bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Children are abused in eastern countries
Authors: Segal Uma A.
Published: April 2009

Identification of child abuse requires study of (1) adult behavior, (2) the effect on, or the reaction of, the child, and (3) the perception of the observer. This article looks at three published studies in order to explore claims that Indians do not abuse children. Research shows that (1) there is widespread use of corporal punishment, often severe, (2) children find this unacceptable and (3) Indian social workers are lacking in awareness of the problem. Attention should therefore be focused on recognition of abuse as a problem, rather than on numbers of cases.
Social work in the Bahamas
Authors: Nowak Barbara J.
Published: April 2009

As an independent state since 1973, the Bahamas continues in its struggle to achieve social stability in a rapidly changing global economy. Social workers are called upon to become nation-builders, utilizing their knowledge and skills to help individuals adjust to their social environment. While Bahamian social work has historically focused on the function of remediation, steps are currently underway to strengthen its role in the areas of development and prevention.
Gender, values and the work place
Authors: Itzhaky Haya , Ribner David S.
Published: April 2009

A group of some 200 refugees, forced to leave a totalitarian, fundamentalist, Middle Eastern regime, took part in a transitional program in a European city before their eventual move to a Western country. Part of their activities during this 11-12-month period revolved around a community center created for this population, which offered, in part, various non-skilled occupational activities. Study findings indicate that women had significantly higher levels of job satisfaction and commitment to the work place than did men. Implications for refugee acculturation were also noted.
Parenthood and life satisfaction
Authors: Lee Mo-Yee , Law Chi-Kwong , Tam Kwok-Kwan
Published: April 2009

This article examines the relationship between parenthood and life satisfaction in a Chinese population according to a strain perspective. Chinese single parents in Hong Kong were found to have lower life satisfaction, less time to fulfill child-care tasks, lower income, and perceived child care as more difficult than those in dual-parent families. Findings of the path analysis further indicated a direct relationship between single parenthood and lower life satisfaction, after controlling for time sufficiency of child-care responsibilities and perceived difficulties in child care.
The road less traveled
Authors: Boyle David P. , Nackerud Larry , Kilpatrick Allie
Published: April 2009

Social work faculty and students from a university in the southeastern US participated in a 21-day exchange program with a university in Mexico. The experience involved 10 days of language and cultural immersion, concurrent exposure to social service agencies, and an additional week of visits to regional social work campuses. Goals included developing bilingual, culturally competent social workers. Objective measures for cultural competence showed gains in scores which were supported by qualitative data gathered through the use of journals. Results indicated gains in cultural competence with many gains for future efforts.
Social work, postmodernism and higher education
Authors: Martinez-Brawley Emilia E.
Published: April 2009

In the 1980s, the empirical research paradigm began to be questioned. The postmodernist debate in social work has legitimized the valuing of differences, admitting of many realities. Minority voices have become more articulate; local metaphors are replacing universal ones. Higher education reports on scholarship now advise universities to broaden their paradigms to encompass different ways of building knowledge.
Do we have to teach them to be culturally sensitive?
Authors: Ben-David Amith , Amit Dalia
Published: April 2009

The authors studied cultural sensitiveness among students of first-, second- and third-year social work education in Israel. Students were screened for prejudice and for cultural sensitivity. Results show that social work education in Israel does not orient students towards reducing prejudice or enhancing their cultural sensitivity. A weak relationship between prejudice, cultural sensitivity and gender appears during the third year of studies. Some implications for curriculum building and social work practice in Israel are discussed.
Preparation for marriage in a Chinese community
Authors: Kam Ping-kwong , Man Kam-yin
Published: April 2009

This article presents the findings of a study on Chinese people’s preparation for marriage. Chinese people in Hong Kong hold positive attitudes towards preparation for marriage, but their scope of concern in preparation is narrow. Their awareness of the problems after marriage is limited. The source of help in preparation issues is confined to informal networks. They also have limited knowledge about premarital counselling services and their participation in these programmes is rather low.
Measuring social work values
Authors: Abbott Ann A.
Published: April 2009

This study employed the Professional Opinion Scale (POS) to analyze the values of a sample of 128 social workers representing more than 25 countries. Value scores indicate that social workers across cultures share a respect for basic rights and support self-determination. In addition to identifying data collection strategies for international samples, the findings should be useful as the social work profession becomes more global in its orientation to practice.
A worldwide view of field education structures and curricula
Authors: Skolnik Louise , Wayne Julianne , Raskin Miriam S.
Published: April 2009

This worldwide study of field instruction provides comparative data about curriculum, field instructors, school-field partnerships and student assignments. While field education is nearly universal for entry-level education, there are notable structural and curricular differences amongst countries. Nearly all respondents identify the major educational challenge as helping students to integrate theory and practice.
From Nat Turner to Molefi Kete Asante
Authors: Gwekwerere Tavengwa
Published: April 2009

