bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phytochemical Composition, Antibacterial, and Antibiofilm Activity of Malva sylvestris Against Human Pathogenic Bacteria
Authors: Fathi Mahmoud , Ghane Maryam , Pishkar Leila
Published: September 2021

Background: Considering the increased rate of microbial resistance to antibiotics and chemical side effects of antibiotics, there is a need for an alternative antimicrobial agent with fewer complications. Medicinal plants are rich resources of phytochemical compounds with antibacterial activity that could fight off this problem. Objectives: The aim of this research was to investigate the chemical composition, antimicrobial, and antibiofilm properties of Malva sylvestris on some pathogenic bacteria. Methods: Antibacterial effect of the extract was assessed by the well diffusion and broth microdilution methods against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli. The anti-biofilm property of the extract was also examined using the crystal violet assay. Finally, the chemical constituents and phenolic compounds of the extract were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. Results: The methanolic extract of M. sylvestris showed antimicrobial activity against all tested Gram-negative and Gram-positive strains by the agar well diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extract ranged from 21.9 ± 0.1 to 51.9 ± 0.5 mg/mL against the tested microorganisms. In addition, the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) spanned from 43.7 ± 0.1 to 85.8 ± 0.3 mg/mL. The biofilm inhibitory concentration (BIC50) of the extract was found to be 40 - 87 mg/mL against the tested bacteria. Analysis of the extract by GC-MS indicated that the most abundant compounds were 1-heptacosanol (38.41%), 17-Pentatriacontene (19.78%), and 6,9,12,15-docosatetraenoic acid, methyl ester (8.08%). High-performance liquid chromatography confirmed the presence of apigenin (6.84 ppm) and salicylic acid (1.5 ppm) as phenolic compounds in M. sylvestris methanolic extract. Conclusions: The results of this study represent the high potency of M. sylvestris extract as a source of biologically-active compounds for the development of future phytotherapeutic products with antibacterial and antibiofilm activity.
Cutaneous Metastasis of Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma: An Unusual Case Report
Authors: Pradhan Shekhar N , Khade Asha S , Bhoi Umesh Y , Gaurkar Sudarshan , Borah Liza , Sharma Malika
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Signet ring cell carcinoma is a rare form of highly malignant adenocarcinoma, with the prevalence rate of < 1%. The most common site of the primary tumor is the stomach, and the secondary sites are the breast, gall bladder, urinary bladder, and pancreas. Moreover, the common metastasis sites of signet ring cell carcinomas are the lung and the liver. Skin metastasis is extremely rare, with the prevalence rate of 0.3%. Signet ring cell carcinomas are usually diagnosed during the late stages of the disease; hence, the tumors spread more aggressively than non-signet ring cell types, thereby making treatment challenging. Case presentation: We report a 30-year-old male with cutaneous metastasis of signet ring cell carcinoma in the form of multiple, asymptomatic, skin-colored, nodular lesions on his neck and chest. Conclusions: Signet ring cell carcinoma is a rare type of adenocarcinoma, the primary site of which is the stomach. Moreover, the usual metastasis sites of the tumor are the lung and the liver. The timely diagnosis of such a malignant and aggressive tumor is possible by detecting the unusual presentations of cutaneous metastasis, which would result in offering timely interventions and saving patient’s lives.
Gurdjieff’s “Help for the Deceased” Exercise
Authors: Azize Joseph ,   Academic Publishing
Published: September 2021

From about 1939 to 1947, G. I. Gurdjieff (1866–1949) taught some of his pupils exercises to send help to deceased persons and at the same time develop themselves. So far as the author is aware, the exercise is entirely unique in the annals of contemplation and mysticism. More even than Gurdjieff’s other exercises, this one seems to partake of the nature of “ritual.” The evidence is found in newly available material from his American pupil Donald Whitcomb, the recently published transcripts of his 1943 and 1944 group meetings, and from the memoirs of J. G. Bennett and Kathryn Hulme. It is contended that, unusual as they may be, these ideas and practices are related to and entirely consistent with Gurdjieff’s basic system. It appears that scholars may have underestimated the extent to which Gurdjieff developed his methods, and perhaps also his ideas, over the years.
Deciphering Crypto-fascism
Authors: Carney John C. ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: September 2021

Fascism is a virulent historical social pathology that presents itself as a political ideology or a component of general ideology. It is historical in a double sense. It is actualized at specific times and places. It is also, a recurring feature of history itself. Crypto-fascism is the manipulation of the ambiguity of language for the purpose of fascistic actualization. Crypto-fascism is often an early “tell” or warning of the presence of more widespread fascism. There have been several powerful and deep studies of fascism and its co-optation of the ambiguity of language. Two of these approaches are of particular importance. In both instances fascism is addressed as a potentiality or susceptibility tied to the human condition per se. The first is Freudian and the second is existential. These approaches both meet the historical criteria noted above. In this essay I follow the work of Erich Fromm and Jean-Paul Sartre to understand the ground of fascism and its crypto variant. Camouflage is the hallmark of crypto-fascism, and it is exactly this that Fromm’s analysis and that of Sartre discloses.
O Efeito Backlash na jurisdição constitucional brasileira e os limites da mutação constitucional
Authors: Silva Rafael Rocha , Cunha Júnior Dirley da
Published: September 2021

