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Tag Archives: Qur'anic studies methodology
Twenty Years of Reading the Qur'an as a Literary Text
In the latest installment of the Review of Qur'anic Research 2, no. 1, Süleyman Dost reviews Angelika Neuwirth, Scripture, Poetry, and the Making of a Community: Reading the Qur'an as a Literary Text (Oxford University Press/Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2014), the first thorough collection of Angelika Neuwirth's scholarship in English. Neuwirth, a leading scholar of Qur'anic studies at the Freie Universität Berlin, treats the Qur'an as a coherent literary corpus and grounds the text in its late antique and biblical setting with a special interest in its emergence through an ever-evolving communication process. The book under review brings together in a single volume fourteen of Neuwirth's articles that were published in varying contexts over twenty years. Thus the book embodies the leading edges of first-tier Qur'an scholarship and in the process sheds light on pressing issues of the field today.
Posted in Uncategorized	| Tagged Angelika Neuwirth, IQSA membership, literary approaches to the Qur'an, Qur'an canonization, Qur'anic studies methodology, Review of Qur'anic Research, RQR, Suleyman Dost
New Forum: Conflict and Convergence in Late Antiquity
Detail from Athār al-Muẓaffar (The Exploits of the Victorious), Iran, 16th c. (Chester Beatty Library Per 235, f. 132a; from Persian Miniatures, V. Loukonin and A. Ivanov (Parkstone International, 2014), 145).
Scholars now widely recognize the numerous continuities between the religion, culture, politics, and society of Late Antiquity and that of early Islam, and are devising fresh ways to better understand the Qur'an through interdisciplinary studies of the late antique cultural context in which the Qur'an was revealed and the Muslim umma emerged. Now Mizan, a digital initiative dedicated to encouraging informed public discourse and scholarship on the culture and history of Muslim societies, has launched a new collaborative online forum for study of the Qur'an and Late Antiquity:
http://www.mizanproject.org/forum-conflict-and-convergence-in-late-antiquity/
The short essays in this forum are dedicated to reflection upon the contemporary challenges and prospects for discovery and innovation in the study of the Qur'an and early Islam, particularly as they stand at a nexus of convergence with Judaism, Christianity, and other traditions. Visitors to the forum can learn more about some of the most significant aspects of current research into the continuities between Late Antiquity and formative Islam from a variety of theoretical and practical perspectives.
The leader of Mizan, Michael Pregill, is Interlocutor in the Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies and Civilizations at Boston University. He is Chair of IQSA's Publications and Research Committee, Co-Chair of IQSA's Qur'an and Late Antiquity Program Unit, and Head Editor of the Journal of the International Qur'anic Studies Association. He will be presenting his paper, "Scriptural Virtuosity and the Qur'an's Imperial Context," at next week's 2015 IQSA Annual Meeting in Atlanta.
Posted in Uncategorized	| Tagged interdisciplinary studies, Michael Pregill, Mizan, Qur'an and Late Antiquity, Qur'an historical context, Qur'anic studies methodology, Quranic studies
Ritual Studies and the Qur'an: Preliminary Thoughts
by Andrew C. Smith*
The usage of ritual as a means of communication, worship, and social construction is a ubiquitous element in human societies. In recognition of this fact, the field of ritual studies has expanded in scope and relevance in the last half century. Yet ritual as an important element within the Qur'an is largely unstudied. This post offers preliminary thoughts on the application of theories and perspectives in ritual studies to the study of the Qur'an.
The study of ritual within the western academy has developed somewhat in tandem with religious studies, with Myth-and-Ritual, sociological, psychoanalytical, and structuralist schools of thought developing distinct approaches to the study of religious ritual. Since the mid-1960s, ritual studies scholars have come to value more interdisciplinary approaches, and to integrate many different fields—such as sociology, anthropology, religious studies, and cultural studies—into the study of ritual. Some of the most prominent thinkers on ritual in the last few decades include Catherine Bell, Ronald Grimes, Mary Douglas, Roy Rappaport, and Clifford Geertz. Their ideas, methods, and tools for studying ritual should form the basis for any study of ritual within the Qur'an.
Muslims praying at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus; photo by Antonio Melina/Agencia Brasil, 2003.
For many years, ritual theorists have wrangled over a precise definition of "ritual," but it is difficult to define because ritual as a category involves human emotions that are subjective and transient, and sometimes defy lingual expression (Muir, 2005, 2). It is also important to recognize that a universal, succinct definition may not only be impossible but also theoretically detrimental to the scholarly study of ritual (Bell, 2009, 82). For this reason, among others, many theorists have moved away from the utilization of strict definitions, preferring to devise more flexible typologies for describing, comparing, and analyzing ritual actions. Some scholars, like Grimes and Bell, go further to simply describe aspects of each ritual as "family characteristics" on a sliding scale of characteristics to determine if something is more or less ritualized. The strengths and weaknesses of these various approaches should be carefully weighed when considering which tools and methods will best fit the analysis of ritual action within the Qur'an.
Ritual as a category is most often studied contemporaneously with its performance, whereby an anthropologist or ethnographer views or participates in a ritual and queries the performers as to its meaning and function. And yet, much of the basis for religious ritual performance is found in written texts like the Qur'an. However, depictions of rituals in the texts may differ from their lived performances. For this reason we must differentiate between the study of ritual in Islam and the study of ritual in the Qur'an.
The idea that Muslims' performing rituals in the present can shed light on how and why such rituals were performed at the time of the reception of the Qur'an is an assumption that needs to be treated carefully if not outright avoided. Ritual in the Qur'an must be primarily analyzed in its late antique historical context, which is significantly different from later contexts of Islamic ritual. We must consider the rituals contained in the Qur'an in connection with the religious communities of Late Antiquity, not through a lens of origin studies, but in order to understand the concepts of ritual usage that existed at the time, and the ritual symbolism and action from which they were adopted and adapted. For this purpose, research on the historical context and biblical subtext of the Qur'an—like that of Gabriel Said Reynolds and others—is vastly important.
The study of ritual as represented in the Qur'an is necessarily different from the study of ritual as a lived tradition. Researchers on the Qur'an cannot query a ritual's late antique performers as to its purpose or meaning. They must rely solely upon the written text. At the same time, it must be remembered that written reference to ritual does not constitute ritual itself. Scholars relying on written evidence must also deal with some of the issues that more generally problematize the literary study of ancient texts, including questions of provenance and preservation, as well as the likelihood that a text may not have all the information that one would expect or wish to be present, due to editorial redaction, genre and form, or authorial intent.
To help overcome these and other challenges in studying ritual within the Qur'an, one can look to ritual studies as applied to the text of the Bible, including the works of Gerald A. Klingbeil, Mark McVann, Frank H. Gorman, David P.Wright, and Ithamar Gruenwald. Some of the issues identified within the study of biblical ritual apply directly to the Qur'an, while others apply only tangentially or not at all based on the basic differences between the Bible and the Qur'an in terms of composition, canonical development, etc. For example, the compositional character of the Arabic Qur'an—namely, the usage of sajʿ (rhymed prose)—leads to a general lack of prescriptive ritual designations, because detailed instructions about how rituals are to be performed do not appear to fit well within that artistic style.
Ritual study of the Qur'an is a wide-open field, with great potential for shedding light on the ways that ritual was understood and used by the earliest community of Muhammad's followers to express their devotion and worship and to declare, create, and maintain their religious and communal identity. The preliminary thoughts presented above barely begin to tap the potential for greater engagement with this area of research. They are meant to stimulate further thoughts and conversations about the role of ritual within the Qur'an and the discourse of the early community of Muhammad's followers.
* Andrew C. Smith is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Religion at Claremont Graduate University.
Posted in Uncategorized	| Tagged Andrew C. Smith, Late Antique Near East, Qur'anic studies methodology, religion, ritual, ritual studies, textual studies
Traditional and Modern Qur'anic Hermeneutics in Comparative Perspective
by Adis Duderija*
Recent decades have witnessed the emergence of groundbreaking scholarship in Qur'anic hermeneutics, including the works of Hasan Hanafi, Nasir Abu Zayd, Abdolkarim Soroush, Amina Wadud, and Khaled Abou El Fadl, to name but a few. One of the benefits of this growth in scholarship is that it highlights the complexities of the theories and methods in the field.
Cover of Duderija, Constructing a Religiously Ideal Believer (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011).
In my Ph.D. dissertation, completed in 2010 and published in 2011, I offer a comparative examination of these complexities and their implications in both traditional and modern Qur'anic scholarship, and delineate the epistemological and methodological tendencies that distinguish modern and traditional approaches with respect to the following seven key criteria.
The Nature of Language and the Nature of Revelation
Traditional approaches to interpreting the Qur'an are heavily philological, with interpretations largely restricted to observable linguistic features of the Qur'an text. According to this methodology, readers retrieve the text's meaning through analysis of the Arabic grammar, syntax, and morphology. At the same time, the Qur'an text is considered as the verbatim Word of God essentially different from human language. Moreover, its meaning is completely independent of the psychological make-up of the Prophet Muhammad and his prophetic experience. Qur'anic language is thus considered to be operating outside of history and possessed of a fixed meaning that is, in principle, not dependent on human modes of perception and analysis.
Modern approaches recognize that the Qur'an's language is, at least for exegetical purposes, socio-culturally contingent, and its meaning necessarily operates within the framework of human perception and analysis. The nature of revelation, moreover, is closely intertwined with the mind and the phenomenological experience of the Prophet Muhammad. The interpretational implications are that the Qur'anic text has a historical dimension and that its meaning is conditioned by the cultural contexts in which it was revealed and is read.
The Location and Breadth of Meaning
(mapsofworld.com)
When interpreting a text, one may posit that the meaning of the text is primarily determined either by the intent of the author, by the form of the text itself, or by the perception of the reader. Furthermore, one may hold that readers are either able to fully recover the meaning intended by the author, or to only approximate the intended meaning.
Traditional approaches largely consider that readers can perceive authorial intent and recover some objective meaning of the text. Since the meaning of the text is fixed, the role of the reader in determining or influencing meaning is minimal. Belief in the objective existence of meaning in the mind of the author, which is readily accessible in a similarly objective fashion to the reader, contributes to the idea that there is only one correct interpretation of the text.
Modern hermeneutical approaches maintain that readers cannot recover authorial intent in a completely objective fashion. Rather, readers with their socio-cultural backgrounds, educations, moral inclinations, etc., actively participate in producing the text's meaning(s), which can only approximate authorial intent but can never completely and objectively capture it. While the text is fixed in its form, its meaning is not fixed by the author. Even if the text's meaning is considered static and monovalent, the significance of its meaning is contextually dependent and liable to change. Thus the text can sustain a large number of interpretations. However, to curb unreasonable or unpopular interpretations, some hermeneuticists have recourse to the concept of "communities of interpretation"—groups of readers who share similar cultural perspectives, values, and hermeneutical principles—to argue that the validity of interpretations is relative to, and limited by, the assumptions that characterize such communities.
The Relationship between Text and Context
Traditional philological hermeneutics tends to marginalize the historical context in which the Qur'an text was revealed. Although there is recognition of the historical character and development of the Qur'an when speaking of "occasions of revelation" (asbab al-nuzul) and "abrogation" (naskh), there are no clear hermeneutical models for fully integrating and utilizing these aspects in interpreting the language of the Qur'an. To the extent that historical context is considered, traditional philologists do not systematically distinguish between historical and ahistorical dimensions of meaning to the text. As a result, there is a strong tendency to universalize a historically particular meaning.
By contrast, modern hermeneuticists emphasize how the historical context in which the Qur'an text was revealed significantly influenced the text's form and meaning, and how the historical frames of reference and cultural norms of the text's initial audience informed their understanding of the nature of the Qur'anic text and its meaning.
Textual Coherence
The Qur'an text was revealed orally over a period of some two decades, and the process of its canonization took decades more. The canonical order of Qur'anic sūrahs does not appear to be governed by chronology; nor does it appear to be governed by theme, as references to themes are often dispersed throughout the Qur'an. Traditional exegetes downplay the essentially oral and kerygmatic nature of the revelation and mainly take a word-by-word segmental and sequential analysis of the canonical text. Thus this approach fails to fully appreciate the Qur'an's thematic coherence.
Many modern exegetes recognize the interconnectedness of Qur'anic concepts and themes and undertake a holistic and corroborative-inductive approach to interpreting the Qur'an, based not only on insights stemming from the traditional scholarly principles of conceptual/textual chaining (munāsaba) and corroborative induction (istiqrā'), but also on modern linguistics approaches to textual coherence, sequentiality, and progression. Understanding a Qur'anic concept requires analyzing all relevant passages throughout the text and synthesizing them within a larger thematic framework. The task of interpretation is to discover a "comprehensive constant."
The Role of Reason in Ethico-Legal Interpretations of the Qur'an
Traditional exegetes heavily restrict the role of reason to its analogical form, so that all ethico-legal interpretations must be linked to textual evidence. If there is no directly pertinent text, then every effort is made to identify an indirectly pertinent text with a common underlying principle and to interpret it in light of its significance to the new case. The underlying assumptions are that ethico-legal knowledge must always derive from revelation and that humans cannot know what is ethically or legally right by independent reason. From this perspective, many exegetes infer a legalistic dimension to all of the Qur'an, so that even those Qur'anic exhortations that could be seen as broadly ethical or didactic are interpreted as positive legal injunctions.
(alimabrouk.blogspot.com)
Modern exegetes, on the other hand, emphasize the importance of reason in interpreting the Qur'an and consider the Qur'an itself to be constitutive of reason. Inasmuch as human reason can independently make ethical judgments, the function of revelation is to remind people of their ethical obligations. Contrary to the traditional legalistic approach, they consider that the Qur'an is primarily ethico-religious in its concern, and that its legal aspects are peripheral to its broader ethical vision and subject to change as societal conditions change. Thus legal interpretations of the Qur'an ought to evolve with evolving ethical values by means of reason—keeping in mind, however, that Islamic ethics is firmly anchored in a Qur'anic religious cosmology.
Interpreting Universal Principles of the Qur'an