The desperate Eurocentric intellectual undertaking to undermine the Afrocentric conception of reality is not a recent development. It originated the moment Europeans awoke from the slumber of their Dark Ages to find themselves lagging far behind in the march of the world's civilizations. The subsequent expropriation of principles and standards from ancient African civilization, the brazen European abduction of African people into slavery, and the unpardonable colonization, exploitation and dehumanization of African people all concatenate to drive European scholars into adopting an aggressive stance toward ideas that expose them in their cultural, social, political, economic and intellectual nudity. The Eurocentric prerogative to subvert the Afrocentric conception of reality is therefore a struggle for European survival and is inspired by the desire to keep the world misinformed in order that Europeans may escape their inferiority and crimes. This exegesis identifies the disappearance of the slave that Afrocentricity facilitates and the sordid nature of Europe's transactions with non-European peoples in history as the major reasons behind European intellectual discomfiture with Afrocentric principles.
The City of Glory: Sevastopol in Russian Historical Mythology
Authors: Plokhy Serhii
Published: April 2009

Ever since the dissolution of the USSR the fate of the Black Sea fleet and its main base, the port and city of Sevastopol, remains at the centre of Russian-Ukrainian relations. The current dispute between the two largest of the former Soviet republics is deeply rooted in history, as the Russian side often uses historical arguments in its attempts to claim the Russian Federation's jurisdiction over the Crimea in general and the city of Sevastopol in particular. In doing so the Russian politicians often make use of highly developed historical mythology that presents Sevastopol as a symbol of Russian national glory and portrays Ukrainian jurisdiction over the city as a historical misunderstanding. This article discusses the development of Sevastopol mythology in Imperial and Soviet Russia from the times of the Crimean War till the dissolution of the USSR. It does so by placing Sevastopol mythology in the broader context of the development of Russian national identity and follows the changes in the functioning of the myth through more than a century. The article examines the atmosphere in which the myth of Sevastopol as a city of Russian glory was formed and how it managed to survive the dramatic changes that occurred in the former Russian Empire after the Revolution. It also discusses the ways in which the old imperial myth was transformed in order to meet the requirements of Soviet ideology and, within the last decade, of the ideological and political goals pursued by the new Russian state.
Comrade Klemperer: Communism, Liberalism and Jewishness in the DDR. The Later Diaries 1945–59
Authors: Aschheim Steven E.
Published: April 2009

This article seeks to analyse the ‘later’ Victor Klemperer through his newly published diaries for the period, 1945–59. It attempts to unravel the complex reasons for his turn to communism — after many years of vehement opposition to that movement — and his life and fate as a citizen of the German Democratic Republic. It also maps Klemperer's fraught and changing attitudes towards that regime. At the same time, the article traces the tensions between Klemperer's newly-formed political loyalties and his ongoing liberalism as well as his continuing problematic relations with his own Jewishness and the issue of Zionism.
‘Frigid but Unprovocative’: British Policy towards the USSR from the Nazi-Soviet Pact to the Winter War, 1939
Authors: Doerr Paul W.
Published: April 2009

This article analyses British policy towards the USSR during the period from the signing of the Nazi-Soviet Pact in August 1939 until the Soviet attack on Finland at the end of November. It concludes that while British leaders had few fond feelings towards the USSR, at the same time they recognized that maintaining some sort of connection with the USSR was essential for British security. Accordingly, the British tried to open trade talks with the Soviets and also attempted to use the Turkish government as an intermediary. Anti-communist ideology during this period took a back seat to the demands of realpolitik.
Mountbatten versus the Generals: British Military Rule of Singapore, 1945–46
Authors: Springhall John
Published: April 2009

This article focuses on the largely unacknowledged but nonetheless significant political contest, during the British Military Administration of Malaya and Singapore (1945–46), between Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander South-East Asia, and Major-General Herbert Ralph Hone, who held a post equivalent to Governor-General. Following the sudden Japanese surrender of Malaya and Singapore, the struggle for mastery of policy between Mountbatten and the generals under his command was to prove a significant episode in the revival of British power in South-East Asia. Both sides adopted contrasting strategies for managing the growing threat of the Malayan Communist Party to British colonial rule, particularly in relation to the political strikes of 29–30 January and 15 February 1946 in Singapore. Mountbatten was reluctant to use either preventative arrest or the power to expel against Chinese communists which, as British military rule drew to a close, led both parties to refer their disputes to the Colonial Office in Whitehall.
Jurisdictional Contests over the Regulation of Work: Evidence from the NSW Oil Refining Sectors, 1976—80
Authors: Westcott Mark
Published: April 2009