O presente artigo visa desenvolver um debate acerca do Efeito Backlash na jurisdição constitucional brasileira e analisar quais são os limites da mutação constitucional. Foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica a partir de artigos científicos, teses, dissertações e livros especializados para enriquecer as informações e possibilitar um trabalho fidedigno. A Mutação Constitucional quando usada de forma ditatorial pelo Poder judiciário acaba por promover um odioso ativismo judicial, no entanto, quando as decisões são dialógicas, o Estado Democrático de Direito sai fortalecido, buscando uma efetividade das garantias constitucionais sem que isso signifique uma quebra na repartição dos poderes. Foi possível vislumbrar, no estudo dos casos concretos que sofreram efeito backlash, que a reação popular a decisões do STF foram fundamentais para a mudança de entendimento de determinadas matérias, seja pelo próprio tribunal ou pela pressão política exercida para que o legislativo regulamentasse a matéria conforme o clamor da população. As decisões fundamentais do Estado estão cada vez mais expostas à análise direta do povo, isso fortalece a democracia a partir do momento em que as pessoas refletem sobre as mesmas, e interferem de forma inteligente sobre os poderes constituídos, exercendo, de certa forma, um controle de constitucionalidade popular direto.
Estratégias competitivas: uma análise da aplicação das cinco forças de Porter, na Rede de Lojas do Grupo Maranata
Authors: Silva Josivaldo Alves da , Melo Daniel Martins de
Published: September 2021

O planejamento estratégico quando aplicado nas empresas de forma coerente, torna-se uma ferramenta importante para a efetivação de uma gestão estratégica. O presente artigo tem o objetivo de analisar as estratégias competitivas adotadas pela Rede de Lojas do Grupo Maranata, a partir das cinco forças de Michael Porter. A análise foi realizada por meio da opinião dos gerentes das Lojas que pertencem ao Grupo Maranata. Os tipos de pesquisa empregados foram; exploratória, bibliográfica, descritiva e explicativa, além de um estudo de caso múltiplo. A pesquisa é classificada como qualitativa e quantitativa, o instrumento de coletas foi o questionário semi-estruturado com 13 questões, sendo cinco fechadas e oito abertas, aplicado por comunicação eletrônica com a utilização da ferramenta Google forms. No estudo constatou-se que, o Grupo Maranata, adota medidas estratégicas para conhecer o mercado antes de decidir abrir uma nova loja tais como; visitas in loco para identificar as estratégias utilizadas pelas empresas já existentes, pesquisas para análise da renda da população, inadimplência do comércio local e quantidade de concorrentes.  Estabelece medidas para identificar as forças e fraquezas dos concorrentes, tais como; investigação para identificar se as lojas estão aproveitando toda a capacidade de consumo local, busca de informações com fornecedores e representantes comerciais que atuam na região, as estratégias de atendimento ao cliente, a rentabilidade do negócio, facilidade penetração no mercado.
Os benefícios da drenagem linfática: uma revisão de literatura
Authors: Silva Renata Inácia da
Published: September 2021

A drenagem linfática é uma massagem que atua no sistema linfático com objetivo de promover uma limpeza do organismo e eliminar os líquidos acumulados. Esse estudo tem como objetivo geral apresentar os benefícios e vantagens da drenagem linfática manual. O presente estudo trata-se de uma revisão bibliográfica sobre a técnica de Drenagem Linfática Manual e os efeitos que a mesma pode proporcionar para o corpo humano.  As referências teóricas utilizadas foram extraídas de sites como Scielo, google, livros entre outros. Como resultado, verificou-se que a drenagem linfática é de total relevância pois ocasiona melhorias na circulação sanguínea, reabsorção de edemas, além de total relevância no período pré e pós-operatório. A drenagem linfática manual consiste em manobras que aumentam o fluxo da linfa é necessário que a aplicação seja realizada de forma correta, respeitando a anatomia e a fisiologia do sistema linfático, além de manter a integridade dos tecidos superficiais.
Melasma: tratamento e suas implicações estéticas
Authors: Borges Maysa Coelho
Published: September 2021

