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Visigothic Iberia experienced significant economic transformations from the sixth through the early eighth centuries, during which churches played an increasing ideological and material role. This article investigates the role of churches as key landholders in Visigothic Iberia, with a focus on how their growing wealth was managed. It explores three aspects of the intertwined relationship between churches, the state and the economy. First, it reveals the ideological views of authors who accepted and promoted ideas concerning the correct use of a church's wealth. Second, the article shows that churches, like secular landowners, slowly shifted from an economic system based on taxes to one based on landowning and rents. And third, it demonstrates that this shift to rent collection gave greater power to bishops, who were able to decide how to divide up revenues, which led to tensions over what was institutional church property and what was personal clerical property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article bridges the fields of Catholic history, Women's history, and American religious history to propose a new perspective for studying the development of the American Catholic Church, termed by me as the consolidation controversies. Previous historians have focused on the development of the local parishes and the dioceses, focusing on the power conflicts between the lay trustees and the local bishops that accompanied this institutional growth. However, an often‐forgotten aspect of Catholic history is the simultaneous rise of religious congregations and orders. As these communities developed, their leaders clashed with the local bishops over questions of property and authority over members of the communities. Often at the centre of these power struggles were the women religious. Rather than allowing themselves to be manipulated, women religioudemonstrated their own autonomy, navigating larger institutional politics. Should these women fail, they faced losing their place in the diocese as well as their position and vocation as women religious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the process of secularization and deprivatization of religion in Uruguay during the last decade. It questions whether there has been a paradigm shift in the relationship between religion and the State in the country. Different events and sources related to this relationship are mentioned, such as the visit of bishops to public schools and the placement of a statue of the Virgin Mary. The growth of atheism in Uruguay is also highlighted. The article raises the question of whether there has been a significant change in this relationship in the country. [Extracted from the article]

For decades scholars have argued that there was a heated argumentative exchange between the bishop of Cork and Ross, Peter Browne, and the bishop of Cloyne, George Berkeley. Thus, they have unduly reduced Browne to a mere adversary of Berkeley. They also thereby distorted the perception of the Irish intellectual milieu in the seventeenth / eighteenth century and the way its participants influenced one another. Contrary to this controversy-reading I establish how ill-supported the prevailing narrative of the relationship between the bishops of Cork and Cloyne is. This, in turn, allows me to demonstrate that the discussion about the problem of divine analogy in seventeenth / eighteenth century Ireland was embedded in a larger context, which has hitherto been too little appreciated. I will illustrate this point by demonstrating that the two bishops not only reacted to William King's solution to the problem of divine analogy, but that they did so by accepting his 'resemblance-requirement'. That is, King's notion that divine representation requires resemblance. This indicates how the discussion about the problem of divine analogy in seventeenth / eighteenth century Ireland was influenced by the way these churchmen thought about the relation of resemblance, representation, and knowledge more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This text explores some of the main novelties in the new law governing the Roman Curia (19 March 2022) regarding nomenclature, the principles shaping the organization of its activity, and the revised distribution of competences. The author notes that the “institutions” of the Roman Curia are at the service of the Pope, of the bishops in particular Churches, but also of the faithful who benefit from such government, as well as their educational and charitable activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nersēs of Lambron (d. 1198) was a prolific Armenian writer whose works contain several colophons, of which five have a bearing on the Third Crusade. While some colophons serve as prefaces to his writings, others are addenda on circumstances at the time of writing or on later events. The scant history of scholarship devoted to them reveals an unwarranted assumption that has led early scholars to conclude that Nersēs was in Jerusalem when the city fell to Saladin in 1187. The article focuses on the five colophons in chronological order, offering a literary-historical analysis. The colophons composed in quatrains are of particular interest, as are others where a continuator's hand is discernible—whether on the piety of Benedictine monks in the Holy City or on naval movements around Acre. While the study disproves the assumption that Nersēs was in Jerusalem then (or at any time), it underscores the historical significance of these colophons in reflecting Armeno-Cilician sentiments during the period—such as toward the apparently unsatisfactory outcome of the battle of Arsuf (1191). Subsequent hopes of victory and the eventual redemption of Jerusalem were hence anchored in the nascent kingdom of Cilician Armenia (1199–1375). The conclusion draws attention to the absolute necessity of scrutinizing 'eyewitness' accounts surrounding the crusades and to the need of reading the rest of Nersēs's colophons critically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines two figures from the early twentieth century beginnings of the Hebrew Israelite movement. Malinda Morris was a central, though forgotten, figure in William Crowdy's Church of God and Saints of Christ but her creation of an independent Church upon Crowdy's death has not so far been discussed. The strongest body of evidence regarding this Church is a booklet published by one of their Bishops, A.W. Cook, in Harlem, 1925. This booklet offers biographical, legal, constitutional, and theological information about Cook and his branch of Morris' Church. Situated at a crucial juncture, at the beginning of the second wave of Hebrew Israelite preachers and congregations, Cook's booklet offers some important insights into the development of foundational narratives of the movement, as well as allows us to reconstruct some of the life of this forlorn thinker and minister, and his leader Malinda Morris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) has introduced triple dialogue as a new way of being Church in Asia, promoting a contextual theology based on dialogue. This theological method has helped the Asian Church to relate to the cultures, religions, and poor of the region. Triple dialogue involves engaging with the cultures, religions, and poor of Asia, and is a way of doing theology and being Church in the region. Although not all churches in Asia have adopted this vision, the FABC recognizes the importance of standing with the poor and building bridges between cultures, religions, and peoples. [Extracted from the article]

