A Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

A Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Essay Oscar Wilde, creator of The Picture of Dorian Gray, makes Basils life change definitely by having him paint a representation of Dorian Gray and express a lot of himself in it, which, in Wildes mind, is an irksome hindrance to go around. Wilde accepts that the craftsman ought not depict any of himself in his work, so when Basil does this, it is he who makes his own defeat, not Dorian. Wilde acquaints Basil with Dorian when Basil starts to see Dorian gazing at him at a gathering. Basil out of nowhere became cognizant that somebody was taking a gander at . turned most of the way around and saw Dorian Gray just because Wilde 24. Basil promptly sees him, anyway Basil is hesitant to converse with him. His explanation behind this is he doesn't need any outer impact in life Wilde 24. This is very nearly a Catch 22 in that it is in the long run his own interior impact that crushes him. Wilde does this multiple occasions all through the book. He cherished utilizing conundrums and that is the reason Lord Henry, the character generally like Wilde, is provided as being called Cost estimate Paradox. Albeit Dorian and Basil wind up despising one another, they do appreciate meeting each other just because. Basil discovers something other than what's expected about Dorian. He sees him in an unexpected manner in comparison to he sees other men. Dorian isn't just wonderful to Basil , yet he is additionally delicate and kind. This is when Basil experiences passionate feelings for him and starts to paint the image. Basil starts painting the image, however doesn't inform anybody regarding it, including Dorian, since he realizes that there is a lot of himself in it. Ruler Henry finds the composition and asks Basil for what good reason he won't show it. Ruler Henry feels that it is so excellent it ought to be shown in a historical center. Basil contends that the explanation he won't show the work of art is on the grounds that he is worried about the possibility that that has appeared in it the mystery of his spirit Wilde 23. This is another oddity since he has indicated the mystery of his spirit, yet the artwork in the long run comes to show the mystery of Dorians soul too. In the introduction to The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde discloses that to uncover workmanship and hide the craftsman is expressions point Wilde 17. Basil understands that he has not hidden hims elf in the work of art and subsequently feels the composition is good for nothing. After Lord Henry sees the work of art, he requests to meet Dorian. Basil says that would not be acceptable in light of the fact that his impact would be terrible Wilde 31. Basil is right in saying this since Lord Henry is the fundamental individual who encourages Dorian to pulverize himself. Master Henry ignores Basils solicitation and meets Dorian at any rate. This is the start of the end for both Dorian and Basil since Lord Henrys impact dirties Dorian. Master Henry insults Dorian and keeps on helping him to remember all the transgression that is building upâ and that despite the fact that his body isn't maturing, his spirit is breaking down quick. At the point when Basil sees that Dorian has not changed genuinely in numerous years, he is interested to realize how Dorian remained lovely, yet additionally needs to know why Dorian has changed so much inwardly. Basil doesn't have the artistic creation in plain view, yet rather keeps it in the storage room. When Dorian comes more than one day, he and Basil are talking when Basil asks, I wonder do I know you? Before I could answer that, I ought to need to see your spirit. Wilde 216 Dorian goes into an anger and takes Basil upstairs to see his spirit which is covered in the painting. At the point when Basil sees the composition which is wicked and abominable looking, he can hardly imagine how he painted it. Dorian consoles him that it is without a doubt Basils painting. In that painting is all of Dorians detest, dread, and trouble diminished onto a campaign. Peruse: The Tempest Epilog AnalysisWhen Dorian sees the image, he reprimands Basil for it and gets a blade laying on a close by table and cuts Basil. He at that point takes the blade and wounds the composition in the heart, executing his spirit, and restoring the work of art to its unique structure. Wilde develops this in a fascinating manner in light of the fact that after Dorian cuts the image, which is a portrayal of his spirit, Wilde shows Dorian laying on the ground, wrinkled and sickening, with a blade in his heart. Wilde did this to show that when Dorian wounded the work of art, he was really cutting himself. Oscar Wilde initially depicts Dorian Gray as a sweet, delicate man whom everybody respects. At the point when Basil, be that as it may, started appreciating Dorian, he changed. Ruler Henry moved into his life, and the canvas indicated a type of magnificence that he might never accomplish again, all things considered, without the assistance of enchantment. With this, Dorian covers his bleak soul with the artistic creation and keeps living as lovely as he at any point seemed to be, genuinely, however profoundly he is decaying inside. Wilde makes a creature out of the apparently flawless man and has him crush himself and his companions alongside him. The entirety of this happened in light of the image of Dorian Gray.

Duty to Warn and to Protect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Obligation to Warn and to Protect - Essay Example A few people may make hurt themselves while other might be hazardous to others. Regardless, it is the activity of a specialist to ensure that an individual adapts to the individual emergency and carries on upbeat and beneficial life. For the reasons for this paper, one ought to envision the accompanying situation. The creator will be an advisor that has a patient. The last will in general be upset. He is a white male in his mid-twenties, encountering an individual emergency: he needs to discover a young lady who will at last become his significant other, however he basically can not, not make any difference how diligently he attempts. His failure to adapt to this issue makes him experience extreme pressure. There are two different ways that he manages it: from one viewpoint, he invests a lot of energy in the bed, hanging tight for the sentiments that tear his spirit to leave; then again, he as of late began contemplating harming others. The last considerations are uncommon and the subject obviously recognizes that they are incorrect. In any case, he concedes that there are times when he looses power over his activities. In any case, it might be critical to recognize the lawful issues that this case holds. Along these lines, the advisor is made mindful of the savage goals of his customer. The last said a few times that stinging others will permit him to discharge the pressure. The subject is knowledgeable individual with a steady pay with no lawful history. Other than during the meeting he acts happily and emphatic. Almost certainly, he will have the option to purchase a firearm in the event that he needs to. In view of this, the specialist is confronted with a likelihood that his customer may begin a shooting binge. That is the reason it is the legitimate commitment of the previous to illuminate law authorizing organizations that there is a subject in the region that encounters an individual emergency and made an understood explanation of potential goals of harming others thus. There is additionally an