All of the aforementioned aspects of traditional hermeneutics make for a rather limited understanding of the Qur'an when it comes to its embodiment of basic ethical values, such as justice and equality, and its underlying objectives, such facilitating public welfare and promoting the common good. On the other hand, all of the aspects of modern hermeneutics contribute to a broader intepretational concern to realize such principle values and objectives.
The Conception of the Prophetic Sunna
It is widely held in Islamic tradition that the prophetic sunnah enjoys exegetical supremacy over independent rational methods, and moreover that this sunnah is entirely and solely embodied in sound Hadith texts. Thus for traditional exegetes, recourse to the sunnah as an exegetical device is necessarily constitutive of, and constrained by, the textual corpus of Hadith. One noteworthy implication of this textual conception of sunnah is that interpretive reasoning, while to some extent important in selecting and evaluating individual hadith reports, is not constitutive of the concept of sunnah itself as an exegetical device.
In contrast, modern exegetes tend to hold a more meta-textual conception of the prophetic sunnah, more in line with how sunnah was understood in the early Islamic era, which does not conflate the concept of sunnah with the concept of Hadith as text. Thus in addition to the traditional Hadith sciences, modern exegetes employ several additional methodological mechanisms to distinguish the prophetic sunnah, the details of which cannot be fully addressed here.
Hopefully this blog post helps to demonstrate the complexity of Qur'anic hermeneutics and the importance for scholars of religion and the Qur'an to be aware of the critical implications of distinct hermeneutical approaches for determining what is a normative "Qur'anic position" on any particular legal, political, or ethical issue.
* Dr. Duderija is Senior Lecturer in Gender Studies at the University of Malaya, and author of Constructing a Religiously Ideal 'Believer' and 'Woman' in Islam (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011).
Posted in Uncategorized	| Tagged Adis Duderija, authorial intent, Constructing a Religiously Ideal Believer book, language of the Qur'an, nature of revelation, Qur'an historical context, Qur'anic exegesis, Qur'anic studies hermeneutics, Qur'anic studies methodology, reader reception, semantics, sunnah, textual coherence, textual studies, universal principles in the Qur'an
Call for Papers: Journal of the International Qur'anic Studies Association
Posted on November 3, 2014 by iqsaweb
IQSA is pleased to announce the launch of the Journal of the International Qurʾanic Studies Association (JIQSA). In support of the Association's mission of fostering scholarship on the Qurʾan, JIQSA will commence publication twice annually beginning in the first quarter of 2016.
(greenzblog.com)
The Journal is being launched at a time of particular vitality and growth in Qurʾanic Studies, and its primary goal is to encourage the further development of the discipline in innovative ways. Methodologies of particular interest to the Journal include historical-critical, contextual-comparative, and literary approaches to the Qurʾan. We especially welcome articles that explore the Qurʾan's origins in the religious, cultural, social, and political contexts of Late Antiquity; its connections to various literary precursors, especially the scriptural and parascriptural traditions of older religious communities; the historical reception of the Qurʾan in the West; the hermeneutics and methodology of Qurʾanic exegesis and translation (both traditional and modern); the transmission and evolution of the textus receptus and the manuscript tradition; and the application of various literary and philological modes of investigation into Qurʾanic style and compositional structure.
We currently welcome submissions of articles for publication in the first volume. The complete Call for Papers is available here. Articles will be rigorously peer-reviewed through a double-blind review process, with reviewers appointed by the Head Editor and the Editorial Board. Interested parties are invited to email JIQSA@iqsaweb.org for more information about JIQSA and style and submission guidelines.
Posted in Uncategorized	| Tagged Call for Papers, contextual-comparative methodology, historical studies, historical-critical methodology, JIQSA, Late Antique Near East, literary approaches to the Qur'an, literary criticism, philology, Qur'an historical context, Qur'an linguistic context, Qur'anic exegesis, Qur'anic studies hermeneutics, Qur'anic studies methodology, Qur'an Manuscripts
IQSA San Diego Program, 21-24 November 2014
The Qur'an: Historical Context, Manuscripts, and Material Culture (IQSA)
Room: Room 23 B (Upper level) – San Diego Convention Center (CC)
Theme: Panel 2: The Qur'an: Historical Context and Material Culture
Wadad Kadi, Oriental Institute, Chicago
'Abd al-Hamid al-Katib's Use of the Qur'an in His Legal, Theological, and Historical Letters (30 min)
Francesca Leoni, Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Mighty (S)words: Protective and Apotropaic Uses of the Qur'an (30 min)
Peter Webb, University of London
Inhabiting the Book: The Qur'an and Space in Mamluk Religious Architecture (30 min)
Robert Hoyland, Oriental Institute, Oxford
Writing the Qur'an in Stone: Use of the Muslim Scripture in Early Arabic Inscriptions (30 min)
International Qur'anic Studies Association
Room: Room 23 C (Upper level) – San Diego Convention Center (CC)
Keynote Lecture Emran El-Badawi, University of Houston, Presiding
Emran El-Badawi, University of Houston, Introduction (10 min)
Angelika Neuwirth, Freie Universität Berlin
Qur'anic Studies and Historical-Critical Philology. The Qur'an's Staging, Penetrating, and Eclipsing Biblical tradition (45 min)
Andrew Rippin, University of Victoria (BC), Respondent (20 min)
Room: Room 24 A (Upper level) – San Diego Convention Center (CC)
Qur'anic Studies: Methodology and Hermeneutics (IQSA)
Theme: The Qur'an and Justice: How Removable are the Contradictions?
Farid Esack, University of Johannesburg
The Qur'an on Black and White: Exploring Possible Traces of Race and Racism in Tafsir (20 min)
Jerusha Tanner Lamptey, Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York
Muslima Theology and Relational Qur'anic Hermeneutics (20 min)
Karen Bauer, The Institute of Ismaili Studies
Interpreting away the Qur'an: Hermeneutical Strategies for Reconciling Text and Values (20 min)
Fred M. Donner, University of Chicago
Approaching the Qur'an's Contradictory Statements on Ahl al-Kitab (20 min)
Room: Room 1 B (Upper level) – San Diego Convention Center (CC)
Mentorship Lunch (Details TBA)
Theme: Panel 1: Historical Context and Qur'an Manuscripts
François Déroche, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes
MS R38 from Kairouan, Tunisia and Its Umayyad Context (20 min)
Daniel Brubaker, Rice University
Manuscript and Tradition: Exploring Scribal Alterations in Early Qur'ans in View of the Qira'at and Masahif Literature (20 min)
Umberto Bongianino, University of Oxford
Early Qur'anic Manuscripts from the Muslim West: A Typological Survey (20 min)
Nuria Martínez-de-Castilla-Muñoz, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Sixteenth-Century Spanish Translations of the Qur'an: The Almonacid de la Sierra Atelier (20 min)
The Qur'an and the Biblical Tradition (IQSA)
Joint Session With: The Qur'an and the Biblical Tradition (IQSA), Syriac Literature and Interpretations of Sacred Texts
Theme:The Qur'an and Christian Oriental Traditions
Holger Zellentin, University of Nottingham, Presiding
Sidney Griffith, Catholic University of America
The Suhuf of Abraham and Moses (25 min)
Abdulla Galadari, Masdar Institute
The Camel Passing through the Eye of the Needle: A Comparison between the Qur'an, the Greek Gospels, and Tatian's Syriac Diatessaron (25 min)
Cornelia B. Horn, Catholic University of America
Parallel Structures, Polemical Interpretations: An Intertextual Approach to Jesus' Miracles in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Normative and Interpretive Texts (25 min)
Nicolai Sinai, Oxford University
The Eschatological Kerygma of the Early Qur'anic Surahs in Light of Syriac Literature (25 min)
Paul Neuenkirchen, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes
The Qur'anic "Vision Pericopes" in Light of a Christian Apocrypha (25 min)
Theme: Bible, Qur'an, and Jewish Traditions
Cornelia Horn, Catholic University of America, Presiding
Hamza M. Zafer, University of Washington
Jonah and the Ninevites: Prophecy to Communal Outsiders in the Qur'an (25 min)
Emad Botros, McMaster Divinity College
The Recalcitrant Prophet: Jonah Between the Qur'an and the Hebrew Bible Traditions (25 min)
Michael Pregill, Elon University
Another Brick in the Wall: The Intertwining of Biblical and Qur'anic Exegesis in Islamicate Midrash (25 min)
Reuven Firestone, Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (California Branch)
Shabbat Violation in Qur'anic Discourse (25 min)
Holger Zellentin, University of Nottingham
The Qur'an and Rabbinic Judaism: "Mecca" and "Medina" between Palestine and Babylonia (25 min)
Business Meeting (30 min) – All IQSA Members are expected to attend!
Theme: Qur'anic Hermeneutics: Diversity Beyond Muslim/Non-Muslim Binaries
Ebrahim Moosa, Duke University, Presiding
Clare Wilde, University of Auckland
Contemporary Echoes of Early Christian Arabic Approaches to the Qur'an (20 min)
Sayeh Meisami, University of Toronto
Qur'anic Hermeneutics and Islamic Philosophy: A Study of Ibn Sina's Commentary on Surat al-Falaq in Comparison with His Philosophical Writings on the Problem of Evil (20 min)
David R. Vishanoff, University of Oklahoma
Reenchanting the Qur'an: Hermeneutical Applications of the Ash'ari Concept of God's Eternal Speech (20 min)
Yusuf Rahman, State Islamic University Jakarta Indonesia
The Indonesian Muslim Responses to the Use of Hermeneutics in the Study of the Qur'an (20 min)
Joint Session With: The Qur'an and the Biblical Tradition (IQSA), Qur'an and Biblical Literature
Theme: Bible and Qur'an: Confirmation, Conversation, Conflict
John Kaltner, Rhodes College, Presiding
Ashoor Yousif, University of Toronto
Claiming the Claimed: Islamic Exegesis of Biblical Prophecies During the 'Abbasid Period (30 min)
Salah Mahgoub Edris, Cairo University
The Christian Interpretation of the Qur'an in Syriac Literature (30 min)
Mohammad Hasan Ahmadi, University of Tehran
The Qur'anic Terminology of the Biblical Tradition (30 min)
Carol Schersten LaHurd, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
The Academy vs. the Grassroots: Cognitive Dissonance on Interfaith Dialogue (30 min)
Roberta Sabbath, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Teaching Tanakh, New Testament, and Qur'an to Undergraduate English Majors and Elective Students (30 min)
Linguistic, Literary, and Thematic Perspectives on the Qur'anic Corpus (IQSA)
Theme: Themes and Rhetorical Tools in the Qur'an
Sarra Tlili, University of Florida, Presiding
Anne-Sylvie Boisliveau, University of Groningen, Presiding
D.S. Adnan Majid, University of California-San Diego
Virgins of a Virginal Paradise: The Use of Synecdoche in Surah Rahman (18 min)
Discussion (5 min)
Thomas Hoffmann, Københavns Universitet
Delivering the Qur'an: Metaphors of Qur'anic Maternality and Natality (18 min)
Devin Stewart, Emory University
Anomalous Rhyme-Words in the Qur'an and Their Implications (18 min)
Break (10 min)
Vanessa De Gifis, Wayne State University
The Economy of Excellence: A Thematic Study of Fadl in the Qur'an (18 min)
Andrew G. Bannister, Melbourne School of Theology
Retelling the Tale: A Computerized Oral-Formulaic Analysis of the Qur'an (18 min)
Carl Ernst, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Respondent (25 min)
Qur'an Seminar (IQSA)
Room: AB (Level 3 (Aqua)) – Hilton Bayfront (HB)
Theme: Surah 74 and Q 18:60–102
Participants will discuss together the two selected Qur'anic passages.
Mehdi Azaiez, University of Notre Dame, Panelist
Gerald Hawting, School of Oriental and African Studies, Panelist
Thomas Hoffmann, Københavns Universitet, Panelist
Daniel Madigan, Georgetown University, Panelist
David Penchansky, University of Saint Thomas (Saint Paul, MN), Panelist
Gabriel Reynolds, University of Notre Dame, Panelist
Stephen Shoemaker, University of Oregon, Panelist
Tommaso Tesei, Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, Panelist
Sarra Tlili, University of Florida, Panelist
Theme: Surahs 19 and 88
Tommaso Tesei, Van Leer Jerusalem Institute
Room: Room 17 B (Mezzanine level) – San Diego Convention Center (CC)
Theme: Detecting Ring Patterns: Insights into the Qur'an's Structure and Meaning
This panel is dedicated to the emerging field of Semitic Rhetoric/Ring Composition theory applied to the Qur'an.
Dalia Abo-Haggar, Harvard University
Symmetry and Asymmetry in the Qur'an (18 min)
Giuliano Lancioni, Università degli Studi Roma Tre, and Raoul Villano, Università degli Studi Roma Tre
The Self-Similar Koran (18 min)
AbdelMadjid Benhabib, University of Tlemcen – Algeria
Lexical Repetition in Noah's Discourse in the Qur'an (18 min)
Raymond Farrin, American University of Kuwait
Ring Structure in Sura 9: Repentance Emphasized (18 min)
Rick Oakes, North-West University (South Africa)
The Semitic Rhetoric of Surat al-Nisa' 153-162 Imparts Meaning to Shubbiha in Aya 157a (18 min)
Anne-Sylvie Boisliveau, University of Groningen, Respondent (10 min)
Posted in Uncategorized	| Tagged IQSA AM 2014 San Diego, IQSA Annual Meeting, IQSA membership, IQSA program units annual meeting, Linguistic Literary and Thematic Perspectives on the Qur'anic Corpus, Qur'an historical context, Qur'an material culture, Qur'an Seminar, Qur'anic studies hermeneutics, Qur'anic studies methodology, Qur'an Manuscripts, The Qur'an and the Biblical Tradition, thematic studies
International Qur'an Conference: "Recent Trends in Qur'anic Studies"
by Mun'im Sirry
IQSA and State Islamic University (UIN) Sunan Kalijaga in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, are co-hosting an international conference on "Recent Trends in Qur'anic Studies," to be held in Yogyakarta on 4-7 August 2015.
This international Qur'an conference will be a forum where the Islamic tradition and rigorous academic study of the Qur'an will meet, and various approaches to the Qur'an will be critically discussed. In the spirit of learning from, and enriching, one another, we are working on a conference that will introduce our unique model of collaboration between IQSA and UIN Sunan Kalijaga to enhance the field of Qur'anic studies.
Over the last few decades, Qur'anic studies emerged as an exciting and vibrant field of research among scholars both in the West and in the Muslim-majority countries. This is evident not only in the flurry of books and articles that deal with the Qur'an and in the convening of various workshops and seminars on the subject, but also in the controversies that this field engenders. Diverse methodologies are currently applied to Qur'anic studies, and various issues are raised. Some of these methodologies and issues are new discoveries, while others revive older researches. As a result, many assumptions that for years have been taken for granted are now under rigorous scrutiny and often disputed to such an extent that, as Fred Donner has rightly noted, the field of Qur'anic studies seems today "to be in a state of disarray," in the sense that there is little consensus among scholars. Questions such as the milieu within which the Qur'an emerged, the Qur'an's relation to the Biblical tradition, its chronology, textual integration, and literary features are hotly debated today.
This international conference aims to explore major methodological and thematic issues in recent scholarly studies of the Qur'an in different parts of the world. We also wish to engage in scholarly conversations about the possibility of collaborative works to enhance the field of Qur'anic studies by bringing together scholars who may have little other chance to directly interact. There clearly needs to be closer collaboration among scholars of different perspectives and backgrounds. Rather than deepening conflicting approaches to the Qur'an, these scholars will explore the extent to which they may learn from one another in terms of methodological/hermeneutical approaches as they will also address current issues being debated in the field.
Among scholars in the field who will participate in the conference, to mention a few names (in alphabetical order), are: Fred Donner, Ali Mabrouk, Daniel Madigan, Jane McAuliffe, Gabriel Reynolds, Andrew Rippin, Abdullah Saeed, Nayla Tabbara, along with Indonesian scholars such as Amin Abdullah, Noorhaidi Hasan, Moch. Nur Ichwan, Syafaatun el-Mirzanah, Yusuf Rahman, Quraish Shihab, Sahiron Syamsuddin.
If you are interested in presenting your research on any of the following topics, please send your abstract (250 words) to Mun'im Sirry (msirry@nd.edu).
Possible topics:
Critical Approaches to the Qur'an
Qur'anic Milieu
Intertextuality: The Qur'an and the Biblical tradition
The Qur'an and Other Religions
Re-assessing the Exegetical Tradition of the Qur'an
Modern Trends in the Tafsir Tradition
The Indigenization of the Qur'an: Is there an Indonesian Tafsir
Please note that abstracts, papers and presentation must be in English.
Deadline for submission of abstract: November 1, 2014
Notification of acceptance: November 15, 2014
Confirmation of attendance: December 1, 2014
Submission of full paper: June 1, 2015
Conference dates: August 4-7, 2015
Posted in Uncategorized	| Tagged Abdullah Saeed, Ali Mabrouk, Amin Abdullah, Andrew Rippin, collaboration, conference, Daniel Madigan, Fred Donner, Gabriel Said Reynolds, IQSA, Jane Dammen McAuliffe, Mun'im Sirry, Nayla Tabbara, Noorhaidi Hasan, Nur Ichwan, Qur'anic studies hermeneutics, Qur'anic studies methodology, Quraish Shihab, Recent Trends in Qur'anic Studies conference, Sahiron Syamsuddin, State Islamic University, Syafaatun el-Mirzanah, thematic studies, Yogyakarta, Yusuf Rahman


