This paper explores the terms ‘mentor’ and ‘mentoring’ in a broad general sense of an ‘experienced and trusted advisor’, and then in more specific professional settings. The author quotes a wide range of sources and references, and then turns his attention to what might be understood by ‘Christian mentoring’, firstly by drawing on Paul’s writings to illustrate possible qualities and virtues for the mentoring process. Then, following the example of writers from range of disciplines, he outlines a transformational and reformational (...) view of mentoring that he infers from a Christian world-view of the grand narrative of Creation-Fall-Redemption-Consummation. Having described what a possible Christian perspective on mentoring might look like for workers in wider society, the author turns his attention to mentoring in church life. Different types of mentoring in churches are discussed, and suggestions made about the goals, process, and qualities of mentors. (shrink)

The central questions addressed in this article are: 1) Can writing poetry be both a process, and a product of research? and 2) How can writing poetry be therapeutic to the writer and reader? The author has developed his own theories of poetry as research and poetry as therapy by action research into his writing. He argues that in thinking about the process of writing verse, he has come to see that some poetry is a form of research, and way (...) of knowing. He has observed and recorded ways in which writing has been therapeutic for both the writer and for the reader or listener. The article develops and supports the notion of poetry as research by referring to a growing literature on poetic enquiry. The author then analyses and illustrates how poetry can be therapeutic to the writer and to readers. In a similar way, the article draws on a different literature on poetry as therapy to support his argument. (shrink)

This volume focuses on democratic experimentalism, gathering a collection of original and previously unpublished essays focusing upon its major outlines, as well as specific aspects ¿ both promising and troublesome - of this theoretical approach. Together these essays offer conceptions of democracy and democratic governance that emphasize and highlight experimentalist aspects of pragmatic thought, particularly Deweyan pragmatism, and its relationship to instantiation in concrete social and political institutions. Issues of democratic governance, political organization and the relationship of law to democracy (...) are analyzed. (shrink)

We live in a world of gross inequality. While a minority live in unprecedented wealth, the majority live in considerable poverty. Though much money has been given in aid by the rich countries to the poor, both by secular and Christian institutions, there has been much criticism that much of that aid has been wasted, indeed much of it has been actually harmful. But while there is truth in some of these criticisms, there is also increasing evidence of where community (...) development has been effective, and sustainable. This article considers the strengths and limitations, and examples, of such a church-based, bottom-up, approach to transforming the physical and spiritual needs of the individuals and their communities. We will see that it is, arguably, the only way that truly holistic transformation can be delivered, and consider some of the implications for Western Christians and Christian NGOs. (shrink)

There has, over the last few decades, been a considerable growth in the development ‘business’ where, largely western, donors have sought to help the poorer nations develop. Much of this growth has been driven by Christian motivation. Increasingly such projects are being held accountable to try to ensure that the money and the effort being spent are being well spent. The question that is being asked of, and by, development workers is ‘how do we know that we are making a (...) difference?’ and a range of practices have been developed to assess, to measure, to evaluate such effects. Terms like impact assessment, objectives, log-frames, objective verifiable indicators, baselines, clients, have become part of the language. In this paper the author raises various fundamental questions about this practice of evaluating development projects, and in so doing challenges the suitability of some of the current practices for development work. (shrink)

In this paper I argue that John Dewey developed a philosophy of law that follows directly from his conception of democracy. Indeed, under Dewey’s theory an understanding of law can only follow from an accurate understanding of the social and political context within which it functions. This has important implications for the form law takes within democ- ratic society. The paper will explore these implications through a comparison of Dewey’s claims with those of Richard Posner and Ronald Dworkin; two other (...) theorists that inti- mately link law and democracy. After outlining their theories I will use the recent United States Supreme Court case, Citizens United, to discuss how practitioners of the three theo- ries would decide a case that implicates both the rule of law and democratic procedures. In order to do this judges following each theory, “Dews, Dworks and Poses,” are imagined. Ul- timately this paper will show that drastically different results to Citizens United would fol- low. The (tentative) conclusion of the paper is that Dewey’s conception of the relationship between democracy and law is a superior option to either that of Dworkin or Posner. (shrink)

Through an analysis of the US Supreme Court's case Heller this paper argues that legal process can be pragmatically reconceptualized so as to create information necessary to decide complex social issues. This is in contrast to other more standard conceptions of law as more emphasizing what information ought to be excluded.

