13 research outputs found
Convergent Friends: The Emergence of Postmodern Quakerism
Postmodernism is ushering in radical change for the Church. Some theologians argue that this change, especially given the discontinuities between modernism and postmodernism, affords new opportunities. Because of these changes there is a decline in many Christian traditions in the West, but there is also a renaissance of \u27 emerging churches\u27. The same can be said for Quakers who are experiencing a renaissance of their own. \u27Convergent Friends\u27 are a decentralized, international, body of Quakers seeking to renew their tradition through a growing awareness of the need to interact with culture missionally. Their origins and interactions are unique to Convergence Culture, which opens up new possibilities for community among diverse people. Thus, renewal for these Friends begins with participation and production. From the writing of blog posts about Quaker faith in today\u27s society, to initiating gatherings, and forming friendships over a variety of mediums, the convergent community bypasses older top-down institutional boundaries and renews from the bottom up. The end result is a hybrid Quakerism that incorporates both mission and tradition in at least six ways that may help the larger Quaker body navigate cultural change
Revolutionary Faithfulness: Quaker Pastoral Practice and Theology in an Age of Empire
I am glad there is space for what I expect will be a rigorous and critical examination of Quaker pastoral theology within the pages of Quaker Religious Thought. This is needed as much now as ever. For a practice that goes back to at least the late 1860s (Barbour and Frost, 1994: 211), it is unclear why so little has been written about it in 160 years.1 This is not just a lost opportunity; it is a grave deficit for programmed Friends. It could be argued that many of the challenges Gurneyite Quakerism faces todayâin terms of tradition drift, division, and, at least in the US, shrinking congregationsâare the results of Friends not apprenticing people into the practice of Quaker pastoring
Expression and function of G-protein-coupled receptorsin the male reproductive tract
This review focuses on the expression and function of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs), α1-adrenoceptors and relaxin receptors in the male reproductive tract. The localization and differential expression of mAChR and α1-adrenoceptor subtypes in specific compartments of the efferent ductules, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicle and prostate of various species indicate a role for these receptors in the modulation of luminal fluid composition and smooth muscle contraction, including effects on male fertility. Furthermore, the activation of mAChRs induces transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the Sertoli cell proliferation. The relaxin receptors are present in the testis, RXFP1 in elongated spermatids and Sertoli cells from rat, and RXFP2 in Leydig and germ cells from rat and human, suggesting a role for these receptors in the spermatogenic process. The localization of both receptors in the apical portion of epithelial cells and smooth muscle layers of the vas deferens suggests an involvement of these receptors in the contraction and regulation of secretion.Esta revisĂŁo enfatiza a expressĂŁo e a função dos receptores muscarĂnicos, adrenoceptores α1 e receptores para relaxina no sistema reprodutor masculino. A expressĂŁo dos receptores muscarĂnicos e adrenoceptores α1 em compartimentos especĂficos de dĂșctulos eferentes, epidĂdimo, ductos deferentes, vesĂcula seminal e prĂłstata de vĂĄrias espĂ©cies indica o envolvimento destes receptores na modulação da composição do fluido luminal e na contração do mĂșsculo liso, incluindo efeitos na fertilidade masculina. AlĂ©m disso, a ativação dos receptores muscarĂnicos leva Ă transativação do receptor para o fator crescimento epidermal e proliferação das cĂ©lulas de Sertoli. Os receptores para relaxina estĂŁo presentes no testĂculo, RXFP1 nas espermĂĄtides alongadas e cĂ©lulas de Sertoli de rato e RXFP2 nas cĂ©lulas de Leydig e germinativas de ratos e humano, sugerindo o envolvimento destes receptores no processo espermatogĂȘnico. A localização de ambos os receptores na porção apical das cĂ©lulas epiteliais e no mĂșsculo liso dos ductos deferentes de rato sugere um papel na contração e na regulação da secreção.Fundação de Amparo Ă Pesquisa do Estado de SĂŁo Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientĂfico e TecnolĂłgico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de SĂŁo Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de FarmacologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de FarmacologiaSciEL