Appearance of symmetry, beauty, and health in human faces

Symmetry is an important concept in biology, being related to mate selection strategies, health, and survival of species. In human faces, the relevance of left-right symmetry to attractiveness and health is not well understood. We compared the appearance of facial attractiveness, health, and symmetry in three separate experiments. Participants inspected front views of faces on the computer screen and judged them on a 5-point scale according to their attractiveness in Experiment 1, health in Experiment 2, and symmetry in Experiment 3. We found that symmetry and attractiveness were not strongly related in faces of women or men while health and symmetry were related. There was a significant difference between attractiveness and symmetry judgments but not between health and symmetry judgments. Moreover, there was a significant difference between attractiveness and health. Facial symmetry may be critical for the appearance of health but it does not seem to be critical for the appearance of attractiveness, not surprisingly perhaps because human faces together with the human brain have been shaped by adaptive evolution to be naturally asymmetrical

Jesus’ affection towards children and Matthew’s tale of two kings

On account of multiple and independent attestations in early Christian literature Jesus’ affection towards children can be taken as historical authentic. From a perspective of the social stratification of first-century Herodian Palestine, this article argues that it is possible to consider these children as part of the expendable class. Neither Mark nor its parallel texts in the other Gospels refer to parents bringingthese children to Jesus. They seem to be “street urchins”. In this article the episode where Jesus defends the cause of fatherless children in the Synoptic Gospels is interpreted from the perspective of Matthew’s version of Jesus’ affection towards children. The aim is to demonstrate that Matthew situates the beginning and end of Jesus’ public ministry within the context of Jesus’ relationship to children. Jesus’ baptism by John (Mt 3:15) and Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (Mt 21:1-17) form thetwo poles of his ministry in Matthew. Both episodes are described as a kind of “cleansing of the temple”. Both incidents were (in a midrash fashion) understood by Matthew as fulfilment of Scripture. The baptism scene is a Matthean allusion to Isaiah 1:13-17 and the record of the entry into Jerusalem is an explicit interpretationof Jeremiah 7:1-8

Age determination of Cape porcupines, Hystrix africaeaustralis

Attempts to determine the absolute age of free-ranging porcupines based on counts of cementum and periosteal lines, age-related changes In eye lens weight, sequential pattern of tooth eruption and replacement, and tooth attrition are described. Variation due to ramification and absorption of cementum and periosteal lines resulted in counts of these lines being unreliable indicators of age. Variation in counts of cementum lines apparently results from continual growth of the hypsodontic open-rooted premolars and molars. Heteroscadasticity resulted in the relationship between age and lens weight being unreliable for predicting age. Consistency In the age at which maxillary molars erupt and premolars are replaced, as well as the wear pattern of the occlusal surfaces, provide a method for distinguishing nine dental age classes. Chronological age, based on observations on captive porcupines could be accurately assigned to six of these

Redaksioneel Die werklikheidsbetrokkenheid van teologiese uitsprake

No Abstract

What is “theology” in “public theology” and what is “public” about “public theology”?

This article sets out to argue that institutional Christianity does not have the exclusive rights to “doing theology”. Since Plato theology has assumed systematization of ideas on the transcendent divine. The practice of theology is to be found in both the professional academy and in the public square. Spirituality is not to be reserved for people longing for God within the context of today's mass consumerist populist culture. Spirituality and religion overlap and, therefore, today's postmodern spirituality need not result in the end of religion. However, institutional religion is indeed dying and ”public theology” is not about theologians or pastors “doing theology” in the public square. Public theologicans are the film directors, artists, novelists, poets, and philosophers. The article argues that “public theology” could facilitate a dialogue between the theological discourse of academics and the public theological discourse. The article shows that “public theology” does to an extent overlap with ecclesial and contextual theology. In its core “public theology” is seen as the inarticulate longing of believers who do not want to belong. HTS Theological Studies/Teologiese Studies Vol. 64 (3) 2008: pp. 1213-123

