Is Easter in Germany a Fading Tradition

The Germanic celebration of Easter (Ostern in German) is very much like that in most of the Christian world. It features the same fertility and spring-related icons—eggs, bunnies, flowers—and many of the same Easter customs. The three major German-speaking countries (Austria, Germany, and Switzerland) are predominantly Christian and Easter is an important time for both Catholics and Protestants in the German-speaking lands. The art of decorating hollowed-out eggs (ausgeblasene Eier) for Easter is an Austrian and German tradition. A little bit to the east, in Poland, Easter is a way more relevant holiday than in Germany. The Origins of Easter Go Back to Pre-Christian Times The Easter celebration goes back to the earliest days of the Christian church. But the date of this festival has been controversial from the very beginning. Even the origin of the name of the most important celebration in the Christian calendar is unclear. But there is agreement on the fact that, like several other Christian holidays, most Easter customs can be traced back to pre-Christian, pagan rites and celebrations related to the arrival of spring. It is not by accident that Easter features such symbols of fertility as the egg and the rabbit, aka the Easter bunny (der Osterhase). The Easter celebration (das Osterfest) takes on both religious and secular forms. The Christian religious celebration is the most important day in the church calendar, reflecting Christianitys very beginnings in the Resurrection of Jesus. In the western church, Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox (die Tagundnachtgleiche). (Eastern Orthodox Easter follows the same formula, but with the Julian calendar, so the date can fall one, four, or five weeks later.) Because of this movable feast -Ostern ist ein beweglicher Feiertag- depends on phases of the moon (Mondphasen), Easter can be observed between March 22 and April 25.   This lovely calendar page will help you find the Easter date for the coming ten years.   The Origins of the Word Ostern In quite a few languages Easter is called differently. A few examples: French: Pà ¢quesSpanish: PascuasPortuguese: Pà ¡scoaDanish: Pà ¥skeHebrew: Pascha Only a few know that in German, Easter had a similar name coming from Franconian: pÄ sche but through the Anglo-Saxon influence, the word Easter / Ostern became more prominent. The origin of Easter in Old-Germanic is most likely AustrÃ…  Ausro „Morgenrà ¶teâ€Å" (dawn / aurora) hinting for some at the dawn of Jesus resurrection (Auferstehung), for others at pagan traditions. The German word Ostern is a plural form. The Origin of pÄ sche is the Hebrew word Pessach (passover) which is connected to the Lord leading the People of Israel out of Egypt and turned into a tradition to wake the night in honor of the Lord. Childhood Memories of Easter And a few words on Christianism in Germany Born in 1972, I grew up with a Catholic father and a rather atheistic or slightly Protestant mother in a very small Catholic enclave in Lower Saxony. I remember decorating bamboo sticks with fruits and bast fiber for Palm Sunday and a few religious parades through the village. Compared to Christmas, Easter was rather disappointing as the presents were not really worth mentioning. I shared that disappointment with quite a few other kids. I clearly failed to understand the true purpose of Easter. From my experience and better knowledge, Christianism is practiced rather weakly in Germany and those who take religion seriously are considered to be backward thinking. So dont be surprised if you perceive weird looks when you openly state that you are a firm believer in God to a German, especially when you come to Berlin. A few weeks ago I was asked by a tourist where to find a Catholic church and had to send her to the Polish church that I knew from acquaintances of mine as most churches here are Protestant. I found it a rather funny occurrence as Berlin is considered   the atheist capital of Europe. In general, its the people of the South and the West that are more religious than those in the North and East. Your Experience What is your relation to the Easter celebration? How do you deal with the fact, that it mixes Pagan traditions with Christian ones? What memorable Easter experiences would you like to share with your children and childrens children? What to read next Check this page for other interesting Easter FactsExpand your vocabulary with our Easter Glossary in English and German language. ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Hyde FlippoEDITED: 16th of June 2015 by Michael Schmitz

Terrorism Is An Act Of Violent Protest - 1567 Words

Terrorism is an act of violent protesting when a group or country wants to be heard when their opinion goes unnoticed. When hearing the word terrorist one might think of bombings, Osama Bin Laden or even the horrifying, yet famous tragedy of 9/11. The United States has endured the spread of infectious diseases, civil battles, and minor bomb threats and attacks; however, in most citizens’ eyes, nothing compares to the catastrophe of 9/11. From the unjust prejudice gestures of Americans towards Middle Eastern ethnicities to the advancements in security, it can be established that the events of 9/11 have been the result of a major â€Å"terrorist† attack that has had lasting effects on America. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, with no anticipation of landing unsafely at their various destinations, hundreds of people boarded planes while others dropped their kids off at school, and proceeded to their daily working lives not knowing that it would be their last time doing so. Nineteen members of the Islamic extremist group Al-Qaeda, led by Osama Bin Laden, hijacked four planes to carry out suicide attacks. Two planes hit the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, another plane hit the corner of the Pentagon near the nation’s capital, and the fourth plane’s intended destination was Washington D.C. With the help of the courageous passengers onboard, the hijackers of the fourth plane did not succeed. The plane crashed into an open field in Pennsylvania. Overall theShow MoreRelatedTerrorism The word terrorism seems to be easy to define. It is a word that everyone is1100 Words   |  5 PagesTerrorism The word terrorism seems to be easy to define. It is a word that everyone is familiar with. Terrorism, as used in todays media which covers a wide range of violent acts. 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However, the act fails to secureRead MoreThe Tensions Between Copts and Muslims in Egypt 782 Words   |  4 Pagesfor insulting Islam and harming national unity, which is more symbolic than literal, for the fact that all seven live outside Egypt. The tensions between Copts and Muslims in Egypt have risen recently due to the release of the low-budget film. As protests continued to erupt across the Muslim world, many Libyans condemned the attacks that happened on their soil and came together in a demonstration to show the United States that the attack did not represent Libya or Libyans, with signs reading phrasesRead MoreTerrorism : Terrorism And Terrorism959 Words   |  4 Pagesthe public as a politically motivated means of attack or coercion. The terms terrorist and terrorism have been used since the late 18th century. 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Does religion cause war free essay sample