This article illustrates how a contest within the Australian Workers Union over the issues of workplace autonomy and bargaining structure came to develop a particularly intractable and entrenched character as a consequence of the coexistence of state and federal industrial regulation. It argues that as the dispute played out informal coalitions developed between different fractions of organized labour, capital and the state, which hardened the positions of all parties involved in the dispute. Both federal and state tribunals acted in a manner they saw as consistent with their role of maintaining public interests, but their behaviour in fulfilling this role saw them come into direct conflict.
Quality of School-Based Prevention Programs: Results from a National Survey
Authors: Gottfredson Denise C. , Gottfredson Gary D.
Published: April 2009

A national probability sample of 3,691 school-based prevention activities operating in the spring of 1998 is used to describe the quality of implementation of typical school-based prevention practices, compare the quality of implementation of prevention practice with what is typical in prevention research, and test hypotheses about predictors of the quality of implementation. Results indicate that the quality of school-based prevention practices as they are implemented in the typical school is low. The examination of correlates of prevention quality suggests that the level of implementation of prevention practices can be improved through better integration of these activities into normal school operations; more extensive local planning and involvement in decisions about what to implement; greater organizational support in the form of high-quality training, supervision, and principal support; and greater standardization of program materials and methods. Implications for practice are discussed.
Beyond the Interactional Relationship between Delinquency and Parenting Practices: The Contribution of Legal Sanctions
Authors: Stewart Eric A. , Simons Ronald L. , Conger Rand D. , Scaramella Laura V.
Published: April 2009

In this article, the authors move beyond an interactional perspective on the relationship between delinquency and parenting by examining the mediating effects of legal sanctions. Structural equation modeling was employed to test hypothesized relationships. Three waves of data from a sample of 407 Midwestern adolescents and their parents were used. The findings indicated that legal sanctions completely mediated the influence of delinquent behavior on parenting and partially mediated the influence of parenting on delinquency. The findings suggest that official labeling helps account for both continuity in antisocial activities and disruptions in parenting practices.
Beyond Stafford and Warr's Reconceptualization of Deterrence: Personal and Vicarious Experiences, Impulsivity, and Offending Behavior
Authors: Piquero Alex R. , Pogarsky Greg
Published: April 2009

Recently, Stafford and Warr identified four categories of experiences hypothesized to underlie judgments about the risk of legal sanctions: personal punishment experience, personal punishment avoidance, vicarious punishment experience, and vicarious punishment avoidance. Using original data to test the Stafford and Warr model, five key findings emerge. First, both personal and vicarious avoidance experiences relate positively to offending. Second, punishment and avoidance experiences affect behavior by influencing sanction risk perceptions. Third, the combination of low personal and vicarious punishment avoidance strongly dissuades offending. Fourth, prior offending conditions the influence of punishment and avoidance experiences in a manner consistent with Stafford and Warr. Fifth, while impulsive individuals are influenced primarily by their own experiences, individuals who are not as impulsive tend to attend more to the experiences of others. Finally, punishment experiences appear to encourage rather than discourage future offending. We discuss how the self-serving bias and the gambler's fallacy help explain this latter, anomalous result.
An Analysis of 13 Tourism Surveys: Are Three Waves of Data Collection Necessary?
Authors: Crompton John L. , Tian-Cole Shu
Published: April 2009

Variables were analyzed from 13 mail surveys addressing tourism issues, each of which collected data from three waves of respondents. A conceptual model was developed based on previous literature suggesting that differences in wave responses may be attributable to type of population (special interest groups or general populations) and/or to type of variable (demographic/profile or interest/behavioral), but the data did not support this contention. On 82% of the variables tested across the data sets, the additions of Waves 2 and 3 led to no change in the results, but a second wave typically reduced the variance on responses to the first wave by between 28% and 49%. It was recommended that instead of using resources to send Waves 2 and 3, those resources be allocated to intensive follow-up sampling of nonrespondents in a more representative way.
A Clustering Method for Categorical Data in Tourism Market Segmentation Research
Authors: Arimond George , Elfessi Abdulaziz
Published: April 2009

One challenge in tourism market segmentation research is finding a statistical clustering method that can use data from the commonly used qualitative (categorical scale) survey instrument. Current proven methods require the use of quantitative (ratio or interval scale) data. However, quantitative survey instruments are seldom used. Many quantitative clustering methods severely restrict the number of attributes measured despite the fact that segmentation analysis works best when it measures all the multistate attributes that visitors identify as influencing their tourist experience. This study demonstrated that multistate categorical survey data could be successfully used. Using data from a bed-and-breakfast survey (229 guests), a two-stage analysis method was employed. First, multiple correspondence analysis was used to spatially map each of the attributes, and then cluster analysis was used to identify market segments. It is believed this method can be more practical in the field of applied tourism research.
Prediction of Senior Travelers’ Motorcoach Use from Demographic, Psychological, and Psychographic Characteristics
Authors: Baloglu Seyhmus , Shoemaker Stowe
Published: April 2009