Archbishop Wulfstan of York's interpolation in the DE version of the Anglo‐Saxon Chronicle entry for the year 959 is out of character for both the churchman himself and for the pre‐Conquest period as a whole, as it is the only text from early England critical of King Edgar. This article shows that Wulfstan's complaints about Edgar, which focus on the king's policies related to Scandinavians in England, are rooted in the monarch's probable official employment of Scandinavians and in the law code IV Edgar. Ultimately, this article argues that Wulfstan's criticisms of Edgar are best understood in relation to the archbishop's notion that royal policy could have significant long‐term negative consequences, especially if such policy contravened Wulfstan's understanding of the will of God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a historical and contextual investigation of the practice of synods and synodality in the historical moment of the colonial Church of New Spain. Bishops, clergy, and religious orders vied for ecclesial and spiritual power against civil and royal authorities, and often even against themselves. The bishops of New Spain did not use the language of "enlarging the space of one's tent", but they were deeply and genuinely disturbed by the evils present concretely before the eyes of the Church. The Third Mexican Provincial Council of 1585 will be examined as a case study of how the Church has listened to and responded synodally to large-scale abuse of human dignity perpetuated and legitimized by the social order. The paper will then explore how the Council's decrees anticipate modern notions of synodality. The historical perspective of the bishops of New Spain and contemporary documents of the Synod on Synodality will help form the basis for questions about how Christ is made central in synodal gatherings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the topic of pluralism and diversity in universities, especially in confessional universities. Three types of pluralism are mentioned: plurality of worldviews, plurality of cultures, and structural plurality. The importance of maintaining pluralism in society through proper articulation between spaces, worldviews, and cultures is highlighted. Two approaches to liberalism are contrasted: rationalist, which seeks to free itself from local influences, and pluralist, which defends the freedom of individuals' ways of life. It is argued that pluralism is achieved by respecting local customs and strengthening intermediate associations. The text addresses the topic of university autonomy and its importance in the face of rationalism that seeks to impose a single vision of pluralism and diversity. It is emphasized that autonomy is fundamental for the functioning of universities, as any external influence diminishes academic freedom. It is mentioned that Catholic confessional universities must also have autonomy from the State and ecclesiastical authorities. It is emphasized that universities must seek truth in a free and disinterested manner, respecting human dignity. The text defends the autonomy of universities and the importance of respecting human dignity. It is mentioned that Catholic confessional universities have managed to maintain their identity and academic excellence while seeking truth. The importance of the disinterested pursuit of truth in Catholic universities is highlighted, and secular and Christian ethics are mentioned as a positive addition to their work. The diversity of viewpoints in universities is also discussed and how this contributes to acquiring knowledge and promoting intellectual honesty. The importance of being able to discuss and confront ideas in a space of dialogue without being subject to external mandates is emphasized. The article discusses state interference in the autonomy and academic freedom of universities, highlighting the danger of limiting diversity of opinions and critical thinking. It is argued that instead of imposing regulations and oversight, the State should strengthen peer evaluation and support the existence of quality assurance processes within institutions. The actions of the Higher Education Superintendent in Chile, which has imposed policies and regulations that do not respect the autonomy and freedom of universities, are criticized. Additionally, the attempt to deny public funds to universities that refuse to practice abortion is mentioned, which was reversed by the Constitutional Court. [Extracted from the article]