War is an organized and often prolonged conflict that is carried out by states or non-state actors. It is generally characterised by extreme violence, social disruption and economic destruction. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political communities, and therefore is defined as a form of political violence or intervention. The set of techniques used by a group to carry out war is known as warfare. An absence of war is usually called peace. A religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence. Many religions have narratives, symbols, and sacred histories that are intended to explain the meaning of life and/or to explain the origin of life or the Universe. From their beliefs about the cosmos and human nature, people derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle. According to some estimates, there are roughly 4,200 religions in the world. We will write a custom essay sample on Does religion cause war or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Today we have invited our special guests of panel to discuss about the topic â€Å"Does Religion Cause War†. To discuss about the Does religion cause war? On this planet Earth, there have been many wars fought over many different things. They can range from freedom, oil, and religion. There were many wars fought over religion. For example, the thirty years war. The thirty years war was one of the major wars fought over religion. It was mostly fought in what’s now Germany. The thirty years war was one of the absolute longest and most destructive, and brutal conflicts in European history. The war was mainly between Protestants and Roman Catholics; although, this eventually turned into a war including most of the European powers. The major effect of The Thirty Years War was destroying entire regions. In Germany, the disease and famine greatly decreases population, while bankrupting most of the combatant powers. Although the regiments within each military were not strictly mercenary in that they were not guns for hire that changed sides from battle to battle, the soldiers that made up the regiments for the most part probably were. Another example of a war fought over religion was the Crusades. The Crusades were some of the most famous wars, and fought over religion. The Crusades were a series of wars blessed by the Pope, and Catholic Church. Their main goal was to regain Christian access to the city of Jerusalem, and holy places around it. The Crusades were actually originally launched to repel the expansion into Anatolia. Several hundred thousand soldiers became Crusaders by taking vows; the Pope granted them plenary indulgence. Their emblem was the cross, â€Å"crusade is derived from the French term for taking up the cross. Many were from France and called themselves Franks, which became the common term used by Muslims. The term crusade is also used to describe religiously motivated campaigns conducted between 1100 and 1600 in territories outside the Levant usually against pagans, heretics, and peoples under the ban of excommunication for a mixture of religious, economic, and political In the eyes of many, religion is inherently conflictual, but this is not necessarily so. Therefore, in part, the solution is to promote a heightened awareness of the positive peace building and reconciliatory role religion has played in many conflict situations. More generally, fighting ignorance can go a long way. Interfaith dialogue would be beneficial at all levels of religious hierarchies and across all segments of religious communities. Where silence and misunderstanding are all too common, learning about other religions would be a powerful step forward. Being educated about other religions does not mean conversion but may facilitate understanding and respect for other faiths. Communicating in a spirit of humility and engaging in self-criticism would also be helpful. In recent times further back in history to Hinduism or Judaism along with other religious beliefs. During the same time period there have also been a large number of wars and battles between countries. Many argue that politics are the causes of these wars; however others claim that it is religion which is the main reason. Religion has had a large influence on many conflicts in the past. While some argue that religion is the cause of wars, it is inconclusive whether war would or would not exist if there was no such thing as religion. Some would say The Crusades are a major example of religion causing war. From the 11th century to the 13thcentury Christian states in Europe launched what are sometimes called Holy Wars against Muslims in the East. These wars centred on the city of Jerusalem which held a Holy significance in the Christian world. However when 3000 Christians were massacred, this began the ‘retaliation’ and therefore the beginning of The Crusades to release the Holy City of Jerusalem from the rule of Muslims. In this example, religion has clearly caused The Crusades as there would not have been any war if the city of Jerusalem did not have Christian significance. However, a contrary argument to this would be that it was the massacre of 3000 Christians which caused The Crusades to begin and not because of differing religious beliefs, although it is unquestionable that religion played a major part in the beginning of the Crusades as the massacre may not have taken place without a religious background. As the argument for religion causing war heavily outweighs the opposing argument, in this context it is fair to say that using this example, religion does cause war. The Israel-Arab wars from 1948 to the present day are often seen as wars over religion. In fact, they say, they have been about nationalism, self-defence or the liberation of territory. So why is religion a factor in war at all when all the main faiths have little time for violence and advocate peace? Because, it is suggested, leaders use differences over faith as a way of sowing hatred and mobilising support for political wars. As the American civil war leader Abraham Lincoln put it almost 150 years ago: The will of God prevails. In great contests, each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, but one must be wrong. God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time.

