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The Commander of Yahweh's host (Josh 5:13–15): angels as executors of God's judgement and war
No full textYahweh, God of Israel, is the Most High King of gods and peoples. He delegates authority to celestial servants so they can work his will and govern his creation (Deut 32:8–9). Some of those heavenly beings do not do what Yahweh desires: instead, they champion injustice, oppression, and wickedness (Ps 82). As a result, there are times when God's people face abuse, maltreatment, and war from the nations around them and the patron deities of those groups. The whole earth is thrown off-balance by this wickedness. However, Yahweh of hosts will not permit injustice to remain unchallenged. As the absolute sovereign over creation and God of the gods, he tasks his faithful angelic servants with waging war against rebellious spiritual beings, presumptuous kings, and wayward nations (Dan 4; 10–12; Josh 22:22; 2 Sam 24 // 1 Chr 21, etc.).
In this thesis, I will examine Old Testament depictions of King Yahweh's angelic warriors, including commanders who lead armies and govern people groups (Josh 5:13–15; Dan 10–12); chariots and horses of fire, piloted by angelic warriors (2 Kgs 6:17–18; Ps 68); destroying angels, pestilence, plague, and even the astral bodies (which represent the gods) who accompany Yahweh in battle. At times, God prevents these celestial warriors and executioners from harming the faithful (Exod 12:23; 2 Sam 24:16–17 // 1 Chr 21:14–16; Hab 3:5–11; Ps 78:49; 91:6; 121:6–7). At other times, the heavenly army wreaks havoc upon humans who oppose Israel while remaining unseen by their enemies (Judg 6:14–16; 7:7–25; 2 Sam 5:22–25; 2 Kgs 7:5–7; 19:35; 2 Chr 32:21).
Whether visible or hidden, the existence of Yahweh's heavenly army with its officers and loyal warrior angels should inspire the faithful in every trial: no matter what wicked god and systematic oppression is temporarily allowed to exert its influence, Yahweh is still King and no force on earth, in heaven, or beneath the earth can long oppose him. Justice will come, the wicked gods will be overthrown, and Most High God will use his angelic warriors to make it so
Bird communities as indicators of the conservation value of old forests in Nova Scotia
No full textI aimed to shed light on the conservation value of Nova Scotian forests by studying bird communities and species of conservation concern within these ecosystems. The first chapter of the thesis compares the conservation value of three different old forest habitat types (floodplain swamps, treed swamps, and upland). The second chapter focuses on three different upland forest maturity classes (Maturity 1: 40-80 years old; Maturity 2: 80-125 years old; and Old: > 125 years old). My objective was to determine whether conservation value differed among these forest classifications based on their bird communities. Chapter 1 suggested that old forested wetlands had a higher conservation value than did old upland forests. In Chapter 2, I found no differences between the conservation value of upland forests of different maturity classes. Overall, this study suggests that bird communities are influenced by the habitat structure rather than the maturity of the breeding sites
Sport specialization in disability sport: a retrospective narrative approach
No full textSport specialization is becoming more widespread among youth despite growing evidence surrounding the associated physiological and psychosocial health risks including injury, burnout, and excessive psychological stress. To date, the peer-reviewed literature regarding sport specialization is based entirely on able-bodied participants in able-bodied sport. Examining sport specialization in parasport will contribute to the sport specialization literature with a goal to improve the sporting experiences for those with a physical disability. This project used a retrospective narrative approach to better understand the developmental experiences of athletes with a physical disability as they specialized in parasport. Ten participants completed a short demographic survey and took part in semi-structured interviews to better understand their developmental experiences and to understand what sport specialization looks and feels like in parasport. Interview data were transcribed verbatim by the primary researcher and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings from this study reinforce the current literature regarding the developmental experiences and barriers faced by para-athletes, while offering valuable insight on the sport specialization process and trajectory of parasport athletes. The sections of pre-parasport experiences, navigating disability through parasport participation, barriers, entrance into parasport, structural factors of parasport teams, sport specialization, and high-performance parasport athletes were considered important for understanding the developmental experiences of athletes with a physical disability as they specialize in parasport. The results suggest that the specialization process of parasport athletes is often fast-tracked and forced due to limited programming, and for some athletes there is a body composition barrier to multi-sport engagement. Moreover, the age of parasport specialization is very broad and it is impossible to set a specific age range for parasport specialization years
Petrology, tectonic setting, and critical element potential of the Park Spur pluton, Aspy terrane, Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia
