Search

In this study, an early warning system predicting first‐year undergraduate student academic performance is developed for higher education institutions. The significant factors that affect first‐year student success are derived and discussed such that they can be used for policy developments by related bodies. The dataset used in experimental analyses includes 11,698 freshman students' data. The problem is constructed as classification models predicting whether a student will be successful or unsuccessful at the end of the first year. A total of 69 input variables are utilized in the models. Naive Bayes, decision tree and random forest algorithms are compared over model prediction performances. Random forest models outperformed others and reached 90.2% accuracy. Findings show that the models including the fall semester CGPA variable performed dramatically better. Moreover, the student's programme name and university placement exam score are identified as the other most significant variables. A critical discussion based on the findings is provided. The developed model may be used as an early warning system, such that necessary actions can be taken after the second week of the spring semester for students predicted to be unsuccessful to increase their success and prevent attrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This essay considers the question of conversion unto repentance, as an act of cognition and volition, by the separated soul in the post‐mortem state. It primarily explicates and interrogates Thomas Aquinas's various attempts to rule out this possibility for the damned. Since Thomas's arguments for such impossibility feature his commitment to the radical immateriality of the human soul—and, like it, the angelic spirit—the essay highlights the ontological and moral tensions within that account. The case is thus made for the ontological, logical, and moral inconsistencies of his position, in pursuit of a more holistic anthropology across the soul's various states and a more rationally and coherent eschatology—namely, an affirmation of the irreducible mutability of the created soul on its way towards likeness to God, perhaps, if not certainly, towards universal salvation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In these two books, the authors give solutions to disparities they trace to systemic racism. The De La Torre book especially examines how the Trump presidency solidified white Christianity. He argues that white Christians deify Trump and are therefore rejected by God. In the Edmondson and Brennan book, we are told that material disparities between races can only be explained by systemic racism. The authors then explain what we must do to repent of and overcome systemic racism. Both books are built on assumptions traceable to Marx and Nietzsche, neither gives us a robust augment against the best alternative explanations, and their use of the Bible only superficially treats categories like 'believer/unbeliever'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is an exploration of following the way of Jesus regarding apologies and restitution for slavery. Three stories of good practice from the North American Jesuits, the United Reformed Church, and the Church of England are contrasted with stories of the abuse of children from First Nations people in Canada, poor families in Ireland, and the transportation of allegedly indigent children from Britain to Australia. These accounts are used to examine critically how far the church is following the call of Jesus to care for the vulnerable and identify with the marginalized in interactions with those sexually abused in churches, in engagement with sex workers, and the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community. A poetic reflection from the voice of the man who lived outside his community of the Gadarenes concludes the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an Orthodox reading of the Unity Statement adopted by the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches held in Karlsruhe, Germany in August to September 2022. The pastoral character of the Unity Statement is discussed, as well as its aim and significance in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The topics addressed by the Unity Statement are examined, including humanity's distance from God because of sin and the need for repentance, Christian love and unity.

This is the text of the greetings of His All‐Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, meeting in Karlsruhe, Germany, from 31 August to 8 September 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the text of the message issued by the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, meeting in Karlsruhe, Germany, from 31 August to 8 September 2022. In their message, delegates stated that all are called by Christ's love to repentance, reconciliation, and justice in the face of war, inequality, and sins against creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Broken Gospel? Christianity and the Holocaust" by Peter M. Waddell explores the possibility of a post-Holocaust Christianity that does not rely on the denigration of Judaism and hatred of Jews. The book offers a nuanced argument and raises questions rather than providing a singular answer. It examines the history of Christian antisemitism and the response of the church to its role in the Holocaust, with a focus on figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Pius XII. The second half of the book delves into the theological implications and proposes a path forward through repentance, self-scrutiny, and a recognition of the need for continual work in the service of others. The book also addresses the question of God's presence in the concentration camps and the controversial issue of whether Hitler could enter heaven. Overall, "Broken Gospel" provides an honest and reflective exploration of the complex theological questions that arise from the Holocaust. [Extracted from the article]

