century Wooden Church of Nicula Monastery

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I. Bratu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Part of an indestructible component of any orthodox church, the Imperial Gates represent an important symbol in our cultural heritage. But in many cases the Imperial Gates from the wooden churches were damaged. In order to preserve and restore them, the scientific investigations of the Imperial Gate belonging to Nicula Monastery wooden church were performed by employing nondestructive and destructive methods. The wood essence was established, with its “health” status being investigated by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry thermal analysis. The painting materials employed by popular artists were determined by FTIR and XRF (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy as gypsum, calcite (rear background, lead white (Archangel Clothes, lead-minium (Archangel Clothes, leaf, iron oxide (Imperial Gate frame, malachite (green, Prussian blue (blue, orpiment (yellow, aliphatic, ester, and protein (probably egg yolk degradation products. Using similar colors as in the original artwork (resulting from the scientific investigation of the pigments a 3D reconstruction has been performed. The restored Imperial Gates are placed in the old Nicula wooden church, being included into a tourist and religious circuit.

Art-science integration: Portrait of a residency

Science.gov (United States)

Feldman, Rhoda Lynn

This dissertation is based on a year-long study of an arts integration residency at Hampton, a public elementary school in the Midwest. The study examined residency curriculum and pedagogies, factors facilitating and constraining the integration, and the perception of the artist, teachers, and students of the program and arts integration within it. The Hampton residency, "Art and Science: A Shared Evolution," represented a historical approach to the linking of the two disciplines within the framework of a survey extending from the origins of the universe to relativity theory, from cave paintings to Picasso. Findings indicate that integration encompassed more than issues of curriculum and pedagogy---that it was closely linked to the nature and extent of artist-teacher collaboration (importance of the interpersonal element); that multiple factors seemed to militate against integration and collaboration, including differing expectations of teachers and artist for the residency and integration, the lack of sustained professional development to support the integration of disciplines and collaboration of participants, and the pressure upon teachers of high stakes testing; that a common prep period was a necessary but not sufficient condition for collaboration to occur; and that the pedagogy of the artist while at Hampton was different than while at another school with similar demographics. The experience at Hampton seems to support conceiving of integration as a partnership capitalizing on the strengths of each partner, including teachers in the planning and development of curriculum, establishing structures to support teachers and artists in integrating curriculum and building/sustaining collaborative relationships, and insuring alignment of residency units with subject-area teaching. The study revealed that while integration in theory can offer an antidote for fragmentation of the school curriculum, in practice it is difficult to execute in a way that is meaningful to

From Social Motives to Spiritual Development: A Cultural Historical Activity Theory Analysis of Communal Spiritual Development in a Korean American House Church

Science.gov (United States)

Park, SinWoong Simon

2013-01-01

This study focused on a unique culturally shaped church formation, a Korean house church in the U.S., and how the members of the Korean house church learn and develop their spirituality in their communal relations and activities. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest…

True Love Waits: Do Southern Baptists? Premarital Sexual Behavior Among Newly Married Southern Baptist Sunday School Students

OpenAIRE

Rosenbaum, Janet E.; Weathersbee, Byron

2011-01-01

This study measures premarital sex prevalence, sources of sex education, and support for secular sex education among 151 newly married young adults surveyed at 9 Texas Southern Baptist churches. More than 70% of respondents reported having had premarital vaginal or oral sex, but more than 80% regretted premarital sex. The proportion of premarital sex exceeded 80% in 6 of 9 churches, among men and women married after age 25 and women married before age 21. School sex education was the only sou...

Cross Purposes: Love and Purity at a Puerto Rican Protestant High School

Science.gov (United States)

Seale-Collazo, James

2013-01-01

A "native" Christian ethnographer finds religious education at this church-sponsored school to pursue two distinct, and occasionally conflicting, curricula: "love" and "purity." The curriculum of love draws on what Turner called liminality and communitas in an effort to promote spiritual "encounters with…

Acta Theologica 2015: 2 207 M. Nel Identity-driven churches: Who ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

and systematic study that produces a wealth of contextual biblical ideas concerning ... debates and empirical data that have emerged and are still emerging concerning ... conversation lies a challenge: to recover and deepen the church's.

The Byzantine Church of ``40 Holy Martyrs'' in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria: Pigments and Technique

Science.gov (United States)

Sakellariou, E.; Zorba, T.; Pavlidou, E.; Angelova, S.; Paraskevopoulos, K. M.

