bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implementing Public Programs: Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Administrative Policy Options
Authors: Davis Charles E. , West Jonathan P.
Published: July 2017

An increasingly controversial area within the realm of governmental hiring policies lies in the distinction between the passive or colorblind approach to equal employment opportunity and the results-based orientation more commonly associated with affirmative action programs. A national survey of urban personnel managers revealed a marked tendency to prefer policies perceived to be less compensatory toward protected classes and more compatible with merit norms. The authors conclude that the EEO bias characteristic of most city officials coupled with the staffing and personnel management philosophy of the Reagan Administration does not augur well for the future of affirmative action program implementation.
The Declining Salience of Affirmative Action in Federal Personnel Management
Authors: Rosenbloom David H.
Published: July 2017

The salience of affirmative action in federal personnel management will decline in the 1980s as a result of: (1) the failure of affirmative action to win a strong national consensus in its favor, which will reduce the organizational coherence and political integrity of affirmative action programs; (2) a continuing constitutional stalemate that makes it risky to pursue proactive affirmative action in the public sector with much forcefulness; and (3) the rise of new concerns in public personnel management, such as executive leadership, retrenchment, and productivity. However, the decline of affirmative action need not be equated with a reduction in progress toward the achievement of EEO and a socially representative public workforce.
Evaluating Affirmative Action Programs: A Case Study
Authors: O'Sullivan Elizabethann , Stewart Debra W.
Published: July 2017

This article describes an evaluation conducted on a single affirmative action training program. It demonstrates the type of information an evaluation contains, alerts readers to the possibility for evaluation in their own organization, and raises questions regarding whether training programs designed to change attitudes are sufficient if behavioral change is needed.
Update on Infographics in American Newspapers
Authors: Utt Sandra H. , Pasternak Steve
Published: July 2017

This survey of graphics editors shows that infographics are being used slightly less than five years earlier, but they are being edited more.
Computer Adoption Levels of Iowa Dailies and Weeklies
Authors: Niebauer Walter E. , Abbott Eric , Corbin Lorena , Neibergall John
Published: July 2017

Large Iowa dailies have reached a computer adoption level of 50 percent in all but one of 27 areas. Small dailies have adopted computers for most uses, while weeklies lag in production and business uses.
Vietnam Comparisons Spike with U.S. Fatalities in Iraq
Authors: Hayden Joe
Published: July 2017

This study showed that papers reporting Iraq mentioned Vietnam at precisely the same time—when U.S. soldiers died or when prominent civilians debated the military's progress and credibility.
Black Newspapers in 1968 Offer Panthers Little Support
Authors: Thornton Brian , Cassidy William P.
Published: July 2017

This study of editorials and letters to the editor published in 11 U.S. black newspapers shows that the Black Panthers were largely repudiated in these papers, especially in the South.
U of Florida Students Prefer Campus Paper to Free Daily
Authors: Collins Steve J. , Armstrong Cory L.
Published: July 2017

After the Gainesville Sun introduced a free campus version of its daily to the students at Florida, a survey found that more students read the Independent Florida Alligator at least four days a week than read the Sun even once a week.
College Newspaper Staffing Fails to Reach Racial Parity
Authors: Hardin Marie , Sims Ashley
Published: July 2017

This study found that most college dailies are not close to racial parity with their campus populations. Parity is less problematic in relationship in gender, although men and women are represented in sterotypical ways in key positions.
Copy Editing Not Great Priority for Online Stories
Authors: Russial John
Published: July 2017

Responses from 155 U.S. newspapers revealed about half always copy edit their online stories. More than 15 percent reported they never copy edit, among them 25 percent with more than 100,000 circulation.
Benefits Dominate Coverage of Vision Corrective Surgery
Authors: Kang Seok
Published: July 2017

Findings of a content analysis of news stories about vision corrective surgery showed writers sought patients' opinions about the benefits of surgery and that surgeons were the most frequently used source.
Papers Endorse Republicans in Nearly 60 Percent of Races
Authors: Ludwig Mark D.
Published: July 2017

This analysis of daily U.S. newspapers found that they were conservative in their editorial endorsements and that publicly owned newspapers endorsed Republicans 63 percent of the time.
Journalists Provide Social Context Missing from Sports Blogs
Authors: Hardin Marie , Ash Erin
Published: July 2017

This research confirms that sports journalists are much more likely than bloggers to put their stories/columns into a wider social context and more likely to give background information as well as explain future implications, even as sports fans increasingly turn to blogs.
Article Recall, Credibility Lower with Grammar Errors
Authors: Appelman Alyssa , Bolls Paul
Published: July 2017

This study examines the effects of grammatical errors on the credibility of news stories and the amount of time and effort required to read them. Such errors increase reading difficulty and lower readers' perception of credibility as well as what they can recall..
Few Top Editors Blog about News Decisions
Authors: Lewis Norman P. , Neely Jeffrey , Gao Fangfang
Published: July 2017

