Something Borrowed,Something New? Reflections on Apocalypticism and Prophecy in the Old Testament

This article approaches the ongoing scholarly debate as to what constitutes apocalypticism in ancient Judaism, and, in particular, if and how apocalyptic texts stand out as different from prophetic texts in the Old Testament. Some examples from the history of scholarship illustrate how the dichotomy between prophecy and apocalypticism has been perceived, and the underlying presuppositions are discussed critically. A case is made for assuming a fundamental continuity between so-called prophetic and apocalyptic writings as developments of the same literary tradition. Against this background is discussed how differences and nuances between texts within this continuity can be fruitfully acknowledged. Three tendencies that appear to be reinforced in so-called apocalyptic texts in the Old Testament are pointed out: The extensive use of literary loans from older texts, the development of visually suggestive, yet elusive imagery, and the combination of different literary forms and genres. Finally, some selected texts from Old Testament prophetic books (Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, and Isaiah) serve as test cases for the first of these aspects.     

“Because they have cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts”—or: “We and the rest of the world” The authors who “wrote” The Old Testament

RÉSUMÉ

Comparer l’histoire construite de l’Israël biblique à celle des Aztéques, telle que Christian Duverger l’a analysée, premet de dégager un certain nombre de parallèles. En insistant sur leur migration, ces derniers ont élaboré un grand récit initiatique qui avait pour but de légitimer leur installation à Mexico et de justifier leur volonté hégémonique. Avec quelques différences d’importance, le récit biblique de l’exode d’Égypte puis de la conquête de Canaan comporte des aspects idéologiques similaires. Parailleurs, si les Aztèques se voyaient comme étant les héritiers des Toltèques, le royaume de Jude usurpa le prestige du royaume historique d’Israël entraînant une grande confusion autour de ce nom.     

Old Testament Figures as Possible Current “Mentors”: Exploratory Pastoral-Theological Reflections

This article explored the possible role of a “mentor” and is based on theoretical pointers from the Old Testament figures. Throughout the article mentoring was explored according to the approach of (T. Van der Walt:2007, 309). The background and narratives of Old Testament figures such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, David and Solomon were investigated. They were chosen for their leadership and guidance. Abraham and Jacob were the patriarchs of the Bible. Moses was and is still recognized as the greatest leader in history. Elijah and David were great and mighty prophets and kings. These narratives linked with the theory about mentoring and the significance thereof in today’s society of a father as mentor in a home.     

Franco Venturi's ‘crisis’ of the Old Regime

This paper discusses Franco Venturi's concept of a general European ‘crisis’ in the period 1768 – 89, which is covered in volumes III, IV and V of Settecento riformatore. With this concept Venturi allied himself with R. R. Palmer, A. Sorel, J. Juarès and others who sought to explore the larger context of the Enlightenment and French Revolution. Critics of the English translation of Venturi's volumes III and IV (1989?–?91) have failed to perceive a European political crisis in this period. However, Venturi's concept also involved a birth of European public opinion, a development that has been affirmed in English, French and Italian studies more recently, despite a tendency to substitute a cultural for a political history of the Enlightenment.     

Old wine in new bottles? Some views of the economy of the early Church

From a sociological point of view the early Christian communities seem to have been rather isolated in their pagan, or Jewish, surroundings. The aim of this article is to throw some light on the economic behaviour of the members of the early Church. Did they establish a Christian economy, which was determined by their moral and religious values, or did they adjust themselves to the prevailing economic conditions of the Roman Empire?     

Britain,the Old Commonwealth and the Problem of Rhodesian Independence, 1964–65

This article uses new sources from the National Archives of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom to examine the consultation and cooperation between Britain and the Old Commonwealth in dealing with the problem of Rhodesian independence. It demonstrates that Canada developed a proactive approach towards the Rhodesian problem but Britain, Australia and New Zealand gave only limited encouragement to Canadian initiatives to avert Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). This article also argues that problems in British policy formulation – especially the weakness of its attempts to deter Rhodesia from unilateral action and its hesitant contingency planning for a UDI – strained the relationship with its Old Commonwealth partners. This is significant because it belies the impression that the problem of Rhodesian independence divided the Commonwealth simply along racial lines.     

‘Beware of false prophets’: A Fragment of the Old Swedish Miracle Homily Book

ABSTRACT

The article comprises an introduction to and an edition and translation of an Old Swedish sermon fragment found in the Hannaas Collection at the Ethno-Folkloristic Archive, University of Bergen, Norway (Hannaas 66). This previously unpublished paper fragment is one of the missing parts of the Old Swedish Homily Book (known as Svensk järteckens postilla), dating from the second half of the fifteenth century and now housed at the Royal Library in Stockholm, Sweden (Cod. Holm. A 111). The text in Hannaas 66 comprises a sermon for the 8th Sunday after Trinity based on Matthew 7. 15–16 and includes a miracle exemplum that illustrates the importance of acting justly and following the will of God.     

