Athanasius of Alexandria and Gregory of Nazianzus: theopoiēsis and theōsis

This study explores the often-posited distinction between Alexandrian and Cappadocian approaches to deification in the fourth and fifth centuries. Athanasius of Alexandria has been selected to represent an Alexandrian approach and Gregory of Nazianzus, to represent a Cappadocian one. Comparison of their respective theologies of deification reveals a diversity in opinion on what exactly deification involved among the Fathers and the inadequacy of the interpretive categories of “moral” and “realistic” approaches to distinguish between them. The study observes areas of convergence and divergence at each stage of their respective narratives of deification, beginning with Creation and the Fall; then the Redemptive work of Christ; Pneumatology and Baptism; the Christian life, and finally the Deified State. What should become apparent throughout this study is that while both Fathers are espousing ideas which should rightfully be considered deification, the substance of their ideas and their focuses differ dramatically in places and while they are not necessarily contradictory or unsynthesizable, it is necessary to recognise their significant differences

Athanasius of Alexandria and Gregory of Nazianzus: theopoiēsis and theōsis

This study explores the often-posited distinction between Alexandrian and Cappadocian approaches to deification in the fourth and fifth centuries. Athanasius of Alexandria has been selected to represent an Alexandrian approach and Gregory of Nazianzus, to represent a Cappadocian one. Comparison of their respective theologies of deification reveals a diversity in opinion on what exactly deification involved among the Fathers and the inadequacy of the interpretive categories of “moral” and “realistic” approaches to distinguish between them. The study observes areas of convergence and divergence at each stage of their respective narratives of deification, beginning with Creation and the Fall; then the Redemptive work of Christ; Pneumatology and Baptism; the Christian life, and finally the Deified State. What should become apparent throughout this study is that while both Fathers are espousing ideas which should rightfully be considered deification, the substance of their ideas and their focuses differ dramatically in places and while they are not necessarily contradictory or unsynthesizable, it is necessary to recognise their significant differences

Vitamin D and subsequent all-age and premature mortality: a systematic review

<br>Background: All-cause mortality in the population < 65 years is 30% higher in Glasgow than in equally deprived Liverpool and Manchester. We investigated a hypothesis that low vitamin D in this population may be associated with premature mortality via a systematic review and meta-analysis.</br> <br>Methods: Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library and grey literature sources were searched until February 2012 for relevant studies. Summary statistics were combined in an age-stratified meta-analysis.</br> <br>Results: Nine studies were included in the meta-analysis, representing 24,297 participants, 5,324 of whom died during follow-up. The pooled hazard ratio for low compared to high vitamin D demonstrated a significant inverse association (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.12-1.27) between vitamin D levels and all-cause mortality after adjustment for available confounders. In an age-stratified meta-analysis, the hazard ratio for older participants was 1.25 (95% CI 1.14-1.36) and for younger participants 1.12 (95% CI 1.01-1.24).</br> <br>Conclusions: Low vitamin D status is inversely associated with all-cause mortality but the risk is higher amongst older individuals and the relationship is prone to residual confounding. Further studies investigating the association between vitamin D deficiency and all-cause mortality in younger adults with adjustment for all important confounders (or using randomised trials of supplementation) are required to clarify this relationship.</br&gt

Area deprivation in Scotland: a new assessment

This paper gives an account of an attempt to create a new area deprivation index for Scotland based mainly upon non-census indicators and calibrated at the spatial level of the postcode sector. This is the first such index to be produced in the UK. The paper explains why there is currently more interest in this type of index, describes how the index was constructed from identification of deprivation domains through selection of indicators to their standardisation, transformation and combination into a single measure. A multidimensional account of the resulting geographical pattern of deprivation is given. There then follows a discussion of various issues surrounding the index and areas for further development or improvement are identified