Creating a Brand Using the Low-Budget Route: Choco-Energy Essay

1. Introduction According to Mintel (2012), 49% of chocolate users stated that if the price of their favorite bar rises they would cut back on chocolate. In addition, 68% of 16-24-year-olds full-time students consider that everyday low price is one of the main factors that they would consider for a brand (Mintel, 2012). Furthermore, for those DEs and households are also the most likely groups to consider low prices as a main factor when choosing which chocolate brand to buy (Mintel, 2012). Therefore, creating a new identification brand using the low budget route in Pound City market will have a great profit space in the confectionery market. The report will base on Snickers Peanut Butter Brand to create a new identification brand. The detail explanation of new brand’s development process can be seen below, which including the new brand name, brand image, brand positioning and package design. 2. Overview of chocolate market Although there is a decreasing trend in the number of eating chocolate as the reasons of healthy eating, aging population and rising sugar prices, the chocolate market has grown slightly by 6% over 2006-2011 to ï ¿ ¡1.58 billion (Mintel, 2011). Mintel (2012) also noted that 89% of consumers continue to eat chocolate confectionery because of its position as an affordable treat. For those users chocolate as indulgent treats allow consumers to lift their mood and satisfy a sweet craving. Chocolate market is relatively fragmented with the presence of a larger number of smaller brands, such as Mars, Cadbury Trebor Bassett, Nestle, Haribo and Ferrero and some own-label offerings manufacturers (Mintel, 2011). This can be seen from Appendix 1 about the manufacturers’ shares in the UK chocolate confectionery market. It  shows that Kraft Foods (Cadbury), Mars, Nestle are the three leading brands in the UK confectionary market, which taking up 33%, 27% and 16% of market share respectively (Mintel, 2011). 3. Choosing brand in the chocolate market The researcher will base on Snickers brand Peanut Butter Squared to create a new identification brand with new brand name, brand image and package to compete with current range of manufacturers’ own brand. Snickers Peanut Butter Squared is one of the famous brands of Mars Company. Mars is a US-based globally operating food and drink conglomerate company. Its brands in the confectionery segment include Lockets, Skittles, Starburst and Tunes (Mintel, 2011). Mars Chocolate is one of the world’s leading chocolate manufacturers. Its iconic brands include M&M’S ®, SNICKERS ®, DOVE ®, GALAXY ®, MARS ®, MILKY WAY ® and TWIX ® (Mars Official website, 2012). 4 Brand analysis for Snickers Brand 4.1 Brand name of Snickers Brand According to Chernatony and McDonald (2003) noted that brand names are perceived by consumers as important information clues, which helps to reduce the need to engage in a detailed search for information. The name of Snickers was launched under the name Marathon chocolate in the 1990s as Mars Inc aimed at consolidating branding exercise by bringing all its corporations products under unified Mars branding and make its brand be recognized both locally and globally (Ezine @rticles, 2012). Now Snickers is one of the largest confectionary ‘single bar’ in the world and people will think of energy bar when they see the brand name of Snickers (Mars official website, 2012). 4.2 Brand development of Snickers The brand development for Snickers Brand Peanut Butter Squared both has from its average nutrition but also from its package. The calories of new Snickers Peanut Butter Squared is litter smaller than original Snickers from 1.78 oz and 250 calories, versus 2.07 oz and 280 calories for the original bar. Each of the squares are about 1.25 inches across, and 3/4 inch high (LaBau, 2010). In addition, the color of the packaging changes from brown to yellow. Inside of the package, there are two pieces of chocolate bar instead of one larger bar compared with original Snickers bar. This is a kind of brand extension based on Peanut Butter chocolate category. 4.3 Brand image of Snickers Chernatony, McDonald and Wallace (2011) stated that brand images enable consumers to form a mental vision of what and who brands stand for. Because consumers will select a brand by observing whether the images that brand convey match the needs, values and lifestyles of consumers. In the case of Snickers, Snickers focus on broadening its appeal from a largely ‘male’ base to include women and older consumers. The company pays much attention and invests heavily in maintaining and strengthening their brand image. One of the most effective and targeted marketing tools for the Snickers brand at its disposal is through sponsoring key sporting events to squarely position it as an energy booster, one of its slogan is ‘ the big eat when you are hungry’. With the effort by the Mars Company, now Snickers Bar creates its brand image as providing the fuel and energy for the body and mind (The Irish Times business, 2000). In addition, the Snickers brand represents one of the young generations’ wishes that they want to be recognized and accepted by friends around them. Therefore, they need replenish their energies to enjoy with their friends and not go behind them. 4.4 Brand personality of Snickers A brand should represent more than just utilitarian benefits but also give added values that satisfy social and psychological needs for consumers. Because intrinsic physical product with an aura, or personality will give consumers more greater confidence in choosing a brand (Riezebos, 2003). Snickers brand created its brand personality through launching celebrity endorsement campaign with words like, â€Å"Peanutopolis, Hungerectomy, Nougtocity, Substantialicious and Satisfectellent† on its outdoor billboard advertising campaign to attract the younger generation and to gain trust with popularity (The Irish Times business, 2000). 