O melasma se caracteriza em uma disfunção estética havendo a necessidade de procurar auxílio de profissionais da saúde estética para o diagnóstico correto e tratamento adequado. Melasma é ocasionada a partir do aumento da melanina na pele, as implicações estéticas se manifestam por manchas escuras ou acastanhadas na região frontal da face.  Nesse contexto o estudo será a partir da seguinte questão norteadora: quais os tratamentos utilizados no tratamento do melasma e suas implicações estéticas? O objetivo geral desse estudo é realizar um levantamento bibliográfico sobre o tratamento e as implicações estéticas provocadas pelo melasma. Mediante o exposto, justifica-se a importância de conhecer os aspectos referentes ao Melasma: Tratamentos e suas implicações estéticas, para isso trata-se de uma revisão de literatura, realizada a partir da busca de dados em fontes secundarias como sítios, artigos científicos entre outros. A pele está disposta a danos resultantes do meio externo que resulta em afecções como o melasma e para isso, existem tratamentos estéticos que promovem efeitos positivos promovendo a qualidade de vida das pessoas. O tratamento do melasma pode ser realizado de forma tópico ou oral, a partir de procedimentos que induzem a descamação e removem a cada superficial da pele, promovendo uma textura mais suave e homogênea permitindo a produção de colágeno e elastina com menos riscos de efeitos colaterais. É valido ressaltar que embora existam vários protocolos de tratamento do melasma a eficiência do tratamento é limitada em alguns casos se o paciente não manter uma forma sistemática de prevenção acontece a reincidência do mesmo. O melasma pode ser prevenido evitando a exposição solar, nos horários adequados e uso de filtros solares de amplo espectro para radiação UVA e UVB, com fator de proteção solar (FPS) 30 ou mais (MASCENA, 2016).
Tecnologia educacional e inclusão social na Educação de Jovens e Adultos (EJA)
Authors: Almeida Lúcia Maria de , Silva Clécio Danilo Dias da , Torres Carina Ioná de Oliveira
Published: September 2021

A educação de jovens e adultos concretizou-se através das ideias de Paulo Freire, com o movimento de educação popular partindo da realidade dos educandos para promover educação democrática e libertadora. Caracterizada por mudanças e reformas, subsidiadas por modificações políticas e econômicas decorrentes do processo de industrialização, com objetivo de erradicar o analfabetismo e favorecer o desenvolvimento industrial e econômico. Este trabalho objetivou analisar e discutir a inclusão digital e social na EJA. O estudo foi realizado através de pesquisa exploratória de caráter bibliográfico. Analisando a trajetória histórica e a complexidade da EJA, não se pode inferir um padrão de modelo considerado perfeito para a utilização das TICs na EJA, a utilização destas depende das concepções da escola e dos educadores, da articulação com outras dimensões do processo de ensino e aprendizagem assumido pelos que fazem a escola, no entanto, o acesso e a utilização TICs, possibilita expandir os conhecimentos, proporcionando autonomia aos alunos. Um dos obstáculos apontados como desafiadores na EJA é a formação dos educadores, portanto se faz necessário políticas públicas que invistam tanto na formação inicial como na formação continuadas destes profissionais.
Notas sobre a importância da metodologia interdisciplinar: uma abordagem geográfica
Authors: Souza Charles Benedito Gemaque
Published: September 2021

Este trabalho é uma reflexão inicial sobre a idéia de interdisciplinaridade e sua correlação com uma possível transição na ordenação das áreas de conhecimento científico. Nesta perspectiva, a Geografia serve de pano de fundo para uma crítica ao movimento de especialização e fragmentação teórica e metodológica das disciplinas e, para discutir o projeto de interação de saberes. Em suma, aborda o conhecimento geográfico através de suas contradições internas, sua relação com outras disciplinas e com a complexidade da realidade global.
Educação ambiental: práticas exitosas a partir de metodologias ativas, na EEEFM “José Teixeira Fialho”
Authors: Pinto Jailson Mauricio
Published: September 2021

A presente pesquisa busca analisar a importância dos projetos de ensino apresentados na sala de aula, e sua aplicabilidade no contexto socioambiental dos estudantes de acordo com a realidade local. Traz uma reflexão acerca dos problemas que o ambiente no entorno da escola, bem como do Distrito sofreram durante anos de ações humanas que levaram a degradação e impactos ambientais. A Escola que a pesquisa aconteceu, está localizada no Distrito de Imburana, Ecoporanga, ES. Os estudantes são provenientes do Distrito, das adjacências, Assentamentos, Acampamentos, dos distritos vizinhos: Cotaxé e Muritiba. As famílias na maioria são de classes econômicas de baixa renda, trabalhando no campo, nas pedreiras, nas fazendas. O estudo da educação ambiental não pode ser algo engessado como tem sido, mas de uma forma prática e objetiva. A presente pesquisa busca responder qual é a importância das práticas exitosas a partir de metodologias ativas, visando uma educação ambiental prática, dialógica e participativa.
The language of the art of music: an overview of its history in Brazil
Authors: Souza Alberto Carlos de
Published: September 2021

This study sought to re-visit the two conceptions of Art – pedagogical and reflective - forged throughout history and its relationship with the Brazilian aesthetic thought of resistance. From the 60's, such thinking has given a pedagogical purpose to art, charged with the task of social criticism and political engagement human emancipatory: in this scenario mainly determined by the Theater of the Oppressed, the new movies  and the protest song by Milton Nascimento, , Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque, Gilberto Gil,  among many others.
Elements Spring 2014 Issue
Authors: Balagtas Richard , Dobias Jen , Keeley Sean , Marandola Marissa , Martina Michael , Short Brandon , Trimes Alexander
Published: September 2021

PDF of the Spring 2014 issue of Elements
Elements Fall 2014 Issue
Authors: Boboc Paul , Centrella Nick , DiRenno Frank A. , Krasner Tate , Pinsak Samantha , Sangimino Missa , Scollan Margaret , Vladimirova Stacia
Published: September 2021