While many journalists urge the use of online blogs to disclose how news decisions are made as a means to enhance credibility, this analysis of 280 newspaper websites finds that only 39 have a top editor who blogs and only a few ever discuss news decisions.
The Public's View of Newspaper Accountability
Authors: Bernstein James M.
Published: July 2017

How does a newspaper audience that is regularly exposed to an ombudsman program and a news criticism column perceive the newspapers' accountability? A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted with 393 respondents in Louisville, Ky, where newspapers have both features. The findings supported the expectation that those with higher awareness of the ombudsman have higher perceptions of newspaper accountability. There was no support for the idea that more frequent column readership would be linked to higher perceptions of accountability. The findings may be connected to the promotion of the ombudsman program by the newspapers.
The Impact of Newspaper Endorsements
Authors: Rystrom Kenneth
Published: July 2017

Endorsements in 51 California newspapers and corresponding election returns for a 10-year period were studied. While overall impact on voters remained minimal, endorsement editorials appear to have produced the greatest effect on primary election measures and on the least controversial issues. Small and independently owned papers seemed to influence readers more than larger and group-owned papers. Editorials that opposed public-benefit measures appeared to carry more weight than those in support. Endorsements had the least effect on candidate races and non-economic, ideological issues.
Newspaper Readership as a Determinant of Political Knowledge and Activity
Authors: Smith Hampden H.
Published: July 2017

Using data from 1972, 1976 and 1980 national election surveys, the study supports previous research showing newspaper readership relates strongly to both political knowledge and activity. Although there is a strong relationship for newspaper readership, there is none for viewing political news on television. Finally, the strong relationship between newspaper readership and political participation remains at different levels of social class and education.
Newspapers vs. Broadcast: A Comparison of Media Sales Performance
Authors: Stout Daniel A.
Published: July 2017

Newspapers are compared with radio and television stations to determine the print medium's ability to influence national advertising decisions. Outcomes of responses to a complex media problem from an advertising agency, suggest newspapers are becoming more aggressive marketers. Analysis of a media decisions model shows that newspapers are familiar with the complex media terminology advertisers often demand, and are also adept in their ability to persuade through graphic appeals in printed sales material.
How Proximity, Circulation and Geographical Distribution Influenced Coverage of Miami's Overtown Disturbance
Authors: Shapiro Mitchell E. , Schofield Lemuel B.
Published: July 2017

Two dailies in the same city, the Miami Herald and the News, with widely differing circulations and geographical distributions, were analyzed to determine differences in coverage of a local civil disturbance: rioting in the Overtown community following the fatal shooting of a black by a Miami police officer. The larger Miami Herald devoted proportionately less space to the incident and less front-page space than did the News. However, the Herald had a higher percentage of background information in its coverage. The Herald did improve its civil disturbance reportage in this 1982–83 incident compared with a previous event in 1980.
Commentary: The Free and Not-So-Free Press of Latin America and the Caribbean (Report No. 3)
Authors: Garrison Bruce , Munoz Julio E.
Published: July 2017

The authors present an overview of the state of freedom of the press in Latin America and the Caribbean, together with recent incedents of problems for journalists. A country-by-country synopsis is offered with some recommendations for easing the tensions between governments and the press.
No Rest-in-Peace for Readers after PM's Demise
Authors: Stone Gerald C.
Published: July 2017

A three-wave panel study of some 900 former subscribers tracked changes in mass media use habits after an afternoon daily ceased publication in 1983. The demise left its sister morning paper the city's only daily. Former PM subscribers were expected to turn to the AM paper for news and information, or to rely more on substitute print media news sources. Instead, changes resulted in a state of media use anomoly for nearly one-third of the former PM's subscribers. Changes in use are provided for each mass medium. Possible explanations and implications for the newspaper industry are discussed.
Subject Perception of Newspaper Characteristics Based on Front Page Design
Authors: Pasternack Steve , Utt Sandra H.
Published: July 2017

Perceptions by college students of a newspaper's front page design characteristics were analyzed. The study included separately owned, broadsheet newspapers of at least 100,000 circulation in 10 U.S. cities. Findings were: 1) respondents gave moderate to good ratings to most of the newspapers on most of the dimensions; 2) three pairs of newspapers were significantly different on the colorful/drab dimension; 3) in two pairs of newspapers, the more traditionally designed paper was more closely associated with hard news; and 4) modern-format newspapers received higher overall quality scores than papers with more traditional designs.
Antitrust in the 1980s: An Analysis of 45 Newspaper Actions
Authors: Busterna John C.
Published: July 2017

This study examines recent antitrust actions to determine patterns of activities. Results show an absence of federal government enforcement of antitrust law and that most actions involved disputes over advertising practices.
Competing in the Suburbs: A Research Review of Intercity Newspaper Competition
Authors: Lacy Stephen
Published: July 2017