2010-01-01

The "St. 40 Martyrs" church is the most famous medieval building in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria. It is located in Assenova mahala, just next to Tsarevets. It was built and its walls were painted during the reign of Bulgarian king Ivan Assen II after the victory against Epyrus despot Theodoros Comninos (1230 AD). It consists of two buildings - a six-column basilica and another, smaller building on its western wall, which was built later. During the presence of the Ottoman Turks, maybe until the first half of the 18th century, the church remained christian. When it was converted to a mosque, all the christian symbols in it were destroyed. The archeological researches on site were initiated in 1969. As it is clear, the 40 Martyrs church is a historical monument of culture with great significance. The church had murals, from the earlier period, but in the following years and especially during the Ottoman period, the church has suffered many and different destructions. Nevertheless, the very few pieces of murals that are rescued till nowadays provide important information for the technique and the pigments that were used on its wall paintings. In the present work, twelve series of samples from the wall paintings were studied in order to characterize the materials and the technique used for church iconography. The study was based on the micro-analytical techniques of the Fourier Transform Infrared micro-spectroscopy (μs-FTIR), the Optical Microscopy and the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled to an Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer (EDS). In the FTIR spectra of all pigments the characteristic peaks of calcite were detected, confirming the use of fresco technique for the creation of murals. The combination of FTIR spectroscopy and SEM-EDS analysis, reveal the existence of lapis-lazuli for the blue color, green earth for the green color, cinnabar for the red color, calcite for the white color and carbon black for the black color. Moreover, in other chromatic layers

The Byzantine Church of '40 Holy Martyrs' in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria: Pigments and Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakellariou, E.; Zorba, T.; Pavlidou, E.; Paraskevopoulos, K. M.; Angelova, S.

2010-01-01

The 'St. 40 Martyrs' church is the most famous medieval building in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria. It is located in Assenova mahala, just next to Tsarevets. It was built and its walls were painted during the reign of Bulgarian king Ivan Assen II after the victory against Epyrus despot Theodoros Comninos (1230 AD). It consists of two buildings - a six-column basilica and another, smaller building on its western wall, which was built later. During the presence of the Ottoman Turks, maybe until the first half of the 18th century, the church remained christian. When it was converted to a mosque, all the christian symbols in it were destroyed. The archeological researches on site were initiated in 1969. As it is clear, the 40 Martyrs church is a historical monument of culture with great significance. The church had murals, from the earlier period, but in the following years and especially during the Ottoman period, the church has suffered many and different destructions. Nevertheless, the very few pieces of murals that are rescued till nowadays provide important information for the technique and the pigments that were used on its wall paintings. In the present work, twelve series of samples from the wall paintings were studied in order to characterize the materials and the technique used for church iconography. The study was based on the micro-analytical techniques of the Fourier Transform Infrared micro-spectroscopy (μs-FTIR), the Optical Microscopy and the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled to an Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer (EDS). In the FTIR spectra of all pigments the characteristic peaks of calcite were detected, confirming the use of fresco technique for the creation of murals. The combination of FTIR spectroscopy and SEM-EDS analysis, reveal the existence of lapis-lazuli for the blue color, green earth for the green color, cinnabar for the red color, calcite for the white color and carbon black for the black color. Moreover, in other chromatic layers

Monitoring the thermal-hygrometric conditions induced by traditional heating systems in a historic Spanish church (12th-16th C)

OpenAIRE

Varas, María José; Martínez-Garrido, M. I.; Fort González, Rafael

2014-01-01

Most historic churches are characterised by low thermal efficiency due primarily to their architectural design and the traditional materials used in their construction. Heating the huge volumes of air involved may be more or less effective depending on the HVAC system used. Up until very recently, traditional heating has been the system of choice in Spanish churches. The present study analysed the parish church at Talamanca de Jarama (a village on the outskirts of Madrid), where the forced ho...

Advocating for Social Justice: The Context for Change in School Psychology

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Margaret R.; O'Bryon, Elisabeth C.