PDF of the full book of Elements' Fall 2014 journal
Elements Fall 2015 Issue
Authors: Calhoun Doyle , Goldstein Evan , Larrabee Catherine , McCaffrey Olivia , Schneider Allison , Shapiro Benjamin , Tank Allyson , Vazquez Maria , Walker Alec
Published: September 2021

PDF of the Fall 2015 book
Stratified English-Language Fluency in Jordan: Perpetuating class division and limiting socioeconomic opportunity
Authors: Burgess Hailey
Published: September 2021

Today, there exist two very different versions of Jordan vying for superiority: that which is rooted in an indigenous Arab culture and language, and that of Westernizing, wealthy, and influential minorities. English language proficiency and fluency is an important aspect of this widening gap. It can determine employment opportunity, social interaction, and acceptance into various spaces. Its causes, while more complex and difficult to untangle, can ultimately be traced to an education system rife with class-based hierarchy and unequal resource distribution as well as a postcolonial association of English as a language of superiority and, increasingly, a marker of class difference. Thus, rather than perpetuate the spread of English for nonessential purposes, Jordan should undertake educational reform projects focusing on an Arabic curriculum with universal standards across governorates and the public-private sector divide. Further, it should more efficiently enforce existing laws affirming the primacy of Arabic in public life and take steps to tighten loopholes such as tourism permits for private businesses.
The Market for Blood: Should Donations be Incentivized in the United States?
Authors: Sabal Matt
Published: September 2021

N/A
Wonder Woman and Modern Feminism
Authors: Fox Sophia
Published: September 2021

n/a
Relationship Between Salivary Cortisol, Self-Assessed Stress Levels, and Body Mass Index in High Achieving High School Adolescents
Authors: Samir Sara
Published: September 2021

Studies of stress and cortisol levels in adults indicate that keeping normal levels of cortisol is beneficial to subjects. The hormone cortisol has many functions including proper glucose metabolism, regulation of blood pressure, immune function, and inflammatory  response. When cortisol levels spike, as with stress, there can be a negative effect on the individual. Due to the hectic pace of modern life, the body’s stress response does not always have time to return to normal, leading to cortisol levels remaining too high. This can lead to suppressed thyroid function, blood sugar imbalances, higher blood pressure, lowered immunity, and increased abdominal fat. Stress plays a prominent role in the lives of millions of people all across the globe. This problem is not one that affects solely the adult population but also a multitude of adolescents and children. Oftentimes, stress can have both a physical and psychological effect on an individual. Many persons report an effect on food consumption when under stressful situations, causing one to either eat more or less than normal. In turn, these eating patterns can potentially influence the Body Mass Index (BMI) of an individual. While increased stress can lead to a higher or lower than normal cortisol level and BMI in adults, the role in adolescents is not entirely clear. This study investigated whether there is a relationship between stress and BMI in high-achieving adolescents, aged 14 to 18. The Perceived Stress Scale survey paired with additional questions that helped determine variables believed to impact stress levels were administered to determine overall stress levels in each subject. To determine cortisol levels, a competitive enzyme immunoassay was used.  This study indicates that there   are no significant correlations between perceived stress levels, salivary cortisol levels, and BMI in this group of individuals. However, a distinct difference in self-assessed stress levels was apparent between males and females. Somewhat unexpectedly, a negative relationship was found between BMI and salivary cortisol levels and perceived stress and salivary cortisol levels.
Elements Spring 2011 Issue
Authors: Richey Matthew , Tareila Andrew , Zatkowski Ellen , Tracz R. Brian , Key Benjamin , Agredo Sebastian N. , Martinez Dianna Michelle , Murphy Dennis F.
Published: September 2021

Full text of the Spring 2011 issue of the journal
Elements Fall 2011 Issue
Authors: Colorado Rosa Maribel , Howarth Jenna , Kovaka Karen , Leverrier Tiphaine , Martin Zachary T. , Moradian Sophia , Orr Andrew , Varian Brian
Published: September 2021

PDF of Elements' Fall 2011 journal
Elements Fall 2012 Issue
Authors: Boboc Paul , Geron Scott , Kent Sam , Trilleras Anna-Karina , Martis Nicholas , Streitwieser Corey , Luangrath Narintohn , Uliano Anthony
Published: September 2021

PDF of Elements' Fall 2012 journal.
Full and Emptied: Interpreting Christ's Divinity for Theologies of Religion
Authors: Haas Kristi
Published: September 2021

The concept that “fullness” is to be found in Jesus Christ has been invoked to support the uniqueness of Jesus, including in the context of world religions. Yet the metaphorical sense of fullness is amenable to a variety of interpretations. Is this uniqueness the logical consequence of Christian faith, or an over-reliance on what amounts to a spatial metaphor? Are the uniqueness and primacy of Jesus meant only as praise, or does this also constitute a proposition about Jesus, vulnerable to the logic of non-contradiction? Is a lack or any partial lack of “fullness” to be found in any setting, if all things are created through, by, and for Jesus? This paper explores the concept of the “fullness of truth” in its biblical context, as a doctrinal claim, and in contemporary interpretations in order to offer an analysis of “fullness” in Christ in light of the identity and call of the Church, the sacrament of God's salvific life. Treating fullness as an abstracted premise or proposition leads quickly to an ontotheological interpretation of Jesus' divinity. Instead, we would do well to learn the meaning of the metaphor by attending to its expressions in the life of the Church, a central one of which is the self-emptying love, the communion with which, we are promised, leads into all truth.
Augustine on Sacrifice: A Synthesis
Authors: Janeczko, OFM Cap. Fr. Matthew
Published: September 2021