Agile Methodologies

Agile Methodologies A Lightweight Agile Software Development Methodology Home›Technology Posts›A Lightweight Agile Software Development Methodology Technology PostsIntroduction The software development methods are usually perceived to be composed of various practices set for software development whose creation is attributed to practitioners who are experienced. In these methods, there is a clear prove of their break from the traditional methods in which the emphasis has been an approach based on rationalized engineering (Qumer Henderson, 2006) based on which the problems are claimed to be specifiable on full basis. This article provides a comprehensive methodology of agile software development through an approach which comprehensively handles various stages. The first stage offers a comprehensive overview of the introduction to the SDLC. The second section provides the agile software development methodology followed with the Scrum methodology.SDLCSoftware Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is basically a systems development structured approach whose onset is the system developing planning phase right through the system support once there is implementation and the system is functional. This process involves various steps together with tasks that can be followed by the system developers in ensuring that the system is built in a faster rate through utilizing minimal costs together with ensuring that the chances of risks are minimized as much as possible. The steps that are involved in the System Development Lifecycle are summarized below:Preliminary investigation: This is the project investigation initial step with the objective which is usually geared towards identification of the system that is required, what is to be included as the broad scope, the time, the costs together with other resources that are required. After the collection of information which is broad and tentative, there is the decision making which determines whether the system development process is going to procee d or not.Feasibility study: This step is highlighted as critical with an aim of ensuring that the organization will be benefited by the computer system. This stage usually involves the investigation of the economic, social and technical feasibility by the technical team which is followed by preparation of a report of feasibility study. In this report, there is a recommendation to the management on whether or not to undertake the project. Therefore this feasibility study acts as a basis through which the way forward is determined coupled with providing information that is sufficient through which the decision is to be qualified.The design of the system: This stage is actually aimed at development of the whole architectural process high level design, which is inclusive of the software, hardware, procedures as well as the interfaces. This step will require sufficiency in the details degree in order to ensure that the management is able to make a decision on whether the requirements of the user are to be met and if this requirement s of the user is to be met, it is also at this step where the evaluation will be done to establish if the process is in accordance with the plan and strategies of the company. The various techniques and tools that can be used and which ensure high design level are; project planning and scheduling, high level flowcharts software together with the high level diagrams of data flow.Detailed design: This is the stage which involves drawing the details for the software. This will involve producing each detail of the procedure of the software, together with the controls and the databases. This stage will have various outcomes which will include; flowcharts of the software that are detailed, data flow diagrams that are detailed, relationship diagram of the entity for the design of the database and pseudocode that are structured, report and screen design together with a document containing detailed specification of the program.Development: This phase is actually marked as the most intensive in the project and it is at this stage that a maximum number of people are involved directly with the project. This is the step which involves writing and testing of the programs, together with the documentation of the procedures and preparation of a system document. This phase may also involve commencement of the user personnel training.Implementation: This is what is also commonly referred to as the phase of deployment or installation phase. This phase involve installation and deployment of the system that has been newly built. This step can involve use of various techniques to ensure that the system that is existing (may be a manual or computerized system) is replaced and transformed into a databases of a new system. This is followed by conducting of final test on the system to ensure that the higher management and the users are satisfied.Maintenance: At this phase, the users use the system in the organization. The commencement of th is step is implemented after the system deployment has been completed until the retirement of the system. After the system has been deployed, it is usually used on continuous basis until the management makes the decision of retiring the solution. This can be after several years. The reason for this phase being referred to as maintenance is because it is during this phase that is characterized by frequent changes in the requirements of the users and the policies of the company together with the system having to be introduced to these changes. At times, there may be a few problems or bugs in the system which may be discovered and raise the need for fixation, together with sometimes new procedures and technologies having to be introduced.The review of the post implementation is where the maintenance usually starts; a phase during which the system performance audit is usually done, and as soon as there has been deployment, there is implementation of the audit. The main purpose of this s tep is actually to ensure that the system standards are in accordance with all the requirements coupled with meeting the user’s expectations. The problems are usually fixed as soon as their discovery. After the review of the post implementation, what follows is the commencement of the use of the software. This is usually characterized by regular IT audit which will be carried out during the useful life of the system in order to make an evaluation of its performance. This is what is commonly referred to as the system monitoring. In case of any requirement of this system use at any time during the lifetime of the system, this will call for the repetition of the SDLC cycle.During the application system SDLC, there are various risks which are likely to be experienced. These risks are inclusive of the adoption of application system in the SDLC that are not appropriate, control that is not adequate to the process of the SDLC, the possibility of the application system not being able to m eet the objectives and requirements of the user, the problem of management support, project management that is not adequate, architecture and technology incorporation that is not appropriate, variation in the scope, overruns in costs and time, application system with quality that is not adequate, lack of sufficient attention to the controls and security, failure to meet the criteria of performance, together with lack of adequate adherence to the SDLC that is chosen. Other risks that may arise during the SDLC are failure to fully focus on the other processes and applications interdependencies together with lack of sufficient planning for the cutover and conversion of the data.During the feasibility study, there are various participants that are usually involved. These will be inclusive of the team to conduct the feasibility study, the steering committee, the programmer, the engineers to be involved with quality assurance, the support staff and auditors in the IT.AGILE SOFTWARE DEVELO PMENT METHODOLOGY In the agile development methodology, iterations are usually embraced. This will be enhanced by small teams working together with the stakeholders in the process of defining the concepts proof, quick prototypes or other visual methods through which the problem to be solved is going to be described. The requirements for the iterations are defined by the team coupled with the development of the code together with definition and running the tests scripts that are integrated. This is followed by the verification of the results by the users. Briefly, this is what this methodology revolves about. Earlier in the process of development, there is verification which ensures that the requirements are fine-tuned by the stakeholders at the stage at which they can still be easily changed.The simple set of rules and practices are incorporated through which transparency, adaptation and inspection is encompassed in the Scrum, with these requirements being inherent in the control em pirical process. In project management, this process is iterative incremental which is used in software development involving inspection and adaptation on frequent basis, following the methodology of Agile software development. Through the leadership philosophy in Agile software development, teamwork is encouraged together with accountability and self-organization; the best practices on the engineers set through which high quality software rapid delivery is allowed together with being a business approach through which the development is aligned with the needs of the customer and goals of the company.Adopting the agile process requires the development team being with the soft skills, which are also referred to as the people- skills. More values are usually placed on the talented individuals’ interaction over the tools and process. The proscriptive methodology key themes are the tools and the process. In the agile methods, the team members are required to poses communication skills that are appropriate in order to enable there to be collaboration in a situation of the team and the customers together with having talent and friendly approach through which it can be possible to relate well with others (Cockburn Highsmith, 2001). The traits of the agile team member are listed by Pressman (2004) to be inclusive of; common focus, competence, ability of decision making, collaboration, respect and mutual trust together with the ability of solving fuzzy problems. This provides an important move away from the skills that are technical using the prescriptive methodology for any team member.Two agile software methodologies are used. The methodologies are based on the philosophy of agile and are Scrum and XP. Based on the particulars, these methods usually differ, but however, the iterative approach that has been highlighted above is usually shared.XPThe term XP is usually used to denote Extreme Programming. The concentration of the XP is based on the development and not on the software projects managerial aspect. The commencement of the XP project is usually marked by the planning phase release, which is usually followed by various iterations; with each of the iterations concluding with the testing of the user acceptance. Once there are enough features in the product through which the users can be satisfied, the iteration is terminated by the team followed afterwards by the software release.The user stories are usually written to the users with an aim of describing the need that is going to be fulfilled by the software (Henrik, 2007). Through the user stories, it is possible for the team to make an estimation of the resources and time that is required to enhance building and definition of the user acceptance tests. Actually, the representative or the user is usually marked as part of the team of XP, therefore giving them the ability to add the details to the requirement in the process of building the software. Through this process, it is possible f or the evolution of the requirements based on the fact that the developers and the users are able to make a clear definition of the look of the product.In order for the release plan to be created, the development tasks are broken by the team into iterations. The iteration plan is defined by the release plan, through which the development is driven for iteration. At the iteration end, the acceptance tests are performed by the users against the user stories. In case the bugs are found, the nest iteration incorporates the bugs as a step. Theoretically, the iterative testing of the user acceptance can result in the software release. In case of the decision by the user that there has been delivery of enough stories, a choice can be made by the team to have the project terminated before the implementation of the entire user stories that were planned originally.The simplified XP version is shown in the figure below. In full XP’s many plans are included in the release planning, acceptance testing and iteration.There are various XP rules and concepts that are usually market as important in this methodology. At least once every day, the changes must be integrated in the development base line by the development teams. This results to what is usually referred to as the concept of continuous integration. There is also the concept of project velocity which offers measurement of the progress of the work in the project. Through metric which is marked as important, the updates scheduling is enhanced together with driving the release planning. Another concept is that of pair programming based on which, it is clearly highlighted that the release of the production is created by two people whose work is based on one computer. The proposition of the XP is that through the working together of two coders, it will be possible to enhance satisfaction of the user stories at a rate that is similar to individual working by two coders, together with guaranteeing quality that is much high er.In the XP methodology, the user story enhances description of the problems which the system being built will be able to solve. The writing of these stories must be done by the user and the length should be about three sentences. The solution is usually not described in the user story but technical language is usually used.ScrumThe origin of the Scrum software development is traced out of the rapid community of prototyping based on the fact that there was need for a methodology through which there would be support to the environment not only characterized with inadequacy but also being exposed to rapid changes during the development (Schwaber, 2004). In the scrum methodology, there are both the development and management processes.Scrum management: At each of the Scrum project center, there is a work backlog which requires to be done. During the release phase of planning, there is characterization of the backlog as being populated coupled with defining the release scope. After the completion of the high level design and project scope by the team, the development process is divided into sprints; which are short iteration series. With each of the sprints, the aim is implementation of blog items which are fixed in number. There is identification of the backlog items by the team members before each sprint. At each sprint end, there is review of the sprint with an aim of articulating the lessons that are learned together with checking the progress.During the sprint, there is a daily meeting by the team which is referred to as the scrum. The work that is to be done that day is described by each of the team members, the previous day progress together with any blocks that may require clearing. In order for the meeting to be kept short, conducting of the scrum must be when everyone is in the room. Once there has been implementation of enough backlogs to an extent that there is conviction in the team that there is justification of the release being put into production , the development is closed by the management. Integration testing is performed by the team, followed by documentation together with the training which is required for the release of the product.Scrum development: In the process of Scrum development, the concentration will actually be on the sprints management. Before the commencement of each sprint, there is planning by the team, coupled with identification of the backlog items and teams assignment to these items. Each of the backlog items is developed, wrapped, reviewed together with being adjusted by the teams.During the development, the changes that are necessary are determined by the team to ensure that the backlog item is implemented. This is followed by writing the code, testing it and documenting the changes. The review is characterized by the team demonstrating the new features, assessing the risk and adding new backlog items, the data is finally consolidated by the team from the review in order for the changes that are nec essary to be updated.Following each sprint, the progress is demonstrated by the entire team from the spring followed by reviewing the progress of the backlog. The remaining backlog is then reviewed by the team followed by the adding, removing and reprioritizing the necessary items in order for new information to be accounted for.The scrum methodology incorporates various concepts. One of such concepts is the burndown chart. The updating of this chart is done on daily basis and through this updating; it is possible to show the work that remains within the sprint. The burndown chart enhances tracking of the progress of the sprint together with deciding when the removal of the items from the sprint backlog will be necessary and next sprint deferring. There is also the product backlog which provides the requirements complete list; which is inclusive of the enhancement requests, the bugs and the performance improvements that the product release does not currently contain. In addition the re is the ScrumMaster who is the person that has the responsibility of managing the project of Scrum. The ScrumMaster sometimes refers to the certified person, enhanced through training in order to take the ScrumMaster. This process also involves the sprint backlog which contains the items list which is allocated to the sprint although it is not yet complete. The common practice does not provide for a sprint item taking two days before completion. Through the sprint backlog, the team is able to make a prediction of the level of effort that is needed for the completion of the Splint.The agile software development has the positive and the negative sides. Through the agile process, the unpredictable world challenge is addressed through a reliance on the creativity instead of the process. As Erickson et al (2005) note, the agile software development is geared at change and feedback and the development of the methodology is aimed at embracing rather than rejecting the rate of change whic h is higher. Leanness and flexibility is what Conboy and Fitzgerald (2004) uses in the description of the agile development methodology. This methodology is also noted by Conboy and Fitzgerald (2004) as enhancing high quality development of software by the small teams through the use of constant enhancement and testing principle on the basis of change and rapid feedback. Sighting the agile software development as having some negative sides, Schwaber (1995) insists on the need for conductive improvement within the team. Schwaber (1995) adds that although an adaptation of iterative process is suggested by many methodologies, there is lack of clear and specific procedure through which such activities can be conducted. Other shortcomings that have been identified are lack of effective involvement of the customer and difference in the personality among the individuals resulting in barriers in formation of a team that is effective. In addition, it is difficult to prioritize on the require ments for the systems that are large and which have many stakeholders (Sommerville, 2004).SCRUM METHODOLOGYThe onset of the Scrum process is marked with the creation of the product backlog. The backlog is usually a system requirement expressed as a product backlog items prioritized list. The software development team is then handed over the prioritized list in order for them to develop the time line for the product development which is actually negotiable. After the approval of the product backlog by both the client and the developers, the next step marks the onset to the process creating the Sprint Backlog.Basically, a sprint is work iteration, with a period which is usually 15 days, and during this period, there is implementation of the product functionality increment. The work for the Sprint is usually defined by the sprint backlog where there is the movement of the backlog items into the spring from the product backlog; based on the priorities of the owner. At the onset of the s print, there is a one day meeting for sprint planning. This is followed by a sprint review meeting at the end of the sprint, after which the retrogressive meeting follows.The next stage involves the sprint planning meeting which triggers negotiation between the owner of the product and the team about what is going to be done by the team in the next sprint. After every fifteen days, the release of the intermediate product gives the clients and team a product development perspective. The release usually provides a transition of a possibly shippable product increase, from the teams that are involved with the development to the customers for routine use. The release is typically done when the product has resulted from the sprints with enough value through which the deployment costs can be outweighed.Conclusion From the argument approach that is developed in this paper, it is clear that the tailoring of a scrum is usually done to a specific environment, therefore it may not be easy to ar gue over the practice that can be perceived as the best. The approaches used will always differ. This article has provided an evaluation to the methodology of agile software development. It has also highlighted the various pros and cons of agile software development which needs to be addressed. In light to these cons, there is need for the agile teams to be equipped with appropriate information level which can help them in making decisions that are rational and informed to enhance optimal business value development. In addition, there is need to ensure that refining and updating is done on the guiding vision model in accordance with the requirements.Scrum has been highlighted as an incremental framework that is iterative, for the product development of application. The sprints are the work cycles which the development is structured into, with these iterations being highlighted to be not more than a month old each, and occurrences being on their own pause. This article is proving tha t agile is the latest approach which has replaced the previous waterfall approach and in the future, it will also evolve and change.

Personal Leadership And Management Style - 885 Words

Nursing professions today assume the leadership and management responsibilities in any activity they involve in the health care system. Leadership and management are frequently intertwined. Huber (2006) defined leadership and management as, â€Å"the process of influencing people to accomplish a goal and management as coordinate and integrate of resource through planning, organizing, coordinating, directing, and controlling to accomplish a specific institutional goals and objectives†(Huber, 2006, p. 6). In this paper, l will address my personal leadership and management style, use one of the theory of management and leadership in the test book to explain my experience in my workplace, and discuss the positive and negative aspects of the theory. Also, l will address the style of management l will utilize as manager, and the definition of virtue and the role it has in a nurse manager or leader. Personal Leadership and Management Style In our daily life, each and everyone has a leadership and management style in managing their life. My leadership and management style is democratic style. Democratic leadership style is when a leader seeks the participation of the team members in planning and decisions making. The leader encourages suggestion and inputs form the team and actively guides the team towards goal attainment (Marquis Huston, 2015). As a leader, l always encourage opinions from my team when comes to decision making. Team work is my motor. For example, at work lShow MoreRelatedPersonal Leadership Style. Every Organization Has A Management1105 Words   |  5 PagesPersonal Leadership Style Every organization has a management team, with the success the organization in the hands of these leaders and managers. How the organization is run is generally determined by the executive leaders and filtered down through a series of positions on an organizational chart. 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Literature Essay Twelfth Night; the Essence of Dramatic...

Disguise is the source of theatrical appeal in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Discuss the validity of this statement. Michael Pennington describes Twelfth Night as a typical Romantic Comedy with a sublime sense of inconcsequentiality amidst the lyrical nature that plagues its environment. Therefore it is none other than that of a romantic comedy, and by definition, seeks the usage of a most humourous yet vital factor that shapes the events that are to occur; Disguise. Disguise indeed gives rise to theatrical appeal and as Graham atkin identifies, poses a most poignant question of human identity in relation to outward realist appearance. Nonetheless, there is a diversity of opinion as to whether disguise is the primary source for such a†¦show more content†¦Atkins attributes most importantly that speech shapes a character hence the reason why Shakespeare invested ample time in the language of his characters for there were hardly sound effects and props used in Elizabethan society as opposed to society today. This is what makes the characters indirectly the play itself so appealing. The way o ne speaks, the setting they reside affects the audience’s judgement on them. Every shakesperian comedy is entitled to the conventional fool, in this case, Fest introduced at the end of the first act and at other intervals as the play unravels. Shakespeare ingenuity is seen through this formation as Alan S. Downer describes, Feste whole art and function depend upon talents as a â€Å"notable corrupter of words† and through these words he reveals that he is in fact, very wise in nature. Such wit, such logical one may say in vast opposition to the lyrical dreamlike aura of Illyria. His wit moreso gives rise to the inevitable truth that is likely to be avoided concealed in Illyria most often dealing with self expression. On his first appearane with Maris in act one scene 5, Fest demonstrated not only that he isShow MoreRelatedLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesyouve been having a good time. Yesterday you drove several hours into the area and parked in the main parking lot. Then you hiked six hours to your present campsite. The three of you carried all your food, water, sleeping bags, and tents. Last night you discovered that somebody had accidentally cracked the large water container. Now you are stuck with no water. Although there is a stream nearby, you wouldn’t normally drink from a stream, and you remember that your packets of water-sterilization

The Island of Bohol Heaven on Earth Free Essays

Bohol is an island in the tropical country of the Philippines which is located in Southeast Asia. A couple of years back, I traveled to Bohol to get acquainted with Asia. The moment I stepped out of the airport, I smelled something different. We will write a custom essay sample on The Island of Bohol: Heaven on Earth or any similar topic only for you Order Now The scent of tropical paradise overpowered my senses. It’s a mix of flavors of coconut trees, sweet fruits and the usual body-scented steam that just makes you want to relax and unwind. More so, the sizzling ray of the sun, the hypnotic sound of the sea and warm smile of the natives of Bohol greeted me as I entered nature’s hidden treasure. My adventure began as I traversed the oval-shaped island from the luscious mountainous region going towards the pristine coastal area. I started with the infamous Chocolate hills. It’s a large formation of rich brown-colored cone-shaped hills. These cute hills looked like gigantic Hershey’s kisses strategically placed in a picturesque landscape. After my first immersion with Bohol’s local beauty, I said to myself that there’s no way that there could be another place that can beat the exquisiteness of Chocolate hills. This was a fact until I saw the long white sandy beaches of Panglao island. It literally took my breath away. It was simply idyllic. Endless columns of coconut trees outlined the beach front. The white sand is so friendly to the naked foot because of it is fine as a salt and soft as milk texture that made me want to cover my whole body with it. The natural charm of the place did not stopt here,it went beyond to the extensive crystal blue water of the sea. The undulating movements of the waves took me to a place that highlighted my contentment and happiness. How to cite The Island of Bohol: Heaven on Earth, Papers

Thomas More Essays (185 words) - Anti-war, Conscience, Nonviolence

Thomas More Thomas More was a humanist with a true love for learning. Known as a leader, he recognized that leadership is a gift from God for the common good of mankind and the duty of that gift was a life of service to all. A devoted family man, he was also a brilliant intellectual, patron of the arts, statesman, scholar, philosopher, and author whose writings have enriched our culture and literature. Educated at Oxford, he practiced law and entered the service of King Henry VIII as royal counselor, ambassador, and Lord Chancellor. He was a man of conscience with a strong faith in God and an intense concern for the problems of his day. He was executed because he refused to compromise his deeply held principles and values. As a person of wide and varied interests who exhibited high standards of honor, Thomas More is an inspiration to students who seek to develop through their education the knowledge and values upon which they will base their lives, their careers, and service to others.