Senior travelers (those 55 or older) are a substantial and accessible market for motorcoach operators because they represent a major portion of the motorcoach market. This study examined Pennsylvania senior travelers’ motorcoach use and their important considerations in selecting a motorcoach tour. It was found that senior travelers’ taking motorcoach tours could be predicted from their demographic, psychological, and psychographic characteristics. The study provides practical implications that could be helpful for tourist destinations and motorcoach companies to target senior travelers and to build a sound marketing planning strategy.
The Power of Psychographics and the Concept of Venturesomeness
Authors: Plog Stanley C.
Published: April 2009

More than 30 years ago, the author introduced a psychographic concept, based on a large nationwide study that described the travel patterns of different personality types. The polar dimension of allocentrism/psychocentrism, since relabeled venturesomeness, has been used to explain why destination areas rise and fall in popularity, target specific types of leisure travelers, and reposition a variety of travel products. This article uses data from the large annual American Traveler Survey to examine the predictive power of the venturesomeness concept versus household income, the demographic variable used by travel providers to target travel-prone households. Overall, venturesomeness shows a stronger relationship to travel characteristics than household income. Income correlates better with travel spending, but venturesomeness relates more strongly to total trips taken. More important, venturesomeness is a better predictor of the types of activities pursued on leisure trips. The correlation between venturesomeness and income is low, indicating these are independent variables.
Modeling the Impact of Sudden Environmental Changes on Visitor Arrival Forecasts: The Case of the Gulf War
Authors: Chan Yiu-Man , Hui Tak-Kee , Yuen Edith
Published: April 2009

Most forecasting models for tourist arrivals were constructed under the assumption of only minor changes in the environment. The performance of forecasting models in situations of sudden, drastic environmental change(s) has not been given much attention. Using the Gulf War as an example of sudden environmental change, the present article explored the relative performance of different forecasting models. The findings showed that in terms of forecasting accuracy, the naive II model was the best in dealing with unstable data.
Emerging Trends in Japanese Package Tourism
Authors: Yamamoto Daisaku , Gill Alison M.
Published: April 2009

Using large-scale market survey data from 1989 and 1995, the authors examine the distinguishing characteristics of Japanese package tourists in comparison to nonpackage tourists. While there is a decline in package tourism for Japanese overseas tourists, there are many attributes of the package tourist that suggest the continuing demand for this form of travel.
Formal Rationality and Its Pernicious Effects on the Social Sciences
Authors: Kincaid Harold
Published: April 2009

This article argues that a particular notion of rationality, more exactly a specific notion of legitimate inference, is presupposed by much work in the social sciences to their detriment. The author describes the notion of rationality he has in mind, explains why it is misguided, identifies where and how it affects social research, and illustrates why that research is weaker as a result. The notion of legitimate inference the author has in mind is one that believes inferences are guided by principles that are formal, universal and a priori—that is, that make no substantive, domain-specific empirical assumptions about the world. The author briefly provides a variety of reasons to be skeptical about such principles. Those reasons extend from broad philosophical considerations to quasi-empirical evidence. The author then argues that this notion of inference is involved with both the practice and the content of the social sciences in various ways. In terms of practice, this notion of inference lies behind the way statistical testing is generally done in the social sciences. In terms of content, the author argues that this notion of rationality is invoked, for example, in game theory and in rational expectations macroeconomics. In all cases, use of the formal rationality notion leads social scientists to put more faith in their results than is warranted and thus is an obstacle to doing better social science.
Cultural Evolution, Reductionism in the Social Sciences, and Explanatory Pluralism
Authors: Lachapelle Jean
Published: April 2009

This article argues that it is possible to bring the social sciences into evolutionary focus without being committed to a thesis the author calls ontological reductionism, which is a widespread predilection for lower-level explanations. After showing why we should reject ontological reductionism, the author argues that there is a way to construe cultural evolution that does justice to the autonomy of social science explanations. This paves the way for a liberal approach to explanation the author calls explanatory pluralism, which allows for the possibility of explaining cultural phenomena in terms of different evolutionary processes.
A Disturbance of Psychoanalytic Memory
Authors: Hanly Charles , Nichols Christopher
Published: April 2009

This article deals with two aspects of psychoanalytic history. The first is the history of ideas, specifically the notions of a one- and two-person psychology that are in such wide use today. Second, the authors attend, much more critically, to a disturbance of memory (repeated distortion, omission, selective representation, and misrepresentation) that has accompanied scholarly discussion of these ideas for the past 50 years. Finally, the authors attempt to restore the original meaning of the person-psychology concept and illustrate its relevance for contemporary psychoanalytic debate.
On Experimental Discourse in Economics
Authors: Tammi Timo
Published: April 2009