This essay investigates the manner in which Augustine writes about the related topics of sacrifice, priesthood, and mediation. Drawing upon the Confessions, The Trinity, and the City of God, as well as relevant secondary literature, it concludes that an understanding of Augustine's views regarding these topics allows for a broader comprehension of the proper ends of Christian life: true acts of charity and worship.
Does the Lord Speak with a Forked Tongue? Solutions for Unity in a Diverse Biblical Corpus
Authors: Fitzroy Peter
Published: September 2021

Does the Bible present a unified message from God to humanity? This paper is an attempt to undertake the task set forth by biblical scholar G. Ernest Wright, who said: “The question of the unity of the Bible’s message is one that will never be satisfactorily solved, though it is one which every generation of Christians must seek to solve.” This investigation, while framed as a “personal attempt,” looks at the biblical-theological issue of unity and diversity within the Bible to try to form some theologically synthetic answer to the above question. This investigation dialogues with the history of biblical interpretation by first looking at issues related to diversity in the New Testament (“Micro-diversity”) and then to the Bible as a whole (“Macrodiversity”) to see if we can understand a “whole Bible biblical Theology.” Finally, this paper explores some of the implications of the answers to these questions for the modern Christians.
Existential Chaos: A Critique of Catherine Keller’s Position Towards Creation and Divine Omnipotence
Authors: Linthicum Emily
Published: September 2021

The two dominant concepts Catherine Keller examines in her study of creatio ex profundis, creation out of chaos, are the feminine tehomic language and refutation of divine omnipotence. She studies both these concepts through a feminist lens as well as with an overarching question as to why creatio ex nihilo, creation from nothing, has commandeered the thought behind Genesis exegesis and creation theology. Using various literary styles, both religious and secular, Keller attempts to deconstruct creation out of nothing and argue how a theology of becoming is more appropriate given the language of Genesis and creation as a whole. Rather than merely substitute the present masculine understandings of God and creation with the feminine, she persuades for a return to the foundation of tehomic language in an effort to reconstruct the negative feminine connotations of chaos and support a theology of becoming without a “divine dominology.” The purpose of this paper is to offer an examination of Keller’s text and counterarguments to her understanding of creatio ex nihilo and ex profundis. There are various examples of male dominant thought in theology throughout history; however, divine omnipotence, both in general and as associated with creation theology, is not an affront to the feminine and creatio ex profundis. Keller’s fault does not lie in the notion of creatio ex profundis and its validity; rather, her argument concerning the domineering power of divine omnipotence and its association with creatio ex nihilo remains insufficient.
What makes Jesus salvific for the Queer Community? A Moltmann-Inspired Essay in Christology
Authors: Ford, Jr. Craig A.
Published: September 2021

In what way is Jesus Christ salvific for the queer community in the United States? By ‘queer community’ here, I understand those whose sexual and gender identities stand at variance with the sexed and gendered expectations of heteronormative culture. This presentation is an essay in the area of queer Christology, a relatively underexplored area of Christian theology. The essay begins unashamedly with the rejection of portrayals of Christ that are manifestly not salvific for queer persons, those representations of a Jesus Christ who defends compulsory heterosexuality or, failing that, voluntary lifetime celibacy. It continues with an analysis of two major figures in the development of queer Christology: the first is Robert Goss, who argues that Jesus Christ is salvific for the queer community because Jesus himself was a gay man; and the second is Marcella Althaus-Reid, who argues that Jesus Christ is salvific for the queer community because Christ embodies the symbolic resistance to binary categorization. I argue that while both of these are important elements in a queer Christology, neither are sufficient: Goss’ representation of Christ scandalizes the universality of Christ by mandating a sexual orientation for which we have no credible textual evidence; and Althaus-Reid’s representation of Christ scandalizes the particularity of Christ by rendering his actual historical existence as Jesus of Nazareth completely irrelevant. In place of these I argue that Christ is salvific for the queer community because his particular life exemplifies what the queer community in America has already lived out (as seen in the AIDS crisis) and continues to live out (in striving for ecclesiastical respectability): Jesus shows the way of passionate loving through suffering—a way that, if queer Christians follow it, leads to resurrection, through hope, and reconciliation with others, through love.
Leisure and Play: The Way of A Hopeful Life
Authors: LaBadie Benjamin
Published: September 2021

