bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Did the Apostolic Church Baptise Babies? A Seismological Approach
Authors: Lane Anthony N. S.
Published: October 2021

The direct evidence from the first century is insufficient to establish conclusively whether or not the apostolic church baptised babies. An alternative approach is to look at the practice of the post-apostolic church and to ask what must have happened in apostolic times to account for this later development. Unequivocal evidence is not found until the beginning of the third century and for the next two centuries and more we see a variety of practice, with the children of Christian homes being baptised at any and every age. Significantly, no one claimed that anyone else’s practice was unapostolic or wrong in principle. Given that oral tradition offered real, though limited, access to the past, the most natural explanation is that this acceptance of a variety of practice goes back to apostolic times.
Ethnicity, Assimilation and the Israelite Settlement
Authors: Pitkänen Pekka
Published: October 2021

In this article, we look into the possibility of assimilation of Canaanites into a group of Israelites whose origins lie in Egypt. We examine the topic from a comparative perspective of studies of ethnicity. First, we make a review of the current status of the scholarship about the origins of Israel. We then review how studies of ethnicity have been applied to Old Testament studies. After this, we look at definitions and basic features of ethnicity from the standpoint of ethnic studies. We then apply these insights to determine basic features of ethnicity and ethnic boundaries in early Israel. Subsequently, we look into evidence which suggests that assimilation from local peoples to an Exodus group may well have taken place in early Israel.
‘Son of Man’, ‘Pitiable Man’, ‘Rejected Man’: Equivalent Expressions in the Old Greek of Daniel
Authors: Lemcio Eugene E.
Published: October 2021

Far from being a generalised synonym for ‘man’ or ‘human’, the phrase ‘son of man’ in the Old Greek of Daniel bears the sense of ‘frail’ or ‘vulnerable human’. This becomes apparent when the expression ‘son of man’ and the dynamics of chapter 7 are compared with the phrases ‘rejected man’, ‘son of man’, and ‘pitiable man’ in chapters 4, 8, and 10.
Problems with Perichoresis
Authors: Crisp Oliver D.
Published: October 2021

The doctrine of perichoresis has been important for a number of contemporary theologians. However, it has been given much less philosophical attention. This essay is a philosophical-theological examination of the doctrine of perichoresis. Whereas most contemporary theologians who write about perichoresis restrict its application to the Holy Trinity, this paper seeks to address the question of its relevance for the hypostatic union in Christology. In order to do this, perichoresis in the incarnation must be distinguished from the communication of attributes and from the way in which it is applied to the persons of the Godhead. I conclude that perichoresis has an important though often neglected use in Christology, as well as a right use in trinitarian theology.
Method and Old Testament Theology: Barr, Brueggemann, and Goldingay Considered
Authors: Meadowcroft Tim
Published: October 2021

In the past several years two of the English speaking world’s most influential Old Testament scholars, Walter Brueggemann and John Goldingay, have produced lengthy volumes of Old Testament theology. In the same period James Barr has produced a comprehensive methodological reflection on Old Testament theology. Barr raises a number of key issues which continue to inform the discipline. The theologies of Brueggemann and Goldingay each in different ways illustrate these methodological issues, and may be critiqued in their light. What emerges when this is done is an appreciation of two Old Testament theologians whose rigorous readings of the final form of the text produce significant insights for both the church and the academy. In the opinion of this reviewer the particular methodological strengths of Goldingay are those that are most likely to prove helpful both for the ongoing development of Old Testament theology and for the church’s reading of the Old Testament.
God’s Hidden Compassion
Authors: Tiemeyer Lena-Sofia
Published: October 2021

The present article looks at the divine restriction on intercession, attested in Amos 7:1–8:3; Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11-12; Ezekiel 3:22-27; 24:27 and 33:21-22, and suggests that it is best understood as a way in which God safeguards his punitive plans from the forces of his own compassion. The divine declaration in Amos 7:8 and 8:2 is motivated by prudence: after having succumbed twice to Amos’ intercession, God forestalls intercession as a means to protect himself and his plans of punishment. Likewise, God declares his intention to disregard any dissenting views that Jeremiah may have concerning God’s planned punishment of Judah in order to ensure its execution. Lastly, God renders Ezekiel mute and confines him to his home so as to hinder him from interceding on behalf of the people.
More Than Just Numbers: Deuteronomic Influence in Hebrews 3:7-4:11
Authors: Allen David M.
Published: October 2021

That Hebrews 3:7–4:11 alludes to the events of Numbers 14 has become an apparently established and almost universal datum of scholarship. This paper, however, argues that Hebrews’ rhetoric in the pericope and its exegesis of Psalm 95 is better explained by appealing to a Deuteronomic perspective, rather than that of Numbers. The bipartite structure of the psalm itself evinces a quasi-Deuteronomic choice that echoes the decision which Hebrews lays before its audience, and it utilises language that is quintessentially Deuteronomic. Four key words in 3:7-19 are subsequently discussed and it is demonstrated that their context and provenance is not Numbers 14, but rather the particular milieu of Deuteronomy. Whilst the contribution of Numbers 14 to the pericope is not to be dismissed, Hebrews’ use of the psalm appears to be more orientated towards a Deuteronomic perspective.
The ‘Breastplate of Righteousness’ in Ephesians 6:14: Imputation or Virtue?
Authors: Wenkel David H.
Published: October 2021