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Home 1 › The Sensational Alex Harvey Band 1975/76 2
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band 1975/76
A3: 16.5 x 11.7 inches = £24.95 / Glasgow Apollo - £24.95 GBP A3: 16.5 x 11.7 inches = £24.95 / Newcastle City Hall - £24.95 GBP A3: 16.5 x 11.7 inches = £24.95 / London New Victoria Theatre - £24.95 GBP A4: 11.7 x 8.3 inches = £14.95 / Glasgow Apollo - £14.95 GBP A4: 11.7 x 8.3 inches = £14.95 / Newcastle City Hall - £14.95 GBP A2: 23.4 x 16.5 inches = £49.95 / Glasgow Apollo - £49.95 GBP A2: 23.4 x 16.5 inches = £49.95 / Newcastle City Hall - £49.95 GBP A2: 23.4 x 16.5 inches = £49.95 / London New Victoria Theatre - £49.95 GBP
FAST DELIVERY: We ship our designs from three different locations (UK, USA & Germany) to enable the fastest, most efficient delivery and to keep shipping costs to a minimum for our customers.
"Great poster (Amy Winehouse) - I absolutely love it!!" David was great to work with! He was very responsive and really went the extra mile to make sure that I received my shipment and was satisfied. I couldn't recommend them enough! 5 stars all around. " Scott ★★★★★
"Beautifully produced print, great service and quick delivery. Thank you " Karen ★★★★★
These highly collectable, hand finished giclée prints were created on archival fine art paper and are not available in stores. They celebrate The Sensational Alex Harvey Band's shows at the Newcastle City Hall on the 6th and 7th May, 1976, the Glasgow Apollo between the 18th and 20th December, 1975 and The New Victoria Theatre London on the 23rd and 24th of December, 1975. Multimedia artist David Lloyd took the photographs of Alex and Zal when he was 18, creating the montage and design some decades later for these prints.
The high quality inks and materials used, combine to produce incredibly rich colours and detail with a light fastness guarantee in excess of 60 years indoor display life. Please note: Due to worldwide shipping constraints, we are unable to sell our prints mounted and framed as illustrated.
Originally from the North East of England, David Lloyd is an alumni of Central Saint Martins and the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. He has exhibited at the Royal Academy and spent most of his life working as an artist, musician and composer on both sides of the Atlantic.
I was just a child when my innocence was lost…
The throbbing analogue bass and shaker of 'Faith Healer' built up a tension in the hall and all our hearts pounded along with it, as our leader, Alex Harvey, strolled out into the spotlight wearing a velvet smoking jacket and a mischievous smile, cradling a huge bunch of red roses in his arms. Slowly, like a priest sprinkling holy water over the congregation, he proceeded to cast each single rose gently out into the crowd around me, until there was only one left in the palm of his right hand. With a glint in his eye, he bit the head off that final rose and began to sing, crimson petals falling from his lips with each word…
"Let me put my hands on you..."
I was 18, taking photographs of my favourite bands whenever they came to town and just about to head down to art school in London, an adventure that would lead into a headlong collision with the Pistols, the Clash and all that sailed with them. Throughout the early days of punk there was something in the air that lit the fuse on an almost Stalinist purge against just about everything that went before it. Despite that climate, Alex Harvey and the band held a place in the hearts of every young punk who'd ever had the great fortune to see them and we spoke in whispered tones of affection and awe of the great man and his band. An affection that stays with me now so many decades later. When Alex looked into my lens that night, I was just a teenager hitting gold dust, and as a fan I'm just glad that I have this one chance to share that moment now in this celebration of one of the greatest bands I ever saw.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Optimizing fertilizer source and rate to avoid root death
IMAGE: Canola is a crop from which seeds are commonly harvested to create canola oil and meal. Canola is in the family of Brassica plants. view more
Credit: Meghnath Pokharel
Fertilizer is used worldwide in farming. It's used to give plants a boost, increasing yield and ultimately farmers' profits.
But, as the old adage goes: the dose makes the poison. Similar effects are seen in over-the-counter medicines. They need to take the right dose, at the right intervals, to be safe and effective. Fertilizer works the same way.
In particular, the rate and source of the fertilizer can make the difference, especially in a method called banding. It's a method where the fertilizer is placed in a band in the soil below the seed. While banding has many advantages, it can also cause damage to the plant roots if used incorrectly.
"While banding below and to the side is the recommended practice, banding directly below the seed continues to be a common practice used in dryland systems," says Isaac Madsen. "It can reduce the number of passes across the field required in a growing season. Banding also allows you to put on all or most of your fertilizer at one time. This generally causes less disturbance in a minimum or no-till system." Madsen is a postdoctoral research associate at Washington State University.
Researchers like Madsen are trying to find the ideal rate and source that will help the plants without damaging the roots. Madsen and his team studied canola in particular. New imaging and analysis techniques allowed them to see canola roots interacting with fertilizer in a way never previously done.
"In this study, we imaged canola roots growing into a fertilizer band and measured the damage to the canola tap root," Madsen explains. "Using scanner-based rhizoboxes (glass boxes filled with soil), we were able to collect a series of root images over time. This allowed us to look at the effect of fertilizer rate and source on the seedling root systems."
The reason the root damage is of such concern in canola is because it has a long tap root. These larger roots are especially affected by fertilizer. If the tap root is damaged, the plant can't properly take up nutrients and water.
The team's end goal was to determine what is called a dose-response curve. This will help farmers better apply their fertilizer and know if it will harm their crops' roots or not. They used the data they collected from the root images to develop these curves for the different fertilizer sources.
"A dose-response curve helps determine the amount or dose of a substance that will result in a specific response," Madsen says. "In this instance we modeled tap root survival, depth, and distance from fertilizer band."
They used three sources of nitrogen fertilizer in their study: urea, ammonium sulfate, and urea ammonium nitrate. Each one reacts differently in the soil, and the researchers thought they would cause different amounts of damage to the roots.
Madsen says their results show that banding urea ammonium nitrate rather than urea, along with keeping the rates low, is the best option for canola. He adds that this research is important for canola growers in the Pacific Northwest area. It helps establish guidelines for them to apply nitrogen fertilizers.
"I think banding is, indeed, frequently the best practice," says Madsen. "But we need to be careful with our rates and sources. Banding of fertilizers will not cause problems as long as the rates used are low enough and the sources used are safe enough. My research goal is to develop rate and source guidelines that growers can use to minimize damage and maximize fertility."
Madsen says the imaging techniques used in this study were unique and very useful. Getting a glimpse at the roots can be valuable. It allows something usually hidden beneath the soil and important for plant health to be studied in real time.
"I really like taking pictures and making videos of roots," Madsen adds. "There is something immensely satisfying about making videos of phenomena which have not been imaged before."
Read more about this research in Agronomy Journal. This research was funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as well as the Washington State Legislature-Oilseeds Cropping Systems Project.
Tagged:AgricultureCropDataDeathfamilyFarmingfertilizerFoodHealthnationalNewsoilORPlantsrateREALLYReasonResearchseasonSocietySoiltimeUSVideosWashingtonWashington stateWashington State Universitywater
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2. The promotion period begins on 28th January 2019 at 9.00am AEDST and ends at 2.00pm AEST 5th April 2019 (the "Promotional Period").
10. The draw will take place at 272 Bay Street, Port Melbourne, Victoria on the 12 April 2019 at 12.00 pm AEDT. Winners will be advised via email or phone. Winners' names will be published on the McCain Food Service website from 19 April 2019.
12. In the event of the prize not being claimed after three months of the draw, the winning entry will be deemed not to fulfil the entry requirements. The Promoter may, subject to relevant state authorities and Regulation 10 of the Art Unions and public amusements Regulations 1992 (QLD), conduct further draws as are necessary to distribute the prize. Date of unclaimed prize draw is 12 July 2019. The unclaimed prize draw will take place at 12.00pm AEDT at 272 Bay Street, Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The winner will be notified via the email address or telephone number through which their winning order was made. Winner's name will be published on the McCain Food Service website from 19th July 2019.