Leisure and play are the cause and nature of Christian hope. Both address the world’s woundedness, needs, and desires by creating time and space for dignity, freedom, and stillness. This is my argument, and I will look at Josef Pieper’s Leisure, The Basis of Culture to show how leisure is a stillness in which human beings realize their importance within the harmony of the cosmos and the divine. Leisure allows humans to be receptive to the grace of God, and it gives them hope for what the fulfillment of God’s kingdom looks like. I will also look at the political philosopher, Michael Oakeshott, who wrote the essay “Work and Play.” From here, I will show how play coupled with leisure gives human beings hope because there are some activities done for their own sake because they are good in themselves. Human beings in their wounds, needs, and desires think that work, utility, and possession are what will fill their lacks. In reality, according to Oakeshott, a life solely dominated by work, utility, and possession ends up exacerbating these lacks because no fulfillment ever comes–the lack and desires only deepen and expand. It is like a man paying off his debt with more debt: the obligation to keep working to pay what you owe only expands and enslaves you to work more. Thus, leisure and play are the cause for Christian hope because they are done for their own sake. They heal wounds and fulfill human being’s deepest desires for dignity, love, and meaning.
Lament as Prophetic Ritual of Eschatological Hope: Reading Jephthah’s Daughter in Scripture and Liturgy
Authors: Lopez JoAnn Melina
Published: September 2021

The story of Jephthah’s daughter in Judges 11 is brief but gruesome, one of the “texts of terror” which haunt the depiction of women in scripture. Jephthah, a war hero, vows to sacrifice whoever comes out to meet him from his house upon his return in exchange for God’s assistance in a skirmish with an invading army. To his horror, and ours, it is his only child, a young girl, who greets him on his return, and he is committed to continuing with his sacrifice. Unlike with other mentions of child sacrifice in the scriptures, Jephthah’s daughter is not delivered from her fate by the intervention of God or human action. Instead the young woman, nameless in the scriptures, gathers her female companions around her to mourn before her death, and is mourned by all the women of Israel, who gather annually to mark her death. This paper will examine the narrative of Jephthah’s daughter in scripture, alongside a critique of her presentation and interpretation in the lectionary of the Catholic Church. The ways in which the Church engages with violent scripture texts, especially in our public liturgical action, speaks to the cogence of our proclamation of hope in a world in which texts of terror continue to be inscribed upon the bodies of women and children. The focus of the paper will be the prophetic lament of Jephthah’s daughter, her companions, and the generations of women after them, which I argue should be reclaimed and connected with the prophetic and eschatological hope of the Eucharist when this scripture is proclaimed in liturgy.
“And God Remembered:” Barrenness and Hope in Genesis
Authors: Loumagne Megan
Published: September 2021

For a book of beginnings,[1] Genesis is ironically replete with beginnings that almost were not. Indeed, the motif of the barren woman, the woman unable to produce a new beginning in the form of a child, is so common it becomes almost redundant in the narrative. What is most characteristic of God in Genesis—to be a fertile source of life[2]—is painfully denied the matriarchs. This pain is heightened by the steadily increasing tension in the text regarding the fulfillment of God’s covenant with Abraham. God’s promise to Abraham that he will be “a great nation”[3] with many descendants requires Abraham to have offspring in order for it to be fulfilled, yet nature repeatedly opposes the fulfillment of the promise. Through the repeated motif of the barrenness of the matriarchs, the reader is inducted into the struggle of the primary characters to have faith in a God “whose promise tarries too long.”[4] This paper examines the motif of barrenness in Genesis in order to argue that the barrenness of the matriarchs functions literarily as a “type-scene” that is meant to signify a complex series of messages in a few simple plot details. The motif also functions theologically. Through negative contrast, the barren wombs recall the goodness of creation as well as God’s nature as the fertile giver of life. Furthermore, the repetition of the motif in Genesis, far from indicating a lack of creativity on the part of the redactors, instead serves to inculcate through repetition an expectation in the reader that God will do what God always does in this situation—namely, bring life from death. The motif’s power is in its predictability. In this way, the motif of barrenness in Genesis is a tutor in the school of hope. [1] Jon D. Levenson. “Genesis: Introduction,” Jewish Study Bible, 8. [2] As Phyllis Trible notes in God and the Rhetoric of Sexuality (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1978), “making is a familiar activity for God,” 90. [3] Genesis 12:2, Jewish Study Bible, 30. [4] Victor Hamilton, The Book of Genesis: Chapter 1-17 (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 1990), 151.
Called Out of Darkness: Presenting Christian Hope to People with Depression
Authors: Kleist Deirdre
Published: September 2021

The world today is in desperate need of hope. In particular, with depression and other mental illnesses coming increasingly to the forefront of society’s consciousness, now is the time for the Church to speak out about true Christian hope. The issue is not that the Church has failed to articulate what makes Christian hope distinct from the more secular understanding of hope. Indeed, in Spe Salvi Pope Benedict XVI offered a thorough examination of hope, its communal nature, and its saving power. He also wrote about the need to care for one another, and to be bearers of the great hope in Christ to all. This message, though, has not clearly or frequently enough been applied to those who struggle with mental illness. Many depressed believers are in fact made to suppress their inner trials so they will not seem to be unfaithful Christians. Those who suffer, whether within or outside of the Church, need to hear about both the great hope that lies beyond this world and the incarnate hope that has come among us. The paper I am proposing would examine the practical pastoral implications of preaching Christian hope to those living in darkness, and of exhorting all Christians to bear suffering together so as to bring communal hope of salvation. Spe Salvi and Scripture would constitute my primary foundation for understanding Christian hope. Looking at the reality of a depressed mindset and the lifelong challenges of those who suffer chronic depression, I intend to craft a refined definition of Christian hope that speaks in a particular way to this population. I would also present strategies for ministers for conveying Christian hope and for practicing both compassion and consolation. This could better equip ministers to serve a population that increasingly finds itself marginalized within the Church.
The Common Good As A Social Debt and Patrimony of the Person
Authors: Ilboudo SJ Justin
Published: September 2021