4.5 Brand value of Snickers SNICKERS Chocolate bar create its brand value by providing the fuel and  energy for the body and mind. With busy lifestyle recently and many families on the go, Snickers bar as a great-tasting snack that captures the essence of a portable snack brings consumers with great convenience and satisfies getting the most of each moment. ‘When you hungry, grab Snickers bar’ is great to reflect the brand value of Snickers. Nowadays, the brand value of Snickers brand can be seen from its overwhelming popularity, recognition as a top-quality product and the respect and admiration of consumers world-wide as a world leader in the snack food category (The Irish Times business, 2000). 4.6 Package strategy for Snickers Meyers and Lubliner (1998) illustrated that the package form can communicate images that influence consumer perception, appeal to the consumer’s emotions, and motivate desire for the product before the consumer ever reads the label or sees the actual product. In their opinion, the package is the product. In the case of Snickers Peanut Butter Squared Brand, the packaging is little flatter, shorter and wider than the standard Snickers package. The package outside for Snickers Brand Peanut Butter Squared with a golden yellow background and â€Å"Peanut Butter† clearly spelled out in big letters. Inside the package are two squares chocolate bar. All of those are 1.25 inches square and about 1.75 inches high. There’s a nice ripple on the top (CandyBlog, 2010). The detail explanation about its product description has been introduced in the brand development stage. Slogan–Snickers chocolate bar uses more than one slogan. The slogan for Snickers chocolate bar is â€Å"Hungry? Grab a Snickers!† â€Å"Don’t let hunger happen to you.† â€Å"Hungry? Why wait?† 5 Brand image transfer Chernatony and McDonald (2003) noted that â€Å"a successful brand is an identifiable product, service, person or place, augmented in such a way that the buyer or user perceives relevant, unique added values which match their needs most closely. And its success results from being able to sustain these added values in the face of competition†. In order to create a successful new identification brand, the marketers will transfer the image brand from Snickers by maintaining some good elements of Snickers brand and add some elements that Snickers brand needed to improve to compete with its  competitors. 5.1 Energy booster and Offer value Figure 5.1: Chocolate confectionary brand personality-macros image, January 2012 According to the figure above, Snickers have a wholesome reputation. This might attributable to its high peanut content as Mintel (2012) stated that Snickers is a particularly divisive brand, with the high peanut content likely to be a deterrent for a number of people. Therefore, for the new identification brand, maintaining the high peanut content will be a great element to offer added value for the consumers. In addition, positioning the new identification brand as an energy booster is also important as Snickers attracts lots of consumers with this position and this also one of the reasons why Snickers brand succeed. 5.2 Ethical brand Figure 5.3: Chocolate confectionary brand personality-macros image, January 2012 According to the figure above, ethical is to be a great element for the consumers to show the brand personality for a food product. According to Mintel, (2012), consumers pay much attention on ethical sourcing of food. The impact of ethical sourcing will become a great element to influence consumer confidence. In addition, brands which source their ingredients ethically especially for those with a premium orientation product, this would be a great element to identify their brand image (Mintel, 2012). Therefore, creating an ethical brand will also be great element for the marketer to create a new identification brand. 6 Creative choice/ Brand identification 6.1 New brand name The new brand name is CHOCO-ENERGY, which is easy for consumers to member the name and easily associated with the products. Meyers and Lubliner (1998) stated that a product’s brand name is responsible for creating memorability. It helps to build brand recognition and loyalty, as well as providing product information. For CHOCO-ENERGY, this could help to inform consumers’  that this is a chocolate brand. In addition, it also notes consumers that this brand focuses on energy booster. 6.2 New brand image Chernatony and McDonald (2003) stated that brand images enable consumers to form a mental vision of what and who brands stand for. Because consumers will select a brand by observing whether the images that brand convey match the needs, values and lifestyles of consumers. The brand image for CHOCO-ENERGY brand is to inform consumers that this brand is more than just another chocolate, â€Å"it as a reflection of a way of life, where people live with energy, joyful and healthy†. For the new identification brand, CHOCO-ENERGY would like to transfer a healthy and energy image for the consumers and let consumers to be treatwise for chocolate based on GDAs (Guideline Daily amounts). This new brand aims to inform consumers to be enjoyed as part of a healthy, active lifestyle. Because some of them might consider chocolate leads to obesity issues while eating limited chocolate can also provide benefits for one’s healthy because the elements contain in peanut butter and peanuts would benefits for consumers’ nutrition. Peanut butter and peanuts provide protein, vitamins B3 and E, magnesium, folate, dietary fiber, arginine, and high levels of the antioxidant p-coumaric acid. All of those elements would help consumers to protect against a high risk of cardiovascular disease (HubPages, 2012). 