title: Islam: A challenge to Christianity

authors: Pratt, Douglas

subjects: religion

abstract: The coming together of people of diverse religions to plan or reflect upon a common action or venture, and to consider, let alone engage in, an act of shared spiritual experience – such as interreligious prayer – is something comparatively novel and relatively rare. Yet the impetus for acts of inter-faith prayer, worship, or other liturgically shared acts, is increasing as more and more experiences of cross-religion engagement and dialogical encounter occur, and as communities encompassing religious diversity address issues in common, or respond to crises that affect all. In some corners of the globe this is already very much the case; for others it is only just emerging into view on the horizon of possibility. 

In this paper I explore the question of interreligious prayer arising from my involvement in a joint World Council of Churches and Vatican Study undertaken during the 1990s. The questions which lay behind this co-operative venture remain, of course, live ones today and require continual reflection and fresh thinking. When the natural human response is to pray, and the context of that response is multi-religious, what can we do together? How can we do it? Indeed, ought we to do it? And if we do, on what basis may we proceed? What justification can we give in respect of our own faith? What are the issues to be addressed? How, if at all, may they be resolved?

text: Islam: A challenge to Christianity The coming together of people of diverse religions to plan or reflect upon a common action or venture, and to consider, let alone engage in, an act of shared spiritual experience – such as interreligious prayer – is something comparatively novel and relatively rare. Yet the impetus for acts of inter-faith prayer, worship, or other liturgically shared acts, is increasing as more and more experiences of cross-religion engagement and dialogical encounter occur, and as communities encompassing religious diversity address issues in common, or respond to crises that affect all. In some corners of the globe this is already very much the case; for others it is only just emerging into view on the horizon of possibility. 

In this paper I explore the question of interreligious prayer arising from my involvement in a joint World Council of Churches and Vatican Study undertaken during the 1990s. The questions which lay behind this co-operative venture remain, of course, live ones today and require continual reflection and fresh thinking. When the natural human response is to pray, and the context of that response is multi-religious, what can we do together? How can we do it? Indeed, ought we to do it? And if we do, on what basis may we proceed? What justification can we give in respect of our own faith? What are the issues to be addressed? How, if at all, may they be resolved?

year: 2007-05

title: DNA repair in Antarctic bacteria - characterisation of two nuclease proteins from Antarctic dry valley metagenomes

authors: Stelzer, Ronja

subjects: Antarctica

abstract: DNA repair processes are crucial for the growth and survival of all organisms. This is especially true for organisms, that inhabit extreme habitats, like the Antarctic Dry Valleys. The Dry Valleys are one of the coldest and driest desert environments on Earth. The conditions in the Dry Valleys, including high levels of UV radiation, low temperatures, multiple daily freeze-thaw cycles, desiccation, and low nutrient levels, are highly damaging to the genomic DNA of the organisms inhabiting them. The Dry Valleys are dominated by microorganisms, which have a range of adaptations to survive in this extreme environment. Previous studies focus largely on the metabolic adaptation of Dry Valley inhabitants. In this thesis, the DNA repair machinery of bacteria in the Dry Valleys was examined to determine how organisms survive the DNA-damaging conditions.
Our understanding of DNA repair and replication in bacteria pathways is largely based on studies of isolated organisms and pathogens, which have been extensively studied. Methods such as metagenomic sequencing allow us to find novel proteins from currently unculturable organisms. In a search for novel DNA repair proteins in bacterial metagenomes from the Dry Valleys, two unique nuclease proteins were chosen for structural and biochemical characterisation. One of these nuclease proteins belongs to the currently uncharacterised protein domain UPF0102. This protein is distantly related to the archaeal Holliday junction resolvases and is a Type II restriction endonuclease type protein. The activity of DV-Hjc and the UPF0102 domain was characterised in vitro using biochemical assays and in vivo in E. coli knockout cells. Biochemical characterisation of the protein showed that the protein has strong binding affinity with double-stranded DNA substrates and Holliday-junction mimicking substrates. The structure of the protein was determined via X-ray crystallography at a resolution of 0.9 Å and structural features were related to its activity, revealing an extensive DNA binding surface and an active site similar to that of archaeal Holliday junction resolvases. The second nuclease characterised in this thesis is part of a unique nuclease-ligase fusion protein and belongs to the nuclease group of MBL-β-CASP proteins. The biochemical characterisation of the protein showed its ability to bind and cleave DNA, specific activity was observed with abasic site substrates.