The devices with which experimental economists account for and justify their own and their opponents’ views are investigated by examining transcripts of interviews with two participants in experimental economics. The earlier investigations of natural scientists’ discourse provide material for comparisons. The results suggest that in assessing an opponent’s deviating view experimentalists in economics can be more cautious than natural scientists to characterize their opponents as influenced by personal and social factors. Indeed, they seem to admit that to some extent both their own and their opponents’ behavior involves these influences. Regarding the development of disputes, the respondents constructed accounts where general optimism concerning the ability of empirical arguments to resolve disputes was linked with an idea of dialogues between theorists and experimentalists as vehicles of progress.
Making the Family Functional: The Case for Legalized Same-Sex Domestic Partnerships
Authors: Hickman Larry A.
Published: April 2009

This essay argues that “the family” should be understood in functional terms: whatever functions as a family should have the legal status of a family. The author’s argument thus avoids two extreme positions. The first is the position of the hard-line “platonic” essentialists who, on grounds of nature, supernature, or cultural history, argue that a family unit must comprise heterosexual partners. The second is the position of the radical relativist, who argues that there are no essences whatsoever or that essences are purely arbitrary. Treating the family in functionalist terms, the author argues, would have positive consequences that would strengthen the social fabric.
Comment: The Private and Its Problems—Pragmatism, Pragmatist Feminism, and Homophobia
Authors: Schultz Bart
Published: April 2009

The pragmatist revival of recent decades has in some respects obscured the radical emancipatory potential of Deweyan pragmatism. The author suggests that neopragmatists such as Richard Rorty have too often failed to grasp the ways in which Dewey’s notion of social intelligence was bound up with the case for participatory democracy, and that recent efforts to bring out the potential of pragmatism for supporting certain forms of feminist and gay critical theory make for a more compelling reconstruction of pragmatism.
Evidence of a Taxon Underlying Serious Antisocial Behavior in Boys
Authors: Skilling Tracey A. , Quinsey Vernon L. , Craig Wendy M.
Published: April 2009

It has recently been argued from studies of adults that chronically antisocial offenders constitute a discrete class of individuals. If this is true, it is likely that the class can be identified in childhood. Taxometric analyses were applied to items assessing antisociality in children. These items were similar in content to several established measures of antisocial behavior in children: the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, Conduct Disorder; the Psychopathy Checklist–Youth Version; and the Childhood and Adolescent Taxon Scale. Participants were 1,111 school-age boys from a community sample of students. Taxometric analyses using each of the three measures of antisocial behavior yielded evidence of an underlying taxon. In addition, two other tests of consistency strengthened the conclusion that a taxon underlying serious antisocial behavior can be demonstrated in children.
The Grain Is Ripe
Authors: Pavur Claude N.
Published: April 2009

The true focus of Mark 4:26-29 is neither the seed nor the farmer who sows the seed. Mark has three major concerns: (1) Christological, the identity of Jesus; (2) theological, the God who establishes the kingdom; and (3) "mathetological," discipleship. This brief parable meets the third concern, characterizing action in the face of an abundant harvest, which symbolizes the realization of the kingdom proclaimed by Jesus. Disciples, who do not know how the seed grows, nonetheless know how to gather in the ripened grain. The stages in the growth of the seed itself parallel stages in development of the disciples' awareness of the action demanded.
Biblical Chiasmus: Exploring Structure for Meaning
Authors: Breck John
Published: April 2009

In studies of the rhetorical forms present in biblical writings there exists today a certain confusion regarding the way various patterns are identified. Chiasmus should be clearly distinguished from direct, inverted and antithetical parallelism, in order to stress its characteristic focus upon a thematic center or "pivot" about which other elements of the literary unit are developed. Several key passages, from the psalms, epistles, and gospels, are shown to be structured according to the chiastic patterns A B A'or A B C B' A'. By revealing the conceptual center of the passage in question, these examples demonstrate that recognition and analysis of chiasmus is indispensable for a proper understanding of the theological message the biblical writer intended to communicate.
The Herodians and Mediterranean Kinship Part I: Genealogy and Descent
Authors: Hanson K.C.
Published: April 2009

This is the first of a three-part, cross-cultural study analyzing kinship in the ancient Mediterranean world. The Herodian family serves as a test case for analyzing Jewish kinship structures and family systems of the Second Temple period, and thus providing the data for an analysis of biblical kinship. In this first part, the focus is on genealogy and descent and the symbolic values they communicate. The major family types operant in the Roman Empire are placed within the analytic framework articulated by the anthropologist Emmanuel Todd.
Doing Gospel Criticism as/With a "Reader"
Authors: Moore Stephen D.
Published: April 2009