Aristotle’s statement that the individual human being is a social or a political animal can be misguiding if we understand it as meaning that relationships between the individual and the society are natural and obvious. Individual’s dream of autonomy and ruthless struggle to access to scarce resources on one hand and liberal and competitive societies where there is no room for “lame ducks” on the other hand, can make relationships between the person and the society conflicting and violent. The consequences can be marginalization from the social order or rebellion against it.How can we strive to make person-society relationships more integrative and fecund? In other words, what skills, social ethics as a field of Christian theology and Catholic tradition does provide for the social integration of the person and the awakening of his or her social responsibility?  This paper would like to suggest and defend that the concept of the common good is a common ground for the person and the society mutual flourishing. The paragraph 26 of Gaudium et Spes defines the common good as “the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their individual members relatively thorough and ready access to their own fulfillment.” Interestingly also, Laudato Si’ builds up on the common good and defines it as “belonging to all and meant for all.” (Paragraph 23) In a more complex way, Thomas Aquinas elaborates the common good and locates it at the junction of distributive justice and piety as one’s love of his or her country. In the light of his thought, the common good as a dynamic interaction between the person and the society, becomes the cement of what Thomas Aquinas calls “civil communion.”
Witnessing Lot's Wife
Authors: Watson Ariell
Published: September 2021

The literature surrounding the fate of Lot’s wife agrees that memory is dangerous business. Scholarly opinions diverge, however, regarding whether the danger of “looking back” arose from the pain of grief or from subversive disobedience of divine injunction. Were the angel’s words a warning or a command?This paper will examine the role of the pastoral caregiver in witnessing traumatic memory. Pastoral relationships are present to various forms of recollection, including flashbacks, the therapeutic process, and ritual. This creates a dynamic of dual spectatorship: the individual looks at her/his traumatic past, while the caregiver looks at her/him. This tableau mimics the Biblical scene in which Lot’s wife becomes petrified as she glances toward her burning home; like Lot, the caregiver stands further removed from the horror. For fear of sharing his wife’s fate, Lot continues his journey without ever turning to bear witness to this loss.Inasmuch as the pastoral caregiver works to bear witness, (s)he is vulnerable to “vicarious trauma.” Unlike Lot, who forged ahead despite Sodom and his wife both crumbling behind him, the caregiver risks glimpsing the apocalyptic scene in the process of attending to the petrified woman.This leads back to the questions posed above: was the fate of Lot’s wife nature or punishment—and how can the pastoral caregiver heed this cautionary tale? This paper will describe transgressive, masochistic, and healing modes of memory, drawing from the literatures of pastoral and trauma studies. The caregiver’s role will be examined with regard to each mode in order to assess the importance of witness and the risk of vicarious trauma.
Fostering Human Dignity Through Prayer
Authors: Kenney Timothy
Published: September 2021

This paper examines the role of prayer, in the relationship between individuals and God, as expressive of human dignity. Humanity’s role within creation as ‘imago dei’ is most perfectly expressed and put into action through the prayer of the believer. The Incarnation is central to this claim, as through it Christ becomes the central model of life in the image and likeness of God for all humanity. In him one sees the life given over to continuous relationship with God, serving through his prayer at all times. Living out this relationship, which is most fully achieved through prayer, becomes a universal vocation, the goal of our lives, fulfilling our humanity and role within creation.In support of this view, this paper analyzes Hans Urs Von Balthasar’s Prayer. He roots his argument for pursuing prayer in the experience of the Son and presents it as the model through which we can be saved. Christ, through the Incarnation, becomes the recapitulator, the paradigmatic human who we are called to emulate and mirror. In our changing religious and political climate, there is a renewed need in the Church for Christians to pursue and live this vocation to prayer. Two scripture sources, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and Luke 11:8-10, offer instruction on the way we can fulfill our human dignity with prayer. Read together, they reveal two paths: prayer as service and prayer as a persistent act. The goal of our lives on earth and our fulfillment as imago dei is found in prayer as contemplation, service, and an unceasing relationship with God.
Manifesting the Sacred: John La Farge’s The Lampbearer as a Model for Catholic Presence in the World
Authors: LaBadie Benjamin
Published: September 2021

