Blake and the Bible: Biblical Exegesis in the Work of William Blake

Abstract:  William Blake's biblical interpretation relied on allusive, imaginative and even prophetic modes. Here this is explored through his vision of the divine in Europe: A Prophecy and by exploring his views on the relationships between the testaments. In the first part, a comparison of his vision with the book of Revelation shows similarities in imaginative attempts to subvert ingrained religious assumptions. In the second, Blake's ambiguous attitude towards the Old Testament, coloured by his sustained polemic against religion and law, is discussed. Finally, some thoughts on the continued relevance of Blake's imaginative exegesis are offered.     

The Impact of Having Children on the Lives of Women: The Effects of Children Questionnaire

The current study uses a newly developed questionnaire, the Effects of Children Questionnaire, to examine the impact of having children on women's lives. Participants were lower- and lower-middle-class women. The questionnaire assessed women's perceptions of their own change and other women's experiences of change as a result of having children in a number of life domains. Exploratory analyses, repeated-measures analyses, factor analyses, and regression analyses were used to test hypotheses. Results suggested that women do compare themselves with other women, that there are two primary factors underlying perceptions of change, and that there are significant changes from having children in various life domains. Results are discussed in terms of the costs and benefits of having children.     

The Early Lives of Highly Creative Persons: The Influence of the Complex Family

Over the last 50 years, theoretical, speculative, and empirical scholarship has examined the influence of early family context on subsequent accomplishments in children of high ability. Building upon 40 years of creativity literature focusing on optimal experience, this exploratory study applied the Complex Family Framework in a systematic analysis of creative adults' recollections of their early family lives. The study identifies evidence of the interplay of Integration and Differentiation, a catalyst for individual optimal experience, in the families of 9 creative exemplars who have made significant contributions to contemporary culture. Five participants represented the Arts and Humanities, three the Social Sciences, and one the Physical Sciences. The study demonstrates the utility of the Complex Family Framework in understanding families' contributions to children's later creative achievement.     

The Impact of Musical Lyrics on the Lives of Graduate Counseling Students

Abstract

This study surveyed 28 graduate students in counseling on the meaning of lyrical music in their lives in a CACREP accredited program at an independent, southeastern university. Results showed that some songs were more popular or better remembered than others. It also showed that while some lyrics are personally meaningful and others convey important messages, a number of lyrics are just relaxing, joyful, and entertaining without a deeper level of significance to them.     

The Impact of Society's Attitudes Toward Aging on the Lives of Older Adults in America

For four decades, John Wesley's indomitable faith complemented his spiritual strength, physical energy, and extraordinary sense for organization. During the last fourteen months of his life, the printed record (Wesley's diaries, journals, letters) seems to reveal an eighty-seven-year-old man who, physically, had come to his end. But that same record also yields the activities of an evangelical missionary still traveling and preaching throughout Great Britain, still administering the details of his Methodist or anization. He would continue, as he once remarked, to "do a little for God before he dropped into the dust." Wesley did not seek to avoid old age; he simply never considered it!     

Immigration Policies in Italy: Their Impact on the Lives of First-Generation Moroccan and Egyptian Migrants

This paper analyzes the impact of Italian immigration policies on migrants’ lives. Policies and changes in policies can affect migrants’ capabilities to stabilize themselves in the host country, in terms of legal residence and secure labor conditions, as well as their chances of becoming part of the host society. We argue that, together with border controls, these are crucial ways through which immigration policies may have the postulated effects on the lives of migrants. We use data from 59 in-depth interviews conducted with first-generation Moroccan and Egyptian migrants living in two Italian cities, Turin and Rome, in the period 2011–2013. The results show that Italian immigration policies do not successfully control migration inflow, but effectively hinder the stability of migrants’ legal status and the status transition from temporary residence to permanent residence and subsequent Italian citizenship. In this way, Italian immigration policies largely affect migrants’ capabilities to be part of the host country; this gets in the way of integration, social cohesion, and future migration projects.     

《周易正义》的注疏特色

从形式上来说,唐代的注疏之学,是在南北朝的义疏之学的基础上发展而来的。至唐初孔颖达注疏《周易正义》时,受了南北朝义疏的影响,即以一家之注为底本,兼采诸经、诸家之说。而从内容方面来说,《周易正义》则以儒为宗,兼采老庄之说,并掺杂佛风,同时,重义理而不废象数,是儒家思想主导下儒、释、道三家合流、象数与义理互融的结果,在学术上显示了兼容并包的盛唐气象。     

The Holy,Catholic Theater: Exegesis of Life on the Stage

This article explores the theological/philosophical resonances of the theater. “Holy” and “catholic” are the key terms that shape the reflection. The holy is masked in the ordinary details of plays and musicals. Thus, it is fitting to say that the theater is “God-haunted,” a place of transcendence and transformation. The catholicity of the theater is found in acknowledging its inherent commitment to telling the whole truth, or at least endeavoring to tell what is true, about human existence. We are by nature story-telling creatures, and the narratives embodied in the theater aid in interpreting and reflecting on mystery and truth, in the exegesis of our lives and of our way of being in the world. Two plays and a musical are representative anecdotes that flesh out the ideas advanced in the essay—Equus, Auntie Mame, and A Chorus Line.