Early prediction of academic performance is important for student support. The authors explored, in a multivariate approach, whether pre‐entry data (e.g., high school study results, preparative activities, expectations, capabilities, motivation, and attitude) could predict university students' first‐year academic performance. Preregistered applicants for a bachelor's program filled out an intake questionnaire before study entry. Outcome data (first‐year grade point average, course credits, and attrition) were obtained 1 year later. Prediction accuracy was assessed by cross‐validation. Students who performed better in preparatory education, followed a conventional educational path before entering, and expected to spend more time on a program‐related organization performed better during their first year at university. Concrete preuniversity behaviors were more predictive than psychological attributions such as self‐efficacy. Students with a "love of learning" performed better than leisure‐oriented students. The intake questionnaire may be used for identifying up front who may need additional support, but is not suitable for student selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent article in this journal, Heidi Giannini (2017) has argued that the Christian doctrines of love and of hope require Christians to endorse universal, unconditional forgiveness, understood in terms of the renunciation of "negative reactive attitudes." She also addresses criticisms of this interpretation. It is argued that Giannini has failed to provide a Christian justification for universal, unconditional forgiveness. Part of the problem is that she espouses a definition of forgiveness and an understanding of the nature of forgiveness that, as a result of neglecting the teaching of the New Testament, exhibits a number of incoherencies and theological weaknesses. Her account is also vulnerable to philosophical and moral criticisms of a serious nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this pilot project was to determine the recruitment feasibility for a computerized cognitive remediation treatment (CRT) for youth at‐risk of serious mental illness (SMI), and treatment adherence following an adjunct treatment of motivational interviewing (MI). Methods: Twelve youth at‐risk of SMI were randomized to receive either CRT or CRT plus MI. CRT was conducted over 10 wk during which time 5 MI sessions were available for the CRT + MI group. Results: The recruitment rate was 55%. The attrition rate from the study was 25% and on average participants completed 33% of the CRT sessions, with no group differences in the number of CRT sessions completed. Conclusions: Treatment adherence was low. Participants described the CRT as easy and unchallenging. Future recommendations include engaging youth at‐risk into CRT programs based on cognitive deficits, measuring intervention satisfaction and offering access to supportive therapies for concerns other than cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The parable of the prodigal son is the most popular repentance narrative in early modern drama, yet the authenticity of these prodigals’ repentances is frequently disputed. The truly repentant prodigal and posturing sinner are functionally identical on the early modern stage, and the parable was so renowned that the prodigal's repentance and forgiveness could not only be predicted, but expected and engineered. This essay compares prodigals’ repentances across Eastward Ho, The London Prodigal, 2 If You Know Not Me You Know Nobody, and the Henry IVs. It argues that these plays exhibit discomfort with the outward display of repentance, the irrelevance of sincerity, and the viability of the parable as a repentance narrative. While some of these repentances have been discussed in isolation, their comparison allows for the examination of ambiguous repentances not as isolated incidents but a discernible trend in early modern culture, born from anxieties regarding the indistinguishability of feigned and ‘true’ performances of inward spiritual change. The authenticity of repentance, it emerges, cannot be determined, but repentance also need not be sincere to be accepted by a plays’ community. The authenticity of repentance proves not only impossible to identify, but ultimately irrelevant to these plays’ social worlds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that the period of Donne's convalescence immediately after his near-fatal illness in late 1623 is crucial for an understanding of the text it spawned, his Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions (1624). A unique work of meditative writing composed in under a month, the Devotions centres on the author's 'Steps in my Sicknes' but does so through the quieter time of spiritual stock-taking that succeeded it. The period of recovery from illness becomes an important part of Donne's treatment of human sinfulness and repentance. The article explores his conceptualization of and images for convalescence, first through one of his churching sermons, then through the Devotions itself, and finally through an undated Candlemas sermon which this article dates to February 1624, very shortly after Donne's illness. This second sermon demonstrates an intimate relationship with the Devotions and marks a more public response to illness and recovery within the context of St Paul's Cathedral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although supernatural beliefs often paint a peculiar picture about the physical world, the possibility that the beliefs might be based on inadequate understanding of the non-social world has not received research attention. In this study (N = 258), we therefore examined how physical-world skills and knowledge predict religious and paranormal beliefs. The results showed that supernatural beliefs correlated with all variables that were included, namely, with low systemizing, poor intuitive physics skills, poor mechanical ability, poor mental rotation, low school grades in mathematics and physics, poor common knowledge about physical and biological phenomena, intuitive and analytical thinking styles, and in particular, with assigning mentality to non-mental phenomena. Regression analyses indicated that the strongest predictors of the beliefs were overall physical capability (a factor representing most physical skills, interests, and knowledge) and intuitive thinking style. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This study explores the processes of change during treatment among male forensic inpatients with primary diagnoses of personality disorder. Method Fifty patients in a high secure personality disorder treatment service completed a checklist about how they had changed during treatment and the factors that had caused that change. Results The results support a limited reparenting attachment-based model of therapeutic change. Self-reported levels of change were highly correlated with measures of patient functioning, though significant levels of change did not occur until the later stages of treatment. Conclusions The behaviour of therapists was particularly important throughout treatment, though participants in the final stage of therapy reported that the behaviour of other staff was as important as that of therapists, suggesting that, by this stage of treatment they are able to extend their range of supportive and therapeutic relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the potential value of the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory-3 (SASSI-3; F. G. Miller & Lazowski, ) as a means of predicting program attrition and recidivism among perpetrators of intimate partner violence, concluding that the SASSI-3 is not an adequate predictor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author explains why he wrote the book "Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Ecumenical Quest." Topics include the book's goal to show how and why the ecumenical movement was central to the concerns of the German theologian, the book's two potential readerships including enthusiastic admirers of Bonhoeffer and ecumenists, and Bonhoeffer's main posthumous influences on the ecumenical movement including in post-war repentance and reconciliation in Europe.