Free black dress trending .
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Red gown and Black combination (Net) with red rose design for fashionista.


Sensex tanked 400 points today as the Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan widely disappointed markets and analysts by cutting repo rate by just 25 basis points to 7.25%. Clearly investors are not happy with Rajan's cautious stance on further easing.
First, some forecasters, notably the IMD, predict a below-normal southwest monsoon. Astute food management is needed to mitigate possible inflationary effects.
crude prices have been firming amidst considerable volatility, and geo-political risks are ever present.
Third, volatility in the external environment could impact inflation.
Rajan says a conservative strategy would be to wait, especially for more certainty on both the monsoon outturn as well as the effects of government responses if it turns out to be weak. "With still weak investment and the need to reduce supply constraints over the medium term to stay on the proposed disinflationary path (to 4 per cent in early 2018), however, a more appropriate stance is to front-load a rate cut today and then wait for data that clarify uncertainty.
At 11:56 am, the Sensex was down 354 points at 27494, while the Nifty was down 107 points at 8327.
"The RBI delivered as per market expectations by cutting the repo rate by 25 bps and bringing the rate easing cycle to a pause for the time being. The central bank has advised caution while outlining the three major risks to inflation in the form of sub-par monsoons, oil prices moving up and a volatile external environment that are likely to guide on the quantum of rate cuts in the future. Importantly, the RBI now sees upside risks to its January forecast of 6% inflation and ha also brought down its growth estimate. This shows that the RBI expects a gradual recovery, which would in part be dependent on how the monsoons pan out. Overall, we see this as a prudent monetary policy with future easing contingent on how the data shapes up," says Anis Chakravarty, Senior Director, Deloitte in India.
Why did the RBI cut rate if there is a fear of inflation rising? If we did not cut the interest rate, we are going to have a fight with the government, Rajan said in a lighter vein. The audience lughed but the nagging doubt remains: Is he saying the truth through humour?
One cannot be sure because he quickly added that waiting (to cut rates) would also be a conservative strategy now. He said the central bank is using the available elbow room now.
The governor also seemed to be sending a message to finance minister Arun Jaitley, when he warned that banks may not be able to fund economic growth given paucity of capital.
The government has been reluctant in recapitalising public sector banks, with earmarking just about Rs 7,940 crore, nearly half the their requirement.
The biggest uncertainty at this point is monsoon. If monsoon bettter than forecast, there may be more room for easing, said Rajan, signalling a long pause before the central bank cuts rate further. He also said the rate has been cut as the central bank felt it is better to frontload the rate cut.
Meanwhile, the repo rate cut failed to cheer market as the Sensex declined a further 267 pointsto 27,581.58 from its previous close.
Rate sensitive shares continued to trade in negative territory, with SBI witnessing a steep fall of 1.7 percent at Rs 273. While HDFC Bank lost 1 percent to Rs 1,026 and Axis Bank fell 0.9 percent at Rs 573.
Administered price increases have remained muted and also impact of unseasonal rains has been moderate so far, the RBI said.
The RBI will issue at leas one more set of bank licences by August, said Rajan. The central bank has issued two licences in the past.
RBI said global currency markets continue to be dominated by strength of US dollar and that the global economic recovery has been slow.
It said headline inflation has evolved along projected path. Timing of the US Fed rate hike seems to have been pushed back.
The RBI's move on interest rate is in line with expectations. RBI governor urged the banks to pass on the rate cuts to the customers.
Stock markets took a beating in early trade Tuesday as the benchmark Sensex plunged more than 200 points amid weakness in rate sensitive stocks.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor, Raghuram Rajan will announce the bi-monthly monetary policy of the central bank later in the day. Rajan is unveiling the policy in the backdrop of falling retail inflation and the slow economic recovery.
Most economists expect Rajan to cut repo rate, the rate at which it lends short-term funds to banks, by a quarter percentage point, if not by a bigger margin. Here are the scenarios that could possibly come out of the meeting.
Repo rate is the policy signaling rate of the RBI. Theoretically, a cut in repo should translate into reduction in bank lending rates. But such a transmission is unlikely to happen with a quarter percentage point cut in the current scenario since most banks have just cut their lending rates. Also, since the banking system is currently not in a deficit mode, banks are not in an urgent need to rush to the repo window and borrow money.
So far this fiscal year, banks have borrowed only Rs 2,355 crore on an average, per day, from the RBI compared with Rs 6,703 crore in the previous fiscal year. However, a repo cut would ease sentiments in the financial markets. If the language in the monetary policy is dovish, this can spur hopes of further monetary easing.
At presently repo rate is pegged at 7.5 per cent.
A reduction in the cash reserve ratio (CRR) or the portion of deposits banks need to park with the central bank on a fortnightly basis and upon which they earn zero interest, could be more useful for banks to pass on the benefit to the borrower's kitty. A 50 basis points cut in CRR would release approximately Rs 45,000 in the banking system. Banks can use this money to lend to productive sectors in case of a demand revival.
CRR is currently at 4 per cent.
A status-quo in the repo rate and other key reserve ratios would mean the continuation of the prevailing situation. Logically, banks wouldn't go for further cut in rates and the mood in financial markets, which were expecting a rate cut, will be that of disappointment. However, this is likely only if the central chooses to wait for the unfolding monsoon scenario.