The try-catch-finally Blocks in Java

The try-catch-finally Blocks in Java To make a Java program as robust as possible it needs to be able to handle exceptions. The compiler does its part by not allowing you to compile a program until it is syntactically correct and can also point out checked exceptions that must be handled. But the exceptions that are likely to cause the most headaches are the ones that appear once the program is running. To help handle these exceptions the Java language provides the try-catch-finally blocks. The try Block The tryblock encases any statements that might cause an exception to occur. For example, if you are reading data from a file using the FileReader class, its expected that you handle the IOExceptions associated with using a FileReader object, for example,FileNotFoundExceptionand IOException. To ensure this happens, you can place the statements that deal with creating and using the FileReader object inside a try block:However, the code is incomplete because, in order for the exception to be handled, we need a place for it to be caught. This happens in the catch block.The catch Block The catch block(s)  provide a place to handle the exception thrown by the statements within a try block. The catch block is defined directly after the try block. It must specify the type of exception it is handling. For example, the FileReader object defined in the code above is capable of throwing a FileNotFoundException or an IOException. We can specify two catch blocks to handle both of those exceptions:In the FileNotFoundExceptioncatchblock we could place code to ask the user to find the file for us and then try to read the file again. In the IOException catch block, we might just pass on the I/O error to the user and ask them to try something else. Either way, we have provided a way for the program to catch an exception and handle it in a controlled manner.In Java SE 7, it became possible to handled multiple exceptions in one catch block. If the code we wanted to place in the two catch blocks above was exactly the same we could write the code like this instead:In order to do a bit of housekeeping as far as resources go, we can add a finally block. After all, we want to release the file we have been reading from once we are finished. The finally Block The statements in the finally block are always executed. This is useful to clean up resources in the event of the try block executing without an exception and in the cases when there is an exception. In both eventualities, we can close the file we have been using.   The finally block appears directly after the last catch block:

The Case of the Misplaced Modifier

The Case of the Misplaced Modifier The Case of the Misplaced Modifier The Case of the Misplaced Modifier By Carla Lowe As a freelance editor and proofreader, the misplaced or dangling modifier is a common writing error I see. That sentence should have made you cringe, or at least confused. It introduces an all-too-frequent grammatical problem found in writing: misplaced and dangling modifiers. First, what’s a modifier? A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that â€Å"modifies† (says something about, describes, clarifies, qualifies, limits) another word, phrase, or clause. Modifiers are either adjectival (modifying nouns or pronouns) or adverbial (modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs). The challenge with modifiers lies in knowing where to place them. A misplaced modifier can create confusion and drastically alter the meaning of a sentence because it appears to modify the wrong thing. Misplaced Words Many single-word modifiers are often misplaced; these include only, almost, just, even, merely, hardly, and nearly, for example. Consider how the meaning of the following sentence changes, depending on where you place the word only: Only Susie gave $20 at the fundraiser. (No one else but Susie gave $20.) Susie only gave $20 at the fundraiser. (The only thing Susie did was give $20.) Susie gave only $20 at the fundraiser. (Susie didn’t give any more than $20.) Susie gave $20 at the only fundraiser. (Susie gave $20 at the only available fundraiser.) Susie gave $20 at the fundraiser only. (Susie didn’t give $20 anywhere else.) One trick to help you avoid misplacing these types of modifiers is to place the modifier next to (or near) the word/words it modifies. For the above sentence, if you want only to modify $20, then use the third example. Misplaced Phrases/Clauses Phrases and clauses are also regularly misplaced in writing. Examples: My husband asked me if we might consider having another baby during our friends’ baby shower. (implies that the husband wants to have a baby during the shower) I found a new scratching post for my cat, which was on clearance at the pet store. (implies that the cat was on clearance) To correct these sentences, place the modifying phrase/clause closer to the word/words it modifies: During our friends’ baby shower, my husband asked me if we might consider having another baby. I found a new scratching post, which was on clearance at the pet store, for my cat. Dangling Modifiers A pet peeve of mine, the dangling modifier is usually a phrase or an elliptical clause (a dependent clause in which some words have intentionally been left out), often at the beginning of a sentence, that either doesn’t modify anything specific in the sentence or modifies the wrong word or part of the sentence. Consider my introductory sentence: As a freelance editor and proofreader, the misplaced or dangling modifier is a common writing error I see. Of course, you can probably figure out what I was trying to communicate, but the dangling modifier is distracting and creates ambiguity; it illogically implies that the modifier is actually a freelance editor and proofreader! So how can I fix the sentence? As a freelance editor and proofreader, I notice that many writers struggle with misplaced and dangling modifiers. Now, the introductory phrase (As a freelance editor and proofreader) correctly and logically modifies the pronoun I. Remember the trick to place the modifier as close as possible to whatever it needs to modify, and you’ll avoid the majority of errors associated with modifier placement. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How Many Tenses in English?10 Types of TransitionsComma After Introductory Phrases

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Case Study Example The second lesson coming from this case is the need for top management to openly and clearly indicate their desire to pursue the radically new approach. At Denny’s the CEO made his intentions clear by making diversity an area of strategic focus. This is manifested through the holistic approach that the CEO put in place through the four-part strategy he devised to set cultural diversity in motion. These four parts were: making mandatory intensive diversity training for all members of staff; re-engineering the people systems / organizational structure; making diversity a core competence for appraising management performance, and consistently preaching the gospel of diversity (Brathwaite 1; Rice Para 9). The third point raised by Denny’s turnaround with regard to diversity is that tackling this particular challenge within organizations requires a multi-faceted approach that goes beyond the often promoted mandatory diversity training in many organizations. For starters the Denny’s case highlights that training in itself needs to be implemented through a tiered approach, where training needs are based on position, power and roles and responsibilities of the individual within the company. The second reason why a multifaceted approach is needed is because tackling diversity issues necessitates both cultural and structural changes to the organization. On the one hand, Denny’s recruitment, firing, promotion, development and promotion policies reflected its organizational culture that needed to be changed. On the other hand, Denny’s long hierarchical structure shielded the CEO from the misdeeds committed by the lower management levels. The final point obtained from the success of Denny’s turnaround is the need for consistency from top management with regards to effecting and sustaining a diversity policy within the organization. This has to be done through verbal communication – the fourth part of CEO Adamson’s strategy – and also through

Construction and Environment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Construction and Environment - Research Paper Example He also stated that in the formulation of their proposal for performance improvement, they studied what had been happening and gained insight on the transformations that they had undergone in the recent years. Due to the concerns raised facing the need to meet clients expectations and to the fact that it is underachieving, the Deputy prime Minister set up the Construction Task Force. In UK’s domestic economy, the construction industry provides a substantial value to the Gross domestic product and therefore, it needs to be safeguarded and allowed to continue growing. The industry measures well with the others in the world due to its flexibility, the nature of the willing labour in adapting to the harsh working conditions. To improve efficiency the task force has to refer to several guidelines which were outlined as; quantification of scope for the improvement of efficiency in construction, examination of practices currently in the improvement of innovations in processes and pro ducts, identification of good practices and projects which would help in the demonstrations and also the advisory of the Deputy Prime Minister to improve efficient building of houses of quality (Lock, 2007). Modernisation is a key factor that affects profitability rate. To sustain development in a healthy way, the Task force need to be well catered for because if not addresses the margins would be very low. There is need for training a proportion of the workforce to help solve the problem of skill shortage improve career structure and develop management and supervisory grades (Berkun, 2008). As a result of under-achievement, the clients are not satisfied both in the public and private sector. This under achievement can be attributed to poor investment, unpredictability, competition in terms of price but not considering quality, poor performers not restricted from entering the market. This has led to difficulty in identification of quality brands for investors. The construction indus try in UK is already fragmented with several small construction companies with less than eight employees. This has led to the prevention of continual teams that work efficiently. This has the only advantage of providing flexibility in dealing with workloads that are highly variable. Still, the cycle of the economy has to a great extent affected the industry to an extent that it maximises on how to survive rather than future investment (Sir.John, 2007). There is an encouragement by the construction company to continue developing to the government sponsors and clients. Improvements are recently being initiated with the main agenda as Change. Improvement focuses on the components of construction and materials, this includes pre-assembly and standardization and with the three dimensional modelling and positioning globally. Tools are being put in place to deal with the problems of fragmentation such as creation of partnerships, increasing the techniques and tools for efficiency and quali ty improvement, benchmarking, encouraging team works and integrated Total Quality management (Lock, 2003). As stated by Burke, identification of stakeholders and their respective roles is important in mitigating the problems identified. Management of scope helps a great deal in completion of tasks on time and quantification of task. Work breakdown and structure of the project connecting tasks

America Paper :: essays research papers

You know the feeling. You can’t turn on the big game without one. You can’t listen to your stereo system without one. DVD? Nope! Where is the damn thing? I’m holding three, but they’re not the right one. The â€Å"remote† always seem to be just that†¦ remote.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Your typical American can have anywhere from four to six to eight remotes to control any number of electronic machines. Just looking at them and trying to comprehend their function is utterly overwhelming. The sizes differ just as much as the items they control. Line the remotes up on a coffee table and they almost look like a squadron of high-powered military aircraft on the deck of an aircraft carrier capable of who knows what with all those buttons. Funny thing is the remote is almost as important to our peaceful, domestic well being as those aircraft are to our peaceful, domestic national safety. And of all the impressive aircraft we have at our disposal here in America, I think the remote is most like the stealth fighter because we’re always fighting to find it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Take the television remote for instance. It is the king of importance and is always the hardest to find. You end up missing the first quarter of the big game because you’ve torn up the whole house looking for the now invisible remote. What happened to the stereo remote? Is it under the couch cushion or the couch itself? Is it even in the room? The other remotes don’t help because you need the specific one for the specific electronic machine. Funny thing is, despite all of their individual features, they all share one certain function: getting lost, or â€Å"going stealth† as I call it, and then the search is on for one of the many. Many Americans don’t even look at it as odd behavior to have what seems like an infinite number of remotes. Look at the many electronic machines that have remotes: TV’s, VCR’s, DVD players, CD players, stereo systems, garage doors, window blinds, car security systems, even some gas fireplaces come with remote control units! Some day every item we buy will be remote controlled in some way. For some this is a good thing, but I’m not so sure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What are we doing? More importantly, what are the remotes doing to us? By using remotes we end up removing ourselves from contact with the things we own and enjoy.

Development of Technology

Over the past decades, the world has witnessed different changes that have affected countries and continents. The way economics activities and business are conducted in the world poses challenges and opportunities. Technology is one of those changes or development that has occurred over decades. In a way, technology has changed every aspect of human life. In generally, it has change the ways businesses is conducted. Now, people do not need to see face-to-face in other to conduct business.Businesses can be conducted at home, long distances, in plane and through online real-time. In the education and business environment, technology development has been major catalysts that influencing the way activities are conducted. However, book business is our major focus. In this paper, we are going to analyse the effects of technology development on book business in the next 10years. Through the past technology age or years, we could analysis effects of technology on businesses and nations. Tech nology has replaced the use of human in industries by machines or robots.Before the advent of technology into businesses human has been the main source of labor for entrepreneurs but in the world today, it is apparent that machines have taken over. Availability of new and old information has been made possible through these changes or development in technology. Through this information, there exist different options of communicating and performing tasks and jobs. Moreover, people now prefer to get information through the internet rather than getting it from its source (most times the hard copy).People prefer to read book, novel and articles online rather than getting the hard copy to read. In a way, these have affected publishers, writers in the way they conduct their businesses. This has affected the rewards writers, editors and publisher makes from their jobs, since there works are published online at a reduced cost and most time they do not enjoy these rewards. In few years time, innovations of several types are to be expected. Precisely, in the next 10years new technologies would be introduced into the book business.These new technology will add to the existing ways of conducting or doing the business and will bring fundamental changes into the way book business will be conducted. However, in 10 years time technology will continue to influence the book business in terms of advertisement, sales and production. The effects of technological development will either be positive and negative. For instance, it will reduce the number of people that will be employed by industries that produce books.This in its own way will increase the unemployment rate and leads to decrease in standard of living of people. This is an example of the negative consequences that will be caused by development in technology. On the other hand, it will increase profitability of those in the business. Since, the workability of book business will require few amount of finance. Therefore, c ost of production will reduce since there is an innovative way of organizing the business, consequently leading to increase profit.In conclusion, in years to come various innovations will evolve in business and determine the way business will be conducted. Technological developments have continued to influence the way we live, conduct business and carrying out jobs. However, in the book business technological development will poses different opportunities and challenges in future. In other to be able to cope with this challenges and opportunities, investors, writers and publishers should put measure in place that will be capable of withstanding the pressure. References: Yli-Renko H., Janakiraman R., (2008). How Customer Portfolio Affects New Product Development in Technology-Based Entrepreneurial Firms. Journal of Marketing, Volume 72, Number 5. American Marketing Association. http://www.marketingpower.com/AboutAMA/Pages/AMA%20Publications/AMA%20Journals/Journal%20of%20Marketing/TOCs/summary_sept_08/howcustomer_jm_0908.aspx Horte S. A., Lindberg P., (2007). Performance effects of human and organizational development and technological development. International Journal of Human Factors in Manufacturing. Volume 4 Issue 3. IBM, (2008). IBM Reveals Five Innovations That Will Change Our Lives in the Next Five Years. Technology: Hi Tech. Physorg.com. http://www.physorg.com/news146852022.html   

