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This article presents unpublished documents about Maltese Christian history and Middle Ages written by a Discalced Carmelite friar in the seventeenth century and recently discovered in the Archives of the Generalate of the Discalced Carmelites in Rome. This is the opportunity to reflect on the attitude of Maltese and European scholars regarding the Church of Our Lady of Mellieha, one of the most important Medieval sites of Malta, in order to underline how scholars and missionaries of the seventeenth century related with the archaeological sites of the island dating after the Islamic period. The essay aims therefore to describe how scholars of the seventeenth century approached the multicultural and often turbulent aspects of the Mediterranean history, contributed in assessing the nascent study of Arabic language and culture, and structured a shared Mediterranean cultural identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cappadocia is one of the rare natural and cultural centers on earth with its fairy chimneys, underground cities, rock churches, stone buildings and natural beauties. Among these artifacts, Fertek and Hançerli Churches that are subjected to the scope of the study are very original buildings with their superior construction techniques and rich workmanship according to the period they were built. In this study, the architectural features of Fertek and Hançerli Churches which were built in the 19th century and located within Niğde province in the Cappadocia Region were examined and material deteriorations were determined. In the light of the determinations, the existing static properties of these buildings were examined using Dynamic Finite Element Analysis program. Discoloration, vegetation, crack formation, humidification and partial mortar and stone loss were detected in both churches. When the analysis results are evaluated it has been determined that the buildings need repair and conservation depending on the region and soil class and considering the earthquake forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article questions the utility of the term "sacred time." In other words, it cautions against allowing sacred time to obscure how scholars study the dynamic relations between temporalities and sanctity in classical rabbinic texts (c. 200–550 CE). The achievement of recent Biblical and Jewish studies scholars who rejected characterizations of Hebrew or Jewish time as monolithic was their decoupling of the patterning or shape of events from what it means for time to be holy or for there to be a time for holiness. In the wake of such corrective efforts, scholars can now examine how rabbinic texts engage the quality of holiness as it pertains to durations, human activities, embodied temporal awareness, the time of exegesis, or to God's time. This article distinguishes God's time and human moments of recurrence and connection from eternity and sacred time through analysis of late antique Palestinian midrashim and presents directions for future study of holiness and time in classical rabbinic literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ad Limina. Revista de investigacion del Camino de Santiag y las peregrinaciones is the property of AD LIMINA Turismo de Galicia SA de Xestion do Plan Xacobeo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The cave church St. Georges is a hand‐carved limestone cave church located in Gurat, southwestern France, which likely developed from a hermitic site by the High Middle Ages (1001–1300 AD). Gurat is unique in that few bioarchaeological studies of monastic collections, particularly in France, have been conducted. This research represents the first effort to understand who the people at Gurat were, and where they might have travelled from, by employing strontium isotope analysis. Such data are used to interpret motivations behind hypothesized mobility. Dental and skeletal tissues from 14 individuals excavated at the cave church site were analysed for their strontium isotope ratio via laser ablation multicollector inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry. The 87Sr/86Sr values in human bone samples from Gurat indicate that all individuals likely lived near Gurat for at least the last few years of their lives. 87Sr/86Sr values yielded from tooth enamel samples indicate that during childhood, the Gurat individuals were mobile and originated from a region isotopically dissimilar to Gurat. Mobility into the site of Gurat may be explained by the pilgrimage routes in which traversed Gurat, as well as by the practice of transhumance. Given that two pilgrimage routes passed near the village, Gurat would have been a consistently well‐travelled site for nonlocal Christians during the Middle Ages. It is therefore likely that many travellers passed through the village of Gurat. Additionally, because Cistercian monks practiced transhumance during the medieval period, and many of the Gurat individuals do appear isotopically to have origins from highland regions in France (i.e., the Massif Central), it is possible that these individuals engaged in seasonal migration between highland and lowland regions. Therefore, the data presented here have demonstrated that, through strontium isotope analysis, the Gurat individuals were likely migrants to the Gurat cave church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

In Against the Greeks, Tatian develops a cultural critique by placing himself, his Greek education, and his "barbarian" ethnicity within the scope of the text's argument. I argue that this constitutes a deliberate strategy in which Tatian embodied a cultural monster--a hybrid creature that reflected both the mainstream of Greek paideutic values and the barbarian cultures that were antithetical to them--in order to secure a self-identity for himself and the early Christian communities for whom he presumed to speak. By performing his monstrosity in this way, he makes the case that Greek paideia is not a pure inheritance from a monolithic cultural tradition. Instead, Tatian posits a cultural theory that reflects his own hybrid self. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper is researched the history of creation and development of unique underground monuments of sacred heritage, as well as their current state. There are the most significant in its architectural and historical value Orthodox cave churches and monasteries of Russia and Ukraine. It is underlined the specificity of such structures and the role of the anthropogenic factor for their formation in depending of the functional (liturgical) tasks and technologies (material). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking a cue from the hagioscope in Western medieval church architecture, this essay examines aspects of privileged, private viewing in the Byzantine rock-cut churches of Cappadocia. In two well-known examples, the Tokalı Kilise in the Göreme Valley and the Karabas¸ Kilise in the Soğanlı Valley, the maintenance of a privileged sightline affected the overall design of the church complex. In both, the design depended on the position of the cell of a revered hermit, who was provided with visual access into the nave and sanctuary. In both, moreover, understanding the significance of the privileged view helps to unravel the complicated internal chronology of the church complexes, as well as explain some unusual planning decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although criticism of Enlightenment ideas has become widespread within academic circles, the basic Enlightenment narrative – an inexorable movement to a progressive condition – remains a dominant assumption within the discourses of modernization and democratization. This article analyzes how the ‘progressive’ imagination of Euromaidan protesters in Ukraine discursively produced the internal ‘other’ as a singular monolithic subject whose ‘underdeveloped’ intellectual condition was judged against an imagined scale of human progression. The argument is explicated through the discourse analysis of popular blogs on Ukrainian Pravda – a political web site that played a crucial role in organizing Maidan protests. The article analyzes 189 postings of Ukrainian Pravda bloggers starting from 26 November 2013 – the day when the bloggers’ group ‘Maidan’ was formed – until 21 January 2014, which denoted the beginning of a murderous stage of the Maidan protest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the methods employed at the site of Lalibela, Ethiopia during the 2009, 2010, 2011 and part of the 2012 campaigns, as well as the first results obtained. This site consists of a group of rock-cut churches attributed to the sovereign of the same name, King Lalibela, who we know to have reigned in the late 12th century and in the first third of the 13th century. Cut out of solid rock, Lalibela is an exceptional archaeological site since most of the traces of its early phases were eliminated in the process of its transformation. The site thus presents a significant challenge for historians and archaeologists. How is it possible to write its history without excavation? Geomorphological observations of the region offer new keys for understanding Lalibela; identification of the spoil heap, in which we discovered a clear stratigraphy confirming the existence of different cutting phases; the topographic and taphonomic analysis of the remains, and investigations in the cemetery of Qedemt, revealed that the site was formed in multiple phases, probably reflecting a long occupation sequence spanning at least eleven centuries (from the 10th to the 21st century). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was carried out with the permissions of General Directorate of Monuments and Museums, Culture and Tourism Ministry of Turkish Republic, between 22 July to 6 August 2008 at Malazgirt town of Muş Province and dependent villages. Some cultural assets composed of monumental architectural structures such as Mosques, Churches, Inns, Bridges, cemeteries and grave stones were identified A mosque, ruins of an Inn, two bridges at the center of Malazgirt, a house and a rock church, at Uzgörür village of Bulanık County, twelve cemeteries at Malazgirt town and two cemeteries at Uzgörür village were investigated. Memorial monuments and tombstones vary in terms of materials, forms and style according to region and periods. A small number of identified works belong to Seljuk period and afterwards (XI-XV. Century), and most of the others usually belong to the Ottoman (XVI-XIX centuries) period. The searched cemeteries were found to be different from each other. It is important to demonstrate the richness of the geography of Muş. Some of the motifs over the Headstones indicate differences, especially compared to other provinces in the region. Historical graves in the cemetery are rapidly destroyed by natural and human factors actually. In addition, all new burials in cemeteries today increase the destruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay seeks to put to rest the notion that John Milton was an antinomian, by offering a concise summation of the relevant chapters of De doctrina Christiana that discuss his views on the covenants, the law and the gospel, and Christian liberty.1 Defining antinomian is a difficult task, as its manifestations throughout history have not been monolithic.2 During the seventeenth century in England, two kinds, broadly speaking, existed: 1) doctrinal antinomianism; and 2) licentious antinomianism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most scholars have focussed on the experience of Sunni Muslims in the West. They often postulate a monolithic Islam that expresses the 'normative Islam'. This paper will outline the salient features that characterise the Shi'a community in the United States of America and will examine some of the recent juridical literature that has emerged from the traditional religious seminaries of Najaf and Qum. Also to be discussed are some of the hermeneutical tools that jurists have deployed in coming up with novel solutions to the challenges the community has encountered in the West. I contend that when facing new situations that cannot be located in the revelatory sources and do not have legal precedents, jurists can formulate judgments that will best protect the interests of the community while remaining faithful to the Islamic frame of reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on exposing the minority fatwa in favour of the ritual purity of non-Muslims (taharat al-insan) in Shi'a jurisprudence, as contrary to the majority fatwa advocating the ritual impurity of non-Muslims (najasat al-kafir). I examine the scholarly arguments behind the majority and minority fatwas to argue that the minority fatwa of taharat al-insan is not at all unfounded, and, to the contrary, has firm support from Shi'a jurists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the secularism in public schools in France and in the U.S. It states that both countries apparently allow free religious practices but French secularism is confrontational, assertive, and civic religion. It notes that American secularism adapts religious expression. It also mentions that France aims to protect its monolithic national values while the U.S. aims to protect against religious expressions and cultural integration.

