A Christian Rationale for Vegetarianism

Abstract :  This article lays out an argument for vegetarianism based on a Christian theological rationale, specifically on a new articulation of a Christian anthropology for the 21^st century. What I suggest is that an exploration of what it means to be human in a contemporary first world context leads to the conclusion that vegetarianism is a logical expression of one's understanding of oneself as a Christian, and one's exercise of one's Christian faith and discipleship.     

Reading Their Book of Faith: North American Muslims and Their Interpretations of the Qur'an in the Post 9/11 Era

Abstract :  This article seeks to provide an overarching view of the North American Muslim conversation about interpreting the Qur'an in a post 9/11 world. While most Western critiques of Islam focus on reading the texts of Islam, the author argues that one must also listen to the contemporary intra-Muslim conversation about their own text, in order to faithfully understand the Muslim perspective. In this conversation, the author provides evidence for a plurality of social-political views among Muslims and notes that the post 9/11 North American context is alive and well with such faith conversations.     

Psychoanalysis in a changing world

The author reflects, in this opening speech of the IPA Berlin Congress, on some changes in the world, in Germany and in psychoanalysis in the 85 years that have elapsed since the previous congress in Berlin, in 1922. He emphasizes important developments in psychoanalytic theory and practice, research and applications to understand several wider realms. He also stresses the importance of psychoanalysis for the current discussion on the transgenerational effects of traumatic events, and connects all these aspects with the theme of the Congress-remembering, repeating and working through.     

We Preach Christ Crucified: Rejecting the Prosperity Gospel and Responding to Feminist Criticism Using Luther's Second Theology of the Cross

Abstract :  This article affirms that Luther's theology of the cross should serve as a counterpoint to ideologies like the prosperity gospel that encourage adherents to amass personal wealth while remaining indifferent to the suffering of others. To employ Luther's theology of the cross responsibly, however, one must take into consideration the feminist critique that it potentially encourages passive suffering and abuse, especially on the part of women in abusive situations who are told to 'bear their cross' and simply endure what they suffer. A second theology of the cross implicit in Luther's writings, one that portrays God not as the cause of suffering but as the healing power that brings life out of suffering and death that already exists, provides the basis for a rejection of the prosperity gospel while meeting (at least partially) the concern of feminist critics.     

A Reappraisal of Children’s ‘Potential’

What does it mean for a child to fulfil his or her potential? This article explores the contexts and implications of the much-used concept of potential in educational discourses. We claim that many of the popular, political and educational uses of the term in relation to childhood have a problematic blind spot: interpersonality, and the necessary coexistence for the concept to be receivable of all children’s ‘potentials’. Rather than advocating abandoning the term—a futile gesture given its emotive force—we argue that the concept of children’s potential must be profoundly rethought to be workable as a philosophical notion in education. In an era marked by the unspoken assumption that ‘unlimited potential’ is always a good thing, we argue that it might be necessary to think about the limitations of the notion of individual potential; namely, the moment when it comes into contact with other people’s projects. We propose a conceptualisation of potential as the negotiated, situated, ever-changing creation of a group of individuals, in a process marked by conflict, and which remains essentially difficult.     

Closer to the Shifting Ground: The Rise of Relationship in God‐Talk

Abstract :  The article argues that God‐talk has changed significantly over the last fifty years and identifies the rise of the notion of relationship (reflecting postmodern dissatisfaction with modernity) as a key factor in this change. That factor is cited in Trinitarian studies, the Creator's relationship with and to the creatures, the science and religion conversation, the connection with context, and the increasing recognition of the adjectival character of theology. In closing the author looks ahead to further relational work in soteriology, anthropology and metaphysics.     

Jihad and Just War Theory: Dissonance and Truth

Abstract :  The Christian tradition of just war does not have a New Testament foundation but is a tradition that developed after the conversion of Constantine and Christianity's emergence as the state religion of the empire. In Islam, however, just war has been an issue since its foundational period, because while Christianity did not get involved in statecraft until Constantine, Islam dates its calendar literally from the establishment of the first statecraft in Medina. However, distortion of this tradition has occurred in both religions: we have a distorted justification of just war tradition in Christianity, and a distorted understanding of jihad as simply a holy war in Islam. This paper tries to deconstruct both these traditions and create a new hermeneutics for contemporary times.     

Situational Malleability of Gender Schema: The Case of the Competitive Sport Context

In this research we examined the situational malleability of gender schema and specifically the association between competitive sport and masculinity at the intraindividual level. Based on Deaux and Major??s (1987) interactive assumption, we predicted that a competitive sport context would activate the masculine dimension in gender schema. Participants were 64 French undergraduate students who evaluated themselves on the Bem Sex Role Inventory in general, in a competitive sport context, and in a cinema context. In addition to femininity and masculinity scores in each context, response latencies were also collected. The results indicated that participants responded higher and faster on masculine items when the competitive sport context was presented, showing that this association is well anchored in gender schema.     

Communitas: Liturgy and Identity

Abstract As many churches express concern about dwindling resources and even survival, they are simultaneously being confronted by the presence and needs of immigrants. Though often confessionally identified with the receiving congregations, immigrants pose specific challenges, the key to which is, perhaps unexpectedly, liturgy. Liturgical openness to a variety of worship ways facilitates new and necessary changes in power structure, mission thinking beyond mere multiculturalism, and new forms of community and discipleship.     

Temporal generalization in 3- to 8-year-old children

Children aged 3, 5, and 8 years were tested on temporal generalization with visual stimuli. Different groups received 4- and 8-s standards. Gradients at all ages superimposed when plotted on the same relative scale, indicating underlying scalar timing. The principal developmental changes were (i) increasing sharpness of the generalization gradient with increasing age and (ii) a change from symmetrical (3 and 5 years) to adultlike asymmetrical generalization gradients in the oldest children. Theoretical modeling attributed these changes to increasing precision of the reference memory of the standard with increasing age, as well as a decreased tendency to "misremember" the standard as being shorter than it actually was, as the children developed.