The article reviews 20 years of research on intercity newspaper competition to offer generalizations about the structure of the competitive enviornment and its effect on the industry and readers.
Prospective Reporters Face Writing/Editing Tests at Many Dailies
Authors: Gwin Louis
Published: July 2017

This national study confirms a documented trend that daily newspapers are using writing and editing tests to evaluate prospective reporters. It finds that nearly 45% of responding newspapers administer such tests and that the likelihood of testing decreases as circulation size increases. Those managing editors who do test, consider test results a key factor in reaching a hiring decision on both experienced and inexperienced candidates for reporting jobs.
The Common Law of Access to Governmental Records
Authors: Hughes Robert L.
Published: July 2017

Common law may provide access to records in situations where statutory law does not.
British Weeklies Fight for Readers' Loyalty in Changing Communities
Authors: Ray Garrett W.
Published: July 2017

Editors of local weeklies in Britain are struggling with residents' fragmented interests and declining loyalties to the community and the local newspaper. They are turning increasingly to “public journalism” and niche marketing while continuing to emphasize detailed coverage of local events and people.
Protecting 1st Amendment?: Newspaper Coverage of Hate Speech
Authors: Miller M. Mark , Andsager Julie
Published: July 2017

Hate speech tends to be covered as a campus issue with emphasis on speech codes, events and absence of discussion of First Amendment implications.
City Characteristics and Coverage of China's Bid to Host the Olympics
Authors: Pollock John C. , Kreuer Beverly , Ouano Eric
Published: July 2017

Coverage of China's bid to host the 2000 Olympics was negative overall. Newspapers in communities with higher education levels, more professional people, more Asian Americans and more avid readers were less favorable in coverage.
L.A. Times Coverage of Korean Americans before, after 1992 Riots
Authors: Ban Hyun , Adams R.C.
Published: July 2017

Though Times' efforts to cover more varied aspects of the Korean American community more frequently were successful, Korean Americans' image in the newspaper did not significantly improve after the riots.
Relational Privacy Cases and Freedom of Information
Authors: Bunker Matthew D. , Splichal Sigman L.
Published: July 2017

Study finds that if relational privacy reasoning is taken to its logical conclusion, access would be curtailed to a broad range of information related to deceased persons that has traditionally been available under federal and state access laws.
Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting Management in the Cosmetic Surgery Patient: A Review
Authors: Radonich Michael A. , Echt Audrey F. , Swensen Richard D. , Zaher Mona , Bisaccia Emil , Scarborough Dwight
Published: July 2017

A thorough overview of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is presented. It is a relatively common surgical complication that ought to be of particular importance to cosmetic surgeons performing elective procedures, as PONV may lead to more serious complications as well as patient dissatisfaction unrelated to the surgical outcome of the procedure. Understanding the terminology, physiology, and risk factors involved make it possible for the clinician to select appropriate measures in management of this not insignificant surgical complication.
Blepharoptosis Treatment Options during Upper Eyelid Cosmetic Blepharoplasty
Authors: Rose John G. , Lemke Bradley N. , Dresner Steven C. , Lucarelli Mark J.
Published: July 2017

Introduction:

To describe surgical techniques of blepharoptosis treatment during upper eyelid cosmetic blepharoplasty.

Materials and Methods:

All patients underwent a preoperative evaluation, including eyelid position measurements, visual field testing, and, where appropriate, phenylephrine testing. Standard upper eyelid blepharoplasty skin/orbicularis excision was performed, exposing the orbital septum. External levator repair was then performed through an 8-mm incision in the orbital septum. In other patients, internal ptosis repair was performed transconjunctivally following upper eyelid blepharoplasty.

Results:

Ptosis repair methodologies of internal versus external approaches are compared and contrasted.

Discussion:

Combining ptosis repair with cosmetic blepharoplasty is a safe, effective treatment for patients who demonstrate both dermatochalasis and ptosis.
A Minimally Invasive Technique to Reduce Platysma Banding
Authors: Herron Joel Bain , Khan Azim J. , Bisaccia Emil , Scarborough Dwight A.
Published: July 2017

Introduction:

Senescent changes of the submandibular zone and neck contribute to an obtuse cervicomental angle, submental fullness, and platysma band formation. Many open techniques for repair of platysma bands have been described previously. Minimally invasive techniques early in the aging process are desirable interventions for rejuvenation with minimal risks and recovery. We describe a minimally invasive approach to correct platysma bands with a suture support sling in the submandibular sulcus.

Materials and Methods:

By modifying the typical liposuction of the neck and jowls to include superficial tunneling along the submandibular sulcus with a small cannula, an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (E-PTFE, trade name Gore-Tex) suture may be placed traversing from mastoid fascia to mastoid fascia.

Results:

Compression of the platysma bands is achieved with restoration of the cervicomental angle and a more youthful-appearing profile. Recovery is rapid with untoward effects minimized.