6.3 Brand positioning According to Aaker (2002), brand position is the part of the brand identity and value proposition that is to be actively communicated to the target audience and that demonstrates an advantage over competing brands (Aaker, 2002, pp176). The new identification brand will target on young teenagers and positioning on creating an everyday low price and importance of chocolate brand to British consumers. According to Mintel (2012), 15-24-year-olds stand out as the most important demographic in the chocolate and confectionery market, with the highest share of total users (91%) and also 44% of heavy users (Mintel, 2012). In addition, 68% of 16-24-year-olds full-time students consider that everyday low price as one of their main choice factors for a  chocolate brand (Mintel, 2012). Furthermore, there is a growing numbers in the population of the high usage 25-34-year-old age group as well as Abs and C2s look set to drive sales growth in the coming years (Mintel, 2012). Therefore, the new identification brand will target on users from 16-to-34 year olds and creating an everyday low price brand in the confectionery market to attract consumers’ attention. 6.4 Brand personality Aaker (2002) noted that a brand personality represents a functional benefits or attribute that may be relatively ineffective if it lacks a visual image established in the customer’s mind. Brand personality for the new identification brand is that CHOCO-ENERGY not just another chocolate bar that provide sweet craving or energy for the consumers but also a brand that value for money. Because according to Mintel (2012), chocolate suffers from a poor perception of value with only 28% of chocolate users think chocolate bars provide value for money. In addition, 65% of users consider that brands benefit from high trust as a main choice factor when they choose a chocolate brand. Therefore, improving perception of value and creating high trust for the new identification brand is emergent and significant. In addition, according to the brand image transfer part, energy booster and offer added-value are great element for the marketer to create the new brand. Therefore, this brand aims to create an everyday low price and importance chocolate brand for consumers not only value for money on price but also on product content. The product will maintain the value of Snickers brand that providing high nut content as the high peanut content likely to be a deterrent for a number of people (Mintel, 2012). 6.5 Package strategy for the new identification brand Trott (2012) stated that package is a powerful selling tool for a company to achieve a competitive advantage because for consumers the package is the product. Before consumers select a product, they will see the package at first. Through the shape of the package, the recognition of the brand, the color and the words, the graphic style and format they will have a fundamental image for the product (Meyers and Lubliner, 1998). In addition, the name, logo or symbol of the package are all unique, appropriate, and legally ownable for the company to communicate a positive and memorable image about the product (Meyers and Lubliner, 1998). These would help to provide product information and attributes to the customers. Therefore, it is critical for the company to pay much attention on the package design. Next the detail explanation about brand’s logo, color for the package, product identification (net weight copy, benefit statement, flavor or variety identification, size, nutritional information, ingredients, distributed place, attribute description) for the new identification brand can be seen below. 6.5.1 The brand logo The brand’s logo refers to a uniquely shaped signature, which can be based on the brand name in some kind of unique typographic format or a uniquely styled configuration of the corporate initials (Meyers and Lubliner, 1998). The consistent use of the logo is one of the reasons to make a powerful brand and also is the fundamental building blocks of brand identity (Carter, 1999). For the new identification brand, the marketer will use the brand name as the brand’s logo. The researcher will use a script logo because this type of logo provides an image of casualness, fun, movement and entertainment (Meyers and Lubliner, 1998). This is more related to the image of new identification brand that CHOCO-ENERGY is more than just another chocolate: â€Å"it as a reflection of a way of life, where people live with energy, joyful and healthy†. The slogan of the new identification brand is â€Å"CHOCO-ENERGY Eat health to be a part of active lifestyle†. 6.5.2 Package inside and outside The color for the packaging of the new identification brand outside will combine both brown and yellow. Because brown is deep color and often used for gourmet food and confections to communicate good taste, warmth, and appetite appeal. In addition, this color also helps to identify the color of the product inside the package (Meyers and Lubliner, 1998). For yellow color, it looks bright and tends to communicate relaxation and joy. Inside  the package four cup shaped chocolate. The surface of each chocolate has a heart-style image. 6.5.3 Product Identification Each CHOCO-ENERGY chocolate bar will contain 210 calories with a total fat content 14 gm. In addition, for its protein, sugar and sodium content will be 4gm, 19g and 130 mg respectively. The new identification brand will also contain nougat, caramel, peanuts. All of these elements will be covered in chocolate coating. Net weight copy for CHOCO-ENERGY is 42g. The benefit statement of this brand is to be treatwise based on guideline daily amount to be enjoyed as part of a healthy, active lifestyle. This brand pays much attention to balance the flavor of the product to avoid the product more sweet than salty. In addition, the product avoids making the peanut butter layer too waxy and to make the chocolate strangely flavourless. There will four pieces of chocolate cups in the package. The package will be flowrap bags. This would help to increase the product store duration because it’s easy for chocolate to melt at a high temperature. In addition, it helps to improve the product se curity. The detail nutritional information and ingredients can be seen from A3 poster. 