This study examines the long-standing disagreement over the nature of the ‘breastplate of righteousness’ in Ephesians 6:14. One position argues that the righteousness is external, consisting of imputed righteousness. The other position argues that the righteousness is internal, consisting of Christian virtues. This study includes a brief survey of Paul’s usage of spiritual armour in other Epistles and an examination of the Isaianic background of spiritual armour. After examining the metaphor of the ‘armour of God’ and the context in Ephesians, it is argued that the breastplate is ethical, consisting of virtues that reflect Christ.
Divine Illocutions in Psalm 137: A Critique of Nicholas Wolterstorff’s ‘Second Hermeneutic’
Authors: Barker Kit
Published: October 2021

Recent years have witnessed renewed interest in understanding Scripture as divine communication, a move which reconnects the academy with ecclesiological concerns. Those involved in theological hermeneutics have drawn upon advances in a wide range of disciplines in order to develop and defend their methodologies. From the fields of communication theory and pragmatics, speech act theory has been proffered by some as providing insightful analysis of the anatomy of communication and, in particular, authorial intention. Nicholas Wolterstorff’s, Divine Discourse: Philosophical Reflections on the Claim that God Speaks is representative of such works. Drawing heavily upon speech act theory, Wolterstorff defends a model of interpretation that prioritises authorial intention. Furthermore, Wolterstorff’s conviction that Scripture is both human and divine discourse leads him to a two-stage hermeneutic. This paper will offer an explanation and critique of Wolterstorff’s move from the first to the second hermeneutic in his interpretation of Psalm 137. It will conclude that while Wolterstorff’s method does account for the divine intention in part, it ultimately suffers from both a limited connection to speech act theory and a failure to appreciate the nature of communication at higher (especially generic) levels. In addressing these methodological deficiencies, the paper will present Psalm 137 as an authoritative canonical text by clarifying how it continues to function as divine discourse.
Reading First Peter in the Context of Early Christian Mission
Authors: Stenschke Christoph
Published: October 2021

This paper argues that 1 Peter should be read against the background of early Christian mission. The readers of 1 Peter have a predominantly Gentile background. The letter assures these Gentile Christians that they now share the status and spiritual privileges of Israel. However, this cherished status also includes an existence as exiles and strangers in the world they live in. This experience was hitherto unknown to them. As God’s people they have a new task: to share their faith in Christ by conduct and by word. Their experience of slander and persecutions cannot and need not bring their calling into question but is part and parcel of being God’s people in the world.
The Importance of the Noahic Covenant to Biblical Theology
Authors: Chalmers Aaron
Published: October 2021

This article seeks to draw attention to the importance of the Noahic covenant to biblical theology. This article suggests that rather than being of only marginal significance, the Noahic covenant is of decisive importance for understanding the broader metanarrative of Scripture. In particular, this covenant establishes the basis or foundation for the story (God’s commitment to creation, and in particular, the preservation of life on earth), establishes the parameters of the story (God’s activity reaches out to embrace not only humanity, but also the created animals and the earth), and provides an anticipation of the conclusion of the story of redemption (God’s judgement on sin, salvation of the righteous, and renewal of creation).
Malevolent or Mysterious? God’s Character in the Prologue of Job
Authors: Shields Martin A.
Published: October 2021

Readers of the Book of Job often believe that the prologue reveals the entire reason for Job’s loss and suffering and so the full background for all that transpires throughout the remainder of the work. Many readers find that this raises significant problems about God’s character as depicted in the book. There are, however, subtle indications both in the structure of the prologue and the content of the entire book which suggest that the exchanges between Yahweh and the Satan do not offer to the reader the complete rationale for Job’s suffering. Furthermore, it appears that the author of Job has deliberately created a riddle which, left unsolved, traps the reader into believing – as Job’s friends believe – that a full reason for Job’s suffering is at hand. Solving the riddle, however, entwines the reader in Job’s ignorance and thus the book’s insistence that there is some wisdom only Yahweh holds.
The Origins of Jesus-Devotion: A Response to Crispin Fletcher-Louis.
Authors: Hurtado Larry W.
Published: October 2021

The critique of my work on Jesus-devotion by Dr. Fletcher-Louis (in a previous issue of this journal) combines an essentially correct brief summary of some broad contours of my views and a few interesting points for further discussion; but, unfortunately, the main criticisms are often directed against over-simplified or exaggerated portrayals of my views, and also involve at least one serious red herring. In this brief response, therefore, I try to correct and clarify some key matters in the hope of promoting a more productive discussion of the remarkable devotion to Jesus that characterised earliest Christianity.
On Generating Categories in Theological Ethics: Barth, Genesis and the Ständelehre
Authors: Brock Brian
Published: October 2021

Though the doctrine of creation is often invoked in Christian ethics, its relation to the book of Genesis remains obscure. The dominance of an ethics of principles among Christian ethicists and exegetes provides one reason for this obscurity in methodologically oversimplifying Scripture in order to make it more accessible for a specific type of modernist ethical methodology. The main emphasis of the article is to investigate the linkages Karl Barth drew between the book of Genesis and the doctrines of Christology and creation in his Church Dogmatics vol. III. While Barth makes important methodological advances on a Christian ethic of principles, his treatment of the doctrine of creation is found to underplay the distinctive thought structures of Genesis 1–4. A brief final section suggests that Luther’s doctrine of the three estates comprehends Barth’s best methodological insights, and in addition, was explicitly formulated as a reading of the biblical text of Genesis. Drawing on the work of Hans Ulrich, I conclude that an updated version of the Ständelehre addresses the systematic problems noted in a Christian ethic of principles and Barth’s doctrine of creation, so yielding a more biblically faithful framework within which a Christian ethic of creation can be developed.
Paul’s Common Paraenesis (1 Thess. 4-5; Phil. 2-4; and Rom. 12-13): The Correspondence between Romans 1:18-32 and 12:1-2, and the Unity of Romans 12-13
Authors: Kim Seyoon
Published: October 2021