This article is a critique of recent reader-response criticism of the gospels. Reader-oriented gospel exegesis amounts, at best, to a critical simulation of the experience of 1st century gospel hearers: an experience of the gospel as (heard) event rather than as (printed) object. On the other hand, the "reader" of reader-oriented gospel criticism is a highly artificial construct which must be sharply distinguished from any actual reader, ancient or modem. The seeming inability of critical exegesis to incorporate the experiences of actual readers is discussed, leading to some general reflections on the limitation of institutionalized reading.
The Parallels Between Jesus and Moses
Authors: O'Toole Robert F.
Published: April 2009

The literary genre of Luke-Acts has recently created considerable interest. The Lukan Jesus is surely portrayed as a prophet. This article lists and evaluates the parallels between Jesus and Moses. Jesus is more clearly established as lawgiver and leader on the way to resurrection, and the relationship between "Moses" ("Law") and these parallels is explained. Finally, a summary of the implications of the parallels and their import for Luke's christology is provided.
The Identity of "the Son" and "the Others": Mark's Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen Reconsidered
Authors: Milavec Aaron
Published: April 2009

Post-Holocaust scholars have continued to allow supersessionist instincts to guide their interpretation of the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen. Using the hermeneutics of suspicion, this article concludes that Mark's readers would have perceived some allegorical elements within the parable but would not have identified "the son" as Jesus or "the others" as the Christian church. On the contrary, when read with Jewish sensitivities as a variation upon the older vineyard parable of Isaiah 5, Mark's parable serves to reaffirm both Israel's fruitfulness and God's inexhaustible predeliction for Israel. The critical nub of Mark's parable is that, when the Lord returns, Israel will not be destroyed but only the unresponsive temple establishment which treats the prophets of God with contempt.
Qoheleth and Theology?
Authors: Murphy Roland E.
Published: April 2009

This article analyzes the presuppositions of those who would in effect construe the book of Ecclesiastes as a biblical failure and the author as not really sharing biblical faith. A positive exposition of Qoheleth's theology is offered along the following lines: his view on fearing God, and on the activity and work of God.
The Ancient Economy in the Bible
Authors: Oakman Douglas E.
Published: April 2009

Understanding the ancient economy in the Bible requires a special set of conceptual tools. This article discusses books that will help the modem reader to visualize this important social dimension in the biblical traditions.
Temptation and Authority: Sapiential Narratives in Q
Authors: Humphrey Hugh M.
Published: April 2009

In 1987 John Kloppenborg suggested that the account of the Temptations of Jesus was added last to the earlier strata of "Q" materials in order to ascribe to them the legitimacy stemming from a "tested" wisdom teacher. The arguments offered to support that view, however, are not entirely persuasive. It is argued here instead that the Temptations of Jesus found in Q/Luke 4:1-13, par. Matt 4:1-11 should be viewed as the opening narrative of the earliest, sapiential stratum of Q. Criticism is also offered of Kloppenborg's arguments concerning the Centurion's Son episode in Q/Luke 7:1-10, par. Matt 8:5-13; this, too, should rather be viewed as a narrative part of that earliest Q material. The parallel supporting the interpretation of the Temptation account and the alternation of paradigmatic narrative scenes with sapiential sayings collections is the Wisdom of Solomon, indicating the continued influence of the wisdom tradition upon early Christianity and its literary forms.
BTB Review of Current Scholarship: Israelite Settlement of Canaan: a Peaceful Internal Process - Part 1
Authors: Gnuse Robert
Published: April 2009

Guided by archaeological research, traditional scholarly models for the Israelite settlement of Canaan, namely processes of infiltration, invasion and revolution have been gradually losing ground to models of peaceful settlement. Part 1 of this BTB Review of Current Scholarship critiques the earlier models, which highlighted the distinctive nature of Israelite religion, and supported a biblical theologies characterized by either/or ethical decisions, social reform and even revolution. Part 2 in a subsequent issue will review the more recent trend which emphasizes the evolutionary nature of cultural and religious development.
Slavery in the Second Testament World
Authors: Osiek Carolyn
Published: April 2009

Slaves, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not only under their eyes so as to please people, but in simplicity of heart and fear of the Lord. Whatever you do, do it well, as for the Lord rather than people, knowing that you will receive from the Lord the reward of an inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ (Col 3:22-25).
The Center of the First Testament within the Canonical Process
Authors: Christensen Duane L.
Published: April 2009

Using a model based on concepts in Jungian psychology, the author argues that the center of the First Testament shifted within the developing canonical process, moving from a pair of mountain top theophanic experiences on the part of Moses and Elijah (as depicted in Exodus 33:1-17 and 1 Kings 19) to the book of Deuteronomy within the so-called 17-book canon of the sixth century B.C.E. Prior to the time of Josephus, the center had moved to the classical prophetic literature, interpreted messianically. And when that Messiah actually appeared, so far as the Second Testament community of faith was concerned, the center shifted once again to the Gospels plus Acts as a "New Torah" in the Christian Bible. This "New Torah" constitutes the fulfillment of the First Testament and stands between the two halves of the Christian Bible, belonging to both—each of which is made up of 27 books. A similar "canonical process" is traced within the deutero-canonical literature in terms of the so-called "Axiom of Maria" in Jungian psychology.
Bookshelf on Prostitution
Authors: Massynbaerde Ford J.
Published: April 2009