What does it mean for the Church to be in the world? In this paper, I propose that it means for the Church to be sacred, i.e., all Catholics are called to live sacredly. How is the sacred defined? To answer this question, I look to the American artist, John La Farge (1835-1910), whose works are currently being displayed at Boston College's McMullen Museum. The exhibition examines La Farge's "lifelong efforts to visualize the sacred." Given this, I offer a theological reflection on La Farge's painting of the Wise Virgin in order to elucidate what it means to live sacredly: being in tension between the transcendent and the imminent. In other words, to live sacredly means to be attentive, patient, and faithful to the ultimate coming of God's kingdom, yet also to be present, patient, and concerned with the practical worldly challenges of today. This sacredness begins to manifest God's love and kingdom on Earth even if there is still a longing for God’s full glory which is not yet present. This is how the Church is to be in the world. The Church should be attentive to the numerous challenges on Earth while remembering her ultimate end is union with God in Heaven. To forget this latter point would make the Church a mere NGO detached from God while to forget the former would make the Church an arthritic institution detached from those who suffer. Therefore, all Catholics are called to live in the tension between the transcendent and the imminent.
Technocentrism, Disembodied Relationship, and Sabbath
Authors: Papula Marissa
Published: September 2021

As developments in technology present us with new opportunities for efficiency and connection, digital communication and our growing dependence on the internet are increasingly blurring boundaries between work and rest, between “real life” and the “lives” we share on social media platforms. Our text messages substitute for time together. Our best news is shared via email or in photos posted for all to see, rather than embraces and champagne toasts. Our deepest secrets are poured anonymously onto the Internet for others’ consumption. We text, email, scroll, and post our way through meetings, meals and milestones, multitasking, somehow creating more time and yet realizing our opportunities for refreshment and authentic relationship are shrinking as our expectations for productivity are ever expanding. We are privy to the life events of our high school teammates, but are unable to verbalize our suffering in the presence of another, face to face, sans a keyboard. My writings critique this growing phenomena through a lens of theological anthropology. Our technocentrism is deeply contouring how we live, how we relate to one another, and how we engage in work and leisure, and prompts us to ponder what our dependence on technology means for us as human beings. Through a theological exploration of human relationship and Sabbath, I will explore how technocentrism is thwarting our theosis, both individually and societally, and offer suggestions for how we can best appropriate technological advances in communication toward better bearing the image of God in our familial, social, and professional lives.
Speaking of God in Stand Your Ground Times
Authors: Douglas Kelly Brown
Published: September 2021

Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas is Professor of Religion at Goucher College where she holds the Susan D. Morgan Professorship of Religion. She is widely published in national and international journals and other publications. As a leading voice in the development of a womanist theology, Essence magazine counts Douglas “among this country’s most distinguished religious thinkers, teachers, ministers, and counselors.”  Her groundbreaking and widely used book Sexuality and the Black Church: A Womanist Perspective (1999) was the first to address the issue of homophobia within the black church community.  Dr. Douglas has been a pioneering and highly sought after voice in regard to addressing sexual issues in relation to the black religious community. She has been very active in advocating equal rights for LGBT persons.Her latest book, Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God (2015) examines the challenges of a “Stand Your Ground” culture for the Black Church and all black bodies.  Other books include The Black Christ (1994), What’s Faith Got to Do With It?:Black Bodies/Christian Souls (2005),and Black Bodies and the Black Church: A Blues Slant (2012). Dr. Douglas is also the co-editor of Sexuality and the Sacred: Sources for Theological Reflection (2010).Douglas is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Denison where she earned a bachelor of science summa cum laude in psychology.  She went on to earn a master of divinity and a doctoral degree in systematic theology from Union Theological Seminary (New York City). Rev. Douglas was ordained at Ohio’s St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in 1985. She received the Anna Julia Cooper Award by the Union of Black Episcopalians (July 2012) for “her literary boldness and leadership in the development of a womanist theology and discussing the complexities of Christian faith in African-American contexts.”Rev. Douglas was an Associate Priest at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. for over 20 years.  She currently serves at the Washington National Cathedral.
Contemplating the Christ Child for Imagining a Christian Educational Vision that Liberates Children
Authors: Pang Alfred
Published: September 2021

As theological educators, how are we responding to the death and suffering of the world’s children caused by human agency? Are we moved beyond anguish to be indignant at the various forms of injustice committed against children? To what extent has theology made room for children as its subject in today’s troubled world? This paper considers how the Christ Child, as a focus of contemplation, can be formative in shaping our theological, moral, and pedagogical imagination for children’s liberation. It retrieves and interprets the significance of the Christ Child in John Baptist De La Salle’s Explanation of the Method of Interior Prayer and his Meditations, arguing for their contemporary relevance in nourishing a Christian educational vision that makes room for the rights of children to be taken seriously.
The Groaning of Creation: Expanding our Eschatological Imagination Through the Paschal Mystery
Authors: King Chelsea
Published: September 2021

One of the most difficult challenges facing belief in the Christian God is the problem of evil. How can there be a benevolent, omniscient, and omnipotent God, who allows pain, suffering and death in the world? Various theodicies have been constructed to address this question, and historically theologians have pointed to the Fall to explain such pain and suffering. However, theology in a post-evolutionary context is faced with a new challenge; the problem of pain and suffering is amplified by the millions of years of suffering and pain that have occurred before the advent of human beings.  Today, the theologian must wrestle with the claim that pain, suffering, and death not only precedes human beings, but are in fact instruments in the very process of creation itself.