First Thessalonians 5:12-24; Romans 12:9-21; and Philippians 4:2-9 show close parallels, while their wider contexts (1 Thess. 4–5; Rom. 12–13; and Phil. 3:17–4:9) also display a substantial parallelism. This observation leads us to affirm Paul’s common paraenesis (cf. 1 Cor. 4:17), and helps us see what he considers the fundamental way of Christian existence (cf. Gal. 5:22-25). Then, this observation helps us also see (a) the correspondence between Romans 1:18-32 and 12:1-2; (b) the unity of Romans 12–13 as a whole, in which Romans 12:1-2 and 13:11-14 form an inclusio, which are, respectively, the thesis statement and the concluding statement about the Daseinsweise of the redeemed in contrast to that of fallen humanity in Romans 1:18-21; and (c) the consistent line of Paul’s thinking in Romans, which is sustained through his Adam-Christ antithesis (5:12-21). Finally, the notion of Paul’s common paraenesis enables us to conduct a comparative study of the paraenetical sections of the various epistles of Paul and to appreciate the distinctive elements in a given epistle (e.g. the extended elaboration of the theme of ‘living peaceably with all’ in Rom. 12:14–13:10) in terms of the particular needs of the recipients of that epistle.
The Affective Directives of the Book of Revelation
Authors: Harker Andy
Published: October 2021

In contemporary study of the Johannine Apocalypse both at the academic and popular levels there continues to be a strong bias towards questions of hermeneutics and semantics. This is true despite the calls of many commentators and pastors over the last two millennia to receive the prophecy as pictures to move the heart rather than puzzles to tease the mind. This paper adds volume and clarity to their call. The approach here is an emic one—How does the text itself invite the recipient to engage with its words? Picking up on J.-P. Ruiz’s suggestion that Revelation is punctuated by ‘hermeneutical imperatives’ (sc. Rev. 1:3; 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; 13:9-10, 18; 17:9; 22:7, 18-19), this article argues that these texts are just as much, if not more, ‘affective imperatives’ or better ‘affective directives’. Thus to read the book in line with its own explicit directions is much more a matter of being moved at the level of the heart and will than of solving a hermeneutical conundrum.
Could God Have Commanded the Slaughter of the Canaanites?
Authors: Williams Stephen N.
Published: October 2021

This article is a slightly revised version of the Tyndale Lecture in Christian Ethics, delivered in 2010. It deals not with the narrowly historical question of the slaughter of the Canaanites, but with the theological question of the possibility of God’s having commanded it. Its argument is that we should not conceive it as a possible divine command, unless we regard it as sorrowfully commanded, a commandment accommodated to conditions of human violence for which humans are responsible.
A Fake Coptic John and Its Implications for the ‘Gospel of Jesus’s Wife’
Authors: Askeland Christian
Published: October 2021

The recent revelation of a Coptic Gospel of John fragment from the same source as the so-called ‘Gospel of Jesus’s Wife’ has decisively altered the discussion concerning the authenticity of the ‘Gospel of Jesus’s Wife’ fragment. The Coptic John fragment is a crude copy from Herbert Thompson’s 1924 edition of the ‘Qau codex’ and is a product of the same modern writing event as the ‘Gospel of Jesus’s Wife’ fragment. Both texts are modern forgeries written on genuinely ancient fragments of papyrus.
The Letters of Claudius Terentianus and the New Testament: Insights and Observations on Epistolary Themes
Authors: Head Peter M.
Published: October 2021

Eleven papyrus letters from the early second century (P. Mich. 467-480 & inv. 5395) are studied in relation to parallel interests expressed within NT letters, on the topics of physical layout and formatting, discussions of health, the desire for news and the role of greetings, the role of the letter carrier and the use of letters of recommendation.
Galatians 1-2 without a Mirror: Reflections on Paul’s Conflict with the Agitators
Authors: Hardin Justin K.
Published: October 2021

Despite its dangers and pitfalls as an interpretive technique, mirror reading continues to enjoy pride of place as the preferred method for reconstructing the situation in Galatians. But does reflecting back the opposite of the text aid our understanding of Paul’s letter, or does it merely distort the picture? In this essay, we will discuss Paul’s conflict with the agitators in Galatians to reveal the inherent methodological problems of mirror reading this letter. Specifically, we will address the question whether the agitators in Galatia were questioning Paul’s credentials, prompting Paul to write his lengthy narrative in Galatians 1–2. We will then evaluate recent scholars who have sought to retire the mirror in their interpretation of Paul’s narrative, before ourselves providing a fresh reading of Paul’s aims in Galatians 1–2. We will suggest that Paul was not defending himself (or his gospel or anything else) in Galatians. Rather, Paul was constructing a self-contrast with the agitators in an effort to persuade the Galatians to turn back to the one true gospel and to reject the judaising tactics of the agitators.
The Nephilim: a Tall Story? Who Were the Nephilim and How Did They Survive the Flood?
Authors: Routledge Robin
Published: October 2021