Prostitution was an important social, religious, and economic factor in the ancient world. An insight into this phenomenon is essential for understanding biblical texts.
Paul and the Sexual Mentality of His World
Authors: Stegemann Wolfgang
Published: April 2009

The history of mentalities or cultural anthropology supplements the social history of the Second Testament to provide useful tools for understanding Paul's attitudes towards sex and gender within the context of the sexual mentality of his world.
More Queries for Q: Women and Christian Origins
Authors: Batten Alicia
Published: April 2009

Research on women in antiquity and anthropological studies of the contemporary Mediterranean world reveal that generally Mediterranean women were most active and most powerful within the domestic realm. However, there is considerable evidence to show that some took on more public roles during the Late Republic. The sayings source Q witnesses to a community in which women may have been active both within and without the household. By pairing examples of women's and men's actions, Q indicates that women and men were the recipients of its rhetoric. The breaking apart of families, to which Q also testifies, is evidence that social hierarchies were being challenged. Both factors support the thesis that the Q people were involved in a wider social phenomenon of the Hellenistic world which offered more opportunities for women to participate publicly.
Crisis-Evoked, Crisis-Resolving Speech
Authors: Brueggemann Walter
Published: April 2009

In three theo-historical crises, a resolution is wrought through a divine oracle, the speech of Yahweh. In each of the three utterances, Yahweh's speech utters characteristic words of faithfulness, compassion, and fidelity. This characteristic speech appears to be Israel's most trusted form of crisis resolution. Three texts are also considered which show the use of the same terms in the mouth of Israel. The paper suggests that this characteristic speech constitutes the material out of which Israel's "theology" may best be understood.
Secrecy in the Mediterranean World: an Anthropological Perspective
Authors: Pilch John J.
Published: April 2009

The so-called Messianic secret in the Gospels is much more complex than the classic theory of Wilhelm Wrede allowed. Insights and models drawn and adapted from Georg Simmel and developed by Tefft et al. demonstrate that secrecy is an integral part of Mediterranean culture required by the demands of the core cultural values, honor and shame. Ideological interpretations of this motif in the Gospels must be modified by these insights.
John's: the Maverick Christian Group the Evidence of Sociolinguistics
Authors: Malina Bruce J.
Published: April 2009

The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate that John's was a maverick Christian group and that the nature and quality of this group can be seen in the nature and quality of the language used in the Gospel. By employing insights from speech accommodation theory, antilanguage perspectives, and the sociolinguistics of intimacy, one can establish the general lines of the Johannine association that might assist in a more adequate interpretation of this Gospel.
Scripture as Canon for Post-Modern Times
Authors: Sanders James A.
Published: April 2009

A key component of the post-modern perception of reality since the 1960s is the question of the meaning of the Bible as canon. Spinoza's questions about the sources and original intentions of the biblical texts were progressively carried by Enlightenment critics into modern historical criticism. Subsequently, focus on the biblical canon as a whole revealed a fixed as well as a dynamic set of principles inherent in these scriptures. These two concerns are treated here, together with their implications for the future of biblical studies as new horizons within historical criticism begin to emerge with fresh and challenging questions.
Aspects of Warfare in the First Testament World
Authors: Hobbs T.R.
Published: April 2009

This study of ancient attitudes toward war and its place in society surveys and offers a critique of recent literature on the subject of ancient biblical warfare. It extends the investigation into developing interdisciplinary resources dealing with the ways in which texts reflect perceptions and meanings deriving from the social world of the First Testament.
Jesus the Revelation of God in the Fourth Gospel
Authors: O'Grady John F.
Published: April 2009

Is God experienced by people only in the uplifting moments of life, in mysticism and in an ecstasy of prayer, or also in the very depths of human pain? How can the image of God as Father help a generation so conscious of gender? The author of the Fourth Gospel responds to both questions. God is present and revealed in the very crucifixion of Jesus. God is also the loving parent, the Father of the Lord Jesus, and the image has value even for this gender-conscious generation.
The Exodus and Biblical Theology: A Rejoinder to John J. Collins
Authors: Levenson Jon D.
Published: April 2009

