title: Emerging evangelicals: An ethnographic study of a Christian community house in Tauranga, New Zealand

authors: Liddle, Esther

subjects: Christianity

abstract: Contemporary global evangelical Christianity, as exemplified by the Emerging Church movement, is a phenomenon which has many established and emergent trends.  This is a study of how the young Christian residents of the Upper Room community house in Tauranga, New Zealand, and their wider institutional and socio-religious contexts, think about and live out this new style of evangelical Christianity across a range of contexts.  This emergent religiosity differs markedly from what is typically thought to make up the evangelical style of Christianity, and is starting to take hold globally.  My investigation explores how the residents embody contemporary global evangelical trends including non-denominationalism, community, small groups, and relational discipling and outreach.  I investigate how these trends are of significance to the ways that the residents interact with one another, as well as others outside of the household.  This research contributes to anthropological research on evangelical Christianity, with this new style of evangelicalism only just beginning to be acknowledged within the field.  I also add to previous discussions in anthropology of the contemporary global evangelical aspects of megachurches and non-denominationalism.  I argue that evangelism is an internal and external process, with my inclusion of the discipling of Christians challenging analyses based only on evangelisation of non-Christians.

text: Emerging evangelicals: An ethnographic study of a Christian community house in Tauranga, New Zealand Contemporary global evangelical Christianity, as exemplified by the Emerging Church movement, is a phenomenon which has many established and emergent trends.  This is a study of how the young Christian residents of the Upper Room community house in Tauranga, New Zealand, and their wider institutional and socio-religious contexts, think about and live out this new style of evangelical Christianity across a range of contexts.  This emergent religiosity differs markedly from what is typically thought to make up the evangelical style of Christianity, and is starting to take hold globally.  My investigation explores how the residents embody contemporary global evangelical trends including non-denominationalism, community, small groups, and relational discipling and outreach.  I investigate how these trends are of significance to the ways that the residents interact with one another, as well as others outside of the household.  This research contributes to anthropological research on evangelical Christianity, with this new style of evangelicalism only just beginning to be acknowledged within the field.  I also add to previous discussions in anthropology of the contemporary global evangelical aspects of megachurches and non-denominationalism.  I argue that evangelism is an internal and external process, with my inclusion of the discipling of Christians challenging analyses based only on evangelisation of non-Christians.

year: 2021

title: Wiggle-match radiocarbon dating of the Taupo eruption

authors: Hogg, Alan G.

subjects: Taupo eruption

abstract: The Taupo eruption deposit is an isochronous marker bed that spans much of New Zealand’s North Island and pre-dates human arrival. Holdaway et al. (2018, Nature Comms 9, 4110) propose that the current Taupo eruption date is inaccurate and that the eruption occurred “…decades to two centuries…” after the published wiggle-match estimate of 232 ± 10 CE (2 s.d.) derived from a tanekaha (Phyllocladus trichomanoides) tree at the Pureora buried forest site (Hogg et al. 2012, The Holocene 22, 439-449). Holdaway et al. (2018) propose that trees growing at Pureora (and other near-source areas) that were killed and buried by the climactic ignimbrite event were affected by ¹⁴C-depleted (magmatic) CO₂. Holdaway et al.'s (2018) proposal utilises a wide range of published ¹⁴C data, but their work results in assertions that are implausible. Four parts to their hypothesis are considered here.

text: Wiggle-match radiocarbon dating of the Taupo eruption The Taupo eruption deposit is an isochronous marker bed that spans much of New Zealand’s North Island and pre-dates human arrival. Holdaway et al. (2018, Nature Comms 9, 4110) propose that the current Taupo eruption date is inaccurate and that the eruption occurred “…decades to two centuries…” after the published wiggle-match estimate of 232 ± 10 CE (2 s.d.) derived from a tanekaha (Phyllocladus trichomanoides) tree at the Pureora buried forest site (Hogg et al. 2012, The Holocene 22, 439-449). Holdaway et al. (2018) propose that trees growing at Pureora (and other near-source areas) that were killed and buried by the climactic ignimbrite event were affected by ¹⁴C-depleted (magmatic) CO₂. Holdaway et al.'s (2018) proposal utilises a wide range of published ¹⁴C data, but their work results in assertions that are implausible. Four parts to their hypothesis are considered here.