The Ecumenical Fraternity of Chile (FRAECH) is a fraternal group of Christian men and women who seek to share their faith and put it at the service of unity, evangelization, and the well-being of the country. It emerged in August 1973 as an initiative of various Christian churches to pray and work for a peaceful solution to the conflicts and challenges of the time. In its 50 years of existence, FRAECH has worked for the unity of Christians and for service to the country, justice, human rights, and human development. Recently, FRAECH celebrated its 50th anniversary with an academic and spiritual day at the San Francisco Church in Santiago, where theological panels and a liturgical prayer for unity and peace were held. The Ecumenical Fraternity of Chile reaffirmed its commitment to continue evangelizing and serving the country. [Extracted from the article]

The document titled "APPENDIX 1: THE IRISH HOUSE OF LORDS AND THE SURRENDER OF WOOD'S PATENT" recounts a debate in the Irish House of Lords regarding the phrasing of an address of thanks to the King for ending Wood's patent. The author shares their conversation with the Lord Lieutenant, expressing their belief that the surrender of the patent should be seen as an act of justice rather than solely as an act of favor and condescension. The document also mentions the Archbishop of Dublin's comparison of the surrender to rescuing someone from a pond, and the subsequent debate in the House of Lords about including the words "Great wisdom" in the address. The text further discusses a meeting of the Committee where a draft of the address was presented, and there was a debate about whether to include the words "Great wisdom" in the address. Some Lords argued that it was inappropriate to thank the King for a quality of the mind. Ultimately, the words were included, but concerns were raised about the implications of thanking the King for his wisdom alone. Additionally, the text mentions rumors of a new patent being granted to a certain Peer of the Kingdom. [Extracted from the article]

This paper investigates a crisis in leadership in the Christian church after changes in imperial policy made it more acceptable socially and more advantageous financially to occupy clerical positions. For several decades in the early 5th century, Isidore of Pelusium and his network of friends reproached and lamented the venal conduct of Eusebius, bishop of Pelusium, and several clerics he had appointed. But their efforts to alter the situation had little effect. To understand why this was so, the paper considers the types of people who wrote letters lamenting the situation in order to understand the nature of their response in relation to their social or political position, and it explores reasons why Eusebius and the other clerics were not dislodged by the censure and even derision of their critics. The conflict, it is argued, exposes the limitations of παρρησία as a means of altering the actions of the powerful and qualifies the role of ascetic authority in the de facto exercise of episcopal office in Late Antiquity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The renowned theologian and liturgical scholar Hans-Joachim Schulz has passed away at the age of 91. He was an expert on the Christian East and was awarded an honorary doctorate for his work on the history of Byzantine liturgy. The article also mentions the awarding of the Pope Sylvester Order to church musician Franz Karl Praßl and the Vatican's permission to bless same-sex couples. The Austrian Bishops' Conference has published the church statistics for 2022, which show a slight decrease in the number of Catholics but overall stability at 4.73 million. Church attendance has increased compared to previous years but is still lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Biblical events such as Bible Week and the Day of Judaism were also held. The Bible Society bids farewell to Lea Gremm, who has supported the team for the past two years. [Extracted from the article]

