Appearance of symmetry, beauty, and health in human faces

Symmetry is an important concept in biology, being related to mate selection strategies, health, and survival of species. In human faces, the relevance of left-right symmetry to attractiveness and health is not well understood. We compared the appearance of facial attractiveness, health, and symmetry in three separate experiments. Participants inspected front views of faces on the computer screen and judged them on a 5-point scale according to their attractiveness in Experiment 1, health in Experiment 2, and symmetry in Experiment 3. We found that symmetry and attractiveness were not strongly related in faces of women or men while health and symmetry were related. There was a significant difference between attractiveness and symmetry judgments but not between health and symmetry judgments. Moreover, there was a significant difference between attractiveness and health. Facial symmetry may be critical for the appearance of health but it does not seem to be critical for the appearance of attractiveness, not surprisingly perhaps because human faces together with the human brain have been shaped by adaptive evolution to be naturally asymmetrical

Jesus’ affection towards children and Matthew’s tale of two kings

On account of multiple and independent attestations in early Christian literature Jesus’ affection towards children can be taken as historical authentic. From a perspective of the social stratification of first-century Herodian Palestine, this article argues that it is possible to consider these children as part of the expendable class. Neither Mark nor its parallel texts in the other Gospels refer to parents bringingthese children to Jesus. They seem to be “street urchins”. In this article the episode where Jesus defends the cause of fatherless children in the Synoptic Gospels is interpreted from the perspective of Matthew’s version of Jesus’ affection towards children. The aim is to demonstrate that Matthew situates the beginning and end of Jesus’ public ministry within the context of Jesus’ relationship to children. Jesus’ baptism by John (Mt 3:15) and Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (Mt 21:1-17) form thetwo poles of his ministry in Matthew. Both episodes are described as a kind of “cleansing of the temple”. Both incidents were (in a midrash fashion) understood by Matthew as fulfilment of Scripture. The baptism scene is a Matthean allusion to Isaiah 1:13-17 and the record of the entry into Jerusalem is an explicit interpretationof Jeremiah 7:1-8

Redaksioneel Die werklikheidsbetrokkenheid van teologiese uitsprake

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What is “theology” in “public theology” and what is “public” about “public theology”?

This article sets out to argue that institutional Christianity does not have the exclusive rights to “doing theology”. Since Plato theology has assumed systematization of ideas on the transcendent divine. The practice of theology is to be found in both the professional academy and in the public square. Spirituality is not to be reserved for people longing for God within the context of today's mass consumerist populist culture. Spirituality and religion overlap and, therefore, today's postmodern spirituality need not result in the end of religion. However, institutional religion is indeed dying and ”public theology” is not about theologians or pastors “doing theology” in the public square. Public theologicans are the film directors, artists, novelists, poets, and philosophers. The article argues that “public theology” could facilitate a dialogue between the theological discourse of academics and the public theological discourse. The article shows that “public theology” does to an extent overlap with ecclesial and contextual theology. In its core “public theology” is seen as the inarticulate longing of believers who do not want to belong. HTS Theological Studies/Teologiese Studies Vol. 64 (3) 2008: pp. 1213-123

Hoe praat ons oor/van God? Teologiese idiome van gister en van vandag

How does one speak about/of God? Theological idioms in the past and presentIn transitional stages theologians perceive that proven theories, models or methods become dated and that the specific idiom in which one speaks about/of God is not relevant any more. A theological idiom is defined as an example of the dicta used in the framework of a particular conceptual frame of reference. By presenting an overview of selected theological idioms used in the past and present, this article aims to propose a model for practising theology today. The selection is made from the following conceptual frames of reference: Middle Platonism, Aristotelian Scholasticism, Reformed Theology, Reformed Orthodoxy, Liberal Theology, Dialectical Theology and Contextual Theology

Age determination of Cape porcupines, Hystrix africaeaustralis

Attempts to determine the absolute age of free-ranging porcupines based on counts of cementum and periosteal lines, age-related changes In eye lens weight, sequential pattern of tooth eruption and replacement, and tooth attrition are described. Variation due to ramification and absorption of cementum and periosteal lines resulted in counts of these lines being unreliable indicators of age. Variation in counts of cementum lines apparently results from continual growth of the hypsodontic open-rooted premolars and molars. Heteroscadasticity resulted in the relationship between age and lens weight being unreliable for predicting age. Consistency In the age at which maxillary molars erupt and premolars are replaced, as well as the wear pattern of the occlusal surfaces, provide a method for distinguishing nine dental age classes. Chronological age, based on observations on captive porcupines could be accurately assigned to six of these

“Op die aarde net soos in die hemel”: Matteus se eskatologie as die koninkryk van die hemel wat reeds begin kom het

“On earth as it is in heaven”: Matthew's eschatology as the kingdom of heaven that has come: In the article time as both “imagined” and “experienced” is explained against the background of the first-century Mediterranean conceptualisation of time. This reading scenario is seen as over against a modern Eurocentric ethnocentric interpretation of the concept “apocalyptic-eschatology”. The aim of the article is to argue that Matthew's narration of the demolition of the temple in Jerusalem concurs with his belief that the first followers of Jesus experienced the vision of the coming of the Son of man and that both these experiences are presented in Matthew as though Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection are incidents of the past. Matthew's eschatology centres on the view that the final consummation of time has already begun. The article explores the ethical appeal which is communicated through such an eschatological reading scenario. This appeal is summarised by Jesus' words “On earth as it is in heaven”. The article consists of a conversation about core issues in mainstream interpretations of what Matthew's eschatology could be within the narrative's plot as it contextualised in formative Christianity and formative Judaism. The view assumed in this article is that the “time” and the experiences of Matthew's church and those of Jesus and his disciples are considered to be integrated within the history of Israel. HTS Theological Studies Vol. 64 (1) 2008: pp. 529-56

Recent developments in South African Jesus research: From Willem Vorster to Andries van Aarde

In the previous article (see HTS 49/3) the work of Andrie du Toit and Willem Vorster on historical Jesus research were discussed. In this article Andries van Aarde’s work is discussed under the following topics: Jesus as a social outcast, Herodian Palestine in macrosociological perspective, the historical Jesus and engaged hermeneutics, and the ‘fatherless’ Jesus. In conclusion, the kind of influence that South African Jesus research is subjected to or stimulated by is shown

Demonologie in die Nuwe- Testamentiese tydvak

Demonology in New Testament timesModem demonology has become a cult just as it had been in mediaeval times. But there is a difference. Then people opposed the Devil; now people believe in the Devil. This paper argues that modem demonology is an escapism of reality and in direct contrast to the New Testament's message. The thesis is debated against the background of a discussion of demonology in New Testament times. In this discussion it is indicated how the face of evil has changed from Old Testament times up to the New Testament period. Evil has become an extraterrestrial figure, symbol and power. As the personification of the prince of evil, the Devil is inter alia identified with the mythological serpent in a lost paradise and is defeated at the reaUzation of God's messianic kingdom in Jesus Christ, the prince of light. The New Testament proclaims that salvation means that man determines to exist as man of God before evil made man his slave