7. Conclusion In this report, the rise of chocolate price and the increasing growing number of own-label of chocolate brand as great reasons to explain why creating a low budget route brand is effective in the chocolate and confectionery market. In addition, the detail explanation about the Snickers brand such as the brand image that Snickers Bar provide the fuel and energy for the body and mind with slogan that ‘the big eat when you are hungry’. Snickers brand positioning â€Å"from a largely ‘male’ base to include women and older consumers. Snickers brand personality through launching celebrity endorsement campaign with words like, â€Å"Peanutopolis, Hungerectomy, Nougtocity, Substantialicious and Satisfectellent† to give a fundamental knowledge about how to create a brand. Furthermore, the brand image transfer as a great part for the report to show what elements will remain or added from the Snickers brand to create the new identification brand. At last, the new identification brand, CHOCO-ENERGY brand was created with slogan that ‘CHOCO-ENERGY Eat health to be a part of active lifestyle’ to represent an image that CHOCO-ENERGY is not just another chocolate, â€Å"it as a reflection of a way of life, where people live with energy, joyful and healthy†. CHOCO-ENERGY positions on creating an everyday low price and importance of chocolate brand to British consumers. At the same time, elements for the package design also explained to show the new identification brand. 8. References AAKER, D.A. (2002) Building strong brands. London: Simon & Schuster UK Ltd. CARTER, D.E. (1999) Branding: the power of market identity. New York: Hearst Books International. CHERNATONY, L.D and MCDONALD, M (2003) Creating Powerful Brands in Consumer, Service and Industrial Markets, Third Edition. Oxford: Elsevier Ltd. CHERNATONY, L., MCDONALD, M, WALLACE, E (2011) Creating powerful Brands, BH, 4th Edition. Oxford: Elsevier Ltd. CLIFTON, R and Simmons, J (2003) Brands and Branding. London: The Economist Newspaper Ltd. HASSAN, T. U (2009) Snickers Chocolate Bar-A short History. Ezine @rticles. [Online]. Available from: http://ezinearticles.com/?Snickers-Chocolate-Bar—A-Short-History&id=4102333. [Accessed 17/05/2012] LABAU, E. (2010) Snickers Peanut Butter Squared Review. About.com. Candy. [Online] Available from: http://candy.about.com/od/candyreviews/fr/snickers_pbsquared.htm. [Accessed 17/05/2012]. LAFORET, S (2011) Managing Brands. McGraw Hill. MARS Official website page (2012) Brands Chocolate. [Online]. Available from: http://www.mars.com/global/brands/chocolate.aspx. [Accessed 17/05/2012]. MEYERS, H.M. and LUBLINER, M.J. (1998) The marketer’s Guide to Successful Package Design. United States of America: NTC/Contemporary Publishing Group, Inc. MINTEL (2012) Chocolate Confectionary-UK-April-2012. London: Mintel International. MINTEL (2011) Sugar and Confectionary-UK-November 2011. London: Mintel International. RIEZEBOS, R (2003) Brand Management. Prentice Hall. The IRISH TIMES BUSINESS (2000) Global marketing-Building and Maintaining the M&M’S Brand. Fifth Edition. UK: Masterfoods. TROTT, P (2012) Innovation Management and New Product Development, Fifth Edition. England: Pearson Education Limited.

Augustine Original Sin

Liberty University The Theological Studies of Saint Augustine in Relation to the Doctrine of Original Sin A Paper Submitted To Dr. John Landers In Partial Fulfillment for the Course CHHI-520 Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary By Jaaval Cato Lynchburg, Virginia October 7, 2012 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 AUGUSTINE’S TAKE ON ORIGINAL SIN†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 AUGUSTINE’S TAKE ON ORIGINAL SIN AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO BAPTISM†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 OPPOSTIONS TO AUGUSTINE’S VIEW ON ORIGINAL SIN †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 0 MANICHEAN IMPACT ON AUGUSTINE’S VIEW OF ORIGINAL SIN†¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 PELAGIUS, CELESTIUS, AND JULIAN IN OPPOSITION WITH ORIGINAL SIN†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 13 CONCLUSION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 16BIBLIOGRAPHY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 17 Introduction The doctrine of original sin has been deliberated by Theologians, as well as Augustine for over fifteen centuries, although it is evidently stated in Romans 5:12 by the Apostle Paul, â€Å"Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned† (NRSV).By this statement, the apostle Paul informs the reader that sin and death entered the world through one man (Adam), with the result of it permeating the whole of humankind like a poison. â€Å"The solidarity of the human race with Adam led Ambrose to say, ‘Adam existed, and in him we all existed†¦ In Adam I fell, and in Adam I was cast out of Paradise, in Adam I died. ’† The doctrine of original sin has provoked much opposition amongst religious academia in regards to its teaching.It is one of the most â€Å"baleful† of ideas says, one modern scholar; it is â€Å"repulsive† and â€Å"revolting† says another. I have seen it variously described as an insult to the dignity of humanity, an insult to the grace and loving kindness of God, and an insult to God and humankind alike. Aurelius Augustinus (Saint Augustine) has contributed