The purpose of this article is to show Ratzinger's proposal, contained in his book Das neue Volk Gottes, regarding the decentralisation of ecclesial structures in the context of the conciliar debates on Lumen gentium. The aim is to answer the questions: To what extent did Ratzinger's work fit into the thinking of theologians and bishops at Vatican II? To what extent did the German professor's ideas represent his original, or isolated, voice, and to what extent were they compatible with other reformist views in theological reflection at the time? The article consists of three parts: the first part refers to the conciliar discussions on those passages of Lumen gentium which deal with the relationship between the college of bishops and the pope; the second presents Ratzinger's proposals for the decentralisation of ecclesiastical structures; the third part is evaluative and shows the later pope not so much as an innovator, but as a proponent of a compromise solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a neural network-based approach to calculate the value of a chess square–piece combination. Our model takes a triplet (color, piece, square) as the input and calculates a value that measures the advantage/disadvantage of having this piece on this square. Our methods build on recent advances in chess AI, and can accurately assess the worth of positions in a game of chess. The conventional approach assigns fixed values to pieces (= ∞, = 9, = 5, = 3, = 3, = 1). We enhance this analysis by introducing marginal valuations. We use deep Q-learning to estimate the parameters of our model. We demonstrate our method by examining the positioning of knights and bishops, and also provide valuable insights into the valuation of pawns. Finally, we conclude by suggesting potential avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Art / Umění is the property of Institute of Art History of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Historische Zeitschrift is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In 1796, Tsarina Catherine II dissolved the estates of the Kamieniec bishops. She bestowed the town of Zinkivtsi (Zinkowce), located adjacent to Kamieniec Podolski, upon Aleksandra Branicka. In the early 19th c., she was to commission an impressive neoclassical palace with a sprawling park spanning several hectares. The property was to be sold to Józef Bietkowski around 1850. However, a comprehensive analysis of eleven 18th- and 19thcentury maps of the vicinity of Kamenets Podolski denies the creation of such an estate in Zinkivtsi. Furthermore, the copious published materials and archives related to the Branicki family, along with the comparatively sparse historical records of the Bietkowskis, fail to confirm the presence of the palace and park complex in Zinkivtsi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the significant yet often life and career of Radonay Mátyás Ignác, emphasizing his roles as a war captain and bishop during the tumultuous period of Habsburg-Ottoman wars from 1683 to 1699, and examining his contributions to the reintegration of territories.

The book review discusses a collection of twelve articles titled "The Church and Northern English Society in the Fourteenth Century: The Archbishops of York and Their Records." The articles are the result of an AHRC research project that focused on creating accessible online resources from the administrative archives of the archbishops of York between 1304-1405. The essays cover a range of topics related to the ecclesiastical province of York, including political matters, administrative records, clerical taxation, and the influence of York clerks in Scottish administrations. The essays provide valuable insights into various aspects of medieval society and offer connections to broader regional and national historical research. [Extracted from the article]

The article analyzes the role of Pope Benedict XVI in the Second Vatican Council, highlighting his participation as a personal consultant to Cardinal Frings and later as a council expert. The author affirms that Ratzinger was one of the hidden protagonists of the Council and experienced this as an impressive event of the Spirit. The book also addresses topics such as religious freedom, the collegiality of bishops, and conciliar hermeneutics. Benedict XVI's vision of renewal in continuity is highlighted, and anecdotes about his life during the Council and his participation in the magazine Concilium are included. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Revista Hidalguía is the property of Revista Hidalguia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The evidence for the city of Vienne allows us to reconstruct the transformation of what had been a provincial capital of the Roman Empire, into a city dominated by the Church, initially, in the late fifth century, following the reaction of bishop Mamertus to a major earthquake, and subsequently as a result of the foundation of monasteries, some of which were in existence by the end of the fifth century, but the majority of which were founded in the sixth and seventh.