Will Bruzzo's Blog: Constitutional or Discourteous?
Last week Michael Oren gave a speech at University of California, Irvine in Orange County, California, describing the issues he faced as Israeli ambassador. His speech was interrupted multiple times from members of the audience that did not agree with him. A video posted online showed the interruptions occurring roughly every ten minutes. Professor Petracca of the Political Science department expresses his impatience with the outbursts and called out "Shame on you!" when he took the podium to control the ruckus caused by the interruptions. He told the audience that this behavior is not appropriate for University of California students. The spirit of the event as explained by Professor Petracca and Chancellor Drake was to provide a forum for an exchange of ideas and discussion on the Middle East situation. They said that a better way for the UCI Muslim Student Union (the group expressing their dissatisfaction with the speaker) to express their disagreement would be by presenting the ambassador with questions at the end of his talk. University officials were likely embarrassed by the students' conduct. The MSU has put on its share of displays on campus denouncing Israeli occupation and their tactics and the tolls it takes on the Palestinian community. Indubitably the University would have preferred picketing outside the speaking venue. Yet it's important to remember that a marginalized group may feel that working within the accepted modes of expression is not effective. The outbursts managed to successfully interrupt Oren from talking, but did not communicate any counter point. Some people present complained that UCI should have taken better measures to control the crowd and that the outbursts made UCI look bad. Notably, as soon as a person yelled out they were escorted out of the auditorium. The position that UCI takes on the incident is that expression is permitted within certain limits dictated by place and time. It is unclear if the students will be charged criminally. If they are they can be charged with disturbing the peace under Penal Code section 415 (2); this penal code section prohibits using "loud and unreasonable" noise. Despite the strong protection of Free Speech in the U.S. Constitution it does appear that the manner in which the students sought to protest the ambassador fell outside the protection of the constitution.


Looking great in our new Adidas kit supplied by Hawkinsport. Check out our 2016/17 team photos. Sorry if you weren't there that day the photographer was - captains and squad managers, please fill in the gaps by sending in a photo of your team/squad to . Many thanks.
There is a new weekly newspaper in England and Wales completely dedicated to hockey! It's called The Hockey Paper and the first issue went to print 16th November. It's available at newsagents and supermarkets for £1.50. Look for this week's edition (out 7th December) to see a feature on GHC!
October Half-Term Skills With GB Players!


A cast signed script from the crime TV series CSI: Miami.
The show follows the work of a Miami crime lab as they try to solve cases using the barest of forensic evidence.
This script is of episode number 314 entitled 'One Night Stand,' written by Michael Ostrowski and John Haynes. The script has been signed by 4 cast members; David Caruso who plays Horatio Craine, Khandi Alexander who plays Alexx Woods, Jonathan Togo who plays Ryan Wolfe and Rex Linn who plays Frank Tripp. It has also been signed by the two writers and the director Greg Yaitanes.
The script is unannotated and features the full episode. It is hole punched and bound with brass fasteners and printed on US letter-sized paper. On the front it states that pages 3 and 52 are revised pages, and there is a colour code indicating the shooting schedule for the different colour pages. There is also a full cast and set list.
The script comes in a Miami Metropolitan Police Department crime lab folder that would be seen in the film. It remains in excellent condition.


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Jackson Center é uma vila localizada no estado norte-americano de Ohio, no Condado de Shelby.

Demografia
Segundo o censo norte-americano de 2000, a sua população era de 1369 habitantes.
Em 2006, foi estimada uma população de 1453, um aumento de 84 (6.1%).

Geografia
De acordo com o United States Census Bureau tem uma área de
3,3 km², dos quais 3,3 km² cobertos por terra e 0,0 km² cobertos por água. Jackson Center localiza-se a aproximadamente 315 m acima do nível do mar.

Localidades na vizinhança
O diagrama seguinte representa as localidades num raio de 16 km ao redor de Jackson Center.