Creationism vs. Darwinism A Comparative Analysis

Creationism vs. Darwinism Abstract An analysis of creationism, and its various forms, is undertaken in order to determine basis for creationist beliefs. Additionally, Darwinism is explored and the differences between Creationism and Darwinism are analyzed. Despite overwhelming evidence that supports the existence and validity of Darwinism, there are still arguments made that attempt to discredit evolution. The battle between Creationists and Darwinists extends beyond science and religion and has proliferated academia. Although this issue has often been presented before the courts at a federal level, Creationists have repeatedly lost their claims. There has been a longstanding debate between creationists and Darwinists regarding how living creatures came into existence. The conflicts between these two schools of thought have even impacted what is taught in schools. Despite the overwhelming evidence supporting evolution and Darwinism, there are many creationists that do not hold biological evolution to be a part of their tenets. While many would believe that creationists can be lumped together into a single group, there are, in fact, several different types of creationists. For instance, Old-Earth Creationists accept the evidence for an ancient earth but still believe that life was specially created by God, and they still base their beliefs on the Bible (Isaak, 2000). On the other hand, Young-Earth Creationists use a literal interpretation of the Bible as the core of

The Great Grand Father Of George Washington - 1699 Words

George Washington was one of the most skilled, and maybe the best person that could have held the title of founder of the United States of American. He had the capabilities of representing his people on the Continental Congress, the intelligence to flip his misfortunes to his victories on many battles against the British and on his personal life, the generosity of believing in people that were ignored or discriminated by society and more remarkably, the bravery needed to act against the laws and even risk his own life on several occasions for the liberty of his people, among many other aspects that makes him one of the most studied historical characters and sources of inspiration. John Washington (who was the great-grand father of George Washington) came to Virginia in 1657 and obtained a land of almost 150 acres in Westmoreland County on the Potomac River and seven years, built Mount Vernon out of this land and another grant of 5,000 acres just 18 miles down present-day Washington, D.C. There’s not enough evidence to conclude anything for his son Lawrence, but his grandson Augustine left an immense record of businesses, mines, properties, and 2 marriages that left 5 descendants; between them George Washington. George was born as the eldest son of this father’s second marriage on February 22, 1732. And during his childhood, George moved with his family to another plantation on a place called Epsewasson, not very far from the Potomac. When he was only eleven years old hisShow MoreRelatedGeorge Washington, Washington D.C. and the Grand Canyon646 Words   |  3 Pagesfor the people who have lived there, such as George Washington, our first president, its splendid cities, such as Washington DC, and its world famous national parks such as the Grand Canyon. America is an amazing country in part because of its people and places. One of the country’s most famous leaders is George Washington. This important man was the first child of Augustine and Mary Washington, born on February 22nd, 1732. unfortunately, his father died when he was but eleven years old. By theRead MoreGeorge Washington And The Era Of The American Revolution1569 Words   |  7 PagesAccepted Masons or Ancient Free and Accepted Masons that has certain secret rituals†. George Washington was one of the American elites to join the Freemasonry society, their intentions weren t to better themselves but to mimic the â€Å"English gentill behavior†, even though the organization actually ending up contributed to the development of the American Revolution. Through the start of this organization George Washington and many of the American elites policies were influenced to what we know them to standRead MoreEssay george washington1077 Words   |  5 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Born in Westmoreland County, Va., on Feb. 22, 1732 . George Washington of six children of Augustine Washington and his second wife, Mary Ball Washington. At the age of 16, he lived there and at other plantations along the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers, including the river later to be known as Mount Vernon. His education was simple, as surveying, mathematics, and quot;rules of civility.quot; After he lost his father in 1743 at the age of eleven. He was soon sent to live with his halfRead MoreHis Excellency- George Washington Book Review Essays1557 Words   |  7 PagesHis Excellency: George Washington Joseph Ellis sets out to make George Washington, the person we think of as an icon, into a real person. He wants to show us what makes him tick. He wants to turn the marble into the man. So many students today see George Washington as a memorial, a monument, a face on a dollar bill, and the man who could not lie when he cut down the cherry tree. He wants to show us the man George Washington was in his day. Ellis’s method was to divide George Washington’s lifeRead MoreEssay on The Great Masonic Nation, USA1884 Words   |  8 PagesThe Great Masonic Nation, USA Freemasonry The freemasonry defines itself as a discrete symbolic and nonreligious philosophical and philanthropic initiatory institution, founded on a sense of brotherhood. Its objective is the search for truth and promote the social and moral development of human beings, in addition to social progress. Masons are organized into structures called base lodges, which in turn can be grouped into a higher-level organization usually called Grand Lodge, Great EasternRead MoreThe Hamilton Grange National Memorial1530 Words   |  7 PagesThe historical site that I have decided to expand my research on is, the Hamilton Grange National Memorial located in Harlem, New York. This site was the home of Alexander Hamilton, one of the seven foreign-born Founding Fathers of the United States of America. He had a great influence on the foundation of the United States of America, the United States constitution and the Federalist Party. He was a Military officer, lawyer and member of the US constitutional con vention, an American politicalRead MoreThe Revolutionary War : A Successful Revolt Against The British Reign And Formed A Whole New Nation1615 Words   |  7 Pagesdiplomatic opportunities came and choices were made, such as the Olive Branch Petition and forming an alliance with France; moreover, this would have been possible with out the great leadership of our founding father, Benjamin Franklin, and the ideal image of leadership from the honorable George Washington, allowing a movement so great it consecrated a successful revolt against the British reign and formed a whole new nation. During the 1770s Britain oppressed the colonies in an attempt to dig their wayRead MoreEssay on James Madison1503 Words   |  7 Pagesinfluential to establish the United States. James Madison is considered Father of the Constitution of the United States. He became one of the leading theorist of the republican government. Madison attended the college of New Jersey, which is now Princeton. He urged greatly for independence and a stronger nation for the United States. He also became the fourth president of the United States. Madison, an American Statesmen had great knowledge of understanding government. In 1776, Madison was electedRead MoreHist 1012296 Words   |  10 Pages A Man of Honor George Washington was the first president of the United States and is known as â€Å"the Father of Our Country. He was a man with much conviction, humility, and integrity. George Washington trusted in God, was willing to sacrifice much, and he was selfless. All of these qualities were important to his success as a military leader and as the leader of the nation. It is apparent by how revered Washington is today that he was a man of honor. George Washington begin life in VirginiaRead MoreThe War Of The American Revolutionary War1104 Words   |  5 Pagesfreedom against the â€Å"Red Coats,† also known as, British Troops. Some of the important people started assembling together to be able to write a declaration of independence from Great Britain. The assembly, was claimed to be one of the greatest assemblies ever in American history. Before they could officially assemble for this grand meeting of congress, a series of events had to take place, which involved persuading others to come and be part in it. †¢ On June 7th, 1776, a Congress meeting in Philadelphia

James, A Non Medical Residential Board And Care For The...

This paper discusses James, a Caucasian male who was interviewed and observed at a non medical residential board and care for the elderly. Academic Journals and major theories were explored to discuss his stage of development that correspond with his age range. James physical development has declined as he reached late adulthood, which is typical in his age range. Even though his health condition limits his mobility, he makes it a point to walk daily. His cognitive development has decreased compared to when he was younger. He stays mentally active by working on his family newsletter and playing chess. James coping mechanism has helped him understand his emotions and development. His personality in staying positive keeps him effective. His support system composes of his social development with his wife and relationship with God. His faith has helped him stay strong mentally and physically. This paper examines the stages of James developmental psychology in late adulthood. A detailed discussion of James physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development was compared to the expected development in that age range. Keywords: Caucasian, Late Adulthood, Development Introduction James, who is in his late adulthood, 80 years old, United States Air Force veteran living in a non medical, residential board and care facility for the elderly with his wife. The interview and observation was conducted in their private room. He and his wife have resided at theShow MoreRelatedSafeguarding in Health and Social Care6436 Words   |  26 PagesUnit 10: Safeguarding in Health and Social Care Student Name: Student I.D: Submission date: 09/12/2015 CONTENTS PAGE Task | Page number | Task 1: Induction Pack on Abuse factors and contexts (1.1, 1.2, 1.3) | 4-12 | Task 2: Essay on the law in contexts (2.1, 2.2) | 12-19 | Task 3: Power point presentation on working practices and strategies (3.1, 3.2, 3.3) | 20-28 | References | 29-30Read MoreCase Study for Management Accounting36918 Words   |  148 Pagesnot-for-profit organization. University Bottom Line, by Enrico Uliana, discusses management control issues in a university. I thank these authors and all of the other authors who submitted cases to the conference. I also thank members of the editorial board for their help in reviewing cases: Tom Albright, Wayne Bremser, Paul Juras, Ken Merchant, Gary Sundem and, especially, Larry Carr and Jim Mackey. I am grateful to the other conference organizers, Steve Hansen, K. Sivaramakrishnan and Naomi SoderstromRead MoreCase Study for Management Accounting36912 Words   |  148 Pagesnot-for-profit organization. University Bottom Line, by Enrico Uliana, discusses management control issues in a university. I thank these authors and all of the other authors who submitted cases to the conference. I also thank members of the editorial board for their help in reviewing cases: Tom Albright, Wayne Bremser, Paul Juras, Ken Merchant, Gary Sundem and, especially, Larry Carr and Jim Mackey. I am grateful to the other conference organizers, Steve Hansen, K. Sivaramakrishnan and Naomi SoderstromRead MoreHealth and Social Care Essay14559 Words   |  59 PagesUnderstand Employment Responsibilities and Rights in Health, Social Care or Children and Young People’s Settings Workbook for Employment Rights and Responsibilities The Workbook Purpose – The purpose of the workbook is to support you the learner in gathering and recording evidence towards your LAO Level 2 Award in Employment Rights and Responsibilities in Health and Social Care or Children and Young People’s Settings. Content – This workbookRead MoreCountry Note Book of China17054 Words   |  69 Pagesthird largest country, after Russia and Canada. With an area of 9.6 million square kilometers and a coastline of 18,000 kilometers, its shape on the map is like a rooster. It reaches Mohe in Heilongjiang Province as its northern end, Zengmu Ansha (or James Shoal) to the south, Pamirs to the west, and expands to the eastern border at the conjunction of the Heilongjiang (Amur) River and the Wusuli (Ussuri) River, spanning about 50 degrees of latitude and 62 degrees of longitude. China is bordered by 14Read MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pagesstrategic choices and strategy in action covered later in the book, it will normally be a prerequisite that some type of analysis of the strategic position is undertaken, using the case material. When planning the use of these cases within programmes, care needs to be taken to balance the time taken on such strategic analy sis so as to allow the time required to analyse the main issues for which the case has been chosen. Where the text and cases are being used as the framework for a strategy programmeRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words   |  604 Pages2006. It is interesting to note that in Figure 1—1 most of the fastest-growing occupations percentagewise are related to information technology or health care. The increase in the technology jobs is due to the rapid increase in the use of information technology, such as databases, system design and analysis, and desktop publishing. The health care jobs are growing as a result of the aging of the U.S. population and workforce, a factor discussed later. Chapter 1 Changing Nature of Human ResourceRead MoreEngineering Ethics in Practice: a Guide for Engineers18096 Words   |  73 Pagesthe potential to lead to serious structural damage to a local heritage site, and possible injury or death to visitors and residents. Given that STZ are misleading the public on such a serious matter, and probably acting illegally given their duty of care to the public, it is clear that the company, the team, and the Team Leader as an individual have a responsibility to counter their claims. Not to do so would be a particularly serious case of allowing â€Å"others to be misled about engineering matters†Read MoreAn Industry Study on the Intensive Pig Farming Industry15104 Words   |  61 Pagesbuilding materials utilized were affordable, making it relatively easy for a single family to fund and manage the enterprise. This system allows for a more efficient family as the less productive members of the family are held responsible for the care of the pigs, and eventually earn income for the family. These farms can only support a small number of pigs yet are able to price their hogs competitively by absorbing a large portion of the costs as part of their cost of living. Further developmentRead MoreStrategic Human Resource Management View.Pdf Uploaded Successfully133347 Words   |  534 Pagessuperior production facilities or a superior product are usually not enough to sustain an advantage over competitors. Physical facilities can be duplicated, cloned, or reverse-engineered and no longer provide a sustainable advantage.2 Strategists James Quinn, Thomas Doorley, and Penny Paquette have argued that â€Å"maintainable advantage usually derives from outstanding depth in selected human skills, logistics capabilities, knowledge bases, or other service strengths that competitors cannot reproduce