The Nephilim figure prominently in some popular literature. Their portrayal is speculative, but also based on Second Temple texts, which portray the Nephilim as the giant offspring of angels and human women who were responsible for the corruption that resulted in the flood. The OT includes few direct references to the Nephilim (Gen. 6:4; Num. 13:33; possibly Ezek. 32:27), though they have been generally linked with giant pre-conquest inhabitants of Canaan, particularly Anakites and Rephaim. The lack of detail in the OT suggests the existence of underlying extra-biblical traditions, though substantial differences appear to rule out Second Temple texts as a source for OT writers. Because the OT appears to include references to the Nephilim existing both before and after the flood, an important question is whether (or how) they survived the deluge. This article argues that the Nephilim in the OT are associated, primarily, with the antediluvian era; though are, intentionally, linked with postdiluvian ‘heroes’ to highlight the perversity of the pre-flood generation, who, in seeking liaisons with heavenly beings, seek to overcome their mortality. How they survived the flood does not appear to be of interest to the OT writers.
Human Dignity and Human Justice: Thinking with Calvin About the Imago Dei
Authors: O’Donovan Joan Lockwood
Published: October 2021

This article explores Calvin’s theological treatment of the Biblical doctrine of humankind’s creation in and restoration to ‘the image of God’, and draws out the critical implications of his treatment for the contemporary elaboration of an ‘inherent human dignity’ in terms of ‘human (subjective) rights’ as the moral foundation of a public justice of secular, egalitarian rights. The argument is that Calvin locates the created and restored ‘image’ in active Trinitarian and Christological relations of divine and human knowing and loving, and not in any immanent or self-standing human structure, quality, or capacity, and in so doing renders theologically problematic an elaboration of ‘inherent human dignity’ in terms of subjective rights. Moreover, his account of public justice, being rooted in, ordered to, and limited by these divine-human relationships, is incompatible with a secular rights polity.
"‘He Was Raised on the Third Day According to the Scriptures’ (1 Corinthians 15:4): A Typological Interpretation Based on the Cultic Calendar in Leviticus 23
Authors: White Joel
Published: October 2021

According to one of the earliest creedal statements in the NT, which Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians 15:4, the Messiah ‘was raised on the third day according to the scriptures’. Scholarly analysis has centred on determining which scriptures are in view, rarely differentiating between the creed’s perspective and Paul’s. One can only speculate about the former, but with regard to the latter there are contextual clues in 1 Corinthians 15 that Paul sought to draw attention to the typological significance of the sheaf of firstfruits which, according to the Leviticus 23:10-11, was to be waved before the Lord on the day after the Sabbath after Passover, the very day that Jesus rose from the dead.
An Unpublished Fragment of Deuteronomy: Chester Beatty Papyrus VI, Folio 105, Fragment 2, Recto
Authors: Hamilton Matthew
Published: October 2021

The annotation on the plate at the Chester Beatty Library for folio 105, fragment 2, recto, is incorrect; it does not contain Deuteronomy 32:10 but Deuteronomy 32:6-8.

Although very little of the text of Deuteronomy 32:6-8 has so far been identified, the placement of this fragment opens up the possibility of the reconstruction of all of folio 105, from Deuteronomy 32:5 through to Deuteronomy 32:29. Preliminary attempts to do so have identified a possible problem: if recto column one is correctly or near correctly reconstructed, the non-extant part of verso column two between fragment 2 and the Michigan fragments is too short to fit all of the non-extant part of Deuteronomy 32:25-27. Solutions to this reconstruction problem include lines that are much longer than usual, lines that have the letters crowded together, and squeezing in of two extra lines – but these solutions are contrary to the general evenness of columns and lines elsewhere in this manuscript. Alternative solutions, not yet investigated, include either an expansion in folio 105, recto, column one, or an omission in folio 105, verso, column two, of about thirty-five letters.

[Extract from Analysis section]
Counting Witnesses for the Angry Jesus in Mark 1:41: Interdependence and Insularity in the Latin Tradition
Authors: Lorenz Peter E.
Published: October 2021

A survey of recent literature on the remarkable reading in Mark 1:41, depicting Jesus’s anger at a leper who approaches him to be healed — supported by just Codex Bezae, a segment of the Old Latin version, and perhaps the Syriac Commentary on the Diatessaron, attributed to Ephrem — reveals a tendency to ascribe the acceptance of the alternative reading depicting Jesus’s compassion to the overwhelming preponderance of its support. It is clear though that the UBS3 and UBS4 committee preferred this reading on the basis of the ‘diversity and character’ of its evidence. The present article examines the implications of the predominantly Latin support for the reading that depicts Jesus’s anger in light of the question of textual diversity, considering palaeographical, codicological, and textual evidence of a northern-Italian provenance for its manuscripts and text forms, while arguing that the insular character of the tradition raises serious doubts regarding the independence of its testimony when it differs distinctively in relation to the Greek tradition.
The Masora Magna of Two Biblical Fragments from the Cairo Genizah, and the Unusual Practice of the Scribe behind the Leningrad Codex
Authors: Phillips Kim
Published: October 2021