2008-01-01

Inequalities and disparities abound in U.S. society. Research studies reveal that across the contexts of people's lives--in the workplace, the home, churches, banking and lending, health care, criminal justice system, and schools--unevenness and disparities exist across racial, gender, sexual orientation, language background, ability, and…

San Pedro de la Mata (Sonseca, Toledo. Building and decorating an early medieval stone church

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Mª de los Ángeles Utrero Agudo

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This work aims to offer those results obtained by means of the archaeological, stylistic and geological analysis of the church of San Pedro de La Mata, of its building and decorative materials and of its quarries. Combining these studies (and methodologies has made possible to identify the original form of the church, to pinpoint the origin of the materials and to characterize thus the skills of the workshops responsible for its construction and decoration.

First experiences with electrochemical in-situ desalination of bricks in a church vault construction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rörig-Dalgaard, Inge

2012-01-01

was chosen. Salt profiles from three different bricks within this area clarified two bricks with low ion contents and one with a high ion content which is representative for church vault constructions. The idea of using a climate chamber for dissolution of present salts for minimizing additional water supply...... problematic in relation to church vault constructions with murals as the surface deterioration can result in loss of valuable cultural heritage. An electrochemical method has been investigated with focus on possible use for desalination of salt loaded vault constructions with murals in laboratory scale...

Association of church-sponsored activity participation and prevalence of overweight and obesity in African American Protestants, National Survey of American Life, 2001-2003.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Jerome; Belay, Brook; Park, Sohyun; Onufrak, Stephen; Dietz, William

2013-01-01

This study examines the relationships between participation in the African American church and overweight/obesity (body mass index (BMI) > or = 25 kg/m2). This cross-sectional analysis was based on the National Survey of American Life 2001-2003 and included 2,689 African American Protestant (AAP) adults. Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overweight/obesity. Two practices were examined--frequency of participation in church activities (excluding services) and frequency of church service attendance. Each practice was analyzed in separate models. Each model included the following covariates: age, marital status, education, poverty, smoking, and region of country. We also adjusted models for sex. After adjustment, African American Protestant men (AAPM) who participated in church activities at least weekly were more likely to be overweight/obese (aOR=2.17; 95% CI = 1.25, 3.77) compared to AAPM who did not participate in church activities. There was no statistically significant association between overweight/obesity and participation in church activities for AAPW. There was no association between overweight/obesity and attendance of church services for AAP men and women combined. For AAPM, participation in church activities was significantly associated with overweight/obesity. Further studies are required to determine why this association occurs in AAPM but not AAPW. Studies looking at the wider application of the several successful health initiatives targeting the AAP community should also be considered.

Religious Education and the Law in Northern Ireland's Controlled Schools

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Armstrong, David

2009-01-01

This article examines the legislation under which religious education operates in Northern Ireland's schools. A brief historical sketch identifies the Irish Churches' interest in the educational debates of the 1920s and 1930s. The legislation that established religious education in the curriculum is traced from those debates to the present…

Teacher in Residence: Bringing Science to Students

CERN Multimedia

Daisy Yuhas

CERN welcomes its first Teacher in Residence, Terrence Baine of the University of Oslo. Baine, who originally hails from Canada, will be concurrently completing his PhD in Physics Education during his time at CERN. Like CERN’s High School Teacher Programme (HST), of which Baine is an alumnus, the Teacher in Residence position is designed to help educators spread the science of CERN in a form that is accessible to students and can encourage them to pursue physics throughout their education.   Terrence Baine, first 'teacher in residence' at CERN Baine explains, “It’s very important to have a teacher present who can be that middle person between the young peoplecoming here, whom we are trying to enlighten, and the physicists who work at CERN. The Teacher in Residence can act as an on-site educational consultant.” As Teacher in Residence, Baine’s primary project will be to develop teaching modules, or a series of lesson plans, that can help high schoo...

Immigration and Religion in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christoffersen, Lisbet

2009-01-01

An overview over legal framework for immigration into Denmark, special clauses on religion as a parameter for residence permit and asylum in churches......An overview over legal framework for immigration into Denmark, special clauses on religion as a parameter for residence permit and asylum in churches...

A framework for crafting and implementing a congregational strategy in the local congregations of the reformed churches of South Africa / by A.B. Grobler

OpenAIRE

Grobler, Aldeon Barend

2010-01-01

The church is not like any other institution or organisation in society. Although the church is primarily invisible and spiritual, it is a visible organisation in the world, and it spans across borders of nations, languages and countries. John Calvin strongly rejected the notion that the church is only a spiritual organisation of which the visible administrative side is downplayed. The fellowship of the church must not only be seen as a mystical relation with Jesus Christ. At t...