No full textThe late Devonian Park Spur pluton (PSP) is located in the central Cape Breton Highlands, near the eastern margin of the Aspy terrane and its tectonic contact with the adjacent Bras d'Or terrane. This study was undertaken to determine the field relations and petrological characteristics of the PSP, including its potential for critical element mineralization, and to compare it to nearby plutons of similar age, the Black Brook Granitic Suite (BBGS) to the northeast and the Bothan Brook-West Branch North River pluton (BB-WBNRP) to the south. As a result of field mapping and petrological studies of about 40 samples, the shape of the PSP has been modified compared to published maps, and it has been divided into three units: medium-grained muscovite-biotite monzogranite which forms most of the pluton, finer-grained garnet-bearing muscovite monzogranite which occurs primarily in the northwestern tip, and protomylonitic monzogranite along the southern margin. Pegmatite and aplite dykes occur throughout the PSP, and pegmatite-aplite and monzogranite dykes occur in the adjacent Ordovician–Silurian Calumruadh Brook Formation. Most samples from the PSP contain 71–74% SiO2 but the fine-grained muscovite monzogranite is more evolved, with 74–75% SiO2. Chemical variations in the PSP can be explained by fractional crystallization involving K-feldspar, plagioclase, biotite, and accessory minerals. The PSP and BBGS are similar in texture, mineralogy, and chemistry and are likely comagmatic mesozonal plutons. The BB-WBNRP lacks muscovite and appears to represent a related but more evolved magma emplaced at a shallower depth. The plutons have chemical characteristics consistent with emplacement during subducted slab failure during the waning stages of the Acadian orogeny. They appear to lack direct evidence of critical element mineralization but display characteristics of fertile granites which have potential to have produced such mineralization
Heroism, fortune, and flyting: a comparative study of select classical, Norse, Arthurian medieval texts, and J.R.R. Tolkien
No full textThis thesis is a comparative study of myriad Pre-Modern texts, observing attitudes to heroism, Fortune, and flyting in select classical, Old Norse, and general medieval epic-heroic narratives. Each chapter observes contemporary misconceptions regarding heroism, heroic patterns, the fate of heroes, as well as different manipulations of the traditional heroic topoi. Against these misconceptions, I will argue that honour, glory, and prowess (regardless of contemporary conceptions about morality) are the genuine markers of heroic characterizations in epic-heroic literature. Although heroes ultimately die, and although many modern scholars consider such deaths to be indicative of the heroes' moral failures, the hero's Fate has nothing to do with condemnation. Rather, it is the heroes' choices and actions in response to what Fortune presents to them that demonstrate their heroic prowess. Moreover, while flyting reflects heroic prowess through verbal sparring, it also serves as a demonstration of heroism and a way of extending heroic prowess beyond a mere exhibition. The importance of these considerations is to show that modern attitudes to epic-heroic literature and epic heroes are either needlessly moralistic or based on misleading assumptions about the nature of this type of literature and its heroes. In contrast, I define heroism on the basis of the hero's winning of glory and honour through prowess; keeping oaths; and following through with honourable actions despite the potential threat posed by the odds, or the severity of the foe, or even by Fate
Does who you live with matter?: differences in relational and individual functioning by living arrangement during the COVID-19 pandemic
No full textTo date, research on the COVID-19 pandemic has failed to examine the differences in functioning by living arrangement. Therefore, the following thesis seeks to examine three research questions: 1) Are there differences in relationship functioning for those in different living arrangements (i.e., living alone, living with romantic partner, or living with romantic partner and children)? 2) Are there differences in personal functioning for those in different living arrangements? 3) Are the results from the first research questions moderated by relationship type (i.e., same-sex vs mixed-sex)? To examine these questions, 800 participants completed a study containing measures examining relationship functioning (e.g., relationship satisfaction and perceived closeness) and individual functioning (e.g., mental well-being) during the pandemic. Those living with their romantic partner reported better relationship functioning compared to other two living arrangements. There were no differences in individual functioning between living arrangements. In addition, results indicated no interactions between relationship type and living arrangement. Exploratory analyses removing the covariates included in the main analyses uncovered additional significant main effects and interactions between relationship type and living arrangement. Future research should seek to replicate the current findings with different methodology later in the pandemic or in future crisis
Exploring the effects of pheromone pre-exposure on pheromone production in the female tobacco budworm Heliothis virescens
No full textPheromone autodetection is the process in which female moths detect and respond to chemicals within their own sex pheromone blends. Detecting conspecific female sex pheromones could be advantageous in improving mating success through modifications of mating behaviour such as calling and spacing, or impact physiological changes such as pheromone production. The objective of this study was to determine if the expression of pheromone receptors and pheromone chemistry may be altered in the pheromone gland of female Heliothis virescens following pheromone pre-exposure. In an effort to examine the effects of pre-exposure, individual female H. virescens were subjected to their major pheromone component, (Z)11-16:Ald or the minor pheromone component (Z)9-14:Ald or to hexane as a control for the duration of 18-hours. Levels of both pheromone components (Z)9-14:Ald or (Z)11-16:Ald were decreased following pre-exposure to both compounds where the moths exposed to (Z)11-16:Ald had a significantly decreased amount of (Z)11-16:Ald compared to ones exposed to hexane. The percent decrease were 42 % of (Z)9-14:Ald and 52 % of (Z)11-16:Ald when exposed to (Z)9-14:Ald and 0.2 % of (Z)9-14:Ald and 55 % of (Z)11-16:Ald when exposed to (Z)11-16:Ald compared to hexane exposed individuals. The amount of sex pheromones produced were seen to go back to control levels with time passing after pre-exposure