Ligações externas

Vilas do Ohio

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Love is one of God's attributes, along with holiness and righteousness.
Holiness and righteousness are equally attributes of God (Josh. 24:19; Ps. 99:5; Rev. 4:8; Psalm 145:7; Acts 17:31).
God cannot love sinners without justice being fully satisfied (Ex. 34:7). God does love some sinners because Divine justice and mercy meet in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on their behalf (Psalm 85:10; Rom. 5:8).
There is nothing about us sinners that moves God to love any one of us (Ps.l4:l-3; 144:3; Gen. 6:5; Rom.3:10-19).
God's own good pleasure is what moves Him to have mercy and show love to any particular sinner (Eph.l:5/9, 11; Rom.9: 15,16; Exo.33:19; Deu.7:7-9).
Election is the fountain of God's love for sinners.
Before the foundation of the world. God has set His love upon some sinners in unconditional election (Jer.31:3; 2Tim. 1:9; Eph.l:4). Electing love gives the elect to Christ, and Christ to the elect, as the gift of love to save the elect (Johnl7: 6/11; Eph. 1:4). At the same time God, to show the glory of His justice, leaves others in their sins as objects of His righteous hatred (Matt. 11:25-26; Rom. 9:13,15,18, 21-23).
Because the elect world is loved in Christ (Eph.1:3ff).
Because Christ was given to die on the cross to save the world of elect sinners (John 10: 11, 26-29: John 3:16; Rom. 5: 8; 2Tim. 1: 9, Gal. 2:20).
Because God's love, flowing from election, produces effectual calling, justification and glorification (Romans 8:28-31; Jer. 31:3; I Peter 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:9).
God loves the elect – God hates the reprobate.
God loves the elect eternally, unchangeably, and savingly (Jer. 31:3, Mal. 3:6). God justly hates the reprobate (Rom. 9:13,18, 22; 2 Peter 2:8).
Sin can not be separated from the sinner, because it is the nature of man that is sinful (Psalm 51:5; Jer. 17:9; Matt.l2:34-35; Luke 6: 44-45).
The Bible speaks of God being angry with, and hating the wicked, that is people who do wickedness (Ps. 5:4-6; 11:5-6; Prov. 16:4).
The proposition is true only of God's elect for God loves them in Christ (Rom.5:8-10; Eph.2:l-10). God loves them because He predestinated them unto the adoption of children in Jesus Christ, and He has satisfied His justice against them and their sin when Jesus died in their stead on the cross of Calvary. And, God loves them in such a way that they ALL are all united to His Son for justification, sanctification and glorification – being brought to live unto God, confessing always: "The life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me" (Eph.l:4-5, Gal. 2:20).
Prosperity is no sign that God's loves this or that particular sinner (Ps. 73:18-19; Luke 12:20, 21).
Hearing the gospel preached is no sure sign that God loves this or that particular sinner (Matt.l3:10- 15, 22:14; 1 Peter 2:8; 2 Cor.2:14ff).
A sinner may be assured that God loves him/her only when there is evidence of that love having produced saving faith in their life. In other words. God's electing, redeeming love, is manifest in their lives through true faith and repentance (1 John 4:19).
The Biblical and Reformed faith teaches that God's love flows to His elect, and His elect alone, in and through Jesus Christ.


→Do You Buy Organic Foods?
Unless you've had your head stuck in the sand, you know we're in a recession. Because of that economic slow down, it was expected by market researchers that there would be a slump in sales of organic foods.
Turns out instead of a slow down in organic food sales, they actually increased by 15.8 percent in 2008, according to a survey done by the Lieberman Research Group for the Organic Trade Association (OTA).
The survey found that organic food accounted for about 3.5 percent of US food sales last year. Not only that, but organic food sales grew at a much faster rate than general US food sales.
Yes, we love our fruits and vegetables! They constitute the biggest part of organic food sales, accounting for about 37 percent. As I mentioned in a previous post, "Food Holidays In June", now is a great time to be getting fresh fruits and vegetables at Farmer's Markets. If you don't know where to find one, you can look at the Local Harvest website to locate the nearest Farmer's Markets, family farms and producers of organic foods.
Beverages and dairy sales are the other biggest sellers in the organic food market, at 14 percent each. Organic beverage sales are growing the fastest, with 40% more sales in 2008 than the previous year. Organic breads and grains are close behind in sales growth, with 35 percent more sales over the year before.
So how about you? In these times when most people are trying to make their dollar stretch more and more, are you choosing to go for the value of organic foods?


The new that this year's Electric Picnic sold out well in advance of the start of the festival took many of us by surprise, not to mention disappointing many a prospective Picnicker, but last night's headline show from Fatboy Slim succinctly showed just how many people are at the Picnic this year. It seemed that practically every one of the 35,000 attendees were crammed in front of the main stage for the Brighton DJ's set.
Said set was perfect fodder for a late night boogie, with Cook ever-so adept at working the crowd by teasing in snippets from his hits along in his house-based DJ set. He even found time for the now obligatory 'Get Lucky' remix.
With the possible exception of last year's set from The Killers, we've never witnessed so many people at a single show at Electric Picnic and all of 'em were unified in their appreciation of Norman Cook's performance. Friday night's revellers weren't given many options once the sun went down due to the festivals other stages (Electric Arena, Little Big Tent et al) not yet being open, so once 10pm hit it was either Fatboy Slim or a wander through the delights of Body & Soul. In the end, entertainment.ie did both.
Among all of the musical treats we witnessed yesterday, we saved the best for last. Kilkenny's R.S.A.G. (or Jeremy Hickey to his mother) played an absolute blinder to a packed Body & Soul crowd. R.S.A.G. (Rarely Seen Above Ground), for the unaware, is a drummer/vocalist who sits solo on the stage and plays along with a musical backing track - and dear lord, was it ever amazing. Simply put, Hickey is one of the best drummers we've ever seen, perfectly blending awe-inspiring power and delicate, intricate touches behind his kit. Magic.
Ska act The Beat are opening the main stage at the time of writing, with Ocean Colour Scene due on next but it's Robert Plant at 7pm that we're particularly excited about!
Keep your eyes peeled on these pages for updates and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more Picnic updates!


This is a long pending review of Jane's hilarious debut novel. I came to know Jane (via her blog) through the marathon bloggers' group on FB. Sadly, I did not get a chance to meet her (or the other bloggers), during her book launch.
Gulabi hails from village called Gayab, but is high on ambition and spirit. Her mummyji wants get her married off at the next possible chance but she aspires to meet her Bollywood hearthrob Sharook and does not care for the uneducated youth in her village.
She comes to Mumbai in search of her knight in shining armour, also known as Bemba (loved the term-it stands for BE MBA, a criteria that her man must pass) and ends up playing a detective to unravel the deadly mystery of a lost head that lands up accidentally in her rental home.
Gulabi's mastery over the Queen's English makes you doubt your own. Her antics land her in the most incredulous situations and yet it makes you want to play along, feeling for Gulabi in her trials and travails and having in you splits over the funny incidents.
I really liked the unique plot and the way it has been treated. The lingo grows on you (I'm guessing, it is difficult to maintain the flow of such a language throughout and Jane does a neat job!). It's a book you'll like if you prefer/don't mind light reading. Gulabi as a character will not fail to endear you since despite her flaws she has her heart in the right place and is also a strong-willed independent woman who knows what she wants and will not rest until she gets it.
ETA: Details of the book are available on Flipkart here.
Seems an interesting read.Uma,please give the name of publisher,price of book and the number of pages for all the reviews you do.
I have added the link to the flipkart page where you can find these details, Sir.
Absolutely agree with every word Uma, this was such a fun read, and a very different experience for me :).
Wow.. sounds like an interesting book to read!
give it a shot, Me!
Added to my reading list. Thanks for the recommendation!
Light reads are pretty hard to find if you move away from Wodehouse.
It is an interesting read, Aarthy!
Sounds like loads of fun.. adding it !
let me know how you liked it, Bhargavi!
Seems like a different sort of book, the lingo bit interests me a lot. Will look out for this!
yep, try it out, Vibha..
I loved the book too!! :) Different from what I usually read, and fun at it!!
Thanks tons, Uma, for the review - and for pointing your readers in Gulabi's direction. Will instruct her to keep them entertained.


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New evidence for Battle of Hastings site considered
The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the Battle of Hastings and the death of King Harold
New evidence that questions the traditional site of King Harold's death during the Battle of Hastings is being considered by English Heritage.
Battle Abbey in East Sussex is said to stand on the spot where King Harold died when the English army was routed by the Normans in 1066.
But Channel 4's Time Team claims he fell on the site of what is now a mini roundabout on the A2100.
Abbey curator Roy Porter said the theory would be taken into account.
English Heritage runs 1066 tours of the traditional site of the Battle of Hastings but the actual location has been disputed before.
Vikings Online Course
New evidence for Battle of Hastings site considere...
Battle of Hastings 'fought at site of mini roundab...
Building is underway at The new Wessex Gallery of ...


text:
Drizzt Do'Urden, fiktivni lik iz Zaboravljenih kraljevstva, autora R. A. Salvatorea.