Cooking Schools Improve Nutrient Intake Patterns of People with Type 2 Diabetes

Science.gov (United States)

Archuleta, Martha; VanLeeuwen, Dawn; Halderson, Karen; Jackson, K'Dawn; Bock, Margaret Ann; Eastman, Wanda; Powell, Jennifer; Titone, Michelle; Marr, Carol; Wells, Linda

2012-01-01

Objective: To determine whether cooking classes offered by the Cooperative Extension Service improved nutrient intake patterns in people with type 2 diabetes. Design: Quasi-experimental using pretest, posttest comparisons. Setting: Community locations including schools, churches, and senior centers. Participants: One hundred seventeen people with…

The Catholic School as a "Courtyard of the Gentiles"

Science.gov (United States)

Franchi, Leonardo

2014-01-01

The setting up of the Courtyard of the Gentiles by Pope Benedict XVI has provided the Catholic Church with an official forum for dialogue with atheists. The intellectual energy surrounding this initiative can be harnessed to focus on how the contemporary Catholic school addressed its responsibilities to the Catholic community while offering a good…

Chromatic changes on the wall paintings in Sanderum Church (Denmark)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brajer, Isabelle Eve; Christensen, Mads Christian

2011-01-01

This paper describes observations and results of analyses undertaken to find explanations for several phenomena affecting the colours on the Gothic wall paintings in Sanderum Church (Denmark). Paintings have been exposed on four webs of the chancel vault and one web in the nave since 1882. Three ...

Optimal setpoint operation of the climate control of a church

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schijndel, van A.W.M.; Schellen, H.L.

2010-01-01

The report presents the characteristics of the Walloon Church in Delft (Netherlands) and a description of constraints for the indoor climate, giving criteria for the indoor air temperature and relative humidity with the focus on the preservation of the monumental organ. The setpoint operation of the

Factors Influencing Fundraising Success in Church-Related Colleges and Universities

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Cohu, Jeff

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore and examine factors leading to fundraising success in church-related colleges and universities that have not secularized their Christian mission, governance, and denominational relationships. This study posed research questions concerning both the specific strategies and leadership behaviors used by…

Exploring the relationships among humility, negative interaction in the church, and depressed affect.

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, Neal

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to test three hypotheses involving humility. The first hypothesis specifies that people who are more deeply involved in religion will be more humble than individuals who are not as involved in religion. The second hypothesis predicts that humility will offset the effects of negative interaction in the church on depressed affect scores. The third hypothesis specifies that there will be a positive relationship between age and humility. The data come from the Religion, Aging, and Health Survey, a nationwide survey of middle-aged and older Christians who attend church on a regular basis (N = 1154). The findings suggest that people who are more committed to their faith tend to be more humble. The results also reveal that negative interaction in the church is greater for people with lower humility scores than individuals with higher humility scores. In contrast, the data indicate that older adults are not more humble than middle-aged people. The findings are noteworthy because they identify a source of resilience that may help middle-aged and older adults cope more effectively with the effects of stress.

The French state and the church: Socio-historical context, structural conditionality and character of laicism

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Mladenović Ivica

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In the article, the author deals with the political and social influences of the relationship between the state and religious communities in France. The first part of the paper is an analysis of historical context and the construction (evolution of laicism in France through its local characteristics, values and social strengths, contributing to its formation. The fact that Catholic Church was one of the main legitimizing pillars of „the old regime“, permanently determined the relationship between church and state, most importantly - it’s subsequent social exclusion under the Republic. The 1789 French revolution in conjunction with the 1905 law on the Separation of church and state, up until present time, have been seen as the most important events in defining the relationship between political and religious entities in France. The second part of the paper continues in outlining the founding logic and principles of the contemporary relationship between religious communities and the French state. The article concludes in suggesting that through its persistence of a purely Laicistic model of state-church affiliation, view of the nation as a community of citizens, Weberian definition of the State, and the acceptance of the public sphere as common space in which communal interests are negated, France today represents an isolated island on the European continent.