Asymmetric Effects Online Consumer Reviews -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Asymmetric Effects Online Consumer Reviews? Answer: Introducation Buyer behaviour can be understood as the systematic approach consumers follow when entering the purchase process and making the buying decisions. This can be seen as four step process which helps to understand the buyer behaviour at a microscopic level. Need recognition is the first step in the consumer buying process; this is a point at which a consumer becomes aware of existence of a functional or an emotional need. Hence, the marketers play an important role in need recognition by stimulating the need awareness in its marketing plan. Information search is conducted Post need recognition, consumer look forward to compare the products against a given set of criteria and also looks forward to evaluate other option. Marketers here have to focus on effective positioning and strong brand development to appear in customer information search (Solomon, 2014). In order to drive purchase and customer experience, customer loyalty and retention are very important to include in the marketing st rategies, when the company is looking for long term relation with the customers. Provide loyalty programs; add on selling efforts etc. help in building loyalty amongst the consumers. Customer arrives at a decision by combining all the information he has collected and evaluated with his need for product, he gets into a decision mode to buy the product. Everyone from his peers, subordinates, word of mouth, internet, blogs, reviews assist him in making the right decision (Khaniwale, 2015) Hence it can be said that Buying behaviour extremely impulsive in nature, but it is more like doing a systematic research on the product, and hence it leaves the current marketers a lot of gaps to fill in with their marketing strategy, one such part of the marketing strategy which influences the buying and purchasing behaviour of consumer is consumer reviews and Blogs. Internet has a global penetration of 46%, which means 3.419 Billion people are connected through Internet out of the total population of 7 Billion. Also the unique Social media users are 2.307 Billion and unique Mobile users add up tune to 3.790, the world can be seen more like a global village where every person is connected with internet. Internet thus opens a lot of avenues for the markets to promote their products and services and influences the customers buying behaviour(Poushter, 2016) Consumer review have a very strong role to play in influencing the buying behaviour of the customers, hence it is very important to learn and understand the impact and attitude of the costumer review on the consumers. According to one of the studies conducted in 2016 it has been shown that as many as 90% of the consumers read online review and an overall majority of 88% trust the online reviews and recommendation. It can be said that online reviews comes in handy to the customers when they are looking forward to buy a product, it helps them in in their purchase decision. Moreover it also makes sense as the customer reviews posted online are the reviews of people who have already used the product, and thus it makes more sense to trust their reviews. As mentioned earlier that the world has slowly but gradually transformed into a global Internet and hence a lot of information is available online which management the customer buying journey easy and filled with utmost certainty. Customer s these days put same or more amount of trust on the customer reviews as much they put it on their peers or closed ones, it has become that important aspect in customer purchase journey (Park Nicolou, 2015). The world today is changing; the buying habits of people are change and also the buying process. The days when people used to go to the malls, speak with the sales representatives, take their word on the product has been replaced by comments posted online by the customers. The shopping is now limited to Internet, thanks to a number of e-commerce sites which have eased the buying process for the consumers. Amazon, Alibaba, Flipkart, E-Bay are the e-commerce sites which work on a marketplace model and facilitates transaction between buyers and seller, they just act as a medium in connecting the buyer to seller and facilitate the journey. Hence, it becomes important for the e-commerce companies to get good quality sellers on the board. It is more likely that a new consumer will buy from the seller who has good review online and people have been appreciating the quality of product he has provided in the past. (Cantallops Salvi, 2014) Positive review in a way gives a relief to the consumers, he knows that the product he is looking to buy is good in quality and will be able to fulfil all the needs that he is looking forward to. At the same time, his faith is restored by the validation been given to him by numerous positive customer reviews. Another important study conducted on the buyer buying behaviour was that customers are more likely to spend 31% more on a business or a product with excellent review, this is most certainly not something astonishing, as it relates to buyers innate nature of getting the excellent product at an affordable price. Customer review not only help in increasing the sale, but it also helps in building a strong brand image in the minds of the consumer, 72% of the consumers believes they trust a brand based on the positive reviews. This leaves a very important space for the marketers, to understand the statistics of the consumers, their faith in the online reviews and hence come up with solutions or products which will make the consumers post positive and great reviews online. Another important trend on Social media these days is the increasing relevancy of consumer generated