Complexity, Consonance, and the Concept of God

Complexity theory has much explanatory power in the scientific community today. The author finds that its bottom-up methodology and some of its concepts can facilitate new understandings of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity

Cog and the Creativity of God

The construction of a humanoid robot may be within reach. The science of artificial intelligence (AI) offers new understandings to contemporary Christian theology. First of all, the emerging field of embodied intelligence discloses the wholeness of the human being, correcting the tendency in Christian theology toward an anthropological dualism of body and soul. Secondly, artificial intelligence offers fresh understandings of the human mind, with implications for how human creativity reflects the creativity of God

Interpreting the Book of Nature in the Protestant Tradition

The doctrine of creation has been underdeveloped in the Protestant dogmatic tradition, often preventing substantive dialogue between theology and science. In this essay, the author argues that the \"Two Books\" theory of revelation should be employed to reconceive creation in contemporary Protestant thought. After a brief historical survey of the \"Two Books\" theory, Thomas Torrance\'s theology of nature is presented as a paradigm for developing a scientifically astute doctrine of creation. The article concludes with a constructive proposal for a new Protestant \"hermeneutics of nature.\

Ecosystem-based Management for Protected Species in the North Pacific Fisheries

In the North Pacific Ocean, an ecosystem-based fishery management approach has been adopted. A significant objective of this approach is to reduce interactions between fishery-related activities and protected species. We review management measures developed by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service to reduce effects of the groundfish fisheries off Alaska on marine mammals and seabirds, while continuing to provide economic opportunities for fishery participants. Direct measures have been taken to mitigate known fishery impacts, and precautionary measures have been taken for species with potential (but no documented) interactions with the groundfish fisheries. Area closures limit disturbance to marine mammals at rookeries and haulouts, protect sensitive benthic habitat, and reduce potential competition for prey resources. Temporal and spatial dispersion of catches reduce the localized impact of fishery removals. Seabird avoidance measures have been implemented through collaboration with fishery participants and have been highly successful in reducing seabird bycatch. Finally, a comprehensive observer monitoring program provides data on the location and extent of bycatch of marine mammals and seabirds. These measures provide managers with the flexibility to adapt to changes in the status of protected species and evolving conditions in the fisheries. This review should be useful to fishery managers as an example of an ecosystem-based approach to protected species management that is adaptive and accounts for multiple objectives

Investigation of the Halocline Structure in Lower Chesapeake Bay

A portion of the Chesapeake Bay from 37°20’N latitude to the entrance was investigated to determine the halocline structure, the effects on this structure through the tidal sequence, and seasonal variations. A determination of the stage of slack water during which maximum extension of the halocline occurred was also made. This was accomplished by looking at the salinity distribution at the halocline upper limit, the mean depth to the halocline, and seasonal salinity contours drawn for tidal increments. By comparing salinity/depth gradients and salinity-depth vertical profiles, an attempt was made to relate seasonal and tidal variations to the halocline structure. Results of this study indicate that the maximum extension up the bay of saline water occurred during slack water before ebb in the winter, except for the 20% contour, and for all contours in spring. During the autumn the opposite effect was noticed with slack water before ebb isohaline contours all being further south. The Old Dominion University plots for the summer months indicate a mixed situation. The halocline structure is described as having a decreasing depth to the halocline from the western to the eastern shore with lower salinity/depth gradients in the entrance and along the eastern shore than those on the western shore and in mid bay. Seasonal salinity contouring indicated higher salinities on the eastern than the western shore for similar latitudes, decreasing salinity values from the Chesapeake Bay entrance to 37°20’N latitude, and maximum vertical salinity/depth gradients occurring in the summer followed by the spring. The tidal variations were considered greatest at slack before ebb, maximum ebb, and at one and one half hours past maximum ebb

The World House: Prophetic Protestantism and the Struggle for Environmental Justice

Though much has been rightly made of the destruction wrought by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in April, 2010, it pales in comparison to the ongoing damage done to the environment by our unsustainable way of life. Global instability exacerbated by the economic crisis of 2008 to the present has compounded increasing ecological vulnerabilities, including the most basic needs of food and water among the world’s poorest. Because of these combined crises, it is vital that people of faith develop methods of collaboration that support and enrich each others' efforts towards sustainability sooner rather than later. Given the extent and magnitude of our economic and environmental problems, it is time for evangelicals and liberal Protestants to work together for the ecological good. Protestantism has been a religious movement for great good, but also the source of deep divisions. Born through a division with the Roman Catholic Church, Protestantism, in its engagement with modernity, forced a further division into evangelical and liberal communities. Now the urgent need to preserve and regenerate the global environment offers an ideal opportunity to work towards the repair of these older theological divisions through joining together in the common task of environment justice. In seeking to repair the earth as a common ethical task, Protestants can also enact an ecumenical vocation to heal the divisions within the broader world Christian movement

Variation in the branching pattern of the four major caudal vessels emerging from the external carotid artery

The branching pattern of vessels emerging from the external carotid artery (ECA) displays considerable variation. Knowledge of this variation is of particular interest to clinicians. There are few reports in the literature assessing these differences with regard to sex and sidedness (i.e., branching patterns of the right vs. left neck). The objective of this study was to assess the origin of the four primary caudal branches of the external carotid artery: the superior thyroid (STA), lingual (LA), facial (FA), and occipital (OA) arteries, in addition to the level of common carotid artery bifurcation (CB), with regard to sex, and side. Additionally, variation within this study population was considered in the context of global variation. Seventy-nine cadavers (37 male, 42 female) were studied (71 right necks, 68 left necks). All carotid bifurcations were observed cranial to a midpoint located centrally between the mastoid process and the suprasternal notch. No significant difference was found for the mean distance of CB from the midpoint with regard to sex (p = 0.70) or side (p = 0.75). The STA on the right side emerged from the CB/ECA more frequently than it did from the common carotid artery (CCA) (67% and 31%, respectively); however, on the left side, the STA emerged more frequently from the CCA than from the CB/ECA (57% and 43%, respectively) (p = 0.003). The STA also exhibited a significantly longer distance from CB on the left than on the right (p = 0.006). The LA and FA arose individually more frequently than from a common trunk (79% and 21%, respectively). The OA emerged below the origin of the FA more frequently than at/above the FA (55% and 44%, respectively). With regard to sex, branching pattern variation was similar for the vessels studied. No considerable variation was noted between this populations and other ethnic populations for STA or LA/FA origin locations. Variation in ECA branching pattern is substantial with respect to side but not sex or ethnicity. This information may assist clinicians in preventing iatrogenic arterial injury by creating awareness of differential ECA branching pattern between neck sides, and may also allow for decreased incision lengths during surgical intervention to the carotid arterial system