Diplmacy Free Essays

Aide Memoire Professor: Dr. Awalou Ouedraogo Diplomacy Brazil has become an emerging superpower in terms of its economic power as well as its participation in the international community. The consolidation of its strong economy has allowed Brazil to take part in conflict resolution around the world. We will write a custom essay sample on Diplmacy or any similar topic only for you Order Now Brazil intends to spread its own emblem of order and progress throughout the world, and is committed to establish peace and encourage human development. Brazil is the largest country in South America, covering approximately half of the total surface area of the subcontinent which places them in a very strategic and prominent place in the region. It shares borders with every other South American country except Chile and Ecuador. This has allowed Brazil to create important alliances and enjoy good relations with most of its neighbours. Brazil is also home of the Amazon forest which is considered to be the ‘lungs’ of the planet, as well as an important place where diversity of fauna and flora coexist (Note on the Political and Economic Situation of Brazil, 4). Brazil’s population also plays an important aspect in the international arena; it ranks fifth in the world in terms of its population with over 186 million people. Slavery was abolished in 1888, which over time a further blurred racial lines; Brazil is a mixture of races and ethnicities, resulting in rich diversity. Approximately 80% of its population is Roman Catholic. Despite the mixing of ethnicities; there is a class system in Brazil. Thus, there is a great disparity in wage differentials–and therefore lifestyle and social aspirations among the different classes (Brazilian Culture, Family, and Its Ethnic-Cultural Variety, 193). On the other hand, Brazil’s current economic situation is at its best. Today most of the world is consumed in debt and dealing with high levels of unemployment; Brazil instead is trying to see how to manage its economic boom. It was the last country to enter the great recession and the first to leave it. It is positioned to overtake France and Britain as the fifth global economy. According to the International Monetary Fund website, Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America the second largest on the continent, behind the United States, the sixth largest economy in the world by nominal GDP and the seventh largest in terms of purchasing power parity. With most of the world’s economies stagnant Brazil’s economy has grown by 7%, three times faster than America. It has the most sophisticated biofuels in the world, 80% of its electricity comes from hydro power. Brazil is also the biggest mining iron producer in the world and the world’s leading exporter of coffee, orange juice, tobacco, soy and beef. Most of these commodities are exported to China which has replaced the US as their leading trade partner (Reportagem da tv Americana). It is not the only commodities that Brazil makes; it also has developed its economic sectors and increases its exports in aircrafts, electronics and automobiles. Although, Brazil enjoys a modern economy that is very strong and competitive, it still has serious socio-economical problems in terms of poverty within its population. There is a huge gap between the rich and the poor. Brazil is a social state organized as a unitary republic, decentralized, with autonomous territorial entities, democratic, participatory and pluralistic society based on respect for human dignity, work and solidarity of the people who make up and the prevalence of general interest. The federal capital is Brasilia, while the most important cities are Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Brazil is made up of 26 states; the president is the head of the executive and is selected by direct universal suffrage for a term of fours years. It has the classical division of power which is the executive, legislative, and judicial that is officially established by the constitution (Note on the Political and Economic Situation of Brazil, 6). The Brazilian government is committed to protecting human rights; their principle human rights concern includes police violence and impunity. Also, the discrimination against indigenous and landless people, human trafficking, torture and working conditions with relative impunity for those involved (Foreign and Common Wealth website). The current president Dilma has made improvements in domestic human rights a priority of her leadership. Brazil’s foreign policy is to be as a key player on the world stage; its efforts for the integration of Latin America have been tremendous. Since the creation of Mercosur, Brazil has intended to be the driving force in South America consolidating free trade agreements in the region and coordinating negotiations for the emancipation of Latin America. Under both Presidents Lula and Dilma, Brazil has been particularly active in its engagement with other emerging powers, particularly India, South Africa, China and Russia. The combination of Brazil, India and South Africa have established a more formal grouping, called the G3 or IBSA, and co-ordinate activity across various areas. The three countries have come together in order to exert greater pressure at the WTO negotiations, a move which has upset the United States. Through its role as a leader within Latin America, Brazil has encouraged closer co-operation between the region and the Middle East (Foreign and Common Wealth website). Brazil supports reform of the United Nations, both the Security Council and more widely. Moreover, Brazil has put itself forward as a candidate for a permanent seat in an enlarged Security Council and has the stated support of a significant number of countries. Thus, in the case of Palestine in which Brazil has made important measures that would help the country to gain its recognition as state in the United Nations. Brazil has consistently spoken in favour of a ceasefire, and against mutual hostility between Israelis and Palestinians. Brazil has specifically related to advancing the path of national independence for the Palestinians and security for the Israelis. We can actually even go back to the Montevideo Rights and Duties of the State, and find how ‘the political existence of the state is independent of recognition by the other states. Even before recognition the state has the right to defend its integrity and independence, to provide for its conservation and prosperity, and consequently to organize itself as it sees fit, to legislate upon its interests, administer its services, and to define the jurisdiction and competence of its courts’ (Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties). Article 3 clearly states the position the conference on American states would adopt. Paradoxically, some countries have not obeyed this approach taken by the majority of nations that bind this agreement. The Brazilian interest is to bring peace to this conflict and achieve concrete progress in building the Palestinian State. On the website of the Ministry of International Affairs, Brazil with the support of some other countries states how the Brazilian Palestinian National Interest Committee continues to promote Brazil as key for Palestinian-Israeli peace, and promote Brazil’s interests in the Middle East by urging its members to maintain contact with Members of Congress, to adopt resolutions to help in restoring the peace rocess and thus resolve the humanitarian situation in order to avoid future conflicts in the region, and to support important initiatives that would lead to the creation of a Palestinian State (Ministerio Das Relacoes Exteriores website). In it, Brazil also states the Mercosur-Palestine Free Trade Agreement signed on 20 December 2011 in Montevideo. The Mercosur-Palestine Free Trade Agreement contains the following chapters: trade in goods; rules of origin; b ilateral safeguards; technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures;  as well as its agreement to open markets for goods. The launch trade negotiations with the Palestinians comes less than two weeks after Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay announced the recognition of a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders (Nanduti Noticias website). Finally, the resolutions made by the Brazilian Palestinian National Interest Committee made a list of the issues that must be resolved, 1. Israeli Government must cease military raids in the West Bank and Gaza. 2. Dismantling of all settlements in the West Bank. 3. Democratically elected officials are recognized. 4. Dismantling of the wall. 5. Providing Palestinians free unrestricted travel in their municipality. . Strengthening of Palestinian security forces and intelligence. 7. UNSC backing for Brazil to start leading efforts, working together with India, South Africa and the international community, to support Palestinian Government institutions in providing security for its nationals along with securing the borders with the State of Israel. 8. Allowing Palestinians to co ntrol their airspace, territorial waters, and land passages between the West Bank and Gaza. 9. Resolving the Palestinian refugee issue as part of any final status agreement (Ministerio Das Relacoes Exteriores website). References 1- Neves , Pedro. On the Political and Economic Situation of Brazil. † Directorate-General for External Policies of the Directorate B -Policy Department-. (2007): 397-081. lt;https://docs. google. com/viewer? a=vamp;q=cache:jcuqvwT_ZRsJ:www. europarl. europa. eu/meetdocs/2004_2009/documents/nt/692/692067/692067en. pdf economic, political and social situation of brazilamp;hl=enamp;gl=caamp;pid=blamp;srcid=ADGEESj5pBjjn Vkc0u7wIo1paZ9DdS6Kh4Ws0aaZV_ok__9hpcHWbdOzuRA2zWAHmTYDI32EQLomVU8OhHoSVJ6CEfZHBgXUAJyePf59cAFEEfvreX3PPSzp3s1tRH0cKaF7xDCYiexYamp;sig=AHIEtbRmo3aDE1xJY_1QBjZQLAIZwR9qUQgt;. 2- Torres, Claudio V. , and Maria Auxiliadora Dessen. Brazilian culture, Family and its Ethnic- Cultural Variety. † Arizona Journal of Hispanic Cultural Studie s. 12. (2008): 189-202. Web. 19 Jan. 2012. ;lt;http://www. jstor. org/stable/20641909? seq=5;amp;Search=yes;amp;searchText=political,;amp;searchText=social;amp;searchText=economical;amp;searchText=situation;amp;searchText=brasil;amp;list=hide;amp;searchUri=/action/doBasicResults? la=;amp;wc=on;amp;acc=on;amp;gw=jtx;amp;Query=brasil+political%2C+economical+and+social+situation;amp;sbq=brasil+political%2C+economical+and+social+situation;amp;prq=recognition+palestinian+state;amp;si=1;amp;jtxsi=1;amp;jcpsi=1;amp;artsi=1;amp;so=new;amp;Go. =6;amp;Go. y=20;amp;Go=Go;amp;hp=25;amp;prevSearch=;amp;item=6;amp;ttl=234;amp;returnArticleService=showFullText;amp;resultsServiceName=null;gt;. 3- 60 Minutes. 2011. Photograph. CBS, Brazil. Web. ;lt;http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=DMM7OJ_Kj9I;gt;. 4- . â€Å"Acordo de Livre Comercio Mercosul-Palestina – Montevideu, 20 de dezembro de 2011. † Ministerio Das Relacoes Exteriores. Ministerio Do Brasil, 20/12/2011. Web. 19 Jan 2012. ;lt;htt p://www. itamaraty. gov. br/;gt;. 5- Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties of States, 1933. PDF document How to cite Diplmacy, Papers