Discussion:

The described suture support sling is a minimally invasive option to the choices when approaching correction of platysma bands.
Autologous Fat Augmentation and Periorbital Laser Resurfacing Complicated by Abscess Formation
Authors: Obagi Suzan
Published: July 2017

Introduction:

There are many modalities for rejuvenation of the aging face, including rhytidectomy, soft tissue augmentation, and skin resurfacing. Skin resurfacing modalities for the treatment of rhytides include chemical peels, dermabrasion, and laser resurfacing. Complications of skin resurfacing include infection, prolonged erythema, and scar formation. Autologous fat augmentation used for soft tissue “rejuvenation” of the face has the advantages of having no allergic reactions or rejection. Complications include edema, ecchymoses, pain, nerve or blood vessel damage, infections, and rarely orbital or cerebral emboli. The author presents a case of an abscess formation of the lacrimal duct system in a patient with autologous fat augmentation and laser resurfacing preceded by tear-duct punctal plugs 1 week prior to surgery.

Materials and Methods:

An overall healthy 55-year-old female was seeking treatment of periorbital rhytides and mild dermatochalasis, prominent nasojugal creases, malar fat pad ptosis, prominent melolabial folds, and mild jowling. She underwent periorbital laser resurfacing, autologous fat augmentation (malar eminence, infraorbital region, melolabial folds), and liposuction of the jowls. One week prior to her surgery the patient had punctal tear duct plugs placed for the treatment of epiphora.

Results:

The patient developed unilateral facial pain and edema with subsequent abscess formation along the right infraorbital region. A CT-scan was obtained which showed soft tissue swelling without the presence of a retro-orbital cellulitis. The abscess was drained and antibiotic treatment administered. A diagnosis of dacryocystitis was made and upon dacryocystorhinostomy, a large dacryolith was discovered.

Discussion:

Although surgeons are aware of the complications associated with the procedures they perform, it is extremely important to keep in mind other surgeries that patients may have had elsewhere and the complications associated with them.
Pharmacare: Are we getting the right medicines?
Authors: Attara Gail
Published: July 2017

Canada is the only country in the world with a national healthcare plan that does not include drug coverage. Coverage of necessary medications is a patchwork of inconsistent programs that does not always serve the very individuals it was created to help—those patients who need prescribed medicines. Our system needs radical, intuitive changes.
Biological Testing of Dental Materials: Development of National and International Standards
Authors: Polyzois Gregory L. , Dahl Jon E. , Hensten-Pettersen Arne
Published: July 2017

Testing of dental materials helps to ensure that they are of satisfactory quality. Most standardized testing programs have focused on the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of the materials, and started at the National Bureau of Standards, USA, in 1919. The need for biological evaluation of dental materials became evident after some material-related adverse incidents. The first document concerning standardized testing of the biological properties of dental materials was published by the American Dental Association in 1972. During the last twenty-five years, increased attention has been focused on the evaluation of biological properties by standardized testing. The development of standards concerning biological testing of dental materials since 1972 at the national and international level is described.
The Advantages of Contract Sterilization
Authors: Dietz George R.
Published: July 2017

The concept of utilizing contract sterilization of medical devices. The advantages and disadvantages of utilizing contractors for the sterilization of disposable medical devices are presented, including the use of cobalt-60 gamma, electron beam, and ethylene oxide. A general update on the scope, activities, and capabilities of the contract sterilizer is included.
Sterilization of Chitosan: Implications
Authors: Rao S. Bhaskara , Sharma Chandra P.
Published: July 2017

Chitosan, a biopolysaccharide having structural characteristics similar to glycosaminoglycans, seems to be an ideal non-toxic and bioabsorbable biopolymer. This study highlights the effects of some physical and chemical methods of sterilization on chitosan films, in retaining the original tensile strength besides the efficacy of sterility and degree of hemolysis of the finished films.
Development of Artificial Skin (Template) and Influence of Different Types of Sterilization Procedures on Wound Healing Pattern in Rabbits and Guinea Pigs
Authors: Jayasree R. S. , Rathinam K. , Sharma Chandra P.
Published: July 2017

Different types of sterilization procedures have been applied onto artificial skin (Template) developed in our laboratory from polyetherurethane, chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol, etc. Studies have been performed to investigate the differences in the wound healing pattern. It appears that quickened wound healing takes place in the rabbit model despite different types of samples and sterilization methods.
Assessment of Pericardium in Cardiac Bioprostheses: A Review
Authors: Páez José María García , Jorge-Herrero Eduardo
Published: July 2017

Cardiac valve bioprostheses are assessed in terms of their present and future clinical utility. The problems concerning durability basically involve early failure due to tears in the valve leaflets and late failure mainly associated with calcification of the biological tissue. New strategies for selection and chemical treatment of the biomaterials employed are analyzed, and the available knowledge regarding their mechanical behavior is reviewed. It is concluded that the durability of these devices, and thus their successful use in the future, depends on the knowledge of the interactions among the different biomaterials of which they are composed, the development of new materials, and the engineering design applied in their construction.
Home and Career Development: A Life History of Elia Hill Swann, 1878-1961, with Implications for Counseling
Authors: Ziff Katherine K.
Published: July 2017