In his critique of Jon Levenson's essay on "Exodus and Liberation" in Biblical Theology Bulletin 25:4, 152-60, John J. Collins, Levenson here argues, provides a number of misstatements about the essay and misinterpretations of the biblical materials. In drawing attention to the familial-national dimension of the exodus, Levenson neither affirms the Jews as its rightful beneficiaries nor denies the possibility of fruitful analogies with other groups. He insists, however, on the distinction between analogical application and anachronistic retrojection, the latter being a violation of historical-critical principle. Collins' raising the Christian problem of appropriation of the exodus without acceptance of the full "yoke of the Law" arises not from historical criticism, but from valid concerns of the sort he brands as "confessional" and "theological apartheid" in Levenson's work. Collins' identification of Levenson with Brevard Childs's canonical method is inaccurate and misunderstands Childs's concept of intratextuality. The absence of enslavement as an item in the exodus story is not only typical of the old poem in Exodus 15 (which Collins a-historically harmonizes with narrative sources), but also of Amos (whom he stresses), Hosea, and Ezekiel 20, inter alia. Collins' attempts to read Amos as anti-particularistic and his contrast of the social orders of Egypt and Israel are exegetically unsound.
Suffering Produces Hope
Authors: Brueggemann Walter
Published: April 2009

To be sure, the relationship between Christians and Jews is deeply incommensurate, because of the long history of Christian domination and Jewish victimization. Having said that with all its heavy cost, it is important that in a world of profanation, Jews and Christians are twinned together not only in suffering and in memory, but also in hope. The deepest impulses of Judaism and Christianity are fully shared. This common hope is an urgent and precious resource in a world bent on its own death and destruction. This hope resists idolatry and makes neighborliness an urgent possibility.
Did Luke Intend a Disservice to Women in the Martha and Mary Story?
Authors: Collins John N.
Published: April 2009

A strong feminist critique over the past twenty years has made "a formidable opponent" of Luke, long traditionally hailed as an "ally" of women. After aligning scholarly opinion on the issue, the paper isolates the critical place which ideas widely associated with the Greek term diakonia have played in this turnover. Since the main inspiration for the change has been the feminist reading of Martha's diakonia as a reference to her suppressed historical roles in leadership and missionary activity, the paper presents linguistic reasons that preclude the possibility of any such reading. The Lukan author of the story remains an "ally" of women.
An Extended Book Review: The Anthropology of Christian Origins
Authors: Elliott John H.
Published: April 2009

A successful merger of exegesis and anthropology and its application to the Pauline letters, Acts, and the Fourth Gospel yields fresh insights into the formation of the early Church, its strategies and rituals, and its interaction with outsiders.
Paul's Odyssey in Acts: Status Struggles and Island Adventures
Authors: Scott Spencer F.
Published: April 2009

The story of Saul-Paul in Acts traces not only his remarkable transformation from archenemy of the gospel to its most avid, dynamic promoter—especially among Gentiles—but also his persisting struggle to own and maintain this new identity in the face of antagonistic human, environmental, and supernatural forces. Beyond the well-known Christophany on the road to Damascus, pivotal moments in Paul's character and status development come on the islands of Cyprus and Malta, strategically set at the beginning and end of his missionary journeys in Acts 13 and 28. The significance of this odyssey may be profitably explored through close attention to the narrative's plot sequences and comparative employment of anthropological models of status elevation rituals and honor-shame contests as well as symbolic "maps" of island territory in the ancient Mediterranean world.
Humor in Persuasion on Threatening Topics: Effectiveness Is a Function of Audience Sex Role Orientation
Authors: Conway Michael , Dubé Laurette
Published: April 2009

The hypothesis was that humor relative to no-humor appeals on threatening topics are effective for high-masculinity individuals because they seem particularly averse to experiencing distress (i.e., sadness and fear). Persuasive targets were sunscreen use to prevent melanoma (skin cancer) in Study 1 and condom use to prevent AIDS in Study 2. The humor and no-humor appeals presented the same substantive information. In both studies, high-masculinity men and women exhibited greater intent to adopt the preventive behaviors in response to the humor relative to the no-humor appeal; no difference emerged for low-masculinity individuals. Humor effects were not related to explicit responses to the ads (e.g., listed thoughts and feelings). In Study 2, threat intensity in the media context was manipulated (moderate vs. low) as experiential processing is likely favored under greater threat. Overall, the results seem attributable to experiential processing of humor appeals on threatening topics by high-masculinity participants.
The Role of Reported Emotion in Real-Life and Hypothetical Moral Dilemmas
Authors: Skoe Eva E. A. , Eisenberg Nancy , Cumberland Amanda
Published: April 2009

To form a more complete picture of the complexity that underlies human morality, the connection between emotion and moral thought in 209 men and women was examined. Participants rated the importance of one real-life and three hypothetical moral dilemmas and their feelings while making decisions about the dilemmas. The responses on these dilemmas also were scored for their care and justice orientations. Results showed that feeling upset and sympathy were uniquely positively related to dilemma importance. In the real-life situations, sympathy and anger uniquely predicted both care (positively) and justice (negatively) orientations. Relational real-life dilemmas evoked more emotions than did nonrelational ones. In general, women scored higher than men on emotions when considering moral dilemmas.