content (CGC), it is one of the top digital trend currently, it gives user the power to share their views, opinion, feedback, post their concern and grievances online. The utility of this content is that brands these days listen to whatever is being spoken about them online, it is a customer feedback platform for them, and in the market where e-commerce is the thing, social listening becomes important too. Customers are also aware of the importance of their feedback and opinions and hence put their r eal feeling out on the internet, because they know brands do care and brands will listen to their problem. Similarly, the new consumers who are looking to buy some product or service from that particular brand also have access to the customers concern, query and feedback and are thus watching over how the brand reacts once the product has been sold to the customer (Pappas, 2016). A great social listening by a brand helps to absorb more and more consumers online. Web 2.0, where everybody is online, information access has become more and more easy and comfortable and thus it makes more sense to do an online reputation management and understand the importance of the customer reviews on the buying behaviour. Until now it is established that online review have a direct correlation with customer buying behaviour, a positive review leads to affinity of the consumer towards the product and the bad review pulls him away from the product. Online community plays an important role here, buyers in the process of gathering information, become a part of an increasing growing community and start trusting their feedback about the product, thus creating a state of harmony in the digital world. Like the customer review, online blogs also play an important role when it comes to influencing his/her behaviour. It has been shown in a study conducted by Research now that around 9 out of 10 consumers make purchases after reading about a product or service on a Blog. Hence, a lot of businesses use blogs as their promotion material because they know it is a strong influencer for the customers. The Bloggers themselves have earned a lot of followers who follow their writing on the blogs and base their buying decision on their recommendation. This gives bloggers additional responsibilities of being unbiased in their blogs, and provides a correct feedback or information to the customer without having any brand bias (Strauss, 2016). Online marketplace provides almost everything to everything on their portal, ranging from small things like soaps to as big as a virtual garden, hence a variety of bloggers exist based on their expertise and their follower base. Amongst all the millions of p roduct sold on the web, some of the important ones are based on lifestyle, fashion, consumer durable and electronics, these are the product categories where in customer relies heavily on the bloggers content. Professional bloggers and hobbyists write about the brands more often in some way or the other, they either create a highly curated content and post in on their blogs, or go onto Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or even twitter to speak about the brand and its product. And as the internet has found its place in pocket of every consumer in the form of smartphones, they can easily access the information on the go, even at the last minute and change their decision of buying a particular product. Bloggers are increasing their connection day by day with the consumers, the connection builds stronger once the consumer realizes that the feedback is not biased and is some form of paid marketing, in this way consumer loyalty towards the blogger is created, which in turn helps the blogger to expand his civil-engineering with more customer benefitting reviews (Goodrich DeMooji, 2014). Bloggers not only influence the customer in their decision making but they influence their entire journey starting from; information search or discovering about a new product, comparing the product with a competitor brand, deciding on a product, refine the options, seek out for expert advice and in the end inspire purchase in the customer. Bloggers these days use the AIDA model of marketing to influence the customers; A-Attention- Grab the attention of the customer by catch headlines I-Interested- Get them interested into a product by putting in all the relevant information as desired by the consumer D-Desire- Generate a desire to but the product in the customer by showing him ads online and sending him newsletters and recommendation about the product. A-Action to Call- Provide him the info in the form of link on the Blog to make a buy. All these steps contribute towards influencing the buyer behaviour at each step of his buying journey. Blog users have mentioned over and over again that they feel safe and comforted knowing that they are making a purchase decision based on the recommendation of a person who is an expert and have tried the product for himself and thus giving a correct feedback, they trust the opinions of the bloggers. Another interesting insight which puts in blogs more important in a customer buying behaviour is that the customers trust blogs more than the social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram etc. when buying a product. A survey conducted found out how Buyers use blogs in their buying journey, 21% decide on a product or service,19% refine choices,19% get support and answers,17% discover product and services,14% get assured,13% inspire a purchase and 7% execute a purchase. All these points mentioned above clearly indicate the prevalence and the usefulness of the blogs in the journey of a buyer. These days another important concept which is teaming up is of influencer marketing; Brands get an influencer/Blogger/A person with good number of followers and ask them to tweet after using the product, buyers on seeing the recommendation coming from their influencer automatically gets attracted towards the product, their brain starts getting stimulated to the stimulation received by the influencer, thus aide them in the purchase. The essay can be concluded by saying, online customer reviews and blogs plays an extremely important role in influencing the customer in making a purchase decision. Growing penetration of Smartphone makes the information accessible, even on the go, and customers do not move away from having an expert opinion on the product or service they are interested in. At the same time, it is a wonderful opportunity for the brHence it can be said that Buying behaviouraign on the premise of its social listening skills. References Solomon, M.R., 2014.Consumer behavior: Buying, having, and being(Vol. 10). