The rhetorical approach to 1 Thessalonians in light of funeral oration

The present dissertation is a study of the rhetorical approach to 1 Thessalonians, particularly funeral oration. Though many scholars have interpreted 1 Thessalonians in light of thematic perspective, mirror reading, and epistolary approach, this dissertation asserts that Paul employs elements of epideictic funerary oratory to persuade his audience in writing 1 Thessalonians. Moreover, the dissertation shows that Paul’s use of funerary language with some twists in meaning and purpose illustrates that Paul employs topoi and the purpose of funeral oration in 1 Thessalonians. Encountering the growing persecution, sufferings, and even death of members, the believers of Thessalonica needed encouragement and Paul as a rhetorical strategist needed rhetorical strategies to answer these problems, that is, Greco-Roman funeral oration. The dissertation includes various components to support the thesis: the history of interpretation; the philosophy and theology of death; extant funeral oratory in Athens, Romans, and Jewish orations; funeral orations in rhetorical handbooks; and the comparison and parallel between 1 Thessalonians and funeral oration. The goal is to prove the fact that Paul employs elements of funeral oratory to persuade his audience in writing 1 Thessalonians. Consequently, the dissertation proves it by showing how funeral orations shed light on the whole of 1 Thessalonians in the exordium (1:2-3), the narratio (1:4-3:10), the consolation and exhortation (4:1-5:15), and peroratio with prayer (5:16-28).https://place.asburyseminary.edu/ecommonsatsdissertations/1558/thumbnail.jp

The impacts of Delphi communication structure on small and medium sized asynchronous virtual teams

The improvement of Internet technology has motivated distributed work groups to collaborate without meeting face to face. Although asynchronous meetings through Web-based group communications systems enable groups dispersed temporarily and geographically to collaborate more flexibly, parallel and non-linear communication among dispersed members also challenge effective and efficient group coordination. Moreover, the Web-based asynchronous meeting is distinguished not only from the face-to-face meeting but also from the synchronous computer-supported meeting in terms of coordination process. However, previous asynchronous group communications or virtual team research focused more on the comparison of this new type of meeting with the face-to-face meeting. Not many research efforts have been exerted to improve the productivity of this new form of meeting and find ways to overcome its disadvantages. Facilitation was proved effective to enhance the productivity of synchronous meetings. However the effect of structured discussion through facilitation was not clear in asynchronous meeting settings even though facilitation is a common practice in asynchronous group communication systems. This study examined the effect of a facilitated structure in improving the productivity of asynchronous decision-making groups. Delphi was chosen as the facilitated structure because it has been widely used as the paper-and-pencil-based structure to facilitate dispersed experts in collecting their opinions. In this study a computer-based Delphi structure was implemented through asynchronous Computer-Mediated Communication. A 2X2 controlled experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of Delphi structure on the effectiveness of small-sized (5-6 members) and medium-sized (10-12 members) asynchronous computer-supported groups. The formal facilitation using Delphi structure was effective to improve the productivity of asynchronous groups in generating more ideas. On the contrary, informal leadership by group coordinators seems to have played a more important role in producing better reports. In terms of per person ideas, small-sized groups were more productive, even though medium-sized groups produced more total ideas than small-sized groups. The superiority of Delphi groups and small-sized groups is related to their higher equality of participation. This result suggests that in asynchronous meetings, equal participation of group members in discussion is important in improving idea generation productivity while in synchronous meetings, the process loss of production blocking plays a crucial role

Effects of DNA synthesis inhibitors on the induction of hCG subunits and alkaline phosphatase in HeLa S3 cells

The synthesis of human chorionic gonadotropin (alpha)- and (beta)-subunits and alkaline phosphatase has been examined in HeLa S(,3) cultures. A variety of compounds which inhibit DNA synthesis lead to the increased production of PAP and the glycoprotein hormone subunits in HeLa cells. In general, compounds which influenced deoxynucleotide metabolism were good inducers of these ectopic proteins, while agents which altered DNA structure by intercalation or covalent binding were poor inducers. The greatest induction was achieved with sodium butyrate. Although a direct correlation between protein induction and DNA synthesis inhibition has not been demonstrated for all inducers, the dose-response curves and kinetics of induction with several compounds showed that inhibition of DNA synthesis generally occurred prior to increased protein accumulation at concentrations similar to those causing protein induction. Thus, it may be possible that inhibition of DNA synthesis may be required but is not sufficient for protein induction;Induction of ectopic products was synergistic (or at least additive) when intermediate inducers were added in combination with butyrate, suggesting different modes of action for these compounds. The simultaneous addition to cultures of various paired combinations of these intermediate inducers resulted in no greater induction than that observed with either drug alone, indicating similar or competing mechanisms among them;Addition of RNA or protein synthesis inhibitors to cell culture medium containing sodium butyrate, aphidicolin, or phosphonoformic acid abruptly ceased the production of hCG-(alpha) subunit indicating RNA and protein synthesis were both required for induction of this protein;The parallel RIA dose-response curves indicate similar immunologic characteristics among the uninduced, induced, and urinary hCG-(alpha) subunits. Alkaline phosphatases in inducer-treated HeLa S(,3) cells resembled the term placental enzyme in their inhibition profile to several inhibitors and thermostability

X-ray and EUV Observations of Simultaneous Short and Long Period Oscillations in Hot Coronal Arcade Loops

We report decaying quasi-periodic intensity oscillations in the X-ray (6-12 keV) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) channels (131, 94, 1600, 304 \AA) observed by the Fermi GBM (Gamma-ray Burst Monitor) and SDO/AIA, respectively, during a C-class flare. The estimated period of oscillation and decay time in the X-ray channel (6-12 keV) was about 202 s and 154 s, respectively. A similar oscillation period was detected at the footpoint of the arcade loops in the AIA 1600 and 304 \AA channels. Simultaneously, AIA hot channels (94 and 131 \AA) reveal propagating EUV disturbances bouncing back and forth between the footpoints of the arcade loops. The period of the oscillation and decay time were about 409 s and 1121 s, respectively. The characteristic phase speed of the wave is about 560 km/s for about 115 Mm loop length, which is roughly consistent with the sound speed at the temperature about 10-16 MK (480-608 km/s). These EUV oscillations are consistent with the SOHO/SUMER Doppler-shift oscillations interpreted as the global standing slow magnetoacoustic wave excited by a flare. The flare occurred at one of the footpoints of the arcade loops, where the magnetic topology was a 3D fan-spine with a null-point. Repetitive reconnection at this footpoint could cause the periodic acceleration of non-thermal electrons that propagated to the opposite footpoint along the arcade and precipitating there, causing the observed 202-s periodicity. Other possible interpretations, e.g. the second harmonics of the slow mode are also discussed.Comment: ApJ (in press), 13 pages, 6 figure