3,444 research outputs found
'Giving honour to the Spirit' : a critical analysis and evaluation of the doctrine of pneumatological union in the Trinitarian theology of Jonathan Edwards in dialogue with Karl Barth
No full textThe extent to which the 'honour' of the Spirit influenced the theology of
Jonathan Edwards is a hitherto underdeveloped theme. Against a backdrop of
Patristic thought and in dialogue with the theology of Karl Barth, evaluation is
made of pneumatological union in Edwards' Trinitarian theology as this centres
on the nature and inter-relatedness of the 'three unions' that characterize his
theology: the union of the three Persons of the Trinity, the union of the saints
with God, and the union of the divine and human natures of Christ.
Edwards' seeks to honour the Spirit as the mutual love of the Father for the Son
within his Augustinian, Lockean model of the immanent Trinity, and as 'Person'
in the economy. The challenges of doing so within the limits of this
psychological model of the Trinity are evaluated in dialogue with the
Cappadocian Fathers and Barth.
In a manner patterned after union in the Trinity, Edwards gave prominence to the
concept of the pneumatological union of the saints with God in Christ, in
fulfilment of the self-glorifying purpose of God in creation and redemption.
Edwards' experiential theology of conversion, and his elevation of subjective
sanctification by the Spirit over objective justification in Christ, for assurance, is
contrasted with Barth's greater emphases on the Christological union of God
with humanity and objective justification in Christ. Barth's more contemplative
approach is contrasted with the overly introspective spirituality of Edwards.
Edwards' view of the role of the Spirit in the hypostatic union of God with
humanity in Christ, which is reflective of the other unions, is also evaluated in
light of Patristic, Reformed-Puritan and Barthian thought on the nature of the
humanity Christ assumed, and the doctrine of the vicarious humanity of Christ. A
more emphatic incarnational emphasis may have saved Edwards' Spirit-
honouring spirituality from an anthropocentricity which is ironical given that the
glory of God is his ontic doxological concern
Seizures in 204 Comatose Children: Incidence and Outcome
No full textPurpose: Seizures are common in comatose children, but may be clinically subtle or only manifest on continuous electroencephalographic monitoring (cEEG); any association with outcome remains uncertain. Methods: cEEG (one to three channels) was performed for a median 42 h (range 2–630 h) in 204 unventilated and ventilated children aged 15 years (18 neonates, 61 infants) in coma with different aetiologies. Outcome at 1 month was independently determined and dichotomized for survivors into favourable (normal or moderate neurological handicap) and unfavourable (severe handicap or vegetative state). Results: Of the 204 patients, 110 had clinical seizures (CS) before cEEG commenced. During cEEG, 74 patients (36 %, 95 % confidence interval, 95 % CI, 32–41 %) had electroencephalographic seizures (ES), the majority without clinical accompaniment (non-convulsive seizures, NCS). CS occurred before NCS in 69 of the 204 patients; 5 ventilated with NCS had no CS observed. Death (93/204; 46 %) was independently predicted by admission Paediatric Index of Mortality (PIM; adjusted odds ratio, aOR, 1.027, 95 % CI 1.012–1.042; p 3 % fast, aOR 5.43, 95 % CI 1.90–15.6; excess slow with <3 % fast, aOR 8.71, 95 % CI 2.58–29.4; low amplitude, 10th centile <9 V, aOR 3.78, 95 % CI 1.23–11.7; and burst suppression, aOR 10.68, 95 % CI 2.31–49.4) compared with normal cEEG, as well as absence of CS at any time (aOR 2.38, 95 % CI 1.18–4.81). Unfavourable outcome (29/111 survivors; 26 %) was independently predicted by the presence of ES (aOR 15.4, 95 % CI 4.7–49.7) and PIM (aOR 1.036, 95 % CI 1.013–1.059). Conclusion: Seizures are common in comatose children, and are associated with an unfavourable outcome in survivors. cEEG allows the detection of subtle CS and NCS and is a prognostic tool.Version of Recor
When Are Chiasms Admissible as Evidence?