An evaluation of biological sampling schemes for the Gaspereau River alewife stock: implications for mean body weight and exploitation studies
No full textStock assessments which include estimates of abundance or biomass, fishing mortality rates and biological reference points are used to provide a scientific basis for fisheries management. A key consideration when designing a field program for a stock assessment is ensuring that sampling is representative of the population being studied. A biological sampling method that accurately represents the characteristics of a stock is necessary to make management decisions, as a method with sampling biases could influence the calculated exploitation rate and exploitation status. For Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), mean body weight is an important biological characteristic that directly impacts the calculation of the exploitation rate, which is then used in determining the exploitation status of the stock. Alewife migrations are heavily structured, and it is important that the run structure is accounted for in the data with the use of an appropriate sampling scheme. In this study, I evaluated alternate sampling and data collection schemes that reduce the number of sampling days and how these changes in scheme affect the estimates of the mean body weight of the Gaspereau River Alewife stock. Four scenarios and sampling schemes were evaluated to determine how accurate each of the schemes were in comparison to the current full run sampling scheme. Biological characteristic data, including weight, were collected during the spawning migration as part of the annual stock assessment on the Gaspereau River. When alternate sampling schemes were applied to these data, significant differences were found in both the mean weight and exploitation rate of Alewife with the application of sampling schemes that employed large breaks in sampling. Sampling schemes with brief breaks in sampling showed no significant difference. Although some schemes produced significant differences in mean weight and exploitation rate, the effect on exploitation status was not significant enough to indicate a need for change in management action
Opening the door: to the possibility of changes in the CBAC with respect to homosexuality and same-sex relationships
No full textThis thesis explored the lives of people who self-identify as lesbian or gay, and who had been involved and intimately connected with a congregational fellowship of a Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada (hereafter known as CBAC) church. The study investigated the effects that the beliefs and attitudes of those particular churches towards same- sex relationships had on the lives of these individuals.
The qualitative research project, grounded in hermeneutical inquiry, supported by the work of Gadamer and Creswell, led to interviews of adult, Christian and lesbian or gay individuals. As well, focus groups from a variety of CBAC churches were interviewed in order to shed light on the attitude towards lesbians and gays prevalent in the respective churches. Furthermore, a wider study surveyed Baptist associations, conventions and unions in other regions of Canada, the USA, and United Kingdom, which shared similarities in culture and belief. Biblical research and scholarly contributions from Christian authors augmented the study.
A workbook was developed for use as a discussion starter within congregations. This can be found in Appendix E, with the goal that it will be used by the CBAC congregations to provide further education regarding same-sex relationships.
The author concluded that Christian scripture does not condemn homosexual relationships, and the commandment issued by Jesus must be honoured above all; love God and love your neighbour as yourself
Storied relationships: a narrative inquiry into trauma, attachment, and the school experience
No full textYoung people with histories of trauma and attachment disruption tend to have difficulties at school academically, behaviourally, and socially. Among youth in the foster care system, such difficulties are evident in comparatively fewer graduating from high school as contrasted with other students. Much in the research literature suggests that poorer outcomes for students with trauma and attachment injuries should be unsurprising, considering the effects of complex (or developmental) trauma and attachment injury on brain development and on learning. Using a narrative inquiry methodology, I employed a semi-structured interview to explore the educational experience of three people with backgrounds of trauma and attachment injury who had been taken into care as youth. All had graduated from high school and attended post secondary studies. Each identified emotionally available attachment figures who served to enhance their feeling of security and safety and who also supported their learning and navigation through the school environment. Analysis of the narratives affirms the importance, centrality, and sufficiency of relationship as a therapeutic/supportive focus for counsellors and educators. Implications for entry to practice and counsellor education are noted