Potting Christianity: Ecumenical Worship in Its Multicultural and Multi-Ethnic Context

In the gardening world, potting refers to the cultivation of plants by cutting, layering, and replacing nutrients-depleted soil with new soil in larger pots to accommodate the growth process. This understanding seems helpful in describing ecumenical worship. There are two perspectives about this phenomenon. On one end of the liturgical practice spectrum, it is perceived as a “least-common-denominator” worship form where contested expressions are cast aside and replaced by elements that are acceptable by everyone. As a result, ecumenical worship is held up as a product of complex negotiation but displays a remarkable lack of spiritual depth in its outcome. On the other end, there is the World Council of Churches—a fellowship of 350 churches that is regarded as the epitome of ecumenism in practice particularly its worship celebration. The assembly, convened every eight years, is seen as a “best practice” showcase for ecumenical worship. In fact, many of the “global songs” being sung by our congregation were premiered in this ecumenical setting. How might we make sense of these perceptions? To that end, this article seeks to describe a suitably appropriate method in planning ecumenical worship and to identify elements that this worship genre needs to consider in its rendition. The efforts of the 2022 assembly worship planning committee of the World Council of Churches serves as the case study. Theo-liturgical principles that define this worship design are examined and discussed. By this, insights may be garnered to help local congregations appreciate this distinctive liturgical form that has its raison d’etre as an expression of Christian reconciliation and unity and to understand what is needed to successfully design such services. In so doing, the work of congregations may be strengthened to face the resurgence of racism and xenophobia in their local contexts.

Fractal aspects of natural growth

The work presented here puts forward a fractal aspect of natural growth. The S-shaped pattern of a logistic function is analyzed in terms of several constituent logistic functions. The approach sheds light on two familiar phenomena: the undulatory evolution of growth, which gives rise to an alternation between high-and low-growth periods, and the increasingly noticeable shrinking life cycle of products. There are some economic and political implications for the European nations. A quantitative example is given for computer sales from Digital Equipment Corporation. The approach is further generalized to suggest that any growth process can be analyzed in terms of natural-growth subprocesses. Applied to human growth this analysis yields precise definitions for the timing of transitions such as babyhood to childhood, and childhood to adolescence.

(NH4)3FeF6 Mesocrystal Grown by Electric Field-Assisted in-situ Dissolution and Reaction of Anodic Iron Oxides

(NH4)3FeF6 mesocrystalline octahedrons are formed by in-situ dissolution and reaction of anodic iron oxides, followed by a non-classical crystal growth process involving electrical polarization and subsequent alignment of primary (NH4)3FeF6...

Nexus Between Money Laundering and Sustainable Development Goals

Money laundering is a hot debate discussion among policymakers, as money laundering usually arises due to theft of money or other illegal activity. Such criminal activities damage every stakeholder of the economic cycle, whether it is trade, productivity, or contribution of the financial sector itself. Due to the fact money laundering makes the industrial growth process very slow and undercuts economic activities, which are essential for the development. This chapter explores the nexus between money laundering as a threat to a sustainable development goal from different angles. The discussion reveals that money laundering negatively impacts economic growth, and the fundamental pillar of sustainable development is economic growth. So can we achieve sustainable economic growth and development without controlling money laundering? The authors conclude it is not possible.

Platform Business in Korea: Advent and Growth of Kakao

With the rapid development of ICT technology, a platform business is exerting a dominant influence in various fields. This type of a business has a great ripple effect in that it creates value by engaging and connecting various market actors such as producers, suppliers, and business partners to the platform ecosystem, rather than directly selling independent products or services. In this vein, the current study introduces the emergence and growth process of Kakao, which has a monopolistic dominance in the Korean mobile messenger market, as an example of a platform business. This company started to be distributed to Korean consumers in 2010 and is currently exercising its market influence in various fields such as commerce, entertainment, finance, and transportation, and more growth is expected in the future. Based on the case investigation, the background of Kakao’s success can be interpreted with a combination of various reasons, such as Korea’s developed ICT environment, a large game users’ population, quick service launch, the strategy to utilize the founder’s previous work experience, and service development geared towards Korean consumers.

South Korea’s lift-off to development: The role of Human Capital and Productivity in economic growth, 1960-1979

South Korea is a case of impressive economic growth: a previously underdeveloped country that, after the 1960s, embarked on a process to achieve development before other underdeveloped countries. South Korea is also a case where innovation processes move from imitation to self-creation thanks to a quick updating or “catching up” process. South Korea’s journey from underdevelopment to development has sparked a rich and well-founded debate within economic theory. These debates weigh the roles of productive factors (Physical, Human, Social, and Financial Capital, Labor, resources, environment), economic agents (State, Firms, Banks), and international trade factors (FDI, Imports, Exports) on its growth process. The central argument of this article establishes that Capital is the central variable that explains the successful outcome of the Korean growth miracle. However, Capital composition is even more important. The impact of Human Capital on the growth process evinces a synergy with Knowledge development. We modify the Solow model using Human, Physical Capital, and Total Factor Productivity as independent variables in a Multivariable Regression Model for the period between 1960 and 1979 on Output per worker. We conclude that Human Capital and Productivity are just as important as Physical Capital for explaining growth per worker in South Korea due their synergistic properties. The study is restricted to the years prior to Park Chung-Hee’s rise to power and ends with his assassination.