As a rule, no two Tiberian Bibles are alike when it comes to their masoretic notes. Indeed, the masora magna notes can be thought of as part of the unique fingerprint of each individual manuscript. Notwithstanding, this study presents the first evidence of two Pentateuch codices containing identical masora magna, and explores how these codices relate to one another. Both these codices were the work of Samuel b. Jacob, the scribe who wrote the Leningrad Codex. Thus this study contributes to our understanding of the scribal habits of this important figure.
A New Codex from the Scribe behind the Leningrad Codex: L17
Authors: Phillips Kim
Published: October 2021

Samuel b. Jacob was the scribe responsible for the production of the so-called Leningrad Codex (Firkowich B19a), currently our earliest complete Masoretic Bible codex. This article demonstrates that another codex from the Firkowich Collection, containing the Former Prophets only, is also the work of Samuel b. Jacob, despite the lack of a colophon to this effect. The argument is based on a combination of eleven textual and para-textual features shared between these two manuscripts, and other manuscripts known to have been produced by the same scribe.
Grant Slaves Equality: Re-Examining the Translation of Colossians 4:1
Authors: Vasser Murray
Published: October 2021

This essay offers a fresh challenge to the widely accepted translation of Colossians 4:1. Though ἰσότης normally means ‘equality’, most scholars insist that in Colossians 4:1 the term must instead mean ‘fairness’, for the author evidently assumes the continuation of slavery in the Christian community. Thus English versions render the command ‘Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly’ (RSV). In support of this translation, scholars routinely cite a handful of texts that are purported to demonstrate that the term ἰσότης could mean ‘fairness’ instead of ‘equality’. In this essay, I challenge such an interpretation of these texts. Furthermore, by demonstrating that a first-century moralist could exhort masters to treat their slaves as equals without thereby recommending the abolition of slavery, I challenge the assertion that the context of Colossians 4:1 requires a meaning of ἰσότης other than the one well attested in the extant Greek literature. I conclude that Colossians 4:1 should be rendered as follows: ‘Masters, grant slaves justice and equality.’ This conclusion has important implications not only for Bible translators, but also for scholars attempting to reconstruct the situation at Colossae or describe early Christian attitudes towards slavery.
The State and Marriage: Cut the Connection
Authors: Hill Daniel
Published: October 2021

I argue that the connection between the state and the institution of marriage should be cut. More precisely, I argue that the state should not (i) solemnise or purport to solemnise any marriages, (ii) register any marriages and (iii) make any laws, civil or criminal, respecting marriage. I advance several arguments for this thesis, and then respond to many possible objections. I do not argue for any change in any of the typical Western laws respecting sexual intercourse; in particular, I do not argue for any change in the laws regarding rape, the age of consent to intercourse or intercourse with a minor.
The Challenge of the Canaanites
Authors: Ford William
Published: October 2021

The negative biblical portrayal of the Canaanites appears to contrast sharply with the wider portrayal of Yhwh’s relationship with humanity and with Israel in particular, raising a challenge for reading these parts of the Bible as Scripture. This article considers this portrayal by drawing together key biblical references to the Canaanites into two sections: Canaanites as a whole, and as individuals. Four potential images are evaluated as possible summaries of the biblical portrayal of the Canaanites: sinners, danger, warning, and challenge, with the last being the most appropriate. The Canaanites’ proximity to Israel, both geographic and moral, raises both a negative and positive challenge. Israelites can become Canaanites and vice versa, depending on their response to Yhwh.
Form and Experience Dwelling in Unity: A Cognitive Reading of the Metaphors of Psalm 133
Authors: Leow Wen-Pin
Published: October 2021

This article uses the cognitive approach to analyse the metaphors of Psalm 133 while concurrently using a study of the remaining Psalms of Ascents to understand the underlying world-view that Psalm 133’s metaphors are based on. Such an approach reveals that the subjects of the metaphors of Psalm 133 are connected at a deeper conceptual level. This conceptual relationship allows the psalmist to both describe the blessings of brotherly unity and to provide a literary parallel of the experience of those blessings through the psalm’s form.
Diagnosing Religious Experience in Romans 8
Authors: Wreford Mark
Published: October 2021

In this article, I consider Paul’s use of adoption language in Romans 8 and argue that religious experience played an important role in its development. By looking closely at what Paul says about adoption and life in the Spirit, I try to identify what kind of experience this language might be articulating. Further, I suggest that it is necessary to consider how biblical scholars can best ensure they take account of religious experience when performing exegesis, offering a heuristic definition of religious experience which moves beyond the language of the NT itself, but is not conceptually anachronistic, to address a lack in the literature.
1 Timothy 2:5-6 as a Christological Reworking of the Shema
Authors: Feltham Martin
Published: October 2021

This article draws upon Richard B. Hays’s observations regarding the way in which an ‘allusive echo’ can signal a broad intertextual interplay with a precursor text. I argue that the affirmation in 1 Timothy 2:5 that ‘there is one God’ is an ‘allusive echo’ of the Shema which points the attentive reader to an extended and carefully crafted intertextual interplay with the Shema and its Deuteronomic setting. I trace the way that 1 Timothy 2:5-6 reworks the Shema in the light of the story of Jesus Christ to affect the christologically driven opening up of God’s people to all nations.
Reassessing Jude’s Use of Enochic Traditions (with Notes on their Later Reception History)
Authors: Gentry Peter J. , Fountain Andrew M.
Published: October 2021