This study is based on a life history of a woman born in 1878 who, at the age of eighteen, left her farm home in an isolated rural area to make a life in an urban career. Her life history parallels and extends our understanding of the experience of modern day women who leave home for careers in distant areas. It is also an example of the experience of women of a rural diaspora. The results identify ways that home and memories of home can support women's career development over the lifespan. The qualitative data analyzed in this study leads to recognition of how home can support the launching as well as reinventing of a career by providing a source of strength for women who are far from home. In addition, a woman's home and reminiscence of home can provide a source of comfort and support during times of emotional or financial hardship. Women who are from outside the mainstream American urban/suburban culture, such as women whose homes are in rural or non-European American areas, need to be prepared for difficulties that can arise while becoming acculturated in a commercial, consumer culture. Finally, implications for counseling are discussed.
The Role of Stress and Negative Emotions in an Occupational Crisis
Authors: Hutri Merja , Lindeman Marjaana
Published: July 2017

The study examined how negative affects and exposure to various stressors are related to an occupational crisis. Two hundred and seventy-seven employees (53% women) from various occupations filled in the Occupational Crisis Scale, a stressor questionnaire, the Anger Expression Scale (measuring both suppressed and overt anger), Spielberger's Anxiety Inventory (measuring both state and trait anxiety) and Beck's Depression Inventory. The results showed that occupational crisis was a function of work overload, interpersonal problems and frustration at work, organizational changes, a threat of job loss, and/or family worries. In addition, occupational crises were typically experienced by women and were characterized more by trait anxiety, suppressed anger and depressive symptoms than by overtly expressed anger or state anxiety. Of the three female employee groups who were most vulnerable to the crisis, the group which had suffered from interpersonal problems and frustration at work displayed the most indices of the crisis.
Transitions in Leisure Careers and Their Parallels in Work Careers: The Effect of Constraints on Choice and Action
Authors: McQuarrie Fiona A. E. , Jackson Edgar L.
Published: July 2017

Careers are increasingly characterized by multiple jobs and employers, and thus the issue of transitions between career components and through career stages is of greater importance than in the past. Transitions have also been extensively studied in the context of "serious leisure." This paper uses findings from the literature on serious leisure and leisure constraints to develop propositions about the role of transitions in work careers and the effects that constraints have on transitions.
Imprisonment and Career Development: An Evaluation of a Guidance Programme for Job Finding
Authors: Filella-Guin Gemma , Blanch-Plana Angel
Published: July 2017

This study describes the evaluation results of PORO; a three level occupational guidance programme designed to improve offender's job finding possibilities and to reduce reoffending after imprisonment. The programme is carried out at a Catalan prison, and the evaluation approach used is Stufflebeam's CIPP model, considering the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of the programme. Evaluation outcomes and practical suggestions for career development applications addressed to prison populations are reported.
A Structural Model of Educational Aspirations
Authors: Garg Rashmi , Kauppi Carol , Lewko John , Urajnik Diana
Published: July 2017

The purpose of this study was to develop and test a model to predict educational aspirations of Canadian adolescents. Participants were a national sample of 4,034 students from grades 8-13 (2,037 males, 1,973 females). Results of a modified structural model included three sets of influences: a) a background factor comprised of parental occupation and education; b) a family involvement factor consisting of parental personal and school-based involvement with adolescents; and c) a personal factor with school marks, school and course perceptions, extracurricular reading and parental educational expectations as indicator measures. Educational aspirations was the main outcome variable. Results indicated that the personal factor had a strong direct influence on educational aspirations (β = 1.17, p <.001, R2= .76). The effects of the background and family involvement factors on educational aspirations were mediated through the personal factor. Additional analyses performed in order to test the relationships obtained in the model, revealed several significant interactions amongst the three predictor factors and educational aspirations. The findings emphasize the importance of efforts to enhance the educational aspirations of adolescents through targeted change of modifiable environmental and personal factors.
Career Problem Assessment: A Conceptual Schema for Counselor Training
Authors: Busacca Louis A.
Published: July 2017

Counseling students learn about various theories, models, and career assessment measures during their training. However, the transition to practicum and internship often challenges students to decide on when to apply career theories and measures to specific problems. An assessment schema is proposed to assist counselor trainees with a systematic approach to conceptualizing a client's career problem. With this assessment schema, counselor educators can help trainees organize data into meaningful categories, reduce conceptual confusion, and engage students in the study of careers.
How Can a Career Counselor Work with a Whistleblower?
Authors: Johnson Roberta Ann , Chope Robert C.
Published: July 2017