This article engages sources regarding evolutionary development of guilt (Richard Joyce's The Evolution of Morality, Jesse Prinz's Gut Reactions, and others) and how they can be used to dialogue with material on the alleviation of guilt in the Christian tradition using examples in the work of Anselm of Canterbury and John Chrysostom. This raises a few key questions. If guilt is an evolutionary trait created to build reputation and relationship, how does this mesh with some theological approaches to solutions for guilt? To be more precise, guilt possibly evolved to create a motivation for beneficial communal actions, and necessitates belief in the authority of the rules that one breaks to induce it. That said, does religion play a role in awareness of one's guilt, while also providing a solution to that guilt? The possibilities are explored in this article as they relate to issues of repentance, atonement, and prayer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background High attrition rates among African- Americans ( AA) volunteers are a persistent problem that makes clinical trials less representative and complicates estimation of treatment outcomes. Many studies contrast AA with other ethnic/racial groups, but few compare the AA volunteers who remain in treatment with those who leave. Here, in addition to comparing patterns of attrition between African Americans and Whites, we identify predictors of overall and early attrition among African Americans. Method Sample comprised non- Hispanic African- American ( n = 673) and White ( n = 2,549) participants in the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression ( STAR* D) study. Chi-square tests were used to examine racial group differences in reasons for exit. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine predictors of overall attrition, early attrition (by level 2) and top reasons cited for attrition among African Americans. Results Both African- American and White dropouts most commonly cited noncompliance reasons for attrition during the earlier phases of the study, while citing reasons related to efficacy and medication side effects later in the study. Satisfaction with treatment strongly predicted overall attrition among African Americans independent of socioeconomic, clinical, medical or psychosocial factors. Early attrition among African American dropouts was associated with less psychiatric comorbidity, and higher perceived physical functioning but greater severity of clinician-rated depression. Conclusions Compliance, efficacy, and side effects are important factors that vary in relative importance during the course of a clinical trial. For African Americans in such trials, retention strategies should be broadened to emphasize patient engagement and satisfaction during the critical periods immediately following enrollment and treatment initiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After discussing at some length the nature of interpersonal forgiveness and its relation to punishment, the author addresses the main question of the essay: are states the sorts of entities that can forgive; and if they are, is it sometimes desirable that they forgive? The author argues that states can forgive and very often do; and that sometimes it is desirable that they do so. The essay closes by considering the complexities that arise when the state wants to forgive but the victim does not, and conversely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most longitudinal surveys recontact households only if they are still living in the same dwelling, producing very high attrition rates, especially in developing countries where rural-urban migration is prevalent. In this paper, we discuss the implications of the various follow-up rules used in longitudinal surveys in the light of an original tracking survey from Madagascar. This survey attempted in 2005 to search and interview all individuals who were living in the village of Bepako in 1995, the baseline year of a yearly survey, the Rural Observatories. The tracking survey yielded an individual recontact rate of 78.8 percent, more than halving attrition compared to a standard dwelling-based follow-up rule. The tracking reveals a very high rate of out-migration (38.8 percent) and household break-ups, as three-quarters of recontacted households had divided between 1995 and 2005. The average income growth of the sample over the period increases by 28 percentage points when follow-up is extended to those who moved out of their household or village, suggesting that dwelling-based panels give a partial view of the welfare dynamics of the baseline sample. A higher baseline income per capita is associated with a higher probability of staying in Bepako and of being found in the tracking if one moved out. The hardest people to find are the poorest and most isolated. Special attention should be paid to collecting data that enable the identification and follow-up of individuals, without which attrition is likely to remain a source of bias even after a tracking procedure is carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approaches to handling missing data have improved dramatically in recent years and researchers can now choose from a variety of sophisticated analysis options. The methodological literature favors maximum likelihood and multiple imputation because these approaches offer substantial improvements over older approaches, including a strong theoretical foundation, less restrictive assumptions, and the potential for bias reduction and greater power. These benefits are especially important for developmental research where attrition is a pervasive problem. This article provides a brief introduction to modern methods for handling missing data and their application to developmental research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the religious and ethical concept of volitional death in the philosophical treatise "al-Us&#016B;l al-'Ashara," by Najm al-D&#012B;n Kubre. The treatise consists of ethical guidelines to Muslims who are on their spiritual journey, which starts by seeking repentance and ends by satisfying the will of Allah. The ontological and eschatological implications of volitional death within the framework of the Koran are considered.