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Khaniwale, M., 2015. Consumer buying behavior.International Journal of Innovation and Scientific Research,14(2), pp.278-286. Poushter, J., 2016. Smartphone ownership and internet usage continues to climb in emerging economies.Pew Research Center,22. Park, S. and Nicolau, J.L., 2015. Asymmetric effects of online consumer reviews.Annals of Tourism Research,50, pp.67-83. Cantallops, A.S. and Salvi, F., 2014. New consumer behavior: A review of research on eWOM and hotels.International Journal of Hospitality Management,36, pp.41-51. Pappas, N., 2016. Marketing strategies, perceived risks, and consumer trust in online buying behaviour.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,29, pp.92-103. Strauss, J., 2016.E-marketing. Routledge. Goodrich, K. and De Mooij, M., 2014. How socialare social media? A cross-cultural comparison of online and offline purchase decision influences.Journal of Marketing Communications,20(1-2), pp.103-116.

Discipleship Counseling Essay Example Essay Example

Discipleship Counseling Essay Example Paper Discipleship Counseling Essay Introduction Discipleship Counseling CCOU201 B06 Discipleship counseling written by Dr. Neil T. Anderson is a complete guide to helping others walk in Freedom and grow in Christ. This book is very useful to church leaders, counselors, lay leaders, anyone who needs a step by step guide on biblical counseling. This book gives the reader a better understanding on how discipleship counseling works and shows them how to create a counseling ministry in their own church. Dr. Neil T. Anderson lays out a very strong foundation of counseling through truth, Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, the counselees’ faith and the support of the Christian community. He discusses the encouragers and the counselees’ role in discipleship counseling. Both parties must be open to the move of the Holy Spirit and his truth for the road to recovery, healing and freedom in Christ Jesus. Dr. Neil Anderson combines the ideas found in Helping Others Find Freedom in Christ and Helping Others Find Freedom in Christ Study Guide. Also, he focuses on four specific counseling areas to help the reader better understand the importance of discipleship counseling. One, he focuses on defining mental health and understanding how biblical counseling addresses the whole person, their body, soul and spirit. Two, counseling the spiritually oppressed and counseling in Christ to resolve root issues. We will write a custom essay sample on Discipleship Counseling Essay Example specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Discipleship Counseling Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Discipleship Counseling Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Three, overcoming false guidance, deception, bitterness and rebellion. And, most importantly helping others experience freedom in Christ by helping them understand the root causes of their spiritual problems and applying biblical solutions. Truth is very important when it comes to counseling. It is essential for secular counseling and especially for Christian counseling because truth is the foundation. It is the counselee’s responsibility to be honest and forthright in order to get the help that they need. In James 5:16, clearly states, â€Å"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. † In order to be an effective counselor, the counselee should not be in denial but honest about all their hurts, issues and concerns. Before any healing can take place, confession must be the first step. Also, the encourager must live and speak truth in their personal life and when they counsel. Discipleship Counseling Essay Body Paragraphs In order to be an effective counselor, they must be led by the Spirit of truth. The Holy Spirit must be present at all times because he â€Å"enables Christian counselors to commune with God and access the knowledge of God revealed in scripture (Tim Clinton, Archibald hart amp; George Ohlschlager. ,p. 66). † It is the Holy Spirits job to lead the encourager and the counselee out of darkness and into the marvelous light. As, it was mentioned in the previous paragraph, truth is the foundation of Christian counseling, which is God’s written word, the Holy Bible. In 2 Timothy 3:16 it states that, â€Å"all scripture is given to us by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness. So, that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every word good work. † So, the word of God instructs the counselee how to live a life that is proper and pleasing to God. The truth encounter, James 4:7 â€Å"Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you. † In order to be an effective disciple and encourager they must first submit to God, second resist the devil and third, he will have no authority in their life. Many people will try to resist the devil without submitting to God and fail continuously. And, they are those who submit to God, but