Principles for counseling potential whistleblowers are presented along with two sample cases to assist career counselors in advising their clients. The article provides information on relevant laws, difficult choices, and the working alliance that must be developed with a potential whistleblower. A checklist of questions to guide the client in their decision-making is provided as well as a table of options.
Despite the Best Intentions: Inconsistencies Among Components in Kentucky's Systemic Reform
Authors: Guskey Thomas R. , Oldham Ben R.
Published: July 2017

Comprehensive education reforms are crafted by legislators and policy makers to address multiple aspects of the public education system. Although individual components of such initiatives may appear promising, little thought typically is given to inconsistencies that may result from implementing multiple reform components simultaneously. This article describes some of the unintended consequences that have come about as a result of inconsistencies between and within components in Kentucky's systemic education reform. It is argued that policy makers must give serious attention to these inconsistencies and their consequences for modern reform efforts to succeed in bringing about the improvements for which they are intended.
Women and the Meaning of Suffering
Authors: Confoy Maryanne
Published: July 2017

This study proposes that the experience of suffering is an integral aspect of women's experience of being human. When women minister, it is frequently within the framework of the experience of personally dealing with birth- and death-related aspects of suffering, or in caring for those who are experiencing pain in one form or another. Key understandings from women writers offer a means for the development of a contemporary Christian ministerial response to the experience of suffering. The essay concludes with reflections upon the place of suffering in relation to the mission of the Church.
Dialectical Approaches to Retrieving God after Heidegger: Premises and Consequences (Lacoste and Marion)
Authors: Bloechl Jeffrey
Published: July 2017

Contemporary European continental thought about God and faith has long struggled with the rise of secularity, whether as a cultural phenomenon or dimension of human nature. This essay outlines and questions a recent variant of that exercise which defines itself especially by a dialogue with the philosophy of Martin Heidegger. This approach first concedes that Heidegger's meditations on the “ontological difference” between being and beings furnishes the basis for an apt description of secular existence, but then attempts to reinstate a more radical conception of God “without being” (J. -L. Marion) and human existence anterior to the field of being (J. -Y. Lacoste). Such an approach raises a number of questions asking for further clarification but perhaps also indicating a different response to the phenomenon of secularity, even as supported by Heideggerian thought. This essay thus profiles the positions of Marion and Lacoste primarily against the background of the Heideggerian thought they attempt to outflank, then enumerates some questions accruing to those positions along the way of sketching them, and finally draws those questions into a pointer toward a different post-Heideggerian approach to God and faith.
Living Away from Home - and Loving It: Tweaking a Christian Metaphor
Authors: Martis John
Published: July 2017

Motivated by recent world and local events, this article puts the case for rethinking the notions of “home” and “homing” in both their human and specifically Christian dimensions. The metaphor of “home” sustains subversion in two contexts: the philosophico-literary, and the spiritual-theological. In this light, both the “is” of common experience and the “ought” of the Gospel message provide a nuanced interpretation of “heading for home”. Taking this interpretation seriously allows us to celebrate “living away from home”, by drawing upon its values and energies while escaping its tyrannies.
Faith Seeking Fantasy: Tolkien on Fairy-Stories
Authors: Kelly Tony
Published: July 2017

This artide responds to the topical interest in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, now appearing in Peter Jackson's film trilogy. It presents and comments on Tolkien's “theology” of fairy-stories as it is to be found in a reflective essay he produced in the course of his writing the work concerned. After examining the various features of artistic fantasy, we reflect on the theological meaning of art, its relationship to the Gospel story, and its place in theological method and cultural communication.
To Liberate Theology: Pursuing Segundo's Project in an Australian Context
Authors: Wilcken John
Published: July 2017

This article discusses what Segundo means by “the liberation of theology” and considers his emphasis on the importance of the social sciences in the theological enterprise. It then reviews the four stages of Segundo's hermeneutical circle, using one of his examples, the work of James Cone. The model of a four-stage hermeneutical circle is then applied to four works by Aboriginal authors: Kevin Gilbert, Anne Pattel-Gray, Aileen Moreton Robinson and the Rainbow Spirit Elders. In each case a liberating process is seen as taking place; and in each case, at least to some extent, the stages of Segundo's circle can be discerned.
Exploring the Limits of Literal Exegesis: Augustine's Reading of Gen 1:26
Authors: Neil Bronwen
Published: July 2017

The author aims to examine Augustine's understanding of the literal and figurative approaches to interpreting scripture, using a single verse, Gen 1:26, as a lens to view his changing understanding of what “literal” meant over the course of thirty years of commentaries on the book of Genesis. In his earlier commentaries, he seeks to redeem the verse from the Manichaean charge of anthropomorphism by giving it an allegorical reading. Some years later, now ordained and on the road to being made a bishop, Augustine attempts a literal reading in the Incomplete Commentary on Genesis. In the complete Literal Commentary on Genesis 3.19, he furnishes a Trinitarian reading of “Let us make humankind to our image and likeness”. By the completion of his great manual on exegesis, De doctrina christiana, he displays a more complex attitude towards the interpretation of scripture: the reader has to determine whether a verse is meant literally or figuratively (or both).
Theologically Modified Genetics: Further Theological Reflections on the Practice of the New Genetics
Authors: Barns Ian
Published: July 2017