A particular reference in the book of Jude to Enoch is commonly claimed to indicate canonical status for 1 Enoch. The origins and textual transmission of the Enochic traditions are described and reassessed for non-specialists and correlated with claims for inspiration made before, during, and after the period of Second Temple Judaism. The function of Jude’s use of Enoch is interpreted within the literary structure of his work and the context of the NT, with implications for the later history of Christianity and Islam.
Multi-Modal Case Study on MRI Brain Tumor Detection Using Support Vector Machine, Random Forest, Decision Tree, K-Nearest Neighbor, Temporal Convolution & Transfer Learning
Authors: Sutradhar Partha , Tarefder Prosenjit Kumer , Prodan Imran , Saddi Md. Sheikh , Rozario Victor Stany
Published: October 2021

In the Medical field, Brain Tumor Detection has become a critical and demanding task because of its several shapes, locations, and intensity of image. That’s why an automated system is important to aid physicians and radiologists in detecting and classifying brain tumors. In this research, we have discussed different machine learning as well as deep learning algorithm which are mostly used for image classification. We have also compared different models that are being used for tumor classification based on machine learning and deep learning. MRI images of Glioma tumor, Pituitary tumor, Meningioma tumor are the base of this research, and we have compared different techniques along with the accuracy of different classification models using those MRI images. We have used different deep learning pre-trained models for training the brain tumor images. Those pre-trained models have provided outstanding performance along with less power consumption and computational time. EfficientNet-B3 has provided the best accuracy of 98.16% among other models as well as traditional machine learning algorithms. The experimental result of this model is proven the best and most efficient for tumor detection and classification in comparison with other recent studies.
Parents’ Involvement in Education Activities and Learners’ Academic Performance in 12YBE Schools in Rwanda
Authors:   Mount Kenya University, Emmanuel Habumuremyi
Published: October 2021

The participation of parents in the performance of their children’ schooling activities play a significant role in the promotion of their school status and performance. The purpose of this paper therefore, was to establish the relationship between parents’ involvement in education activities and learners academic performance in 12Year Basic Education (YBE) schools in Nyarugenge district in Rwanda. The study adopted correlation research design while questionnaire, interview guide and document analysis review were used as data collection instruments. The target population was 1343. The study used simple random and stratified sampling techniques to get the sample size of 308 respondents. The study findings revealed there is a high significant positive relationship between parents’ participation in education activities at school and high score grades with 0.852. The correlation between parents’ participation in education activities was 0.873 and the correlation between parent’s participation in education activities at school and marks in discipline was .949 thus P = 0.000< 0.05. The study recommended that government should consider developing and implementing policies that support parents’ involvement in education activities. Parents should assist their children in doing their homework and set within their families an adequate environment by stimulating instructional activities and also time related to their students to revise their lessons as they also need to be cared for regarding their special needs. School principals have to cooperate with teaching staff and parents to enhance academic performance in their schools. Keywords: Parental involvement to education, learners’ academic performance and 12 years basic education
Assessment of milling as an alternative to chemical additives in processing of jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius)
Authors:   Biotechnology Advanced Research Centre, Sheda Science and Technology Complex, Nigeria., Nasir-Naeem Khadeejah O. , Akande Sarah A. , Garba Rahinat , Akolade Jubril O.
Published: October 2021

Background: Jute mallow is a widely consumed vegetable because of its enormous nutritional benefits. The mode of preparation of this vegetable differs across sub-Saharan Africa. In Nigeria, it is commonly cooked with potash. This study was designed to assess the milling of jute mallow leaves before cooking as an alternative to chemical additives in its preparation into “ewedu” soup. Methods: The experiment was divided into four groups. Group A (jute mallow leaves cooked alone), Group B (jute mallow leaves cooked with 1 g of potash), Group C (jute mallow leaves cooked with 1 g of baking soda) and Group D (jute mallow leaves pulverized before cooking). Proximate, mineral and Vitamin C content, as well as the viscosity of the soups, were determined using standard analytical procedures. Results: The results showed that there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the moisture, ash, fibre and lipid contents. However, the protein (4.29 %) content of group B and carbohydrate (2.4 %) content of group C were significantly lower (p>0.05) than that of the other groups. Potassium content (235.88 mg/100g) in group B, was significantly higher (p<0.05) than those of the other groups. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the calcium and magnesium contents. Group C (13.54 mg/100g) and B (12.15 mg/100g) showed a significantly higher (p<0.05) sodium content than A (10.44 mg/100g) and D (10.37mg/100g). There was no observed significant difference (p>0.05) in the vitamin C content of the groups. Viscosity was significant (p<0.05) in this order, A>B>D>C. Group A recorded the highest viscosity of approximately 9 cP compared to 2.7, 1.6 and 2.1 cP in groups B, C and D respectively. Conclusion: This study shows that milling before cooking can be promoted as against the use of potash and baking soda in processing jute mallow leaves into “ewedu” soup
AN OVERVIEW OF NOVEL AND CONTROLLED DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS
Authors: Nayak U. Y. , Mutalik S. , Udupa N ,   Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal University, Karnataka - 576 104, India.
Published: October 2021