significantly to the discussion that remains highly contested in our present day, which coincidently i s not primarily exclusive of the church and those who disagree with him.All of Christendom and the entire church as a whole are indebted to Augustine who conveyed the theology of â€Å"original sin† and it implication for Christians today. Augustine's doctrine of justification is rooted heavily in his doctrine of original sin, for his doctrine of 2 justification provides the solution to the problem that his doctrine of original sin creates. This theological endeavor was initiated by Augustine in the late fourth and early fifth century. His full name is Aurelius Augustinus born November 13, 354. He is the major church father of the West and known predominantly as Augustine.Augustine’s view of original sin was initially shaped by early life experience beginning with his own pagan immoral behavior as a youth in Africa, with his time studying Manichaeanism, and the Genesis account of Adam and Eve. Augustine although know for his writings on original sin was not the first t o write about this subject matter, early church fathers such as Saint Ambrose the Bishop of Milan who subsequently was a mentor to Augustine and baptized him said in a commentary written on the Gospel of Luke â€Å"before we are born, we are all infected with the contagion of sin. Augustine provided much greater analysis ever-increasing and fine-tuning these thoughts from opinion into Christian dogma. In the biblical perspective, sin is not only an act of wrongdoing but a state of alienation from God. In reformed theology the doctrine of original sin has a firm biblical support: Genesis 3 where Adam and Eve trust the word of the serpent over the Word of God. Scripture also gives greater insight into the corruption initiated by Adam; this can be observed in two ways. First is the inherit sin caused by Adam, Romans 5:12-21 states that by one man was the 3 onduit in which sin entered the world. Secondly, Psalms 51:5 quotes Kind David as stating, â€Å"Behold, I was brought forth in i niquity and in sin my mother conceived me† (NASB). This statement references the sin all humankind has inherit from the one man (Adam), being passed from one generation to the next. Hence, the sin of Adam defiles all humanity including children, who have no other sins of their own. Therefore, all human beings are condemned because of the sin of Adam (â€Å"original sin†), which they bring with them and for which they become responsible, unless they are baptized.Augustine writes in his Confession poising several rhetorical questions about the sin inherited by children stating, â€Å"Alas for the sins of men! Man saith this, and Thou dost compassionate him; for Thou didst create him, but didst not create the sin that is in him. Who bringeth to my remembrance the sin of my infancy? For before Thee none is free from sin, not even the infant which has lived but a day upon the earth. Who bringeth this to my remembrance? Doth not each little one, in whom I behold that which I do not remember of myself? In what, then, did I sin? Is it that I cried for the breast? Augustine goes even further alluding to the distress he brought upon his mother saying, â€Å"she did weep and mourn, and in her agony was seen the inheritance of Eve,—seeking in sorrow what in sorrow she had brought forth. † The theme of being stained by sin will be broached by Augustine in other writings; such as, City of God, sermons, and letters addressing contemporaries who stood in opposition to his point of view. Augustine Bishop of Hippo began to institute his beliefs on how blemish of sin originating from Adam has corrupted the will of mankind; incidentally this ignited the argument 4 f his era that persists even in the present day church. There were many opponents who challenged Augustine, for instance fellow Bishops, Pelagius, the Donatist, the Manichaeism and the philosophers known as the Platonist. The latter, were two groups that Augustine earlier in his life were aff iliated with; therefore, he comprised a detailed list of those proponents who opposed his belief on original sin in addition to other beliefs he held and debate one another, each contesting the others line of reasoning. In fact these debates continued between Augustine and his contemporaries up until his death in A.D 540 having not completed his refutation of a Pelagian, Julian of Eclanum. Augustine and Julian debated such topics as the theory that grace was not necessary for saving action, free choice and will, baptism, and original sin. Julian would call the idea of original sin a contradiction of logic; being a prolific writer, Julian composed enough writings to comprise eight volumes all of which were sent to Augustine. Augustine was a hard worker and would write day and night, due to the large quantities of letters sent by Julian; Augustine spent a large amount of time in his latter days responding to Julian.The time was a great lost and Augustine was unable to complete his fin al compilation of letters and comments on sermons to be added in his writings called Retratctiones. In this present day, the argument on original sin remains a topic of contention, both in churches (Protestants and Catholics) and in the academic world. If a question were poised to most church parishioners, asking them if they had a view about original sin, one might garner a wide variety of response. Some might say they have no knowledge of this topic, some may refer to scripture as presented by the Apostle Paul in Romans 5:12 believing that it was applicable to 5 hat era and not for the present, to a belief that original sin is a matter relating to physical gratification instead of it being a consequence of Adam’s sin. Augustine, by his own account sheds light on his own personal struggle with lust by including it in his argument