The Ethiopian town of Lalibela is known for its magnificient rock-hewn churches said to date from the time of the Zagwe King Lalibela (twelfth century AD), but beyond the churches little is known about the town's archaeological context. This paper sets out preliminary observations of the landscape history of the town and argues that future work, integrating archaeological survey and oral history research, will yield a fuller picture of long-term human settlement in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The medieval rock-cut churches of northern and central Ethiopia bear witness to an ancient Christian heritage. Hitherto, their study has been largely confined to art-historical and architectural-historical disciplines, but this contribution argues that an archaeological approach may reveal much about their development, chronology and symbolism. Methodologies used in the study of the fabric and form of traditional 'built' churches may not be wholly applicable to the study of rock-cut structures, but there are other avenues which may be investigated using these techniques, and this paper outlines some of the approaches which might be usefully employed. Special attention is paid to the 'functional' engineering context of these structures as well as a consideration of some of the more symbolic ideas which might be 'read' from a study of architectural space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acacius's significance relates to the controversies between Arianism and monolithic church doctrine, and as a consequence, the ideas that developed during the 4th century that caused turmoil in the Eastern Church. After the condemnation of Arius's doctrine as heretical at the Nicaean Council in A.D. 325, orthodox opponents regarded many bishops as heretics; some were expelled, while others, called Homoians, formed the base of the episcopate. Acacius, was appointed as episcopus by Acacius Caesariensis in 360 (?), presumably up to 379 (?), after Silvanus of the Ecclesia Tarsensis Metropolis of Dioecesis Antiochena (Le Quien, 869 sqq.). He was cited and studied by Basilius, Epiphanius, Sozomenus, and Theodoretus, who were interested in the Churches' dealings with heretics. This paper analyzes the acts that played determinative roles in this interaction and focuses on the religious viewpoints that this aroused as well as the social and economic problems that the late Roman Empire faced in managing the Cilician territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reflects on a geodiversity inventory study of Cathedral Cave in New South Wales, Australia, in 2002-2003 under contract to Wellington Council, the management authority for the cave. According to the report, the Cathedral Cave was examined due to its outstanding class of multiphase caves with largely non-fluvial origins. It contains extensive cavities such as cathedrals and cupolas, characteristic of excavation by convection currents in rising waters. The cave also has smaller-scale features such as rising half-tubes, curved juts, pseudonotches, projecting corners, blades and bridges indicating intersection and exhumation of older cavities during the formation of younger ones.

Of recent much has been written about the Rastafari movement in general, especially since the publication of the University of the West Indies Report on the movement in 1960. Overwhelmingly however, the view that is presented is that of a monolithic, homogeneous movement. This paper seeks to challenge this popular misconception by speaking to the matter of the existence of the many doctrinal, theological and even ideological differences between the various mansions of Rastafari. (Of course there are commonalities between the mansions, but in reality there are very few.) Any serious consideration of the movement should address the ideological and theological perspectives of each mansion, rather than attempting to generalize for the movement as a whole. The three primary mansions of the movement that are considered in this paper are: the Nyahbinghi mansion, the Boboshante mansion and the Twelve Tribes of Israel mansion. In addition there will be limited consideration of a mansion that is generally considered as being marginal to the Rastafari movement, namely that of the Ethiopian Coptic Church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through an analysis of national survey data, we test several hypotheses regarding the extent to which the religiously orthodox constitute a monolithic conservative front. We find that the orthodox generally are conservative on social issues of sexuality, reproduction, and schooling of children, but are moderate or liberal on gender, racial, and economic issues. There is little tendency for the orthodox to cohere around a single ideological position or, as individuals, to take stances that are consistent across a broad range of issues. The religiously orthodox are also internally divided on many social and economic issues along the lines of race, sex, class, and age. We suggest that these factors may explain the weak support that the religiously orthodox historically have given to organized political movements of the Religious Right. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the possibility for the researchers to uncover the world's oldest monumental structures and strange monoliths built by hunter-gatherers about 11,000 years ago in the hill of Göbekli Tepe, Turkey. In his visit to the hill, Klaus Schmidt of the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) discovered T-shaped lime stone megaliths arranged in circles and ovals and claimed that they are the world's oldest monumental structure which he has painstakingly uncovered since 1995, Schmidt also said that there are at least 20 ceremonial structures still underneath the soil of the hill. INSET: Just Don't Call It the Garden of Eden, by A.C..