The therapeutic effectiveness of any drug can be achieved by delivering the drug to the body in a suitable form through a proper route. Minimal drug degradation and improved bioavailability are the key factors considered in drug delivery. The drugs associated with the problems related to the low half-life would require frequent administration of the drug and hence controlled release dosage forms are beneficial. Targeted delivery systems release the drug at a specific site, avoid the availability of drug at unwanted sites and hence minimize the adverse reactions. The controlled and targeted drug delivery systems extend the product life cycle and also possess good market potential. The present article reviews the work done by our research group on some of the novel drug delivery systems.
RP-HPLC METHOD DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS ESTIMATION OF PARACETAMOL, DICLOFENAC SODIUM AND DICYCLOMINE IN PHARMACEUTICAL FORMULATION
Authors: Snehalatha B , Sonali M ,   Quality Assurance Department Orietal College of Pharmacy Navi Mumbai – 400 705 Maharashtra, India.
Published: October 2021

A simple, accurate, precise and selective RP-HPLC method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of Paracetamol, diclofenac sodium and dicyclomine HCl. Chromatographic separation of Paracetamol, diclofenac sodium and dicyclomine HCl was achieved on C18 column buffer: acetonitrile as the mobile phase in the ratio of 30:70 V/V with pH 4 with detection at a wavelength 215nm with flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The total eluting time for the three components is less than eight minutes and the retention time was 2.6 min, 3.5 min and 6.0 min for Paracetamol, diclofenac sodium and dicyclomine HCl, respectively. They were determined with the concentration ranges of 5-15μg/mL for Paracetamol, 2-10 µg/mL for diclofenac sodium and 50-150 μg/mL for dicyclomine HCl, respectively. The correlation coefficient was found to be 0.996, 0.999 and 0.996 for Paracetamol, diclofenac sodium and dicyclomine HCl at selected wavelength. The method was validated as per standard analytical procedures, and the results were found to be within limit. Percentage recoveries obtained for the three drugs were 98.1-99.3%, 97.9-100.6% and 99.5-101% Paracetamol, diclofenac sodium and dicyclomine HCl, respectively. The method was validated according to the ICH guidelines with respect to specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision and robustness. The method developed can be used for the routine analysis of Paracetamol, diclofenac sodium and dicyclomine HCl from their tablet dosage form.
DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF RP-HPLC METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF TERBUTALINE SULPHATE, GUAIPHENESIN AND AMBROXOL HYDROCHLORIDE FROM AN ORAL LIQUID
Authors: Ghosh A , Mandal S. K. , Ghosh S , Deb S ,   Research and Development, East India Pharmaceutical Works Ltd., 119, Biren Roy Road (West), Kolkata 700 061, India.
Published: October 2021

A reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography method was developed and validated for simultaneous quantitative estimation of ambroxol hydrochloride, guaiphenesin and terbutaline sulphate. The chromatographic separation was achieved using a Phenomenex Luna C18 (2), 100A, 5μ (4.6 X 250mm) column using 0.012(M) sodium salt solution of 1-hexane sulphonic acid:acetonitrile 73: 27 (V/V) adjusted to pH 3 using orthophosphoric acid having isocratic elution of flow rate 1.0mL/min, detection at 220nm and injection volume 20 µL. The retention times of ambroxol hydrochloride, guaiphenesin and terbutaline sulphate were 25, 6.7 and 4.7 min, respectively. The proposed method was found to have linearity in concentration range of 63.40-95.11 μg/mL for ambroxol, 68.00-302.52 μg/mL for guaiphenesin and 4.88-7.20 μg/mL for terbutaline sulphate. Regression coefficient (R2) were 0.9997, 0.9989 and 0.9984 and percentage recovery were 101.67%, 101.68%, and 99.45% for ambroxol, guaiphenesin and terbutaline sulphate, respectively. The method validation showed excellent results for precision, accuracy, linearity and specificity. The proposed method was successfully used for the quantitative analysis of an oral liquid formulation, being developed in our laboratory, containing ambroxol hydrochloride, guaiphenesin and terbutaline sulphate.
DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF STEALTH LIPOSOMES ENCAPSULATING VINORELBINE TARTARATE
Authors: Bhagwat G , Athawale R ,   C.U.Shah College of Pharmacy, S.N.D.T. Women’s University, Santacruz (West), Mumbai – 400 049 , India.
Published: October 2021

Vinorelbine tartarate (VRL) is an anticancer drug acting by inhibition of mitosis. It has been approved to treat metastatic breast cancer. Liposomes loaded with VRL were prepared by ethanol injection method using 1, 2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol,sodium salt (DSPG-Na) and cholesterol in different ratios. The drug incorporated was 5% of the lipid. The physicochemical characteristics, such as the particle size and zeta potential, of the optimized batches were in the range of 60±5nm (PDI-0.045±0.05) and -7.0±3.0mV, respectively. The drug content and entrapment efficiency were 80±5% and 73±3%, respectively. The optimized batch of liposome was further surface-modified using various concentrations of MPEG-DSPE2000. For the optimized pegylated (stealth) liposomes the particle size and zeta potential values were 74.5±5(PDI 0.243±0.05) and -3±5mV, whereas the drug content and entrapment efficiency were 85±5% and 75±3%, respectively. Light microscopic images revealed the exact morphology of liposomes. The in vitro release studies of liposome and stealth liposomes showed prolonged release upto 24 hours. The liposomes were stable at 40C and RT.
Anemia among Children Aged 1 month -12 Years at Al-Wahda Hospital, Derna-Libya
Authors: Alsheekh Aziza M. , Alhassadi Amal S.
Published: October 2021