they do not resist the devil and they remain in bondage. The truth is God has given his church power and authority over Satan and his dark forces in high places. If Christian counselors do not exercise the power and authority God has given them, they are not able to delegate responsibility. In, caring for people God’s way the authors state that, â€Å"power is the strength or might to change; the ability to execute a plan; and the capacity to remain firm and constant in a situation, despite opposition,† (p. 5). Once the truth encounter is realized the counselor will not operate in the spirit of fear or their flesh. They must know that Christ has given them authority and through the Holy Spirit they are empowered. So, discipleship counselors should take pleasure in knowing that Satan is a defeated foe and he has no authority to set the agenda in their counseling session. The second most significant point in Discipleship counseling is root issues. Dr. Neil T. Anderson discusses seven root issues that need to be resolved in the counselee’s life. One, false guidance and participation with cults and the occult. Two, Deception, â€Å"people are living in bondage to the lies they believe,† (p. 141). Three, bitterness. Unfortunately many people carry, â€Å"emotional scars and bears the pain of wounds inflicted upon them by others,† (p. 141). Four, rebellion. In this age, many people are rebellious and do not respect authority. Five, pride it â€Å"keeps us locked in a pattern of false thinking and prevents us from seeking the help we need,† (p. 143). Six, habitual sin, this root issue will keep the counselee in bondage, hindering their desire to live free in Christ. And, the seventh root issue is family ties. The counselee must repent and break the cycle of generational curses. An individual cannot grow unless they deal the root issue of their problem. Many people will repeat the same destructive thinking and behaviors because the root issue was never resolved. Once the root issue is discovered and dealt wit h, the counselee will grow and experience changes in their behavior. The seven steps â€Å"will bring to the surface any issues that are critical between a person and God,† (p. 148). Disciple counseling is all about helping the counselee resolve their root issues with four important methods. One, allowing God to cure the soul. It is not the counselors responsibility to cure the counselee, it is their job to work with God, â€Å"as He cures the soul,† (p. 159). Two, relying on God’s strength to find freedom, starting with positive affirmation. Three, getting to the root of the issue in the presence of God. â€Å"God will provide the guidance we need in order to get at the root issues, and He will provide the power to change,† (p. 161). And, four dealing with repressed memories and working through them with the help of God. The third significant point is establishing and maintaining freedom in Christ Jesus. Freedom in Christ is having the desire and power t o know, love, worship and obey God,†(Spiritual Freedom Manual). Christ is the only way for anyone to be freed from the chains and bondage from Satan, the flesh and the world. Also, Tim Clinton and etc. , in Caring for people God’s way, declares that â€Å"many people who will not be freed-including freed enough to grow into maturity-without a supernatural encounter with the Holy Spirit† (p. 49). So, without the acceptance of Christ and his Spirit of truth, the counselee will never experience change. Their symptoms will be treated but the root issues will never be resolved. In order for the counselee to maintain their freedom they need to know: â€Å"(1) who they are in Christ; (2) the authority and protection of the believer; (3) the nature of the battle that is going on for their minds; and (4) how to walk by faith by the power of the Holy Spirit according to what God said is true,† (p. 167). Before wounds can heal, the counselee must establish their free dom in Christ first. On a daily basis the counselee must choose each day to walk in their freedom, by renouncing Satan and walking in the truth of God. Dr. Neil Anderson states, â€Å"Every work of Satan and every way of Satan had to be renounced in order for repentance to be complete† (p. 221). The counselee must exercise their God given authority daily because the encourager cannot do it for them. It is also important that the counselee recognize the different demonic forces that might be operating in their lives. Once the tactics of Satan is recognized, the counselee must take a verbal stand against Satan, they cannot do it in their own strength but through the power of the Holy Spirit. The counselee must â€Å"Walk in the Light! †, â€Å"Walk in the Armor of God! † and â€Å"Walk in the Grace of God! (Spiritual Freedom). Discipleship Counseling is truly a must have for all who are interested in Christian counseling. Dr. Neil T. Anderson has covered every to pic, concern and issue pertaining to discipleship counseling. He brought up some very good points, which was difficult to narrow down to three significant points. But, without truth, dealing with root issues and the counselee maintaining their freedom, it would not be discipleship counseling, only secular counseling. He gives the reader a complete guide to helping others walk in freedom and grow in Christ. References Anderson, T. Neil. Discipleship Counseling. 2003). Venture, CA: Regal Books. Clinton, Tim. , Hart, Archibald. , amp; Ohlschlager, George. A New Guide for Christian Counseling: Caring For People God’s Way. (2005). Nashville, TN: Nelson Publishers. NIV-Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. Spiritual Freedom Manual. http://www. setfreeministries. com. Retrieved on February 24, 2010. The Discipleship Ministry. Spiritual Freedom. (2000 ). http://www. biblestudycd. com. Retrieved On February 24, 2010.