on original sin and free will. Augustine clearly gives insight to this matter by stating that sin does not arise from the body’s assault upo n the soul: bodily insubordination follows from the soul’s insubordination to God. This crucial matter is important in the life of all Christian believers, effecting their spiritual ormation and relationship with God. Augustine’s Take on Original Sin Based on his study of Genesis, chapter 1-3, Augustine formulated the foundation what most of Christianity recognizes today as the doctrine of sin. Augustine believed that Adam possessed original righteousness and perfection. He was immune from physical ills, surpassed all others in intellect, and was in a state of justification, illumination, and beatitude. The freedom Adam possessed was described by Augustine as posse non peccare (i. e. , able not to sin).According to Augustine, the fall of Adam thwarted mankind’s ability of being unable to sin. For Augustine there are several factors that have contributed to this loss and the effects have been devastated for mankind. The cunning of evil, free will and the inborn w ill of mankind endows them the capability to persevere and prevail over sin. The essence of original sin consists of humanity's participation in, and co-responsibility for, Adam's perverse choice. All are one with Adam when he made his choice and therefore all willed in and with Adam. 6Augustine focused on the will of man, believing that sin strongly affected and overpowered it primarily because of Adam’s sin. Consequently, humanity was left with little else then that day when they are called home to be with the Lord. Augustine reiterating that the pride of Adam – the deliberate choice to put his will above God’s Adam fell, and took us all with him into a fallen condition. Basically the only freedom mankind has is the freedom to sin, and the ability to receive the grace given by God. Augustine findings are not new discoveries; the topic had been proposed and argued centuries before Augustine.Ireaneus of Lyons had similarly argued that the Genesis account and the disobedience of Adam (failing to obey God) brought about hereditary sin, corrupting the good work God had done. For by summing up in Himself the whole human race from the beginning to the end, He has also summed up its death. From this it is clear that the Lord suffered death, in obedience to His Father, upon that day on which Adam died while he disobeyed God. Augustine having been mentored by the Bishop of Milan, commonly known as Saint Ambrose may have acquired the point view that God held all mankind responsible for the disobedience and culpability of Adam.The solidarity of the human race with Adam led Ambrose to say, â€Å"Adam existed, and in him we all existed†¦ In Adam I fell, and in Adam I was cast out of Paradise, in Adam I died. † Ambrose succeeded in opening the Scriptures for Augustine, arousing in him a desire to discover them for himself. City of God, written by Augustine, attributes disobedience to choice; â€Å"free will in arrogance and disobedienceâ⠂¬  will drive man to his death, this death not being from the natural, which was the 7 common view argued by Pelagius and his followers but as a direct result of man being rebellious to the commands of Yahweh.Augustine also recognized that people being made in the image of God were distinct from the natural world, having a soul but not immortal as the angels, in-between. The Spiritual souls of human beings give access to a saving truth and goodness when they freely adhere to their Creator in friendship available through grace, which was restored by the second Adam, Christ. When man obeys they are granted immortality, as the Angels, and if they are disobedient they will die, not pertaining to the physical death of the body but a spiritual death (eternal separation from God).Augustine’s Take on Original Sin and Its Relationship to Baptism. When points of view are constructed and formulated, most often realization and answers result. A derived result for Augustine was the rela tionship between original sin, and baptism, including infant. According to Catholic tradition infant baptism is a sacrament that must be carried out. Augustine was not the first to recognize this fact, similar to Irenaeus and his perception of original sin. Infant baptism had been practiced by the Roman Catholic Church centuries before Augustine composed his line of reasoning on baptism.According to Augustine the only way to safe guard an infant child against the perils of sin was to baptize them. Augustine postulated that unless infants were baptized and partook of the Eucharist they would not have eternal life. Infants have been born guilty, due to their solidarity in Adam, and stand in need of redemption. When faced with the objection that infants must be exempt from original sin since they cannot will freely, Augustine replied that there is nothing absurd in speaking of their original sin as 8 voluntary since it is derived from the free act of their first parent.Although Pelagiu s and Julian would contest this practice, the Catholic Church, and Protestant Orthodoxy (Anglican and Greek Orthodox) still practice infant baptism in this present time. Augustine recalls his own baptism, Ambrose the Bishop of Milan prepared Augustine for baptism. According to Paulinus, Ambrose was personally involved in initiating all catechumens. Though Ambrose and Augustine had little personal contact, they would have spent considerable time together during the period of Lent leading up to the Easter baptism†¦. eing baptized on Easter in the year A. D. 337. Augustine particular consideration to the baptizing of infants’ remains in controversy today, the Protestant Evangelical church does not hold to the doctrine of infant baptism; salvation is not contingent upon baptism or vice versa. Early on in his