Basic Ecclesial Community free essay sample

The same can be said of the various theologies of liberation. Although in one or another version they may not dovetail exactly with the theological frontiers of Puebla, liberation theologies are a meaningful and important way to approach and understand BECs. WHAT ARE THE BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES? For the sake of precision, let me make clear what BEC means in the context of this article. The currently so-called Basic Communities, Basic Christian Communities, Grassroots Christian Communities, or Basic Ecclesial Communities in different parts of the world share some common and fundamental features. However, at the present level of ecclesiological awareness as it is mirrored in the specialized theological literature, we can hardly talk about the current phenomenon of BECs in a general, univocal way. They are a diversified reality from which we can draw an analogical concept. They offer a certain unity in their diversity. Even within a more homogeneous scenario such as Latin America, there are significant differences between the BECs in Brazil, in Peru, in El Salvador, or Nicaragua, for instance, which prevent us from talking of them without further specification. To write on the BECs in a scholarly fashion, therefore, we need a concrete point of reference. Here this will be the BECs in the Roman Catholic Church in Brazil. From such a specific point of reference it is possible then to relate to other analogical cases. I do not pretend to give a clear-cut definition or even a description of the Brazilian BECs. This would deprive them of one of their fundamental traits, namely, flexibility, openness to change and to reverse patterns, something which is very much linked to real life. Let me make explicit some of their major characteristics. First, they are communities. They are trying to set a pattern of 601 602 THEOLOGICAL STUDIES Christian life which is deliberately in contrast with the individualistic, self-interested, and competitive approach to ordinary life so inherent in the Western, modern-contemporary culture. As a result of their own unfolding evolution in the last 25 years or so, BECs in Brazil have been aiming at living the two dimensions of communion and participation. By stressing communion, the BECs want to live faith not as a privatized but as a shared, real experience which is mutually nurtured and supported. Such a deep level in faith sharing is at the roots of an attempt to improve interpersonal relationships within the community. This then makes possible the dimension of participation especially in the decision-making process, in contrast with a rather passive attitude of the faithful or a too vertical orientation in exercising power or authority by the clergy or by the laity. Secondly, the BECs are ecclesial. The catalysts of this ecclesiality in the Brazilian BECs have been the unity in and of faith and the linkage to the institutional Church. Even when BECs are ecumenically oriented, experience has proven that the sharing of a specific, common faith was a crucial element for fostering the internal growth of the community. This is particularly important because of the paramount significance of the Word of God and biblical-prayer sharing in BECs life. By linking themselves to the institutional Church, BECs want to reverse the confrontational and/or hostile approach to the hierarchy that used to be a hallmark of Basic Communities in the sixties, especially in Italy and France or in the so-called underground church in the United States. This does not mean that the BECs must be started by a clerical initiative, although many have indeed been. It means, though, that however originated, the BECs look for recognition and support by the pastors or by the bishops, even when enjoying a fair amount of internal autonomy. Thirdly, BECs are basic (de base). Being predominantly a gathering of active lay people, they are said to be at the base of the Church, from an ecclesiastic point of view, as related to the hierarchical Church structure. Moreover, in Brazil and in many Third World countries, the BECs are at the base of society as well. In fact, most of the thousands and thousands of BEC members are poor. This is not an exclusive option but an understandable fact. The poor feel in a stronger way the need for community, for mutual support. They are less sophisticated in shaping their interpersonal relationships because they have less to lose. They are more open to participation because more pressed by common needs. Finally, they are more sensitive to the gift because they realize their personal and societal needs. Thus they hardly take things for granted or as if deserved. This opens their hearts to faith, which is part of the gifteconomy of salvation and liberation. Moreover, being at the base makes BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 603 it easier for BECs to link faith and real, everday life. On the grounds of the gospel demands, they realize the need for the transformation of a society whose organization is in itself unjust in many aspects and very much the source of their own poverty. Thus faith is not locked in the mind and even less within the private, individual horizon. Faith is a dynamic factor of personal conversion and societal transformation. In an earlier stage the BECs in Brazil were thought of as a way to improve the life of parishes. Progressively it became clear that such a model of communion and participation, such a quality of interpersonal relations, were not possible in a large-scale group or at a highly developed level of social organization. Without losing the linkage to the parishes, BECs multiplied within each parish, keeping their spontaneity and flexibility. Today there is no pretense of making of a parish a community in the terms of BECs. This would hardly be possible in sociological terms. The life of a parish, however, can be significantly improved by the presence of many BECs that gather between 20 and 50 people in general and can occasionally interact for common purposes within the parish. For historical and sociological reasons, Brazil has been a land chronically short of priests (a situation that is starting to loom elsewhere too). In previous times people would confine their active church life to the periodic and scarce presence of the ordained minister. With BECs the growing awareness of the diversity of vocations and of their respective responsibility in the Church led them to consider the priest as a part of the BEC and not above it. In his absence, however, the community goes on in its ordinary life, be it at the level of internal church affairs (prayer and biblical groups, preparation for the sacraments, attention to the sick, renewal and ongoing formation programs, and so on), be it in the field of concrete commitments to action in the social and political realm. Links to the parish or the diocese are kept, of course, and they remain the main source in the preparation of written material for several projects (biblical papers, liturgy of the word, etc. ). But life does not rest upon the initiative of the clergy and even less on the need for its constant involvement or required approval. This leads to a growing decentralization of church life which, however, fits within the parameters of a broad and all-embracing planning by the parishes, the dioceses, and even a very active and wellorganized Bishops Conference at a national level or in each one of its 15 regions in the country. The further elaboration of this article will provide the reader with more detailed information on what BECs mean in this precise context. It is important to bear in mind that taking Brazil as a case study for methodological reasons should not turn out to be an exclusive or narrowing focus. Having a specific point of reference helps us to have a context 604 THEOLOGICAL STUDIES for thinking, to be precise on what we are talking about, and to make possible a concrete comparative approach to our own ecclesial situation or perspective. BEC: A WAY OF BEING CHURCH The growing literature on BECs has accustomed us to think of them mainly, if not exclusively, in terms of Latin American ecclesiology; and one of the postulates of this ecclesiology is that the BECs are not simply a movement or association in the Church but rather a way of being Church. I start from this position, which I myself share, but in this article I would like to look at the issue from a different angle. It may help to broaden ecclesiological perception vis-a-vis our BECs, as well as their scope and significance for the Church as a whole. If indeed the BECs are a way of being Church, then they, like the Church, can be read and interpreted by distinct ecclesiologies. The reading will be more or less adequate in a given case, particularly when it has to do not so much with a more or less abstract concept of the Church but rather with its concrete embodiment in a given local area: the Brazilian Church, for example. I intend in this article to link up the BECs with several major ecclesiologies of European-American extraction in the last 30 years or so. Those ecclesiologies were not thought out in terms of BECs, so the linkup may serve two purposes. First, on the basis of premises that are not just Latin American, it will check out the proposition that BECs are truly a way of being Church. Second, it will show that such ecclesiologies can be enriched and opened to new horizons in the light of BECs. Let me mention two further points. First, we clearly have a wide and varied multiplicity of ecclesiological standpoints. Each one, taken individually, brings out the richness of the aspect it highlights, while at the same time leaving other possible dimensions in impoverished silence. The very plurality of ecclesiologies reveals the inability of any given one to exhaust the mystery of the Church. Understanding the Church, and BECs as a mode of embodying the Church, will always entail the meeting and linking up of various ecclesiological intuitions. It can never be a linkup with one exclusively. Indeed, in principle it should embrace them all, though of course with differing tones and stresses. My second point has to do with the present level of ecclesiological awareness, in which difference of focus is not due solely to difference in the aspect treated. It also depends on the historical frame of reference that serves as the backdrop for the reflection process. Theology carried on in the First World or inspired by it has been less explicit about that context, but it nevertheless bears the marks of it. For Third World theology in general, BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 605 and Latin American theology specifically, that frame of reference is inescapable, clearly putting its mark on theological method and its final product. This article may help us to see that these ways of doing theology are not mutually exclusive. By the same token, the Church, reflecting consciously on the mystery that it is, can derive benefit from this plurality. It can again take up the problem of its unity on the basis of presuppositions that do not rest upon uniformity in its process of theological reflection. The BECs may serve here as a focus and means for verifying this proposition. Among possible methodological options, I would like to single out three that are embodied in works of comparative ecclesiology. The first identifies the ecclesiological perspective, organizing the thought of each author around a dominant tendency in his works; this was the approach used by Batista Mondin. 1 The second defines a theoretical frame at the start and then uses it to compare distinct ecclesiologies, authors, or schools; such was the approach used by Alvaro Quiroz Magana in his thesis. 2 The third inductively works out ecclesiological models on the basis of various authors, suggesting the viability and even necessity of using different models to articulate an ecclesiology; that has been the approach of Avery Dulles in several works. Since it does not focus mainly on authors as Mondin does, or anticipate any theoretical grid as does Quiroz Magana, Dulles method lends itself best to my objective here. I want to verify whether and how BECs bear the chief marks of the Church that have been underscored in recent ecclesiologies outside Latin America, and how BECs can amplify and shed light on the content of those ecclesiologies in a different way. Taking my inspiration from Dulles method, then, I will try to expand the content of his analysis in ModeLÂ · of the Church by focusing specifically on BECs. In his later work, A Church To Believe in, Dulles really ends up proposing a sixth model (the Church as a community of disciples), but I shall not consider that model specifically here. Its syntheticintegrative character is less adequate to my analytic-comparative purpose here. In Models of the Church Dulles proposes the following ecclesiological 1 Batista Mondin, Le nuove ecclesiologie: Unimagine attuale della Chiesa (Rome: Paoline, 1980). 2 Alvaro Quiroz Magana, Eclesiologia en la teologia de la liberacion (Salamanca: Sigueme, 1983). Avery Dulles, Models of the Church: A Critical Assessment of the Church in All Its Aspects (Garden City, N. Y. : Doubleday, 1974); A Church To Believe in (New York: Crossroad, 1982). 606 THEOLOGICAL STUDIES models: Church as institution, communion, sacrament, herald, and servant. I shall briefly present the fundamentals of each model, reflecting on the relationship of BECs to the model in question. Church As Institution This is the model to which we ha ve been traditionally accustomed. It solidified over the centuries, and we were evangelized and theologically educated in it until the 1950s. Its main thrust lies in understanding the Church as a society, indeed as a perfect society. Its underlying Christology views Christ as prophet, priest, and king, with the threefold function of teaching, sanctifying, and ruling. That mission is carried out by virtue of the power which Christ received from God, and which he confers on those who in fact possess authority and jurisdictional power in the Church: the pope, bishops, and priests. Thus the ecclesiological accent is on the organization and dispensation of power, hence on the juridical dimension. This stress shows up on the three planes of doctrine, sacrament, and administration, which are explicitly linked up with their divine origin. The logical result is the excessive growth in the Church of the clerical and institutional dimension and the relative atrophy of the charismatic element as well as of the significance of the People of God, particularly the laity. Proper membership in the Church is defined as acceptance of the same doctrine, communion in the same sacraments, and obedient subjection to the same pastors—all that being visibly verified. Obviously the relationship of this paradigm to EECs is remote, by virtue of the characteristics of both the model and BECs. The predominantly vertical conception of power, the resultant structural organization, and the primacy and hegemony accorded to clerical initiative and activity represent something very different from what BECs are actually seeking andfleshingout in their way of being and living the reality of the Church. By the same token, however, BECs in Brazil, as I said, do contrast with basic communities that have arisen in the First World, particularly with those that arose in the 1960s. Brazilian BECs almost always arise through the initiative of the hierarchy and are sustained by their support. Working alongside lay pastoral agents, priests and religious also provide inspiration and motivation. Bishops and priests exercise jurisdictional power over Brazilian BECs, and the latter recognize and accept this because they consciously regard themselves as an integral part of the institutional life of the Church as a whole. Thus Brazilian BECs are not resistant to the Church as institution, they do not pose an alternative to it, nor do they absolutize their own way of being Church. Instead they see themselves as a vital part of the Church, without which they would have no meaning. BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 607 Taking all these factors into account, we can see that, from an analytical point of view, the Church-as-institution model hardly serves as the dominant ecclesiological inspiration or perspective in the rise of BECs and their actual working. Church As Sacrament The Church exists in Christ as a sacrament or sign and an instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity of the whole human race (Lumen gentium, no. 1). With these words Vatican II summarily echoes and ratifies a theme that was much in evidence in the Church Fathers (Cyprian and Augustine) and in the age of scholasticism (Thomas Aquinas). Its elaboration in terms of a more general ecclesiological perspective, however, is fairly recent. This newer perspective views the Church as a sacrament. One felicitous effort of this sort was by Otto Semmelroth, and his work inspired many others. 4 Henri de Lubac also made a significant contribution to this approach by using patristic and medieval sources. 5 He linked up two dimensions: the Christological—for us Christ is the sacrament of God; and the ecclesiological—for us the Church is the sacrament of Christ. All the sacraments are essentially sacraments of the Church. The sacraments derive their power of grace from the Church, and through them the Church becomes the sacrament it is. Here we have a linkage between the model of the Church as institution (which stresses the visible reality of the socio-ecclesiastical dimension) and the model of the Church as communion (which stresses the socio-ecc/esiai dimension rooted primordially in the inner union of faith, hope, and love). In the Church-as-sacrament model the whole congregation of the faith comes together in all its diverse vocations and functions. That explains the fecundity of this approach, which has been explored ecclesiologically by many theologians, particularly since World War II. A sacrament is a sign of something really present, the visible form of an invisible grace. It is an efficacious sign, producing or intensifying the reality it signifies. The sacraments, then, contain the grace they signify and confer the grace they contain. In tradition the sacraments have always been associated with the social dimension of the Church, not with the isolated individual, even though they are administered and rec eived by individuals. For the human being, then, the sacraments bring together Otto Semmelroth, Die Kirche als Ursakrament (Frankfurt/Main: Knecht, 1953). Henri de Lubac, Catholicisme (Paris: Aubier, 1948). See the following works by way of example: Leonardo Boff s doctoral dissertation, Die Kirche als Sakrament im Horizont der Welterfahrung: Versuch einer Legitimation und einer struktur-funktionalistischen Grundlegung der Kirche im Anschluss an das IL Vatikanische Konzil (Paderborn: Bonifatius, 1972); Yves Congar, LEglise, sacrement universel du salut, in Cette eglise que jaime (Paris: Cerf, 1968) 41-63; P. Smulders, LEglise, sacrement du salut, in G. Barauna, ed. , LEglise de Vatican II2 (Paris: Cerf, 1967) 331-38. 