Anemia is one of the main public health issues among children in the world. The causes of anemia are multifactorial, but iron deficiency is the most common one. There are direct proportions between iron and body mass. The paper aimed at determining anemia prevalence in children aged 1-144 months in Al-wahda Hospital in Derna city during the first quarter of 2017, as well as determining the type of anemia. A sample of 129 children aged 1-144 M was tested for hemoglobin levels to diagnose anemia. Mean corporal values were measured to determine the type of anemia, and data were collected based on independent variables such as age and sex. The frequency was created, and comparisons were tested using chi-square. Anemia prevalence of overall sample was 65.11%. It was significantly higher in children aged (1-3 months) than those aged (4-6 months), and (7-144 months) (p =.001). Significant differences were found in anemia prevalence among boys and girls, where prevalence was higher in girls than in boys (P=.008). Prevalence of Microcytic hypochromic anemia was higher (69.4 %) compared to Normocytic normochromic (28.57%), and Macrocytic hyperchromic anemia (2.38%). Prevalence of anemia of the overall sample is considered as sever based on World Health Organization anemia classification. In addition, increased anemia prevalence in children less than 3 months shud be taken care of the Libyan government to prevent and control anemia in pregnant women. The high prevalence of Microcytic hypochromic in the overall sample was observed. Further estimation of iron and ferritin should do, and further evalution is needed to identify the causes of anemia in children under 12 years.
Finite Element Simulation of the Instrumented Indentation Test to Estimate the Mechanical Properties for ASTM516-G70 and AISI1010 steels
Authors: Elmisteri Ahmed. F. , Midawi Abdelbaset R. H. , Shuaeib Farag M
Published: October 2021

Instrumented indentation technique at micro-scales has become more popular to determine mechanical properties of materials like hardness, modulus of elasticity, and yield strength. It is introduced as a method that finds the stress-strain curve, instead of the traditional tensile test. Furthermore, it gives a possibility to determine the mechanical properties for small specimens and material under operation in the field. Several researchers have attempted to evaluate this method experimentally and to investigate the factors affecting it by using a different shape of indenters, and different types of materials. In the same regard, this research work is conducted to evaluate this method experimentally and by finite element simulation methods. Two types of industrially significant steels were selected; they are namely ASTM516-G70, AISI1010 steel; and two shapes of indenters, blunt and sharp (Spherical, and Vickers) were used. The finite element simulation has been performed by ABAQUS simulation program, and its results were then compared with the experimental test results obtained from Nanovea instrumented indentation test machine. The results obtained have demonstrated good agreement between the experimental and the finite element simulation results within 5 % difference for young’s module, and 7.7 % for yield strength whereas excellent agreement is observed in the elastic region and the beginning of the plastic region for the engineering stress-strain curve. Finally, it is to be emphasized that the obtained results are more applicable for the tested materials, and further research is recommended to accommodate other materials as well and to confirm the generality of this method.
تقدير المحتوى الميكروبي للحوم الدجاج المحلي والمستورد في اسواق مدينة بنغازي، ليبيا
Authors: سعيد بكار علي حاج , اشلاك عادل محمد ميلاد , منصور عبد الله محمد عبد الله
Published: October 2021

استهدفت الدراسة تقييم النوعية البكتيرية للحم الدجاج المسوق في 5 مناطق من مدينة بنغازي خلال موسم الصيف من خلال تقدير أعداد بعض أدلة التلوث، والمتضمنة العدد الكلي للبكتيريا الهوائية وبكتيريا القولون وبكتيريا المكورات العنقودية الذهبية (Staphylococcus aureus) كما شملت الدراسة تشخيص وعزل بكتيريا السالمونيلا (Salmonella). أظهرت نتائج هذه الدراسة أن أعداد البكتيريا الهوائية الكلية في المناطق الخمسة المشمولة بالدراسة للدجاج المحلي كان بين 3.84 و 7.22 وبمتوسط 6.02 لو10 و.ت.م/جم وفي الدجاج المستورد بين 4.49 و 6.73 ومتوسط 5.94 لو10 و.ت.م/جم ، أما بكتيريا القولون فبلغت في المحلي بين 3.5 و 6.80 وبمتوسط 5.53  لو10 و.ت.م/جم وفي المستورد بين 3.0 و 6.80 وبمتوسط 5.5 لو10 و.ت.م/جم وبلغت أعداد المكورات العنقودية في المحلي في المناطق الخمسة ما بين 4.5 و 7.3 وفي المستورد بين 6.03 و 6.50 في المستورد وبمتوسط 6.40 و 6.28  لو10 و.ت.م/جم على التوالي. أجريت على العزلات اختبارات كيموحيوية للتعرف على بعض الأجناس البكتيرية الموجودة على ذبائح لحم الدجاج حيث أُخذت 22 عزلة بكتيرية شُخصت لأنواع  E. coli 40.9% و Citrobacter spp. 18.2% و Klebsiella spp. 13.6% و Salmonella spp 9.1% وPseudomonas spp. 18.2%. تشير نتائج هذه الدراسة إلى مستوى تلوث مرتفع لذبائح الدجاج المحلي مع وجود للبكتيريا الممرضة، الأمر الذي يعكس ظروفاً صحية منخفضة لهذه اللحوم ويرجع ذلك إلى عدم اتباع إجراءات صحية جيدة خلال تحضير ذبائح الدجاج وخزن وعرض الذبائح عند البيع.