Životopis
Drizzt je rođen kao treći sin Malice Do'Urden i trebao je biti žrtvovan božici Lolth (uobičajena sudbina trećeg živućeg sina bilo koje kuće, ali je pošteđen nekoliko minuta nakon rođenja, jer je njegov najstariji brat ubijen od strane drugog najstarijeg brata i tako je Drizzt postao drugi živući sin, a ne treći. Njegov otac, Zaknafein, je bio poznati učitelj borbe iz Kuće Do'Urden i potajno je mrzio cijelo drow društvo. On je Drizzta naučio boriti se i, što je još važnije, naučio ga je moralnom kodu.Drizzt je napustio Menzoberranzan u potrazi za boljim životom. Nakon nekog vremena koje je proveo u samoći u divljini Podtamlja samo s Guenhwyvar bez koje bi se potpuno prepustio 'Lovcu', svojoj alternativnoj ličnosti, Drizzt se sprijateljuje s Belwarom Dissengulpom, svirfneblinom koje još i nazivaju 'duboki gnomi' jer žive duboko pod zemljom.
Nakon suživota sa svirfneblinima Drizzt kreće na površinu gdje upoznaje važnog i iskrenog prijatelja Montolia Debroucheea, poznatijeg kao Mooshie, starog i slijepog graničara. Drizzt je naučio o načinu graničara od Mooshia i Drizzt je shvatio da je on tako živio cijeli život. Od tada Drizztu je glavna božica Mielikki, Faerunska božica šume i graničara kojoj je simbol jednorog.Nakon smrti svog prijatelja i učitelja, Drizzt putuje po svijetu u potrazi s domom gdje ga neće prezirati zbog njegovog nasljeđa. Naposljetku je došao do Icewind Dalea gdje je upoznao neke od svojih najboljih prijatelja: Bruenor Battlehammer, Cattie-brie, Wulfgar i Regis. Velike i uzbudljive pustolovine su ga odvele skupa s prijateljima do Mithril Halla gdje trenutno živi.Drizzt drži do najviših ideala i morala, ali ne traži isto i od drugih. Uvijek spreman na opasnost, on malo priča, ali je ljubazan. Perfekcionist koji teži tome da bude prihvaćen u površinskom svijetu. Drizzta uvijek mori opasnost koju donosi onima s kojima se sprijatelji zbog okrutnosti i upornosti svećenica božice Lolth i drugih njegovih neprijatelja, posebno demona Errtua i plaćenog ubojice Artemisa Entreria. Oni koji ga susretnu kažu da ima tmurnu narav.Rano u putovanjima površinom, Alustriel Silverhand ga dočekuje toplo i osobno kao što dočekuje sve u nevolji, ali se ne usudi pustiti ga da uđe u Silverymoon u tom trenutku. Tijekom vremena njegova su ga djela učinila prihvaćenim u velikom dijelu sjevera Sword Coast, a u vrijeme nevolji i vrlo dobrodošlim.Tri puta u životu Drizzt je posegnuo za svojom alternativnom ličnosti, 'Lovcem'. Prvi put kad je pobjegao iz Menzoberranzana i živio u divljini Podtamlja. Drugi put kad se vratio u rodnu zemlju da spriječi opasnost koja je prijetila njegovim prijateljima u knjizi Starless Night. Treći put je bilo za vrijeme rata s kraljem Obould Many Arrows i njegovom hordom orka. Drizzt je mislio da je Bruenor mrtav i nije mislio da je ijedan od njegovih prijatelja živ. Kad Drizzt postane 'Lovac' on doseže svoj fizički vrhunac, njegove su vještine savršeno izbalansirane i usklađene, njegovi skimitari se ponašaju kao produžetak njegovih ruku, a sva su osjetila pojačana preko granice normale. On djeluje instinktivno i nemilosrdno.Kao drow, Drizztu je urođena sposobnost da stvori kuglu tame na nekom području ili prikačenu na neku metu. Pošto je on plemić isto tako može pozvati i bezopasnu "faerie fire" (vilinsku vatru), koja ocrta metu čineći je uočljivijom, čak i ako postane nevidljiva. Jedno je vrijeme mogao i levitirati, ali je sunčeva svjetlost uništila magiju emblema njegove Kuće koji je omogućavao ovu sposobnost, pa ju je postepeno izgubio. On još može "prebaciti" vid u infracrveni spektar koji mu omogućava da vidi u mraku. Njegova okretnost i borbena vještina su legendarne i mnogi njegove pokrete opisuju kao prebrze za oči, ljudske ili drow."Driz" znači "tvrd, čelik, ili nepokoravajući," i nastavak "-zt" znači "pronalazač ili lovac." "Do'Urden" je obiteljsko ili klansko ime. "Do" znači "hodač u, šetač u" i "Urden" znači "tama, mrak." Tako da, "Drizzt Do'Urden" znači "nepokoravajući lovac koji hoda u tami."

Izgled
Drizzt Do'Urden je tamni vilenjak koje nazivaju drow. Drizzt je visok oko 170 cm i teži oko 60 kg. Vrlo je skladno građen i ima oštre crte lica kao i kod ostalih drow. Crne je puti i ima dugu, gustu bijelu kosu. Najzanimljivija karakteristika kod Drizzta su njegove oči koje su ljubičaste, boje lavande, što je vrlo rijetko, jer drow imaju crvene oči. Čak i kada koristi infracrveni vid koji mu pomaže da vidi toplinu u tami njegove oči ostaju ljubičaste umjesto crvene. On obično nosi zeleni šumski ogrtač s krznenim ovratnikom, visoke, crne čizme i ogrlicu s privjeskom glave bijelog jednoroga, znakom božice Mielikki. Ovaj privjesak mu je izradio prijatelj Regis od kosti pastrve. Prošlo je više od 20 godina da je Drizzt otišao iz Menzoberranzana, svog rodnog mjesta i došao na površinu, ali njegov vid, naviknut na potpunu tamu, još se nije sasvim prilagodio dnevnom svjetlu. Drizzt ima oko 70 godina, prema vilenjačkim standardima još nije niti odrastao. Prosječna životna dob drowa je između 700 i 800 godina, ali neki su živjeli i preko 1000.

Osobnost

Izvana smiren i staložen, Drizzt ima gorući bijes potisnut unutar njega iz vremena koje je proveo živeći u divljinama Podtamlja (Underdark), gdje je preživio oslanjajući se samo na instinkte i vještinu. Tu je svladao jednu stranu svoje psihe, koju on zove 'Lovac' (The Hunter), ona još uvijek može izaći na površinu kad je jako pritisnut neprijateljem ili pod velikim emocijalnim pritiskom. 'Lovac' je hladna, proračunata alternativna ličnost Drizzt Do'Urdena koja utjelovljuje njegovu borbenu sposobnost. Kad nije opsjednut 'Lovcem', Drizzt je sabran i smiren i uvijek traži način da izbjegne borbu ako je moguće. Ali, kad situacija to zahtjeva, on je nevjerojatno smion, čak i presmion pa su njegovi prijatelji uvjereni da će se uvaliti u nevolju iz koje se neće moći izvući. Posebno voli površinski svijet i svoje mjesto u njemu iako ima još mnogo ljudi koji se prema njemu odnose s predrasudama jer su drow poznati kao hladnokrvni ubojice bez milosti.

Magični predmeti

Drizztovo najdraže oružje je skimitar (kriva sablja) i on nosi dva nazvana Twinkle i Icingdeath. Isto tako ima i magičnu crnu figuru kojom poziva veliku crnu panteru Guenhwyvar. Guenhwyvar je bila u vlasništvu okrutnog drow čarobnjaka iz Kuće Hun'ett iz Menzoberranzana, ali pošto se odnosio preka panteri loše i ispod časti Drizzt ga je ubio i uzeo figuru. Drizzt nosi i par magičnih narukvica, koje je uzeo od Dantrag Baenrea koji ga je izazvao i izgubio. Narukvicu daju nevjerojatnu brzinu onome tko ih nosi, ali Drizzt je uvidio da, ako ih nosi na rukama, jednom započeti potez ne može prekinuti (zbog toga je i Dantrag i poginuo), a i noge mu ne mogu pratiti ruke pa ih je odlučio nositi na nogama što mu je dalo veliku brzinu rada nogu što je jedna od glavnih odlika njegovog stila borbe. Drizzt je nosio i magičnu žičanu košulju od mithrila, ali se oštetila pa ju je zamijenio jednom od adamantina koja štiti nositelja do svih udaraca.

Oružja
Kroz treninge sa svojim ocem Zaknefeinom i u Melee-Magthere, školi bliske borbe u Menzoberranzanu Drizzt je preferirao skimitare, ali se naučio boriti sa svim oružjima poznatim drowima. Ovo se nije promijenilo niti nakon izlaska na površinu. Drizzt je uvijek spreman improvizirati u borbi, ali najviše koristi svoja dva skimitara: Twinkle i Icingdeath.

Icingdeath
Drizzt je pronašao Icingdeath u hrpi blaga bijelog zmaja prema kojem ga je i nazvao. Držak Icingdeatha je napravljen od crnog adamantita, a oštrica od srebra s dijamantnim rubom. Oružje upija vatru i vrućinu tako da štiti nositelja od vatre.Ingeloakastimizilian, poznatiji kao Icingdeath, je bio veliki bijeli zmaj koji je živio u ledenoj špilji u Evermeltu, dijelu ledenjaka Reghed. Ubio ga je Wulfgar, koji je otkinuo veliki stalaktit sa stropa, koji se zabio u zmajev vrat, svojim ratnim čekićem. Drizzt mu je davao potporu sa svojim lukom i sa svojom urođenom sposobnosti da stvori kugle tame oko zmajeve glave.Drizzt nosi Icingdeath u desnoj ruci i na lijevom boku.

Twinkle
Twinkle je drugi Drizztov skimitar kojega drži u lijevoj ruci i na desnom boku. On ga je dobio od čarobnjaka Malchor Harpell kad je hvatao Artemisa Entreria nakon što je Artemis zarobio Regisa.
Skovan od površinskih vilenjaka, Twinkle ima safir u obliku zvijezde na vrhu drške i oštrica sjaji plavo kad je opasnost blizu.