Objective The generalizability of palliative care intervention research is often limited by high rates of study attrition. This study examined factors associated with attrition from a randomized controlled trial comparing meaning-centered group psychotherapy (MCGP), an intervention designed to help advanced cancer patients sustain or enhance their sense of meaning to the supportive group psychotherapy (SGP), a standardized support group. Methods Patients with advanced solid tumor cancers ( n = 153) were randomized to eight sessions of either the MCGP or SGP. They completed assessments of psychosocial, spiritual, and physical well-being pretreatment, midtreatment, and 2 months post-treatment. Attrition was assessed in terms of the percent of participants who failed to complete these assessments, and demographic, psychiatric, medical, and study-related correlates of attrition were examined for the participants in each of these categories. Results The rates of attrition at these time points were 28.1%, 17.7%, and 11.1%, respectively; 43.1% of the participants (66 of 153) completed the entire study. The most common reason for dropout was patients feeling too ill. Attrition rates did not vary significantly between study arms. The participants who dropped out pretreatment reported less financial concerns than post-treatment dropouts, and the participants who dropped out of the study midtreatment had poorer physical health than treatment completers. There were no other significant associations between attrition and any demographic, medical, psychiatric, or study-related variables. Conclusions These findings highlight the challenge of maintaining advanced cancer patients in longitudinal research and suggest the need to consider alternative approaches (e.g., telemedicine) for patients who might benefit from group interventions but are too ill to travel. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews the article "Jonah: a fantasy of flight," by Avivah Zornberg, which appeared in the periodical "Psychoanalytic Dialogues" on May 2008.

The pharmaceutical industry and regulatory authorities have traditionally made risk-benefit decisions without consulting patients. Today there is a movement to engage the patient in these decisions. This is particularly pertinent for the rare-disease patient population, who have limited access to effective diagnostics and treatments. We argue that their involvement at the earliest point of drug development will lead to more appropriate decision making, and potentially reduce the attrition rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Peace Process in Northern Ireland is about to reach another milestone: the Consultative Group on the Past is due to publish a report in the autumn of 2008 on “the best way to deal with the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland” and to support the building of “a shared future.” It is timely therefore to think again—and further—about what political expression forgiveness might find, using the concrete case of Northern Ireland today as grist for our conceptual mill. This essay opens with two preliminaries: an account of what forgiveness is and how it relates to resentment, punishment, repentance, and reconciliation; and a brief summary of the “Troubles.” It then proceeds to caution that reconciliation will have to be realized in the midst of persistent enmity; to explore what a Truth Commission might achieve, and the limits of it; to consider whether the discovery of fresh truth should issue in further judicial proceedings, and how far these will disturb the Peace Process; and to suggest that the British Government could erect public memorials to the dead on all sides. It concludes that in addition to Government action, there is need for the popular exercise of certain virtues—including grateful, hopeful patience, forgiveness-as-compassion, and public penitence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