A Complete History of AP Classes and Controversies

A Complete History of AP Classes and Controversies SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You probably imagine the AP exam program as one of the mysterious primordial forces of the galaxy, along with gravity and taxes. But, in actuality, the AP program is only about 60 years old. From its unabashedly elitist beginnings to its present attempts to democratize advanced high school coursework, read on to discover a brief history of AP classes and exams, some current AP controversies, and some thoughts on the program’s future. History of the AP Program The story of the AP program begins in the 1950s. In the midst of the Cold War, American policymakers began to fear that high school was not adequately preparing students for college and post-graduate studyand students with advanced training were viewed as an essential part of the American triumph over the Soviet Union.In response to the need to better integrate secondary and university education, the Ford Foundation created the Fund for the Advancement of Education (FAE) in 1951. One of FAE’s initial investigations involved examining the records of graduates of elite prep schoolsLawrenceville, Exeter, and Andoverwho were seniors at Yale, Harvard, and Princeton. They found that most students were taking entry-level coursework in their freshman year at college that merely repeated things they had already learned in high school. The final report suggested that more advanced high school students be allowed â€Å"advanced placement† in college coursework based on exam results. Meanwhile, a parallel FAE project worked on developing universal introductory college-level curriculafor implementation in high schools. Both studies together led to a pilot program with 27 schools administering the first AP tests in 1954. After the strong performance of the test-takers as compared to college freshman who had taken introductory university coursework, ten AP exams were rolled out nationally in 1956: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English Composition, Literature, French, German, Spanish, and Latin. Management of the AP program was passed off to the College Board in 1955. In the early days, no exams were longer than three hours and students could take any number of exams for a $10 fee. From the beginning, students received scores from 1 to 5, as they do today. The 1960s saw the beginning of an increased focus on teacher training and exam grading standardization to increase overall program consistency.Subsequent decades have seen both a huge expansion in the number of students taking exams and in the number of different exams offered. Many exam and program revisions have also taken place amid concerns that the program is biased towards students of a higher socioeconomic status. Over the years, the price of each exam has risen dramatically. In 2015, each exam cost $91. Financial aid was available for a $26-28 discount, but this still leaves the cost at over $60 per exam. There are currently 37 courses, and over 2 million students took over 4 million AP exams in 2014. There are about 16 million high school students (of all grades) in the country, which means that one in eight, or about 12%, took at least one AP exam last year. For more on the history of the AP, see this in-depth article by history teacher Eric Rothschild. In the 1960s the AP Program expanded, and Buzz Aldrin prepared to go to the moon. Current Controversies For all that AP exams have become a key marker in high school coursework rigor and an integral part of the high-school-to-college transition, the history of AP classesis not without its issues and controversies. There are four main issues with the AP program currently under debate in the national discourse on education. The Program Is Biased Towards the Privileged In spite of the College Board’s attempts to make the exam fair for all and somewhat standardize curricula, the fact remains that the AP program is most successful at schools with more resources. These schools can afford the best teachers, smaller class sizes, newer textbooks, and better technology, all of which contribute to preparing students for AP exams. This means that students at less well-resourced public schools often do not receive adequate preparation for the exam, even if their schools offer AP courses. In this sense, the AP program does little to address real education inequity and may even perpetuate it. Even the cost of the exam is prohibitive to low-income studentswith financial aid, each exam is still over $60. The Too-Rapid Expansion of the AP Program A similar concern is that the rapid expansion of the AP program has set many students up to fail on their exams. Some have argued that the College Board pushes APs into low-income schools and promotes opening AP courses to all students (not just honors-level ones) too rapidly. Then, it’s argued, they don’t provide adequate support or resources in making sure schools can actually prepare students for the exams. This just leads to many students wasting money taking exams they are likely to fail. The Coursework Is Not College-Level Another common complaint is that AP coursework is not an adequate substitute for introductory college coursework. There are concerns that AP classes skim too much material too quickly, preventing students from developing in-depth knowledge or true understanding of the subject. This leads to students being unprepared for advanced-level coursework when they use their AP coursework to skip introductory classes. Some Schools Are Dropping the AP Program Some schools, most notably the University of Chicago Lab School, are dropping AP courses from their offerings amid concerns that the courses prevent teachers and students from truly rewarding, in-depth academic inquiry of subjects. Of course, others have pointed out that it’s really only prestigious high schools that can afford to drop AP classes since, for many schools, AP coursework is the primary marker of academic rigor on student college applications. In that sense, it’s unlikely that there will be a mass exodus away from the AP program anytime soon. Only fancy schools can drop their AP courses for other advanced coursework. The