Izmišljeni likovi

pl:Lista postaci ze świata Forgotten Realms#Drizzt Do'Urden


Ariana: According to research conducted by the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS), President Ashraf Ghani did not win the 2014 Presidential Election based on clean votes… during the second round of the 2014 elections, a large number of fraudulent votes were casted in favor of President Ashraf Ghani in certain provinces where he had fewer votes during the first round of election compared to his rival Abdullah Abdullah, who later become the Chief Executive of the National Unity Government which was brokered by the former State Secretary of the United States John Kerry. Findings also reveal that the election commission had paved the way for systematic fraud in favor of Ghani at that time. Click here to read more (external link).


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Buster I am so sorry. I failed you when you needed me the most. I can never forgive myself. To others you were just a bird, to me you were my child, my baby boy. A piece of my heart died when you took your last breath last night. If only I could go back a day. Yes, my baby, you were a good boy, the best. I will never forget you I am so sorry, I'm so sorry my baby. I love you, always! Thank you to Carmen from Mcmillan birds for your support after Busters accident, I appreciate it tremendously. Love you Buster.
This made me cry... sometimes there is only so much we can do for our feathered babies, he has crossed the rainbow bridge in thought, that you did what you could for him- he'll be looking over you, rest assured that he thinks you didn't fail him. You could only joy to each others life in the time you had.
R.I.P buster, I'm sure your beautiful and thinking of what your devoted owner did to help you.


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Q: Imagemagick removing watermark Is it possible to remove watermark placed with imagemagick library in past?
Thanks ;)
Update
I mean, I need to remove my logo from images. Can't find in official documentation, how to remove watermark from image.

A: Yes, if you restore the original file directory from a backup. I'm presuming that you've rendered a single-layered file, where IM composited/overlayed the watermark on the image. There is no reliable and practical way to remove such a mark generally manually, let alone via batch process. Exceptions might include if the watermark always rendered over a flat color, etc.

A: The logo can be removed easily using ffmpeg, by using its delogo filter. All you need to supply is the co-ordinates and dimensions of the logo present on the video.
This works on videos very swiftly, you can convert your image to a video and apply this filter, or even compile group of images to a video and later break it into frames to obtain clean images. All of this can be easily done using ffmpeg only.
eg for the filter syntax: ffmpeg -i (your video url) -f "delogo=x=0:y=0:w=100:h=77:band=10" -r (output file url)
Find the complete documentation here.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Interview: 'Time To Push Aggressively on Tibet'
22 Nov 2019, 07:42 GMT+10
Sam Brownback is a lawyer, former United States Senator and former governor of the state of Kansas who has served as the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom since February 2018.
On Nov. 21, he spoke with RFA Tibetan Service reporter Tashi Wangchuk about his visit at the end of October to Dharamsala, India, where he met with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, and to Nepal, where he met in early November with Nepal's president and other senior officials to discuss that country's policies toward Tibetan refugees and residents in the face of growing pressure from China.
RFA: You recently visited India and spoke with the Dalai Lama. What issues did you discuss?
Brownback: The big issue we discussed was the succession of the Dalai Lama. He's healthy, and he was telling me he is going to live 15 or 20 more years, and he showed me his muscles. He also is an 84-year-old man, and so there's just concern about the succession. And particularly the concern is that the Chinese Communist Party is claiming a right to appoint, or have some role in this, and they don't. They're a government, they don't have that right. So we're putting forward the U.S. government position, which is that the succession decision belongs to Tibetan Buddhists. It belongs to their religious process and not to the Chinese Communist Party. And that was the clear message I was putting forward and also conveying to the Dalai Lama.
RFA: How will you to continue to take up this issue now?
Brownback: I'd like to see a resolution come forward by a number of nations supporting [the position] that the Chinese government does not have a right to do this, that this belongs to the Tibetan Buddhists. I pointed out that this is a bit like the Chinese Communist Party claiming that because there are Catholics in China, they have a right to pick the next pope. Well, they don't, and the world wouldn't agree with it either. They'd say, well of course you don't have any right to do that. And neither does the American government, even though there are a number of Catholics in the United States. But yet they're claiming that for the head of Tibetan Buddhism. And this is wrong, it's against religious freedom, it's against religions being able to organize themselves freely as they see fit, and so we are pushing back aggressively against this.
RFA: After your Dharamsala visit, you also visited Nepal, where there is a noticeable decline in the numbers of Tibetans fleeing out of Tibet. And there's growing Chinese pressure in Nepal, too. Did you have a chance to talk about this with the Nepalese president or any other officials that you met?
Brownback: I did talk about that with the Nepalese officials. I met with the foreign minister and I met with the president, and I conveyed to them that we appreciate them previously allowing a number of Tibetan Buddhists to pass through, and them also allowing a number of Tibetan Buddhists to stay [in Nepal as refugees], but we would like to see that flow be able to happen more freely now. They pointed out that the Chinese have really restricted the border now. They've increased their border patrols, and they're not letting Tibetan Buddhists walk out like they did, say, a decade ago. There's been a far smaller flow. We believe that Tibetans should be able to go back and forth and practice their faith in Tibet, or in India, or in Nepal, or in the United States-anywhere, freely. But that's certainly not their experience in that region.
RFA: Have you talked about the extradition treaty that was signed this year with [Chinese president] Xi Jinping?
Brownback: I did talk with them about that, and I pushed back against it. We are opposed to an extradition treaty. We believe that the Chinese will push to extradite Tibetan Buddhists. Their fate would be uncertain, and they could well be in prison perhaps, or even worse, if they are extradited back to China. So we pushed back, as the U.S. government, strongly against that extradition treaty.
RFA: Tibetans in Nepal cannot celebrate Tibetan New Year or the Dalai Lama's birthday. Did you have any chance to speak with officials there about this issue?
Brownback: It's a bit of a touchy situation, because Nepal has been very good to Tibetan Buddhists-to allow them to come there, to have refugee centers. But we do make the point all the time that people should be allowed to celebrate their own faith community's days and dedications. We'll celebrate Christmas here in a big way before too long. And the Tibetans should be allowed to celebrate as well. There's an old saying about Nepal, that it's a yam between two big rocks, and they feel that pressure frequently, and I think really they're feeling a lot of pressure from China right now.
RFA: The position of Special Coordinator for Tibet in the Department of State is still unfilled, and many Tibetans are showing great concern over this issue. Is there any movement you can see that this position will be filled soon?
Brownback: I don't know whether it will or not. But I know we will continue to push aggressively on these Tibetan issues. The Congress just recently passed a bill on this, which I think is good. A decade ago, when I was in the Congress, we used to work aggressively on a lot on Tibetan issues, and then they kind of died down for a while. But it's picking back up, and I think this is a good sign. I think this is a very good time for us to push aggressively for Tibet, for Tibetan Buddhists to be able to practice freely and not be under this heavy Chinese Communist control. Unfortunately, the gentleman who was over Tibet, Chen Quanguo, the party chairman, has been moved now to Xinjiang, and is over the Muslim population, and is using very hard-edged tactics and high-technology control systems over people. This does not bode well for freedom or for religious freedom at all in China.
RFA: Meanwhile, Tibetans in Tibet cannot openly celebrate many religious activities. What can the U.S. government do to further improve the situation inside Tibet?
Brownback: We're going to push, and we are pushing. I think that a lot of the focus recently has been on Xinjiang because [the situation there] is just so horrific. A million Muslims are locked up in concentration camp-type facilities. But that doesn't diminish what has happened over a long period of time in Tibet, where many people have been locked up, and a lot of the monasteries have been destroyed, and people's ability to practice their faith freely is nonexistent. So I think what you're seeing is that we've stepped up a lot more pressure on Xinjiang. And I think you're going to see that continue to rise again now on Tibet-not letting that issue slide with what China is doing with the long suffering of the Tibetan people.
RFA: CTA President Lobsang Sangay [leader of the India-based exile Central Tibetan Administation] is in town right now. Will there be a chance to see him here in the State Department?
Brownback: Well, I hope so. I met with him extensively while I was in Dharamsala, and I hope we'll be able to meet with a number of people up on Capitol Hill. I've met with him here in Washington before. So it's my hope that we will be able to, but that's not scheduled right now.
Reported by Tashi Wangchuk for RFA's Tibetan Service.
Copyright © 1998-2018, RFA. Published with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036
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After several years living in the UK, where she was private chef to Sadie Frost and Jude Law, Rose has returned to her roots with her third cookbook, Wild Delicious. Summerfield lives in Lower Moutere and is a contributing author to Kai and culture: Food stories from Aotearoa.
Amber Rose is a food writer and cook who grew up in rural New Zealand surrounded by organic gardens and heritage produce. She has traveled the world cooking and working in cafes and restaurants, and spent several years in the UK where she was a private chef to Sadie Frost and Jude Law before becoming a doula, giving nutritional advice and cooking for new mums. She is the author of two cookbooks, Love Bake Nourish and The Wholefood Pantry. She lives north of Auckland.
Fiona Summerfield is a freelance writer. She and her husband operated Summerfields Foods in Christchurch prior to the earthquakes. In late 2015 the family moved to the Lower Moutere, where they began the journey towards self-sufficiency. Fiona was a recipient of the New Zealand Society of Authors 2016 Complete Manuscript Assessment Programme. When not preserving, cooking or gardening, she blogs at somewherewriting.blogspot.co.nz.


Looking for the right director to help create the perfect video backing for your latest track? NZM's online Music Video Directors Directory has been compiled with the aid of NZ On Air, specifically to help artists who haven't previously had the chance to work with a professional video director, or make a quality music video.
A resource for musicians & music industry wanting to know just who distributes what, of the many and various brands of musical equipment available here in NZ. This Directory provides contact details for most of the major local musical equipment distributors. Want to be in it? Drop us a line: editorial@nzmusician.co.nz.
This is a directory of record labels (record companies) in New Zealand, including major record labels & independent record labels. Please contact us if you would like to be added!
This is a directory of rehearsal spaces / practice rooms in New Zealand. Please contact us if you would like to be added!
This is a directory of recording studios in New Zealand. Please contact us if you would like to be added!