Hoe praat ons oor/van God? Teologiese idiome van gister en van vandag

How does one speak about/of God? Theological idioms in the past and presentIn transitional stages theologians perceive that proven theories, models or methods become dated and that the specific idiom in which one speaks about/of God is not relevant any more. A theological idiom is defined as an example of the dicta used in the framework of a particular conceptual frame of reference. By presenting an overview of selected theological idioms used in the past and present, this article aims to propose a model for practising theology today. The selection is made from the following conceptual frames of reference: Middle Platonism, Aristotelian Scholasticism, Reformed Theology, Reformed Orthodoxy, Liberal Theology, Dialectical Theology and Contextual Theology

“Op die aarde net soos in die hemel”: Matteus se eskatologie as die koninkryk van die hemel wat reeds begin kom het

“On earth as it is in heaven”: Matthew's eschatology as the kingdom of heaven that has come: In the article time as both “imagined” and “experienced” is explained against the background of the first-century Mediterranean conceptualisation of time. This reading scenario is seen as over against a modern Eurocentric ethnocentric interpretation of the concept “apocalyptic-eschatology”. The aim of the article is to argue that Matthew's narration of the demolition of the temple in Jerusalem concurs with his belief that the first followers of Jesus experienced the vision of the coming of the Son of man and that both these experiences are presented in Matthew as though Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection are incidents of the past. Matthew's eschatology centres on the view that the final consummation of time has already begun. The article explores the ethical appeal which is communicated through such an eschatological reading scenario. This appeal is summarised by Jesus' words “On earth as it is in heaven”. The article consists of a conversation about core issues in mainstream interpretations of what Matthew's eschatology could be within the narrative's plot as it contextualised in formative Christianity and formative Judaism. The view assumed in this article is that the “time” and the experiences of Matthew's church and those of Jesus and his disciples are considered to be integrated within the history of Israel. HTS Theological Studies Vol. 64 (1) 2008: pp. 529-56

Die wonderbaarlike vermeerdering van brood (Matt 14:13—21 en par): Historiese kritiek in perspektief

The miraculous multiplication of loaves (Mt 14:13—21 and par): Historical criticism in perspectiveCertain aspects of the historical critical method are applied to the doublet of the narration of the miraculous multiplication of loaves in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. An offset is that a single tradition apparently lies beyond the doublet. Furthermore, that the first narrative has been moulded from out of a particularistic perspective within a Palestinian situation in early Christianity and the second from out of an universalistic perspective within 'n Hellenistic situation. Thirdly, that Mark in his redactional interpretation of the narration used these perspectives for the purpose of eucharistic catechesis. Matthew, on the other hand, reinterpreted Mark's usage, fashioned the doublet into a messianic meal and emphazised more explicitly the intermediary role of the disciples in the feeding of the crowd. The article's intention is to put the historical critical method in perspective against the accusation that this method is a threat to the church and reformational theology

Gemeenteteologie en Horisonversmelting in die Matteusevangelie: ’n Bestekopname

The article assesses the author’s contributions to Matthean studies over the past thirty years. It focuses on the hermeneutical principle of congeniality by means of distinguishing three horizons in Matthew’s narrative world: firstly, that of Jesus and his disciples commissioned to inclusive care for the marginalised; secondly, that of the Matthean community which is associated with the narrative role of the disciples; and thirdly that of the present-day reader who engages with both narratives. The article discusses congeniality in terms of the concept “hermeneutical circle”. The assessment of the author’s contributions consists of a comparison and debate with current trends in Matthean studies.Article in Afrikaan

Postsecular spirituality, engaged hermeneutics, and Charles Taylor’s notion of hypergoods

This essay sets out to argue that postsecular spirituality is about the quest for hypergoods within today’s mass populist- and consumerist-oriented world. It shows that people who consider themselves to be spiritual not only have many values in their lives, but rank some values higher than others, with some being ranked as being of supreme importance, the so-called hypergoods. Such ethics has an interpersonal character, and in Christian circles this reopens the issue of biblicalhermeneutics, especially the phenomenon of conflicting interpretations. Against the background of the various options of being religious in the secular age, the essay focuses on Charles Taylor’s view of the discovery of spirituality in a posttheistic world and his emphasis on the love of Godand the ethics of justice as hypergoods