Future of the AP Program There are, in general, two major movements within the AP program to address some of these concerns: revising courses and introducing new courses. Course Revisions A huge number of AP Courses have been recently revised or are in the process of revision. Of course, each course is different, but there have been some general themes to the changes. One major aim is to reduce the content scope of many of the courses so that students can get more mastery over a narrower span of subject matter. Another major change is to focus more on critical thinking and analysis skillsan example of this change is the focus on analyzing sources on the revised history exams. The hope is that by teaching more skills and less content for rote memorization, students will gain more concrete academic competencies from AP courses that they can carry forward into college. Introducing New Courses and Programs Another change has been to introduce some new courses, like AP Computer Science Principles. The most notable addition, however, is the AP Capstone program, which is designed to compete with IB. To get an AP Capstone diploma, students need to take one year of the new AP Seminar course followed by one year of the new AP Research course, in addition to four other AP courses. Students need to score a 3 or better on all exams/courses to get the AP Capstone diploma. AP Seminar and AP Research are designed to much more closely mimic the feel of a small college seminar class, with an interdisciplinary focus and lots of extended individual inquiry. The AP Capstone program aims both to better prepare students for college coursework and to bring more cohesion to the AP program in general. Will future AP exams be proctored by robots? KeyPoints in the History of AP Exams and Courses The AP Program started as a pilot program in the 50s, amid concerns that students in high school were not being adequately prepared for advanced coursework and college and graduate education.From its small beginnings, the AP Program has become a giant, with over 2 million students taking AP exams in 2014. However, the program isn’t without its critics. There are concerns that the program perpetuates education inequity, that it has expanded too rapidly to prepare schools or students for the coursework, and that the coursework is not college-level. Some elite high schools have even dropped their AP programs. In response to some of these issues, the College Board is in the midst of an extensive revision process that has narrowed the content scope of many courses and placed an increased focus on academic skills and critical thinking. They have also introduced the AP Capstone program, an AP diploma program designed to create a more cohesive AP experience. In spite of its issues, it doesn’t seem like the AP program is going anywhere anytime soon. It continues to be one of the primary markers of rigor on a student’s high school transcript. But it will be interesting to see what the future holds! What’s Next? Wondering about the new AP Capstone program described in this article? See our guides to AP Seminar, AP Research, the AP Capstone program, and which schools are currently participating the AP Capstone program. If you’re looking for more information about the AP program, see our articles on whether or not the College Board is mismanaging the AP program and five problems with the AP program. Curious about the IB program, too? See our introduction to the IB program.

Highlight the role and importance of HRM functions in achieving an Essay

Highlight the role and importance of HRM functions in achieving an organisation's purpose - Essay Example Professionals as a human resource are vied as important in any organization in its aim to achieve its objectives. For example, such multinationals as Standard Chartered Bank view its employees based on how they are important in achieving the strategic goals of the organization. In return, the organizations hold the human resources dear to it that it ensures that whenever any decision is to be made that is likely to affect the employees; they have to be consulted in order to come up with friendly policies. In a study commissioned by Michie and Sheehan-Quinn (2001), a survey of 200 manufacturing firms in the United Kingdom found that there is a close relationship between the performance of corporations and the human resource management strategies employed (Michie and Sheehan-Quinn 2001, pp.287-306). ... agement is great when coherent policies are employed together with great employment practices and they are applied as a package (Kelliher and Riley 2002, pp.237–242). Human Resource Management (HRM) at Standard Chartered Bank Human Resource Management is one of the most important factors critical to the successful running of an organization. This is because in the absence of a proper HRM program, there can be no clear vision for the organization and opportunities will be squandered and resources will be wasted as the full potential of the employees’ remain underutilized or untapped. Acquiring the right employees for an organization is important through good recruitment and selection processes is one way of having a solid foundation for the management of human resources in the organization. Standard Chartered Bank has employed numerous human resource management strategies in order to achieve its objectives. Employee Retention and Managing Diversity Standard Chartered Ban k aims at attracting and retaining the best talent in term of human resource at any given time. It is important to note that working for this bank accords an individual the opportunity to work in fifty-six countries that Standard Chartered Bank operates in and one can benefit from the banks valuable approach that manages people or employees by recognizing their values and thereby developing them on an individual’s talent and strengths. The bank is able to have a diverse work force that it harnesses from the countries it operates in by ensuring that the workforce is of diverse, multi-talented and representative of all the interests of the places it operates in. The motivation for this is to attract and harness the different strengths and talents brought about by different individuals that make them