A recent suggestion that public responses to developments in agricultural biotechnology raise deeper theological questions indicates a need and an opportunity for Christians to articulate a theological vision that might constructively shape the nature and priorities of research in modern genetics. In this article I draw on a cultural-hermeneutical understanding of the practice of science and a Christologically grounded conception of imaging God in the created order to outline ways in which the practice of genetics could be revisioned within Christian communities: at the levels of mythos, world view, social practice and cultural reflection.
The Australian and New Zealand Protestant Churches in the Early Ecumenical Movement's Campaign for Global Order
Authors: Nurser John
Published: July 2017

This article records the involvement of a significant group of Australian and New Zealand leaders from the Protestant and Anglican churches in the development of a growing sense of Christian contribution to social order on an ecumenical basis in the decades spanning the Second World War. All had a background in the Student Christian Movement (SCM). The formation of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in 1938 led to the formation of national Councils of Churches, a practical consequence of which were ecumenical Campaigns for Christian Order (CCO) in New South Wales and New Zealand. Attendance at international gatherings such as the Princeton Round Table in July 1943 gave impetus to a growing sense of independence from Britain and a confidence to strike out in new directions that paralleled similar tendencies on the wider national level. In particular, Bishop Ernest Burgmann's friendship with Labor Party statesman, H. V. Evatt was involved in the significant contribution made by Australia to the formation of the United Nations in the early post-war years and to its Declaration on Human Rights.
Neoplatonism as a Framework for Christian Theology: Reconsidering the Trinitarian Ontology of Marius Victorinus
Authors: Haig Albert
Published: July 2017

This essay examines the Trinitarianism of Marius Victorinus in relation to the Neoplatonism of Plotinus and Porphyry, and to orthodox understandings of the doctrine. Victorinus always remained a consistent and thorough-going exponent of Neoplatonism. Victorinus' theory is not as far from Plotinus as it might seem; he has essentially the same ontology, but has characterised different components within that ontology as the second and third elements of his triad. Victorinus' doctrine of the Trinity differs from later orthodox formulations of the doctrine such as those found in Augustine and Boethius. He understood consubstantiality in quite different terms to later orthodoxy. His theology, nonetheless, is genuinely Trinitarian; it represents a form of “non-standard Trinitarianism”. Victorinus' theory paves the way for the articulation of Christian theology within a Neoplatonist framework, thus opening it to the possibilities inherent in this rich and mystical philosophical system.
History and Theology in Dialogue on the Trinity
Authors: Ormerod Neil
Published: July 2017

The relationship between historical studies and theological research is difficult and at times strained. How do we relate the output of armies of historical scholars to the work of systematic theology? The recent largely historical study by Lewis Ayres, Nicaea and its legacy: An approach to Fourth-Century Trinitarian Theology, raises fundamental questions about many assumptions operating within present day Trinitarian theology. The present article attempts to draw out some of the implications for current Trinitarian theology, things that systematicians may need to learn from these historical studies, while also suggesting there are some things historical studies may find benefit from in listening to theologians.
The Ancient Limits of Modern Religion: Perpetua, Augustine and the Construction of the Secular
Authors: McGowan Andrew
Published: July 2017

The martyr Perpetua's declaration, “I am a Christian”, is a point of departure for the invention of religion in the familiar sense of beliefs and practices chosen, rather than as the ritual and piety characteristic of, and universal in, ancient Mediterranean societies. By implication this means the appearance of the secular also. This study explores early Christian evidence from Perpetua and Tertullian and, after the Constantinian revolution, Augustine. This history of reflection on the relationship between belief and identity has interpretive significance for the changing character of religion, and of the secular, in Australian society today.
Displaced Peoples: Reflections from Late Antiquity on a Contemporary Crisis
Authors: Neil Bronwen , Allen Pauline
Published: July 2017

Episcopal letters offer valuable evidence concerning the widespread problem of population displacement in the fourth and fifth centuries, and more specifically on a subset of displaced persons, refugees and asylum-seekers. In a search for historical antecedents this article compares contemporary Australian approaches to refugees and asylum-seekers with the approaches of bishops in Late Antiquity. It offers two case studies of episcopal responses to displacement and individual displaced persons in that period, and concludes with some caveats and reflections upon future directions.
Saying the Right Word at the Right Hour: Dietrich Bonhoeffer on Reading the Signs of the Times
Authors: Lenehan Kevin
Published: July 2017