life Augustine while in his firt return trip to Africa, he thought it peculiar that infant baptism was practiced professing, â€Å"How could this be truly valuable, doi ng this to babies who have no understanding of what was going on. â€Å"Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us† (Romans 5:5). Augustine comes to the conclusion that baptism brings the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This Gift which is the Holy Spirit is called by later theologians â€Å"uncreated grace. † What Augustine calls the grace of caritas is called sanctifying or habitual grace in late theology†¦ All sins are forgiven at baptism, that is to say, original sin and actual sins if the believer has committed them.Nevertheless, Augustine as a new Bishop felt duty-bound to carry on with the ritual of baptizing infants. Infant baptism caused no harm both spiritually and physically, having an added advantage of removing the 9 blemish of the original sin inherited from Adam. Augustine viewed baptism as a sacrament of regeneration, â€Å"But the sacrament of baptism is undoub tedly the sacrament of regeneration: Wherefore, as the man who has never lived cannot die, and he who has never died cannot rise again, so he who has never been born cannot be born again.From which the conclusion arises, that no one who has not been born could possibly have been born again in his father. Born again, however, a man must be, after he has been born; because, ‘Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God' Even an infant, therefore, must be imbued with the sacrament of regeneration, lest without it his would be an unhappy exit out of this life; and this baptism is not administered except for the remission of sins. And so much does Christ show us in this very passage; for when asked, how could such things be?He reminded His questioner of what Moses did when he lifted up the serpent. Inasmuch, then, as infants are by the sacrament of baptism conformed to the death of Christ, it must be admitted that they are also freed from the serpent's poisonous bit e, unless we willfully wander from the rule of the Christian faith. This bite, however, they did not receive in their own actual life, but in him on whom the wound was primarily inflicted. † As the church began to grow and dominate pagan societies it is evident that infant baptism took root and became a normal sacramental ritual. ubsequently, this turned out to be discernible, established upon the reality that in the ancient church baptism existed as an induction ritual into the body of believers, and those infants that are born into the body of believers are so are baptized, signifying being a part of the community . Another aspect seems to have been the increase in awareness on the matter of original sin and the idea that baptism sluiced away the blemish of original sin. Finally, the rules initially were understood as actually conveying grace and accomplishing something spiritually.Early on, approximately A. D. 400 Augustine petitions to the common observance of infant bapti sm as evidence that the church perceived infants to be born with the blemish of original sin. We find clear mention of infant baptism from Tertullian around A. D. 208. â€Å"The Lord does indeed say, forbid them not to come unto me. Let them come, 10 then, while they are growing up; let them come while they are learning, while they are learning whither to come; let them become Christians when they have become able to know Christ.Why does the innocent period of life hasten to the remission of sins? † Opposition to Augustine’s View of Original Sin In the course of Augustine ‘s life he spent a large quantity of his time contesting claims made by contemporaries of his day; such as, theologians, fellow Bishops, monks, and theorist. Of all his writing the most hotly contested was his writing on inherit sin (original sin) and his greatest opposition came from two men, Pelagius, and a follower of Pelagius, a man by the name of Julian of Eclanum who championed the priestà ¢â‚¬â„¢s ideas after his death.In 412 Augustine single-handedly launched an attack on Pelagius and, until his death in 430; much of his energy was concentrated on writing many anti-Pelagian diatribes. Regarding that â€Å"arch-heretic† Augustine thundered: â€Å"How hostile to salvation by Christ is his poisonous perversion of the truth! † Similarly, in modern times the same tactics take place in debate or public discourse on the idea of original sin, nonetheless, the preliminary groundwork can be attributed to Augustine compositions on the subject in the later 4th and early 5th centuries.The Scripture Doctrine of Original Sin proposed to free and candid examination written by John Taylor is an example of contemporaries who contend with one another, his opponent was John Calvin’s and his writing on the doctrine of original sin. John Taylor like Augustine spends a great deal of time writing on the subject of original sin, particularly on the Genesis account; akin to Augustine, Taylor was enthused by the same section of scripture. In his reflection Taylor states, â€Å"Here observe, that for 11 nything that appears in the text, their sin the evil action they committed was personal-setting aside the tempter, no body committed that sinful act of disobedience but they themselves; first Eve and then Adam†¦the evil action was personal and committed by them so the punishment only belongs to them. † This statement is evident to the opposing view to Augustine that Taylor had in regards to original sin, according to him Adams sin was not inherit in humanity or a legacy that all of humanity would have to contend with.John Wesley in 1817 would write, The Doctrine of Original Sin: According to Scripture, Reason, and Experience, in Answer to Dr. Taylor was written nearly thirty years after the death of Taylor, confutes his