text: DNA repair in Antarctic bacteria - characterisation of two nuclease proteins from Antarctic dry valley metagenomes DNA repair processes are crucial for the growth and survival of all organisms. This is especially true for organisms, that inhabit extreme habitats, like the Antarctic Dry Valleys. The Dry Valleys are one of the coldest and driest desert environments on Earth. The conditions in the Dry Valleys, including high levels of UV radiation, low temperatures, multiple daily freeze-thaw cycles, desiccation, and low nutrient levels, are highly damaging to the genomic DNA of the organisms inhabiting them. The Dry Valleys are dominated by microorganisms, which have a range of adaptations to survive in this extreme environment. Previous studies focus largely on the metabolic adaptation of Dry Valley inhabitants. In this thesis, the DNA repair machinery of bacteria in the Dry Valleys was examined to determine how organisms survive the DNA-damaging conditions.
Our understanding of DNA repair and replication in bacteria pathways is largely based on studies of isolated organisms and pathogens, which have been extensively studied. Methods such as metagenomic sequencing allow us to find novel proteins from currently unculturable organisms. In a search for novel DNA repair proteins in bacterial metagenomes from the Dry Valleys, two unique nuclease proteins were chosen for structural and biochemical characterisation. One of these nuclease proteins belongs to the currently uncharacterised protein domain UPF0102. This protein is distantly related to the archaeal Holliday junction resolvases and is a Type II restriction endonuclease type protein. The activity of DV-Hjc and the UPF0102 domain was characterised in vitro using biochemical assays and in vivo in E. coli knockout cells. Biochemical characterisation of the protein showed that the protein has strong binding affinity with double-stranded DNA substrates and Holliday-junction mimicking substrates. The structure of the protein was determined via X-ray crystallography at a resolution of 0.9 Å and structural features were related to its activity, revealing an extensive DNA binding surface and an active site similar to that of archaeal Holliday junction resolvases. The second nuclease characterised in this thesis is part of a unique nuclease-ligase fusion protein and belongs to the nuclease group of MBL-β-CASP proteins. The biochemical characterisation of the protein showed its ability to bind and cleave DNA, specific activity was observed with abasic site substrates.

year: 2024-12-09

title: Maori and mining at Te Aroha

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: Before the existence of gold was confirmed at Te Aroha, the Ngati Rahiri reserves were finally delineated. For long there had been rumours of gold, but prospecting was not permitted until 1880. Once Hone Werahiko found what might be a payable goldfield on Maori land, one could not be proclaimed until an agreement was reached with the landowners. To prevent confusion, and to be fair to Ngati Rahiri, it was decided to create a separate mining district. 
Members of Ngati Rahiri were divided over the terms of an agreement, with some (possibly prompted by Pakeha) demanding a bonus of £1,000. Rangatira who had received income from the Thames field ignored this demand and agreed to open their land in the expectation of receiving a steady supply of money from mining plus timber cutting rights and residence and business site licenses. Mokena Hou was especially supportive of prospecting and opening his land, and had a township, known as Morgantown, surveyed (his daughter Ema, wife of George Lipsey, owned the adjacent Lipseytown). The agreement specified all the fees to be paid, and permitted Maori to withdraw their land from the goldfield.
Right up to opening day, demands were made for a bonus, but the opening went smoothly, with Mokena and another rangatira participating in the ceremony and many Maori marking out claims. Maori from many hapu were shareholders in all parts of the goldfield, and some actively worked their claims, usually guided by an experienced Pakeha miner. Encouraged by the Te Aroha rush, some Maori prospected elsewhere.
Revenue from the new field soon declined as it faded, prompting complaints and officials requiring all those working on Maori land to hold a miner’s right. Although most Ngati Rahiri did not benefit, the Mokena family most certainly did, and treated the revenue they received as their own personal income.

text: Maori and mining at Te Aroha Before the existence of gold was confirmed at Te Aroha, the Ngati Rahiri reserves were finally delineated. For long there had been rumours of gold, but prospecting was not permitted until 1880. Once Hone Werahiko found what might be a payable goldfield on Maori land, one could not be proclaimed until an agreement was reached with the landowners. To prevent confusion, and to be fair to Ngati Rahiri, it was decided to create a separate mining district. 
Members of Ngati Rahiri were divided over the terms of an agreement, with some (possibly prompted by Pakeha) demanding a bonus of £1,000. Rangatira who had received income from the Thames field ignored this demand and agreed to open their land in the expectation of receiving a steady supply of money from mining plus timber cutting rights and residence and business site licenses. Mokena Hou was especially supportive of prospecting and opening his land, and had a township, known as Morgantown, surveyed (his daughter Ema, wife of George Lipsey, owned the adjacent Lipseytown). The agreement specified all the fees to be paid, and permitted Maori to withdraw their land from the goldfield.
Right up to opening day, demands were made for a bonus, but the opening went smoothly, with Mokena and another rangatira participating in the ceremony and many Maori marking out claims. Maori from many hapu were shareholders in all parts of the goldfield, and some actively worked their claims, usually guided by an experienced Pakeha miner. Encouraged by the Te Aroha rush, some Maori prospected elsewhere.
Revenue from the new field soon declined as it faded, prompting complaints and officials requiring all those working on Maori land to hold a miner’s right. Although most Ngati Rahiri did not benefit, the Mokena family most certainly did, and treated the revenue they received as their own personal income.

year: 2016