McLeod Campbell is synonymous with the doctrine of atonement known as vicarious penitence, according to which Christ atones for human sin by repenting on behalf of fallen human beings. This understanding of Christ's work has been very influential, but not always clearly understood. In this article I set out a version of this doctrine, called non-penal substitution, drawing on the work of Jonathan Edwards, the original inspiration for Campbell's work. This version of non-penal substitution is able to overcome several difficulties for the Campbellian version of the doctrine and offers an intriguing and original way of conceiving the work of Christ that, unlike Campbell's account, does not require revisions to the doctrine of God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attrition bias is a problem for users of panel data. Researchers need to know what socio-economic factors are associated with attrition, and whether this is of relevance for the kind of analysis they want to conduct. This paper discusses attrition bias in the 2000/2004 Khayelitsha panel study. It shows that women, shack-dwellers and people living in smaller households are more likely to attrit, but that the impact of these variables on the probability of attrition is relatively small. The implications for labour-market analysis are then explored using Mincerian earnings functions and a probit regression on whether respondents are wage-employed or not. The coefficients generated using a restricted sample of non-attritors do not differ significantly from those generated by the entire sample. This suggests that attrition bias in this particular data set is not a problem for this kind of labour market analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to explore some aspects of the psychological effort and achievement that constitutes the nature of forgiveness. It looks at forgiveness through the lens of different emotional processes shown in Shakespeare's plays. It aims to trace some lines of development in Shakespeare's thought. It argues that both forgiveness and repentance are hard-won and precarious psychic states, and that both call for considerable struggle and pain. It suggests that shallower and less evolved states of mind may sometimes masquerade as forgiveness and as repentance, and that there are certain spurious short cuts to both. Shakespeare reflects both authentic and inauthentic forgiveness and repentance at various moments in his plays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the resolution of interpersonal conflict has shown that forgiveness is important in reducing aggression and promoting prosocial interactions following a transgression. Although the benefits of forgiveness have been demonstrated in a variety of relationship contexts, a single theoretical model has not been tested across these different contexts. In this study, we employed an attributional framework to examine the relationship between attributions of responsibility for a transgression, repentance, emotions, forgiveness, and psychological aggression toward three different categories of transgressor: a coworker, a friend, and a romantic partner. One hundred and seven participants were asked to describe a recent transgression with a coworker, a friend, and a romantic partner. In each case, responsibility for the event, the degree to which the transgressor apologized, anger, sympathy, forgiveness, and subsequent psychological aggression toward the transgressor were measured. A basic model of aggression reduction, whereby repentance facilitates forgiveness and reduces psychological aggression, was reliable in each category of transgressor. A comparison of the models showed minor differences in how individuals respond to transgressors. Although coworkers apologized less, they were just as likely to be forgiven as romantic partners and friends. In addition, participants were least likely to respond with psychological aggression when a friend transgressed against them. This research provides a theoretical framework within which to study forgiveness and aggression across a variety of contexts. Aggr. Behav. 32:1–12, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to identify certain feminist shadings on reconciliation. It is based on the premise that women make better reconcilers in the light of their own experience of suffering and commitment to relationality or community. It does not purport to propose a programme of reconciliation nor does it purport to address how reconciliation can be effected in a particular context. Rather, it raises certain issues in relation to the process and praxis of reconciliation from the perspective of women. It examines insights gained from study of women in their role as reconcilers, and the manner in which women have coped with conflict in their lives as portrayed in select biblical passages. The paper also considers whether and how these elements, viz., rootedness in faith, affirmation of the God of life, the recognition of oppressive systems, resistance to oppression, forgiveness, repentance, insight, good judgement and ritual, could be possible resources for the development of a perspective for reconciliation with the self and the community. It is hoped that it will generate further reflection in our attempt to isolate a strategy or strategies for reconciliation between individuals and communities, in the church and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the topic of redemptive forgiveness. Depiction of forgiveness in the book 'No Future Without Forgiveness,' by Desmond Tutu; Objection to unconditional forgiveness by writers; Features of personal forgiveness; Significance of repentance in forgiveness.