Managing Conservation of the Built Heritage in Post‐socialist Budapest: Evidence from the Old Jewish Quarter

Like other Eastern European countries, Hungary has undergone processes of societal and economic restructuring since 1990. This has given rise to a changed cultural‐political context shaped by forces such as (re)privatisation, strengthening of local government and growth of civil movements. This has led to new opportunities as well as challenges for managing conservation of the built heritage. In Budapest, protection of the built heritage is achieved either through state protection of outstanding ‘monuments’ or through conservation objectives dictated by planning authorities within a two‐tiered local government system. These different levels of conservation authority can sometimes lead to conflicting approaches, as in the case of recent urban renewal in the Old Jewish Quarter. This paper examines the approach to urban conservation taken in Budapest at the various official levels, as well as organised initiatives by the voluntary sector in the light of post‐socialism and associated cultural change.     

Fish bones from the Old Town of Helsinki (Finland) sixteenth–seventeenth century

Historical sources, such as tax rolls and accounts, can provide information about mediaeval fishing and fish trade, but this subject can also be investigated through archaeological methods. Archaeological research on the mediaeval and early historical fishing in Finland has not been undertaken in any detail. Research from neighbouring areas, mainly Sweden and Estonia, has provided information about mediaeval fishing in northern Europe. This paper presents the results of a osteological examination of a sample of archaeological fish bones excavated in the Old Town of Helsinki in 1993. The sample derives from the remains of a cellar in a house, used in late-sixteenth or early-seventeenth century by a wealthy person, probably a merchant.     

On Khral-Ula Corvée System during the Period of the Old Local Government in Tibet (bKav-shag)

As both the economic pillar of the manor estates of feudal lords and the financial mainstay of the old local government of Tibet, Khral-Ula corvee reflected the political and economic relationship between feudal lords, serfs and herdsmen, the economic relations within the ruling regime, and the political and economic relationship between the local government and the Central Government in old Tibet. This paper intends to discuss the formation and basic features of     

Lhalu:An Eyewitness of Old and New Tibet

LhaluwasoneofthelargestserfownersinoldTibet.Heownedascoreoflargelandsmallmanorsandthousandsofslaves.Asthehigh-rankingofficialofthelocalgovernment,hedidhisbesttodefendtheoldruleatthecrucialmoment.Heeventriedtorelyonimperialistforcestodefendtheprerogativesofserfowners,andstoodfor"Tibetanindependence."WhenTibetachievedpeacefulliberationin1951,hewasforcedbythegeneralsitlla-tiontoacceptthereality.Inhisndnd,howev-er,hewasponderinghowtomaintaintheinterestsofthethreeestate-holdersinpoweLIn1955,theC…     

Old dogs and new tricks: Recent developments in our understanding of the human–dog relationship

The reemergence of cognitive studies in comparative psychology and ethology, coupled with ongoing archaeological discoveries and recent advances in genomics, have contributed to the current explosion of scientific interest in dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). The long and complex evolution of a human-dog relationship is explored from the differing perspectives of ethology, cognitive sciences, evolutionary anthropology, archaeology, and paleoanthropology. Our understanding of dogs is again shedding light on human cognitive evolution and the complex, and at times controversial, process of domestication.     

Of reaflac and rapina: accusations of violence in two Old English lawsuits and the Libellus Æthelwoldi

This article examines the meaning and function of the Old English noun reaflac in two tenth-century lawsuit documents, Sawyer 877 and Sawyer 1211. It suggests that reaflac was the vernacular counterpart to the Latin terms violentia and rapina. Such connected terminology suggests that a collection of now lost tenth-century Old English charters, like S 877 and S 1211 in form, was the original source for the twelfth-century Ely house chronicle, the Libellus Æthelwoldi. Charter draftsmen purposefully selected a language of violence in order to delegitimize a rival party’s claim to an estate, regardless of whether any acts of violence had taken place. Reaflac formed part of this narrative strategy in early English lawsuit documents because of its association with contemporary discourses on moralized wrongdoing.     

The Hutchinsonian defence of an Old testament Trinitarian Christianity: the controversy over Elahim, 1735–1773

The importance of Hebraic studies as part of the eighteenth-century Enlightenment debate can hardly be overestimated. The question of the authority of the Books of Scripture forced intellectuals in England to revisit the language of the Old Testament text. The agenda of the Hutchinsonians here was to highlight the Old Testament's Trinitarian elements, as they saw them. The controversy over the etymology of the word Elahim illustrated that the Hutchinsonians were the young Turks of orthodoxy in the fight between fideism and rationalism. It also demonstrated the problem the Hutchinsonians represented for those who would otherwise be their Trinitarian allies.     

THE OLD BARKOR STREET TAKES ONANEWLOOK——- An Interview with Che Tsala on the Renovation of the Old District in Lhasa

In August, Lhasa is full of tourists from different parts of the country and from all over the world.., but no matter where they come from or whatever they are looking for in the city, without exception they all will visit the famous Barkor Street. These days,the Barkor Street looks different from how it did in the past. As you walk along its well-swept slate pavement, you will find the street much wider and tidier.