5 6 4 08 THEOLOGICAL STUDIES and link the visible and invisible orders as well as the individual and social planes. We can sum this up by saying that Christ is a sacrament and so is the Church. Christ is the sign and visible presence of the invisible God, the efficacious power of salvation for the individual and the whole People of God. As institution and communion, the Church is the sign and visible presence of Christ: ac cepted by faith and lived both really and mystically by the ecclesial community in the unity of the same faith. Indeed, the Church is even more sacrament than sign. Through its visible actions the Church not only signifies but dynamically produces and makes visible the reality of salvation that it represents and announces. The Church, then, is a grace-happening, and not just in the sense that it effects and administers the sacraments. It is a grace-happening as well because in the life of believers, who are the Church, we see operating and unfolding faith, hope, love, freedom, justice, peace, reconciliation, and everything else that establishes human intercommunion and humanitys communion with God. Now let us see how the BECs look in the light of this model, the Church as sacrament. 1. From our examination of the Church-as-institution model, there is no doubt that the BECs see themselves as Church, as part of the visible, institutional, sociological body of the Church, and that they are a specific way of living as such. We also find Church as sacrament in the BECs. They are it within the Church itself insofar as they better embody the ecclesial range and presence of lay people, or the poor, in the Church— two features less evident in the Churchs concrete structures and functions in recent centuries. Lay people and poor people share a core reality. They are both of the grass-roots level, of the base: lay people in the Church, poor people in the world. Consequently we get thereby a visible, ecclesial sign of Christs own kenosis, a fundamental Christological dimension (Phil 2:5-11), which had not found suitable expression in the Church-as-institution model as lived in the past few centuries. This Christological tie-in, which is lived intensely in BECs, serves as an instrument of grace for bishops, priests, and religious who accept, recognize, or even share the BEC way of being Church. . The BECs have emerged from within a traditional Catholicism. In Brazil that Catholicism was centered around sacramentalization; little effort was put into clear-cut evangelization and explanation of the faith. Both in pedagogical intent and in actual practice, BECs put less stress on the traditional approach of sacramentalization. This is obvious insofar as the older focus on administering and receiving the sacraments signified and reaffirmed the hegemony of ordained authority and power. This was characteristic of the earlier pastoral BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 09 approach or flowed naturally from it. In the cities it took the form of regular administration of the sacraments. In rural areas and the interior it took the form of rapid discharge of various sacramental obligations (baptism, confirmation, marriage, penance, and Eucharist) in a very short period, on those rare or sporadic occasions when ordained ministers of the sacraments were on hand (the Brazilian-coined word to say it is desobriga, literally discharge of obligation). In both ca ses the tenor was more individual than communitarian. Administration of the sacraments frequently took place without proper doctrinal preparation and without rightly establishing the inner dispositions required for meeting the ethical and ecclesial prerequisites for participation in the sacraments. Thus sacramentalization was not tied into a clear ecclesial awareness of the scope and significance of the sacraments. The forms of sacramental expression and preparation for them were associated mainly, indeed almost exclusively, with the ordained minister, who was and still is scarce and much overworked in Brazil. Through their functions and services, current BECs have been filling in for ordained authority insofar as they can. Church as sacrament, in the terms indicated by Lumen gentium, finds expression in many ways. The overwhelming growth of sacred authority and power (the first model) had led historically to exclusive attribution of all that to the clergy. Today lay people, in BECs and other ecclesial areas, are serving as ministers to the sick and Eucharistie ministers. They are preparing individuals and communities for baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist. And they are performing other functions for the immediate human and Christian well-being of individuals and communities. All these activities are clear signs of the Church as sacrament and its efficacious presence, which is not restricted to the seven sacraments alone. The fundamental change is the fact that this whole complex is seen in an ecclesial context. Without denying the vocational and ministerial role and importance of the clergy, BECs have ceased to be wholly dependent on them. The ordained minister takes his place once again within a community growing increasingly aware of its diverse vocations and functions, which are the presence of grace in the world, for the lowly in particular. 3. Insofar as the seven sacraments as such are concerned, BECs cannot fully realize the Church as sacrament in the anointing of the sick and two other basic points. They are promoters of reconciliation at the level of interpersonal relations between their members, but they cannot effect reconciliation as sacrament. Builders of communion as the only viable root of community, their members cannot realize the full significance of the mystery of the Eucharist. These sacraments, which are an indispensable part of Christian life, are bound up with the ordained minister. 610 THEOLOGICAL STUDIES Given the current discipline of the Church and the envisioned requisites of formation and life style, there is no way of providing BECs with such ministers. BECs are multiplying rapidly and sporadically in rural areas and urban peripheries. There are not enough priests for them either quantitatively or qualitatively. By qualitatively here, I am not so much referring to the ministerial qualifications of the priest or his fulfilment of the juridical requisites for exercising his pastoral ministry. I am referring to the suitable adaptation of the priestly type to the BEC way of being Church. For the BEC has its own proper form of communion and participation, integrating various vocations into a more decentralized overall pastoral design based on subsidiarity. This is the present situation, and in the foreseeable future there does not seem to be any thought on the part of the Church as institution to give BECs, or the rest of the Church for that matter, any alternative to the present form of the sacrament of holy orders or to the prerequisites for its reception and exercise. This is a very serious problem affecting churches that are heavily nurtured by the word of God and that consolidate the bonds of communion between their members by fostering ecclesial awareness. In traditional Catholicism and the desobriga paradigm, the Eucharistie question was relativized in one or another way: either the ecclesial significance of the sacrament of the Eucharist was not perceived, or the pertinent law of the Church was fulfilled, not very often but enough to be considered satisfactory. In the living Church embodied by BECs we see, first and foremost, a keen awareness of the structural significance of the Eucharist in the Church as sacrament. They are acutely aware of the necessity of the Eucharist, but also of the actual impossibility of their having the Eucharist with its full meaning and reality. This problem cannot be solved adequately by allowing for exceptions or by occasional casuistic interpretations. It will have to be faced by the Church as part and parcel of its overall pastoral responsibility. The latter must take into account the concrete, diversified reality of the ecclesial body in the world as well as the salvific function of the Church as sacrament, whose core is the Eucharist. Placed at the disposal of human beings, the Eucharist is meant to be the efficacious font of communion between believers, and of their communion with God in Jesus Christ. Church As Herald In this model the Church is seen primarily as the bearer of the word of God. Receiving that word, it is to pass it on to human beings. Its proclaiming is also a convoking, bringing together those who hear and accept the word in faith and who are maintained in faith and union by the strength of the word. Thus the word is constitutive of the Church. BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 611 The Church is the herald of the word, however, not its ultimate addressee. The Church receives the word to announce it. Thus the word emerges as the crucial axis of an ecclesiological perspective that is kerygmatic, prophetic, and missionary. The two preceding models sprouted on Catholic soil and are cultivated there. This model, on the other hand, was nurtured by Protestant reflection. In this century it has been cultivated by Karl Barth and Rudolf Bultmann in particular. Some of its intuitions share a common subsoil with more ancient Catholic tradition, however, and they emerged again in Vatican II to find theological expression in a Catholic and ecumenical way. In the work of Barth, the Church is the living community of the living Christ. 7 God calls it into being by His grace and gives it life by means of His Word and His Spirit, with a view to His kingdom. Thus the Church is not a permanent fact, an institution, much less an object of faith. It comes about by Gods action. It is an event constituted by the power of the word of God in Scripture, made real today and announced to human beings. This proclaimed word gives rise to faith, a gift from God that is outside human control. There is no authority in the Church except the word of God, which is to be left free to call into question the Church itself. Through Gods word the Church is renewed and, above all, urged on to its mission: constant proclamation of the salvific event, Jesus Christ, and of the advent of Gods kingdom. This is the core of Barths message. The word and its proclamation are not meant to reinforce confessional, institutional, social, or political positions, or to abet the expansion of the Church as a society. In the work of Bultmann8 two crucial points must be considered with regard to ecclesiology. First, there is his nonhistorical conception of the Church. The result is the absence of any solid sociological or institutional dimension for the Church, and indeed the absence of any intention in Christ himself to establish or build it. Hence the identification of the Church with a historical datum or phenomenon remains ever paradoxical. Second, for Bultmann the word of God remains central, along with its proclamation as call, appeal, and invitation. But his view here is not the same as Barths. Let us look at it a bit more closely. Bultmann, more exegete than systematic theologian, sees the Church 7 Karl Barth, Kirchliche Dogmatik 4/3 (Munich: Kaiser, 1935 and 1967). For a systematic presentation of Barths ecclesiology vis-a-vis Catholic ecclesiology, see the work of Colm OGrady published by G. Chapman in London: Vol. , The Church in the Theology of Karl Barth (1968); Vol. 2, The Church in Catholic Theology: Dialogue with Karl Barth (1969). 8 Rudolf Bultmann, Kirche und Lehre im Neuen Testament, in Glauben und Verstehen 1 (Tubingen: Mohr, 1966) 153-87; Theologie des Neuen Testaments (Tubingen: Mohr, 1948). Both works have been translated into English: Faith and Understanding; A Theology of the New Testament 612 THEO LOGICAL STUDIES as a Pauline creation. It is so on three levels. It is a community of worship, an eschatological community, and a community with a vocation. In the first, the word is proclaimed. In the second, God is made present in the acceptance of Jesus by human beings. In the third, the first becomes prophetic vocation, kerygma that calls for a decision. The ecclesial event emerges in this kerygmatic tension of summons and response that the word brings with it, always assuming someone with credentials who proclaims it and/or a community that hears it and takes on the commitment. The Church comes to be in this faith-happening, which frees the context from any institutional, normative, or legitimating instance. The Church is actuated whenever the kerygma unleashes the summons of God and the response of human beings. There are clear differences between Barth and Bultmann. But they also have a basic affinity with regard to the significance and active role of the word in constituting the Church as a happening. These two theologians assume the importance of the community to which the word is addressed. The word is the glue around which the community gathers. The response of faith given to the word by the community is what gives the latter its meaning and reason for being. Here we can see the clear difference between the Protestant and the Catholic perspective vis-a-vis this model. Vatican II stresses that the Word became human, became flesh. Christ lives on in history through the Church, manifesting in it his message and saving activity; but there he also shares his own being with humans. In the Catholic version the Church-as-institution model is also brought into relationship with the word. The Church as a whole—and some in it by specific function—has the responsibility of watching over the proclamation and interpretation of the word. The Churchs magisterium is not above the word, as Barth claimed. It is under the word, deriving from that word its starting oint, its norm, and its nourishment. In and for the community, the magisterium is the instance of Christs power and authority with regard to the fidelity and continuity of his message. The community that hears and accepts it is not just called to proclaim it and bear witness to it; it must also translate it into real-life action on both the individual and the social levels. The word of God is central in the ecclesiological outlook of BECs. For them it is the immediate point of reference, the source of inspiration, nourishment, and discernment. Quite often it is the primary catalyst of community. Unlike the sacraments, which are not always accessible, the word is always within their reach. But there are profound differences between the BEC focus on the word and that to be found in the ecclesiologies of Barth or Bultmann. BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 613 1. In BECs the word is received within the Church and as Church insofar as the BEC is a way of being Church, or insofar as it is located in the bosom of the Church as institution and united with it. This implies the permanent reality of the Church to which the word is addressed. It also implies acceptance of the magisterium, the function in the Church that watches over the interpretation of the word and our fidelity to it. 2. In BECs the word naturally is conveyed through Scripture, which is read, prayed, and reflected upon; but all this is done in direct relationship with life. One could put it the other way and say: in BECs the everyday life of the members, the Church, and the world are read, prayed over, and reflected upon in relation to the word of God. If it is true for BECs that the Bible is the word of God, it is no less true that God also speaks to us in the language of real life. Bible and life shed light on each other for those who look to them for meaning in faith. The faith and spirituality of BECs are grounded on this foundation. 3. In BECs the symbiosis of word and life is the key to the process of evangelization. In the earlier pastoral paradigm, and particularly in the quick discharge of sacramental obligation (desobriga), there was little space for the word. The faithful received the word in a largely passive way. Their faith was receptive, but it did not feel summoned to commitment and radiation. There was no urgency toward a lasting conversion, on both the individual and social level, as a radical consequence of hearing and assimilating the word. This sort of profound transformation (metanoia) and the proclamation of the word to others characterize the BECs insofar as they embody Church as herald, Church of the word of God. Unlike Barths view, however, this proclamation is not dissociated from the world and its problems; it is in solidarity with them. Nor is it turned in on the Church and the community of believers, who are exclusively focused on an eschatological kingdom of a future sort. In BECs the word is a summons to lives being lived in the Church and already preparing the kingdom. It summons them to call into question both the individual person and the world, in order to shape a just society that will turn the word into reality and embody the gospel project in a coherent way. 4. In BECs, then, the word is kerygmatic and prophetic, as it was for Bultmann. It is that insofar as it is the center of a community of frequent de facto non-Eucharistic worship, which lay people can celebrate without the ordained minister they lack. The word is also kerygmatic and prophetic insofar as it belongs to a community focused on the definitive kingdom. Contrary to Bultmanns position, however, this kingdom is tied to the historical Jesus, the Word made human being. Through his word and presence in the Church, this kingdom is already beginning to take 614 THEOLOGICAL STUDIES on shape in the course of history. In BECs the word is kerygmatic especially insofar as it calls for living commitment and a coherent response on both the individual and societal planes. Bultmann requires someone accredited to proclaim the kerygma. In BECs this accreditation is not primarily rooted in human wisdom or qualifications, though of course such factors are not ruled out. In BECs the crucial factor is the faith lived by the vast majority of the members in uprightness, simplicity, and poverty as they see their salvation and liberation in spirit and in truth. 5. All this is realized in BECs through the ongoing improving of interpersonal relationships, which give visibility to ecclesial community rooted in the prior communion in faith, justice, and love. In that sense community is not just the initiative of a God who summons and brings together. It is also the persevering laborious response of human beings journeying day by day through time and facing the problems and conflicts of life. The limits and benefits of BECs vis-a-vis the word have been well brought out by Carlos Mesters, to whom they are indebted for a notable service of the word. Officially and scholarly accredited as a minister to proclaim the kerygma, he knew how to listen well to the word that God continues to utter in the hearts of the lowly, opening their hearts and minds to an understanding of both God and the human being. Mesters warns us about the risk of subjectivistic interpretation, about the failure to do a judicious, historically situated reading of the text, about the danger of a selective, ideological approach that seeks only confirmation of ones own initial position. He stresses the importance of a solid exegesis that will help the common people to get beyond those problems and also respond to the questions they themselves raise. He insists on the viability of a reading that will take into account the physical and material reality of the biblical folk without reducing the biblical message to just that. Finally, he tries to make it possible for an urban, industrial world to get closer to the rural book that the Bible is. 9 Church As Servant The ecclesiological models considered above are markedly centripetal. They prefer to focus on the internal reality of the Church, affirming its vitality and self-sufficiency in relation to the world. The Church teaches, offers a salvific presence, issues ethical norms, and enunciates values. For the far from naive use of the Bible in BECs, see the article by Carlos Mesters in John Eagleson and Sergio Torres, eds. , The Challenge of Basic Christian Communities (Maryknoll, N. Y. : Orbis, 1981). For a sample of his own ability to relate biblical exegesis to real human problems, see Carlos Mesters, God, Where Are You? Meditations on the Old Testament (Maryknoll, N. Y. : Orbis, 1977). 