Bindings with heraldic superlibros are characterised by the main decorative motif of the coat of arms of their former owners, making them one of the best examples of the potential of book bindings as a documentary source. To this value as a historical document must be added the enormous variety of decorative and constructive techniques, as well as materials, that make up these bindings and that make them authentic functional works of art. Heraldic bindings are a testimony of the lives of their owners and in them are observed the distinctions that are awarded, orders and decorations, in addition to observing the aesthetic tastes and techniques available at the time of their execution. They are, therefore, a historical, artistic and technological heritage. In this work we study the bindings with heraldic superbooks of members of French, Spanish and Italian episcopate.

This article examines how the Church in France has addressed the issue of pedophilia and the abuse crisis in the past 25 years. It highlights the report of the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE) of October 2021, chaired by Jean-Marc Sauvé, which reveals alarming figures of sexual abuse victims by priests, deacons, religious men and women between 1950 and 2020. The report also highlights the systemic responsibility of the Church and makes recommendations to address this phenomenon. The creation of the National Independent Instance of Recognition and Reparation (INIRR) and the Recognition and Reparation Commission (CRR) to address sexual abuse in the Church is mentioned, although there is concern that some bishops are not taking the abuse crisis seriously. [Extracted from the article]

This tribute to Richard R. Gaillardetz was given as a lecture on September 24, 2022 at a conference held at Boston College honoring his contributions to the field of Ecclesiology. Gaillardetz, who is terminally ill, had delivered his own 'last lecture' the previous evening. This essay gives an overview of Gaillardetz's work with a focus on the topic of authority in the Roman Catholic Church. Gaillardetz's ecclesiological vision emphasizes how bishops should minister as witnesses to the faith in their local churches. Bishops and the pope have real and legitimate authority within a church informed by the Holy Spirit on all levels, including the entire People of God. Ecclesial structures are important, even essential, but still secondary to the ecclesial vitality brought about by the Spirit. Gaillardetz calls for a noncompetitive theology imbued with a sense of eschatological humility. Gaillardetz's contributions to ecumenism and to the challenges of globalization are further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Synod' and 'synodality' have become synonymous with Pope Francis. Since Pope Paul VI instituted the Synod of Bishops as a permanent office in 1965, there hasn't been any pontificate that has given these matters as much profile and attention as his has. Why is this the case, and what is Pope Francis' vision for a synodal Church? More fundamentally, what is synodality, according to tradition of the Church, and Pope Francis? Several years into both local and global synodal‐type processes and formation gatherings, it seems many people, even prominent Church leaders, readily admit that they still do not fully understand it. For this reason, this article sets out to provide a general overview and introduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores an important aspect of artworks overlooked by art historians: their gradual material deterioration and the measures taken to slow this process of decay. It focuses on one extraordinarily detailed set of maintenance instructions set down by an early sixteenth-century English bishop. Drawing out some of the key themes from this maintenance program (its ritual performance, its analogies with medicine, its philosophical stakes) and placing them in dialogue with surviving artworks, I argue that maintenance work offers an instructive new perspective from which to consider the material turn, as well as a deeper point of connection between art history and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the homilies of the Bishop of Cuernavaca, Sergio Méndez Arceo, in the 1970s. The objective is to deepen the multiple messages that economic problems take up, by contextualizing these ideas, within the general framework of Liberation Theology. The main axes of the homilies focus on two positions: 1) conversion and 2) dualism. By conversion, Méndez Arceo constantly returns to the idea of “class struggle”, at the same time, from the perspective of Holy Scripture, he emphasizes the Liberation of the man. While by dualism he insists on the division between a ruling class of wealthy businessmen or landowners and a dominated class of workers and peasants, dividing society into good and bad Christians. It is worth highlighting that this article takes up a novel theme, considering that an in-depth analysis of the economic problems in the homilies has not been carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the reshaping of the religious landscape of the cities of Hispania, from the disappearance of polytheistic sanctuaries to the construction of Christian churches, from the fourth to the middle of the sixth centuries CE. The focus is placed on the agents who financed these complexes and the motivations behind their euergetic activities. The study highlights that the configuration of places of worship in the urban landscape was a contingent process often dependent on individual (layperson) initiative, challenging the widespread assumption that the Church and its bishops were the main promoters of urban redevelopment in Hispanic cities during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rufino J. Santos was labeled as a conservative who resisted change, especially during the last half of his stewardship as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Manila. In an era when the Catholic world was beset by the liturgical revival movement and other social movements of the 1960s, Santos strived to preserve his role as a Church militant while the Philippine ecclesiastical hierarchy veered towards making the Catholic Church responsive to the contemporary social ills. The present study uses the historical method framed by Arnold Toynbee's Challenge and Response theory to discuss, narrate, and analyze how the first Filipino Cardinal preserved the unity and tradition of pre-Vatican II ideals while ironically, being an active participant in the four Vatican II Council Sessions. This study contextualizes how Santos' adherence to unity and uniformity was driven by his intent to avoid confusion among the priests and the laity and how this intent steered him to spearhead the introduction of the Misa ng Bayan, the first Tagalog translation of the Holy Mass in 1966, as he defied his critics, and ultimately brought the Philippines into the threshold of change that Vatican II envisioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study is based on an analysis of the copies of guild articles in the cartulary of the bishops of Olomouc—Jan Dubravius and Mark Khuen—which provide an insight into the content of guild articles in subject towns located on the estates of the Olomouc bishopric. Rather than analysing all the cop- ies of articles preserved in the cartulary of the two aforementioned bishops, the study aims to outline the functioning of selected guilds by analysing four ordinances. Each analysis of the articles is preceded by a brief outline of the economic development of the town. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the audience construction in Nicholas Love's "Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ," highlighting Love's intention to address "symple soules" and his perceived reinforcement of orthodox authority. Topics include the diverse implied audience of the Mirror, the question of whether Archbishop Thomas Arundel commissioned the work, and the reinterpretation of certain passages to appeal to a wide range of readers.

This brief note explains the curious word " substomachans " in conf. 3.21 from the Manichaean background of both Monnica's bishop and Augustine. Based on this explanation, the note proposes a new translation of the phrase in which " substomachans " occurs. The interpretation offered seems to be backed by Julian of Eclanum's use of " substomachans ". In essence, " substomachari " refers to the " ructare " during the Manichaeans' daily ritual meal: "to belch (out)". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Catholic Church in Mozambique is still at the beginning of its journey of theological reflection, since only after the country's independence in 1975 did it feel compelled to question itself about its identity as a Church in an African context challenged by hostile ideologies. A retrospective look at the historical and ecclesial context of Mozambique in the reception of the Gospel enables a reading of the path taken by the Church in Mozambique from the first time the Eucharist was celebrated on Mozambican soil in the distant year of 1498. It is a fascinating journey which reflects the challenges of the reception of the Christian faith and its appropriation as translated into the coherent experience of discipleship in the face of the challenges of history. This article seeks to offer a brief reading of the history of the Christian and Catholic faith in Mozambique, based on the pastoral letters of the Bishops and the synodal reflections of the Church in Mozambique. The option for a ministerial Church, organized into small Christian communities was fundamental for the deepening of the faith and for the lay witnessing in the darkest moments of the country’s history, especially when the political class opted for a Marxist-Leninist ideology. The Church, while despoiled and persecuted, purified its faith and the significance of following Christ increased. The challenge now is to continue to be a prophetic Church in an indifferent society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]