No full textSince John Welch’s discovery of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon in 1967, many critics have attempted to show how chiasmus appears in just about every type of literature, from Dr. Seuss to Strangite scripture. This article discusses the authors’ statistical admissibility tests to verify whether a chiasmus in a work shows strong evidence of intentionality by the original author. Their results indicate that certain passages in the Old Testament and in the Book of Mormon show deliberate chiasmus, while Strangite scripture, the Doctrine and Covenants, nursery rhymes, Dr. Seuss, and other works are not intentionally chiastic
Does Chiasmus Appear in the Book of Mormon by Chance?
No full textChiasmus is an inverted-parallel literary form that was employed by ancient Hebrew biblical writers, among others. An instance of this form, called a “chiasm,” presents two or more literary elements, and then restates them in reverse order. Short chiasms are not uncommon in literature. In some cases, the authors undoubtedly intended to use that form for literary effect (that is, by design); in other cases, the elements fell into that form without author intent (that is, by chance). In 1969, John W. Welch reported his discovery of many-element chiasms in the Book of Mormon,1 which Joseph Smith testified to have translated from plates written anciently by Hebrew descendants
Reviving the past : eighteenth-century evangelical interpretations of church history
No full textThis study addresses eighteenth-century English-speaking evangelicals' understandings of church history, through the lens of published attempts to represent preceding Christian centuries panoramically or comprehensively. Sources entail several short reflections on history emerging in the early years of the transatlantic Revival (1730s-1740s) and subsequent, more substantial efforts by evangelical leaders John Gillies, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, Joseph and Isaac Milner, and Thomas Haweis. Little scholarly analysis exists on these sources, aside from the renaissance of interest in recent decades in Edwards. This is surprising, considering the acknowledged prominence of history-writing in the eighteenth century and the influence attributed, then and now, to the works of authors such as Gibbon, Hume, and Robertson. The aim is, first, to elucidate each of the above evangelicals' interpretations of the Christian past, both in overview and according to what they said on a roster of particular historical events, people and movements, and then to consider shared and divergent aspects. These aspects range from points of detail to paradigmatic theological convictions. Secondarily, evangelical church histories are analyzed in relation to earlier Protestant as well as eighteenth-century 'enlightened' historiography, in part through attention to evangelical authors' explicit engagement with these currents. This contextualization assists in determining the unique qualities of evangelical interpretations. Is there, then, evidence of a characteristically 'evangelical' perspective on church history? An examination of this neglected area illumines patterns and particulars of evangelicals' historical thought, and these in turn communicate the self-perceptions and the defining features of evangelicalism itself. Findings support the primary contention that evangelical leaders made use of a dynamic pattern of revival and declension as a means of accounting for the full history of Christianity. Beyond displaying the central place of 'revival' for evangelicals, these church histories demonstrate evangelicalism‘s complex relationship—involving both receptivity and critique—with Protestant and Enlightenment currents of historical inquiry
Does the Current Account Matter?
No full textThe purpose of this paper is to investigate in detail the behavior of the current account in emerging economies, and in particular its role if any in financial crises. Models of current account behavior are reviewed, and a dynamic model of current account sustainability is developed. The empirical analysis is based on a massive data set that covers over 120 countries during more than 25 years. Important controversies related to the current account including the extent to which current account deficits help predict currency crises are also analyzed. Throughout the paper I am interested in analyzing whether there is evidence supporting the idea that there are costs involved in running 'very large' deficits. Moreover, I investigate the nature of these potential costs, including whether they are particularly high in the presence of other type of imbalances.