9 BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 615 The advent of modernity and the growing autonomy exercised by the world drew it further and further away from dependence on the Church and acceptance of it. The Church, in turn, reacted by taking up a defensive, indeed often aggressive, position vis-a-vis the world. Church and world took up hard lines in opposing trenches. 10 Vatican ^1 reversed this tendency. It led the Church to see the modern world as an interlocutor with its own identity. This focus can be described as a belatedly optimistic view of the world. Nevertheless, the Church continues to cherish the hope that it will be able to continue its mission vis-a-vis the world. That mission to the world will be one of service primarily. The important thing for the Church is not to withdraw into itself and attract a small group that keeps its distance from this world. Instead, it must take its rightful place in the world and then open itself up as a place for dialogue, constructive action, and liberation. Paralleling the whole conciliar thrust in the Catholic Church, various theologies of secularization have taken shape in Protestant circles by stages. Their impact on the way to read world and Catholic theology was felt most keenly in the decade of the 1960s. The basically positive thrust of the process of secularization (taken as the human autonomy with regard to the explanation of the immanent reality) clearly took an increasingly immanentist turn, often enough degenerating into an undesirable secularism (which is the negation of any transcendent dimension or reality). Despite some unacceptable turns and developments, the Western Church has clearly taken an uncontestable step in reformulating its own reality vis-a-vis the world. The disposition of the whole Church is one of universal service to humanity as such, which is now seen as one big family or indeed as the People of God. Service (diakonia) becomes the central inspiration of ecclesiology. Â · Though very aware of its frailty and inconsistency, the Church will not retreat into itself. On the basis of its theological anthropology, it will offer the world answers that the world itself has not found, or that the world has missed and perverted in its dizzying drive toward immanentism and reductionism. This focus of the Church as servant is, however, still sharply confined. It was the theological perspective of the North and West immediately following Vatican II. Today, even in those hemispheres, it is being sharply contested, and its limitations are being recognized. It is from different angles that the BECs translate and embody the new diakonia of the Church vis-a-vis the world. In Brazil and the rest of 10 See Marcello Azevedo, Modernidade e Cristianismo (S. Paulo: Loyola, 1981); Inkulturation and the Challenges of Modernity (Rome: Gregorian Univ. , 1982); J. B. Libanio, A volta a grande disciplina (S. Paulo: Loyola, 1983). 616 THEOLOGICAL STUDIES Latin America, there can be no naively positive view of the modern world. The achievements of science and technology are admitted, and so is the heightened human awareness of such basic elements as human rights, individual freedom, participation in public life, recognition in principle of the equality of all human beings, and other features of modern contemporary culture. But it is impossible not to notice the gap between these theoretical ideals and their actual realization in history, not to mention the actual frustration and perversion of these ideals in many areas. Medellin and Puebla, as well as papal and episcopal postconciliar documents, underline the aberrations embodied in injustice, poverty, hunger, oppression, and structural stigmas that mar our reality. In such a context the poor are the ones who suffer most, along with those who are discriminated against and marginalized, crushed and destroyed beyond any hope of repair. These are the people who predominantly make up the BECs. Hence this is the concrete way that the Church as BEC manifests its status as servant. In itself it again takes on and lives Christ the Servant: in the mission of the suffering people and in the witness it bears in faith, even to the full embodiment of the message in martyrdom. New life is thus given to a Christological component that has long been forgotten or left buried in obscurity. Here we have a Church that serves and fulfils itself in service to the world. It does this through the diakonia of a faith, conscious of the gift given to us in Jesus Christ. This gift is not, however, the privilege of a chosen few; it is the responsibility of all. This responsibility is lived in the urge to denounce and call into question the sociostructural organization that has produced such an unjust society. It does this by identifying clear-cut forms of institutionalized violence in all their shapes. It does this by insisting on radical changes through relations of communion and participation among human beings. Moreover, in BECs the Church becomes a servant by serving the common people without replacing them in either the Church or the world in a paternalistic way. It recognizes that they too have the right to take the initiative in carrying through their own process of maturation and liberation, both religious and civil, after centuries of denial, tutelage, or marginalization. In this perspective of active ecclesial participation, BECs are a Church that eminently serves the other forms of being Church as well as the other vocations and charisms in the Church. 1 11 This model, which stresses the urgent necessity of service as a consequence of faith, spells out the specific nature of Christian faith in full consistency with the tradition of ancient Israel and with the Gospel message. Both stressed the necessity of fleshing out in reality what one believed. Faith, then, cannot be understood solely in terms of assent or conviction; it must be translated into real-life action. There is a strong echo of the Gospel message (Mt 25 and Lk 10:25-37) in the insistence on a theology of service as an underlying BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 17 Church As Communion/Community The model of Church as community founded on communion is the one that emanates most directly from the explicit ecclesiology of Vatican II. It stands in marked contrast to the hegemonic model (Church as institution) that was regarded as the primary interpretation of the mystery of the Church for ten centuries as least, and that was practically the dominant interpretation in the last five centuries. Nevertheless, the communitarian conoeption of the Church goes back to Scripture itself and was vigorously upheld in the patristic era. It threads through many phases of church history with regard to the ecclesial body as a whole and with regard to specific vocations within the Church, particularly in the evolution of the religious life. Thus in its ecclesiological perspective Vatican II taps roots grounded in tradition and the Bible and rediscovers one of the most fruitful facets of ecclesial inspiration throughout church history. 12 Here the Church is the community that is established in communion with God and between human beings. It embraces and pervades the part of an unmistakably Christian praxis. The term praxis is not synonymous with practice insofar as the latter term simply means action or behavior; nor is praxis the opposite of theory. Praxis is a concrete form of historical commitment and involvement, stemming from a twofold awareness: that history is made in time and that it is the result of human actions stemming from concrete choices. Praxis, then, is the conscious making of history, and Christian praxis is the concrete living out of the historical dimensions of the faith. Christian praxis is the daily, long-term embodiment and direction given to the service that faith demands. See F. Taborda, Fe crista e praxis historica, Revista Eclesiastica Brasileira 41 (1981) 250-78. This notion of praxis has been much discussed by various liberation theologians, including Gustavo Gutierrez, Juan Luis Segundo, Leonardo Boff, and Jon Sobrino. For a sophisticated and penetrating examination of the complexities of modern historical reality in the industrialized nations and Latin America, see chapters 1013 of Juan Luis Segundo, Faith and Ideologies (Maryknoll, N. Y. : Orbis, 1984) 249-340. 12 See Pier Cesare Bori, Koinonia: LIdea della comunione neUeclesiologia recente e nel Nuovo Testamento (Brescia: Paideia, 1972); id. , Chiesa primitiva: LImmagine della comunita delle origini—Atti 2:42-47; 4:32-37—nella storia della chiesa antica (Brescia: Paideia, 1974); Yves Congar, LEglise de saint Augustin a lepoque moderne (Paris: Cerf, 1970); Jerome Hamer, LEglise est une communion (Paris: Cerf, 1962); Emil Brunner, Das Missverstandnis der Kirche (Zurich: Zwingli, 1951); id. Dogmatik 3: Die christliche Lehre von der Kirche, vom Glauben, und von der Vollendung (Zurich: Zwingli, 1960). For Brunner, the Church is pure fraternal communion bearing witness to love. The antithesis between communion and institution is the core and guiding thread of his ecclesiology. In Dulles first model (Church as institution), the Church stands above the faithful, as it were; it is extrinsic to them in a certain sense. In Church-as-communion ecclesiologies, t he Church is the community of all the faithful living a life of communion. Bellarmine opposed institution to communion. Brunner opposes communion to institution. Hamer sees communion lived out only in the institution. BECs start from communion as experiential living in the light of faith to reflect consciously on their ecclesial participation in the Church as institution, which they would never imagine to be adequate without the living experience of communion. 618 THEOLOGICAL STUDIES People of God in the multiplicity of their gifts, vocations, services, and functions. It embraces the Church at every level, particularly in its appreciation of episcopal collegiality and local churches. It is no less open to other Christian denominations, non-Christian religions, and all human beings who sincerely search for love, truth, and justice. There have been frequent manifestations of this spirit, from the first encyclical of Paul VI (Ecclesiam suam) to the outlook underlying the basic structure of the new Code of Canon Law. It might be assumed that all this was inspired and dictated merely by sociological imperatives. That is not the case. The People of God, the image of the Church most esteemed by Vatican II, is a great community; but it is so under the action of the Holy Spirit. The members of this People, who are seen in terms of equality, dignity, and freedom, receive the very same Spirit and act under that Spirit: hearing and proclaiming the word of God in the unity of the same faith and mission. In this model of the Church as communion/community, both Medellin and Puebla will find their common basis and their great mediation for an evangelization that is humanizing, transforming, and liberating. The BEC is indicated as the primary and proper scenario for the concrete embodiment of this communion. Sociologically, it implements a new pattern of personal and social relationships. Ecclesiologically, it is a common center for reading and interpreting life and for hearing the word of God, for union among those who believe, and for service to all through the various ministries that arise out of the needs of the community and dovetail with ito varied vocations and charisms. The BEC amalgamates and integrates the conscious, subsidiary coresponsibility of all, under the action of one and the same Spirit, into the total body of one and the same Church. Here again we come across a central element that sheds light on the whole complex. These BECs have been in fact ecclesial communities of poor people, marked by a structural poverty stronger than the poor themselves. In a glaring way it bears witness to the absence of communion and solidarity between human beings in our current societies, to the prevailing power of injustice that destroys the human being and nullifies Gods plan for humanity. Thus the BECs are a call to conversion of heart and to the re-establishment of justice in love, which will make possible communion in faith and mission. As a community that unites hearts, the BECs are no less a force for the transformation of a world that divides and crushes. They are insofar as they try to extend to the world and the Church the reality of communion that they themselves are already trying to live as communities. The little patch of the People of God that is living in each BEC, an initial cell as Medellin puts it, is a sign and BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 619 sacrament of the People of God that Vatican II sees as the Church, and that it would like to project over the world as a whole. In BECs, then, the ecclesiological model of Church as communion/ community ceases to be a theoretical variable of ecclesiological analysis. It becomes the existential witness to a reality of the Church, which is growing in communion and participation to become a community. In the BECs this model is a promising prototype of the necessary, ongoing process of historical becoming that is to culminate in the eschatological kingdom, where community is to be lived in full, definitive communion. THE SOTERIOLOGICAL COMPONENT In discussing these various ecclesiological models, I mentioned several times their underlying Christological component. I do not want to end this article without also alluding briefly to the importance of the soteriological conception these models may derive from their association with BECs as a way of being Church. The mystery of the Church is intimately bound up with the mystery of Jesus Christ, and no less with the understanding of his mission. This, in turn, is reflected in the conception of the ecclesial mission. Thus ecclesiology, Christology, and soteriology shed light on one another and help to explain one another. The salvation and redemption given to us by the Father in and through Jesus Christ (the meaning of his life and mission) is to be realized on at least three levels. They can be distinguished from one another analytically, but they are interwoven in reality. For the historical destiny of humanity must be oriented in line with its eschatological destiny, in the indissoluble unity of the proclamation and realization of the kingdom, which is to be initiated here but find its ultimate culmination only in the eschaton. The first level is the redeeming and saving liberation from sin that marks the human race as a whole and the individual human person. The second level has to do with sin in terms of its interpersonal and social projections, insofar as it expresses the perversion of Gods plan as manifested in the concrete human organization of social, economic, and political realities that have been created by human beings and that affect humanity. The third level has to do with liberation from sin as the latter is incorporated into the gestation of culture and history over centuries, which in turn is often the wellspring of sin on the two other levels and vice versa. These three levels of salvation, redemption, and liberation are a replica of Gods activity with the people of Israel, hence of the history of our salvation as designed by God. Salvation, redemption, or liberation cannot be understood solely from the divine side, i. e. , as our ransom from sin through Gods initiative and His new openness to a covenant of love with human beings in and 620 THEOLOGICAL STUDIES through Jesus Christ. Neither can it be understood solely in a directly anthropological sense that is not sufficiently existential, i. e. salvation as the fulness of human liberty and total opening up to the absolute, as a teleological orientation to the definitive, eschatological future of humanity. Salvation, redemption, and liberation must further be understood as the Pauline exigency that human beings also respond to, and ally themselves with, God and His project to liberate humanity with respect to the consequences of sin (Romans 2 and 7). Throughout history those consequences leave their mark not only on the life of the individual but also, and even more so, on the social context of the world. In the BECs we do find the soteriological key of the various ecclesiological models mentioned, a key that tends to stress the first level of redemption just noted. But everything I have been saying about the BECs with respect to the ecclesiological dimension of these models implies a twofold emphasis in the soteriological perspective, which is paramount in the ecclesial awareness of our day. The first says that human beings are, by the saving power of Jesus Christ, an active party in carrying on the process of salvation and liberation in history. Just as they were agents in the deformation of Gods plan through their human sin, so they express the new life given to them in Jesus Christ through their real-life embodiment of the love and justice that he has re-established. It is the realization of the Word, made Salvation: a biblical exigency throughout the two Testaments. A second emphasis is also affirmed in the BECs, communities of poor people. They see themselves as the primary subjects in setting in motion and actuating this process of realizing salvation through the transformation of sins consequences. In fact, they are the real-life victims of injustice-made sin in the world in which we live. Hence it is they who can best perceive the rupture between such injustice and Gods project. To be or become poor is to perceive this from the standpoint and condition of the poor whatever our social and economic condition might be. Here is picked up the primary inspiration of Jesus own life and mission (Lk 3:18-21), which must necessarily be reaffirmed in the life and mission of the Church. 3 13 In a forthcoming book, Basic Ecclesial Communities in Brazil, which is to be published in English by Georgetown University Press, I examine the origin and formation of Brazilian BECs, their evangelizing potential, and the rich novelty of their pastoral paradigm. I also explore them as a theological topic, and the challenges they may pose to the overall process of evangelization. A Portuguese version of the present article is being published by the Brazilian journal Perspectiva teologica (Sept. -Dec. 1 985).