The fresco at the entrance to Danilo II church of the Mother of God at Peć

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Milanović Vesna

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Painted around 1330, this fresco is located on a large section of the western façade of the church of the Mother of God Hodegetria at Peć above the entrance that leads from the monumental narthex into the interior of the building. It is a composition, joining the unusual image of the holy patroness of Archbishop Danilo II's ecclesiastical endowment, accompanied by two figures of angels in adoration, to create an iconographic whole with a twin presentation of the archpriests, St. Nicolas and Danilo II himself bowing in prayer. After giving a careful and detailed description of the entire content and setting of the painting, first of all, the paper discusses the content and message conveyed in the choice of the image of the Mother of God with Child, which, in the given assembly of figures, is distinguished by its central position and enlarged proportions. A perception of the views maintained so far, regarding the interpretation of this composition, and the specific points related to the choice of the central figure, when attempting to decipher its meaning, leads to considering that in a certain reinterpretation of the aforesaid, quite specific representation of the patroness of the Serbian archbishop's church endowment, there also lies the key for the explanation of the twin presentation of the two hierarchs in prayer, as well as for shedding light on the inter-relationship of all the figures involved in the painting, i.e. for perceiving the logic of uniting them in one composition. Even though a new attempt at comprehending the content and the subtle message of the fresco largely rests upon the examination and thorough research of comparative material that previous research workers have already noted as being significant for the examination of the given solution, this does not hold for the conclusions arising from the observation of that material. There is a critical review particularly of the previous conclusions that remain within the

A complicated answer to a simple question: Are believers and members of minority religions, churches and religious communities in postdayton BiH discriminated?

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Nagradić Slobodan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The work treats the real social position of minority religions, denominations, religious communities and churches in postdayton Bosnia and Herzegovina. In other words, the author researches real social, political, legislative, mass-media-communicational, economic status and a status of so called small religious communities and churches in other spheres of existence like education, culture, public health etc., and seeks to answer to, from rhetorical point of view, simple question: are minority religions, denominations, religious communities and churches, as defined and treated by the Law on Freedom of Religion and Legal Position of Churches and Religious Communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, discriminated or not. In the focus of the author's analyses are equally institutional sphere or so called minority religious communities as such, but also and individuals, believers and followers of those institutionalized and formalized religious-denominational- ecclesial subjects having been named religious communities and churches. The results of the author's empirical-theoretical researches can be condensed into nuanced and complex answer whose content leads to conclusion that minority religions, churches and their members in several spheres of life are, after all, in inferior position, in spite of declarative equality of all religions, denominations, religious communities and churches. The author supports such conclusion with numerous and plausible arguments.

Blended Learning in Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident Education: Impact on Resident Clinical Performance.

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Ghareeb, Allen; Han, Heeyoung; Delfino, Kristin; Taylor, Funminiyi

2016-01-01

Effects of residents' blended learning on their clinical performance have rarely been reported. A blended learning pilot program was instituted at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine's Obstetrics and Gynecology program. One of the modules was chronic hypertension in pregnancy. We sought to evaluate if the resident blended learning was transferred to their clinical performance six months after the module. A review of patient charts demonstrated inadequate documentation of history, evaluation, and counseling of patients with chronic hypertension at the first prenatal visit by Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) residents. A blended learning module on chronic hypertension in pregnancy was then provided to the residents. A retrospective chart review was then performed to assess behavioral changes in the OB/GYN residents. This intervention was carried out at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southern Illinois University. All 16 OB/GYN residents were enrolled in this module as part of their educational curriculum. A query of all prenatal patients diagnosed with chronic hypertension presenting to the OB/GYN resident clinics four months prior to the implementation of the blended learning module (March 2015-June 2015) and six months after (July 20, 2015-February 2016) was performed. Data were collected from outpatient charts utilizing the electronic medical record. Data were abstracted from resident documentation at the first prenatal visit. The residents thought that the blended learning module was applicable to performance improvement in the real-world setting. Patients evaluated before ( n = 10) and after ( n = 7) the intervention were compared. After the intervention, there was an increase in assessment of baseline liver enzymes, referral for electrocardiogram, and early assessment for diabetes in the obese patients. More patients were provided a blood pressure cuff after the module (71.4% vs. 20%). Data were provided to the residents in an

Medical student views on the use of Facebook profile screening by residency admissions committees.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Daniel R; Green, Michael J; Navarro, Anita M; Stazyk, Kelly K; Clark, Melissa A

2014-05-01