Conservation Return on Investment Analysis: A Review of Results, Methods, and New Directions
No full textConservation investments are increasingly evaluated on the basis of their return on investment (ROI). Conservation ROI analysis quantitatively measures the costs, benefits, and risks of investments so conservancies can rank or prioritize them. This paper surveys the existing conservation ROI and related literatures. We organize our synthesis around the way studies treat recurring, core elements of ROI, as a guide for practitioners and consumers of future ROI analyses. ROI analyses involve quantification of a consistent set of elements, including the definition and measurement of the conservation objective as well as identification of the relevant baselines, the type of conservation investments evaluated, and investment costs. We document the state of the art, note some open questions, and provide suggestions for future improvements in data and methods. We also describe ways ROI analysis can be extended to a broader suite of conservation outcomes than biodiversity conservation, which is the typical focus.return on investment, conservation planning, reserve site selection
Jonathan Edwards\u27 Interpretation of the Freedom of the Will in the Light of Thomistic Thought
No full textStated briefly, the problem of this thesis centers around Jonathan Edwards\u27 interpretation and meaning of freedom of the will and the contrast of this to the meaning employed by St. Thomas. Jonathan Edwards was a defender of the doctrines of John Calvin. His work, The Freedom of the Will, is directed to a defense of two particular Calvinistic doctrines, primarily the absolute sovereignty of the divine will and secondarily the predestination of man, by showing that freedom of the will is no~ incompatible with this absolute sovereignty and predestination. However, in the presentation of his defense, the author feels that the solutions to the conflicts and problems which necessarily arise in the discussion of such a difficult topic present considerable variation to views held by St. Thomas. It is the purpose of this thesis to analyze the solutions to these conflicts and problems and to indicate any differences that may be discovered between Edwards\u27 interpretation of the freedom of the will and that of St. Thomas.
It should be .noted that the original work of Jonathan Edwards bore the title: A careful and strict Enquiry into The modern prevailing Notions Of That FREEDOM OF WILL, Which is supposed to be essential To Moral Agency, Virtue and Vice, Reward and Punishment, Praise Blame. Since that time, the title has been considerably shortened so that the work has come to be known simply as the Freedom of the Will, and is often referred to, for brevity, simply as the Inquiry. Edwards\u27 work was written in 1754 and first published in that ea.me year in Boston by S. Kneeland. The text used in this paper is one edited by Paul Ramsey from this original edition.
One precautionary warning must be given. Because of the several changes that occur in a language over a long period of time, some one hundred to two hundred years in this case, the reader will note what appear to be errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation, not only in the works of Edwards himself, but also in related writing by subsequent authors. No attempt has been made by the author of this present work, to change any such apparent errors. Excerpts used have been quoted as they appeared in the works cited. Any structural changes that may have been made in the writings of Edwards were the doings of those who edited them.
In view of the brevity of such a work as this in contrast to the profundity and depth of the man, Jonathan Edwards, whose Freedom of the Will is the fulcrum of this paper, no consideration can be given to the personality behind the writings. Consequently, any criticisms or refutations that may occur are to be referred only to what Edwards said, as expressed in his writings and in the reviews of others, and in no way are to be interpreted as a defamation of his character. Jonathan Edwards was an upright man of firm belief and constant devotion and dedication to his cause. The present work is not a character analysis or investigation. It seeks only to illuminate what the man said and to view this in the ever-awing light of truth
Response to Earl Wunderli’s Critique of Alma 36 as an Extended Chiasm”
No full textIn his “Critique of Alma 36 as an Extended Chiasm,” Earl Wunderli argues that the chiastic structure of Alma 36, which was first published in 1969 by John W. Welch, was not in tended by the author of Alma 36. Wunderli also dismisses our recent statistical calculations, which indicate that the chiastic structure of Alma 36 is likely to be intentional. The purpose of this statement is to respond to Wunderli’s critique
The performance enhancement of multibeam adaptive base-station antennas for cellular land mobile radio systems
No full textThe problem of meeting the proliferating demands for mobile telephony within the confinement of the limited radio spectrum allocated to these services is addressed. A multiple-beam adaptive base-station antenna is proposed as a major system component in an attempt to solve this problem. The approach is demonstrated by employing an antenna array capable of resolving the angular distribution of the mobile users as seen at the base-station site, and then using this information to direct beams toward either lone mobiles, or groupings of mobiles, for both transmit and receive modes of operation. The energy associated with each mobile is thus confined within the addressed volume, greatly reducing the amount of cochannel interference experienced from and by neighboring cochannel cells. To ascertain the benefits of such an antenna, the conventional and proposed antenna systems are modeled in a typical mobile radio environment. For a given performance criterion, the theoretical results indicate that a significant increase in the spectral efficiency, or capacity, of the network is obtainable with the proposed antenn
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