year: 2019

title: How do colorectal cancer patients rate their GP: a mixed methods study

authors: Blackmore, Tania Louise

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Background: New Zealand (NZ) has a high incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) and low rates of early diagnosis. With screening not yet nationwide, the majority of CRC is diagnosed through general practice. A good patient-general practitioner (GP) relationship can facilitate prompt diagnosis, but when there is a breakdown in this relationship, delays can occur. Delayed diagnosis of CRC in NZ receives a disproportionally high number of complaints directed against GPs, suggesting deficits in the patient-GP connection. We aimed to investigate patient-reported confidence and ratings of their GP following the diagnostic process. 
Methods: This study is a mixed methods analysis of responses to a structured questionnaire and free text comments from patients newly diagnosed with CRC in the Midland region of NZ. A total of 195 patients responded to the structured questionnaire, and 113 patients provided additional free text comments. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study population and chi square analysis determined the statistical significance of factors possibly linked to delay. Free text comments were analysed using a thematic framework. 
Results: Most participants rated their GP as ‘Very good/Good’ at communication with patients about their health conditions and involving them in decisions about their care, and 6.7% of participants rated their overall level of confidence and trust in their GP as ‘Not at all’. Age, gender, ethnicity and a longer diagnostic interval were associated with lower confidence and trust. Free text comments were grouped in to three themes: 1. GP Interpersonal skills; (communication, listening, taking patient symptoms seriously), 2. Technical competence; (speed of referral, misdiagnoses, lack of physical examination), and 3. Organisation of general practice care; (appointment length, getting an appointment, continuity of care). 
Conclusions: Māori, females, and younger participants were more likely to report low confidence and trust in their GP. Participants associate a poor diagnostic experience with deficits in the interpersonal and technical skills of their GP, and health system factors within general practice. Short appointment times, access to appointments and poor GP continuity are important components of how patients assess their experience and are particularly important to ensure equal access for Māori patients.

text: How do colorectal cancer patients rate their GP: a mixed methods study Background: New Zealand (NZ) has a high incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) and low rates of early diagnosis. With screening not yet nationwide, the majority of CRC is diagnosed through general practice. A good patient-general practitioner (GP) relationship can facilitate prompt diagnosis, but when there is a breakdown in this relationship, delays can occur. Delayed diagnosis of CRC in NZ receives a disproportionally high number of complaints directed against GPs, suggesting deficits in the patient-GP connection. We aimed to investigate patient-reported confidence and ratings of their GP following the diagnostic process. 
Methods: This study is a mixed methods analysis of responses to a structured questionnaire and free text comments from patients newly diagnosed with CRC in the Midland region of NZ. A total of 195 patients responded to the structured questionnaire, and 113 patients provided additional free text comments. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study population and chi square analysis determined the statistical significance of factors possibly linked to delay. Free text comments were analysed using a thematic framework. 
Results: Most participants rated their GP as ‘Very good/Good’ at communication with patients about their health conditions and involving them in decisions about their care, and 6.7% of participants rated their overall level of confidence and trust in their GP as ‘Not at all’. Age, gender, ethnicity and a longer diagnostic interval were associated with lower confidence and trust. Free text comments were grouped in to three themes: 1. GP Interpersonal skills; (communication, listening, taking patient symptoms seriously), 2. Technical competence; (speed of referral, misdiagnoses, lack of physical examination), and 3. Organisation of general practice care; (appointment length, getting an appointment, continuity of care). 
Conclusions: Māori, females, and younger participants were more likely to report low confidence and trust in their GP. Participants associate a poor diagnostic experience with deficits in the interpersonal and technical skills of their GP, and health system factors within general practice. Short appointment times, access to appointments and poor GP continuity are important components of how patients assess their experience and are particularly important to ensure equal access for Māori patients.

year: 2021-04-08