Argues that the rituals defining restorative justice are rituals of repentance. Theoretical framework for why repentance should be nurtured in the design of institutions; Reintegrative shaming as alternative form of shame that may break shame-rage spirals and form a central component of restorative justice; Reasons why restorative justice leads into discussions of repentance rituals.

Presents an integrated reading of Soren Kierkegaard's books `Works of Love,' and `Fear and Trembling.' Theme of the ambiguity of the aims of man and the treachery of love in both works; Motives for breaking promises explored in `Works of Love'; Soteriological and ethical import of the books; Call for self-examination and repentance.

Focuses on spirituality and repentance in India. Mood of spiritual searching; Distortions in spirituality; Ecological repentance; Dealing with the spiritual hunger of the less-privileged; Repenting of corruption in church and society; Analysis of the Christian mission in the Indian context.

Examines the challenge of the indigenous movement to the religious practices of Christians. Need for repentance and conversion by Christians; Reorientation of theology and practice with reflections from the standpoint of the poor and marginalized; Examples of Christian oppression; Condemnation of inhuman treatment of indigenous people.

Milton's use of the word "penance" in "Paradise Lost" after Satan's seduction of Adam and Eve and after the transformation of the devils into serpents, clearly echoes the phrasing of Matthew 3:7-8 where Jesus Christ called the Pharisees and Sadducees a generation of vipers, and commanded them to "bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance." The question is why Milton chose the word "penance" instead of "repentance." It should be noted that during the 16th and 17th centuries, the use of "penance" rather than "repentance" at Matthew 3:8 and elsewhere in the Bible stirred Protestant anger because "penance" was a term used by the Roman Catholics. At the core of the meaning of "penance" is the belief that man stops sinning because he is afraid of punishment. Penance in itself, according to 17th century Protestants, did not bring about true amendment of life since penance is an act of the mind and repentance is an act of the mind and heart. Consequently, penance could be idolatrous. Such was the penance of the papists.

The article focuses on the concept of repentance and reform that provided an extremely useful framework for the discussion of spiritual and secular affairs which continued to shape religious and political thinking well into the early modern period. Despite the familiarity of these motifs and the highly conventional language in which they were so often expressed, the conceptual models that they offered were not necessarily ideologically static and, as has often been observed, the changing intellectual and political climate of the renaissance exercised a profound impact on the ways in which social and political problems were conceived and discussed. Furthermore, the article presents some of poetic works of poet David Lindsay.

The article focuses on the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Humanum Studies. It intends to show that the WCC has an extensive collection of case-studies relating to human and organizational response to change. The case studies indicate many points at which both the WCC and the churches need to learn and practice repentance. Repentance is reportedly urgent because much of man's activities is based on false doctrines and conducted in dehumanizing ways.

The article discusses the five concrete political sins against God. The Indo-China and Algeria war were examples of concealing a political goal under a blanket of justification as well as a political power game of identifying realism with the disproportionate use of power. Both wars were also evidence of the acceptance of corruption and terror, disunity in nation and church or fear of truth, and the sin of despair and denial of repentance.

The article reviews the book "Ecclesial Repentance: The Churches Confront their Sinful Pasts" by Jeremy M. Bergen.

The article offers information on research related to conflict resolution and mediation that was published in various journals. Researcher E. Halperin and colleagues found that anger can be constructive as long as it is not related to hatred. Another research found that perceived repentance was the key for improving trust. Authors D. Ariely and M. Norton reviewed various decision-making literature and found that different type of decision errors came from thinking too little or too much.

In this article the author discusses the review of L. Shabab and A. McEwen on online smoking cessation interventions. The author discusses the two key issues for online intervention such as why attrition occurs and how it is prevented. Moreover, the author emphasizes that attrition can be viewed as an example of a self-regulatory failure.

Information on the pre-Lenten holiday of Carnevale in Italy, from a chapter of the book "Frommer's Italy, 2008" is presented. The festival traditionally marked the unbridled celebration that preceded Lent, the period of penitence and abstinence before Easter. It lasts about 5 to 10 days and culminates the Friday to Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. In the 18th-century heyday of Carnevale, well-heeled revelers came from all over Europe to take part in the festivities.