Philosophical Pragmatism and International Relations bridges the gap between philosophical pragmatism and international relations, two disciplinary perspectives that together shed light on how to advance the study and conduct of foreign affairs. Authors in this collection discuss a broad range of issues, from policy relevance to peacekeeping operations, with an eye to understanding how this distinctly American philosophy, pragmatism, can improve both international relations research and foreign policy practice.

In this paper, I aim to show that the arguments offered and conclusions at which Rawls aims in his book, The Law of Peoples, are telling as to the intellectual legitimacy of his larger theoretical project. To show this I first investigate how (1) non-liberal peoples fit within the limitations Rawls describes in The Law of Peoples and (2) how liberal peoples would react to such rules. I argue from the answers to these questions to the further conclusion that by (...) spreading the principles and tools of A Theory of Justice and Political Liberalism to the international realm some assumptions implicit in the earlier works come out more clearly. The final section of the paper analyzes some of the implications of the newly exposed assumptions for Rawls's project of liberal justice. (shrink)

Richard Rorty believes that the combination of ironism and poetic impulse when attached to the public/private distinction, creates an opening for a type of liberalism that satisfies both the urge for individuality and the urge for solidarity. Rorty's antirealistic pragmatism leads to a society functioning very much like our own. This Dissertation dredges out some of the very contentious underlying assumptions of what Rorty feels is a philosophy-less vision. The ironic poet is Rorty's paradigm of correct modern character. Portraying this (...) poet clearly will bring out what a powerful and radical, yet paradoxically rigidly conservative, outlook he would have us adopt. ;The journey for the outlines of the poet's personality takes me through an investigation of Rorty's interest in Heidegger. While Heidegger's poet can be described in some way as a discoverer , Rorty's poet cannot. From these differing conceptions of the poet I jump to the is/ought distinction as characterized by Hume and reversed by Rorty. I argue that Rorty believes that a fact can only be found within an 'ought.' Utopianism becomes then the only legitimate hope for change. The poet becomes the ultimate option-creator. ;Next is examined Rorty's distinction between the private and public realms. The poet, in Rorty's conception, must speak and create within these two vastly divergent realms. Liberalism and its attendant base upon the isolated and transcendent individual becomes clearly to the forefront here as a grounding point . Habermas and Feyerabend are used to further characterize possible aspects of the poet. I characterize the ironist poet as a reluctant dadaist because of the limits the strong attachment to liberalism places upon him/her. ;Ultimately Rorty's central assumption that the public and private realms absolutely cannot be harmonized in one complete 'overlying' vision that does justice to both is critiqued and questioned. All of this leads to a portrait of a severely circumscribed poet. (shrink)

This paper argues that the church should give especial care to the needs of older folk in their communities, needs that are often neglected. It analyses why such folk have especial needs in our contemporary society and suggests practical ways that churches can and should respond. It summarises particular approaches to learning to grow old, and to die well, given by various authors who have had experience in these areas. It considers the problem of pain and suffering and suggests a (...) dualistic approach that can give comfort. (shrink)

Many theological institutions, seminaries and bible schools1 are reconsidering the appropriateness of their training procedures for future ministerial practitioners in contemporary society, partly for extrinsic practical and financial reasons and partly for more intrinsic reasons – reviewing how suitable their training actually is for the future church leaders in ministry and mission. Such questions are being asked in the UK and around the world. The author spent much of his professional life in education and teacher training where similar questions have (...) been asked over the past decades, and notes very close parallels between training for school teaching and training for mission and the ministry. This paper considers the insights that have come through the development of teacher education and asks parallel questions which should be addressed by those reshaping theological and mission education. It concludes with some clear recommendations, showing how lessons learnt in teacher education could be applied to theological and mission training. (shrink)