Bonhoeffer was convinced that the revelation of God in Christ can only be discerned in the here and now through practices of hearing the Word of God and of understanding the realities of the cultural and political context. The relationship between these two is reciprocal: by listening to the Word we learn to “see” reality as it is; and by “reading the signs of the times” we become attuned to the ways in which Christ is becoming present in the midst of that reality. This presence is mediated to us within our relations with those others to whom the Gospel leads us. This paper will trace this central motif through four successive contexts of Bonhoeffer's life, each marked by his encounter with a new other.
Dialogue: Drawn into the Life of the Trinity
Authors: McEvoy James Gerard
Published: July 2017

This article seeks to outline a theology of dialogue by asking what the key Christian doctrine of the revelation of God in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit can teach us about the nature of dialogue. As background to the explicitly theological exploration, questions from the field of the philosophy of language are addressed to indicate that human agency is inherently dialogical: that we necessarily find ourselves in dialogue with language, culture, society, and with what is ultimately valuable. The argument then turns to Jesus' ministry and the whole Christ event, assessing the dimensions of the dialogue into which Christians find themselves drawn. A final section shows that the task of discerning the contemporary significance of the Christ event is itself empowered by the Holy Spirit. In authentic dialogue, then, Christians find themselves caught up in the life of the Trinity.
Identity, Relevance and the Crucified God
Authors: Reid Duncan
Published: July 2017

The article begins by looking briefly at the identity-relevance dialectic in Moltmann's The Crucified God and the theological context that produced it. It then considers our current situation, very different from forty years ago, of a multi-religious Australia within a desecularised world. The article poses the question: how are Christians to maintain both identity and relevance, in this new context? The author considers the contribution of a recent article by Ulrike Link-Wieczorek, and draws the conclusion that Moltmann's identification of trinitarian thinking with the theology of the cross continues to be valid, and further, that this trinitarian theology of the cross constitutes the “true Christian universalism”. Both identity and relevance are best maintained by placing cross at the heart of our understanding of the Trinity, and the Trinity at the heart of what we say in conversations with adherents of other religious communities. The acknowledgement of the crucified God is an indispensible element in such conversations.
The Theological Convictions of the Basis of Union of the Uniting Church
Authors: Young Norman
Published: July 2017

This article offers a retrospective survey of the key theological convictions that shaped the Basis of Union of the Uniting Church in Australia. It argues that the theological foundations for Union consisted of the beliefs that unity was already the gift of God to the Church, that the Church's faith has priority over its ordering, and that authority is located supremely in Jesus Christ as the Church's Lord. The article explores the implications of these convictions for understandings of ministry and governance and suggests that they continue to be relevant as churches face today's ecumenical challenge.
Christ's Prophetic Anointing by the Spirit
Authors: Thornhill John
Published: July 2017

Our principal concern in this paper is to explore the manner in which an appreciation of prophetic mission “in the Spirit”, and the truth it is charged to express, can advance our understanding of the humanly articulated consciousness of Jesus. The divine truth conveyed by the prophets is a truth concerning human destiny with God; it is existential and practical, possessed by being lived out. Such was the truth that Jesus lived out and which shaped his articulated awareness.
South Africa Beyond Apartheid: En Route to the Promised Land
Authors: de Gruchy John W.
Published: July 2017

This article offers reflections on the political, ecclesial, and theological contexts of reform in South Africa, with particular reference to the dismantling of apartheid, the justification of violent struggle, white and black racism, and the theology of the land. Complete reconciliation is seen to rest on a restructuring of a society that is just and non-racial. Between the Exodus and the Promised Land lies the Wilderness journey. The Wilderness entails a period of trial and struggle through which we have to journey before we can arrive in the land for which we all hope and pray. How we cope with the experience of the Wilderness will determine whether or not we arrive in the Promised Land: it will also determine the kind of nation we will become.
Celebrating Colombus
Authors: Hamilton Andrew
Published: July 2017

In this article the various responses to the Centenary are discussed, paying particular attention to the approach developed by John Paul II and its reception within the churches of Central and Latin America. The implications of this programme of evangelisation for the rest of the world are also noted.
Chinese Culture and Christianity: Assessing the Agenda
Authors: Masson Michel
Published: July 2017

The article addresses three issues which it judges central to the encounter between Chinese culture and Christianity now. The first is the need for Christianity to address the full truth of its past in China and to decide whether it wishes to remain a minority culture or to engage Chinese culture more comprehensively. The second is the need to understand the growing acceptance of Christianity and in particular of the biblical narrative in contemporary China. And the third is the need to explore the universal significance of elements of Chinese culture and to ask what it might contribute to Western culture in general and Christianity in particular.
The Fathers on the Biblical Word
Authors: Hill Charles
Published: July 2017

Only now are we acknowledging neglect in our attention to the Fathers' understanding of Scripture. In overcoming this neglect, we are indebted to contemporary developments in biblical studies, anthropology and linguistic theory. But the lacuna is due also in part to the Fathers' own uncertainty as to whether in the Scriptures they were encountering a living Word or a derivative text with a life of its own, or even a history book or encyclopedia. We are led to ask, Does the Word still speak to us the scriptural text?