ideology on original sin. Augustine a prolific writer composed many writings on multiple doctrines, his time as a Bishop was filled with effort to defend the faith against heresies from an earlier period in his life and those in his present. For example, the Donatist, Manichaeism, and Platonist Philosophies would impart and influence Augustine perception, life, and spiritual formation.Bearing in mind that Augustine adhered to some of these ideas during his late teens through young adulthood it is important to discuss their effect on his underlying principle, appraisal, and system of belief. Manichean Influence on Augustine’s View on Original Sin â€Å"As a Catholic Christian reflecting on his Manichaean past, Augustine felt it was necessary to stay away from patterns that had encouraged his pride. Augustine’s writings, especially the Confessions, demonstrate that he came to believe that Manichaean’s in general, and he himself in particular, had taken great pride in their false wisdom, the status it brought 2 them, and their abilities to enlist more people into the sect. † A lthough there is no evidence which may indicate a direct influence by this sect on Augustine’s point of view in regards to original sin, those in opposition to his view had speculated, possibly erroneously that a connection can be made, primarily because Augustine had such a harsh view on the Manichean. The main adherents to this speculation were the followers of Pelagius, â€Å"On account of a superficial resemblance between the doctrine of original sin and the Manichaeism theory of our nature being evil, the Pelagians accused the Catholics and St.Augustine of Manichaeism. † The proponents of Augustine have indicted him misguidedly, the belief that Augustine was the originator of the view on original sin and it being an offshoot of Manichaean fatalism. The apostle Paul speaks on the matter first and then Ireaneus of Lyons following in apostolic succession being trained by Polycarp goes on to quote the writings of Paul in Romans 5:12. Additionally, using the Genesis ac count, Ireaneus sought to bring cohesiveness to the argument in relation to the need of Christ saving fallen man and infant baptism many years before Augustine writes exhaustively and extensively on the topic.The two main features of Manichaean doctrine were, â€Å"Light (good) and darkness (evil) both being equal, timeless, and in great conflict with each other†¦man is lost and fallen in existence, but in essence he is a particle of Light and thus one in substance with God. Individual salvation consists in grasping this truth by illumination from God’s Spirit; Christ appears as merely a prophet and is not really incarnate. † The Gnostic form of belief (Manicheanism) did not believe in the redemptive work 13 f Christ nor did they observe the sacrament of baptism, therefore connecting Augustine writing on original sin to the Manichean belief on good and evil is ill-defined and wanders off the point when compared. Augustine as an older man admits his folly as a juve nile and young man studying the Manichean belief; recognizing his understanding about the nature of God was lacking to say the least because no one had ever educated t him otherwise. Therefore was I repelled by Thee, and Thou resistedst my changeable stiff neckedness; and I imagined corporeal forms, and, being flesh, I accused flesh, and, being â€Å"a wind that passeth away,† I returned not to Thee, but went wandering and wandering on towards those things that have no being, neither in Thee, nor in me, nor in the body. Neither were they created for me by Thy truth, but conceived by my vain conceit out of corporeal things. And I used to ask Thy faithful little ones, my fellow-citizens,—from whom I unconsciously stood exiled,—I used flippantly and foolishly to ask, â€Å"Why, then, doth the soul which God created err? But I would not permit any one to ask me, â€Å"Why, then, doth God err? † And I contended that Thy immutable substance erred of constraint , rather than admit that my mutable substance had gone astray of free will, and erred as a punishment. † This and others statements made by Augustine provide proof of him separating from the doctrine held by the Manicheans and it also demonstrates that the doctrine of original sin cannot be scrutinized in light of Manichaean doctrine or said influenced the doctrine of original sin.Pelagius, Celestiu, and Julian in opposition with Original Sin. There were some who opposed Augustine position on original; however the writings we have today clearer places Pelagius, a disciple of Pelagius named Celestisus, and a Southern Italian Bishop, Julian of Eclanum as the primary opposition Augustine had to contend with in his day. Pelagius (360-420 A. D) was a religious British monk who was extremely distinctive from Augustine and his foundation influential dogma that traditional Western Christendom adheres to today.A clash was inevitable and it came when Pelagius and his disciple Celestius left Italy in 14 409 in the face of an invasion and settled in Carthage, North Africa. The ensuing confrontation has since become known as the â€Å"Pelagian Controversy. † The details of this controversy comprise of several facets, the relationship between God and humanity respecting the doctrines of free will, sin, and grace. Pelagius for all instance and purposes, absolutely believed that the sin Adam committed was not transmitted to all of Humanity. Nothing good, and nothing evil, on account of which we are deemed either laudable or blameworthy, is born with us, but is done by us: for we are born not fully developed, but with a capacity for either conduct; we are formed naturally without either virtue or vice; and previous to the action of our own proper will, the only thing in man is what God has formed in him. † The statement made by Pelagius is in direct contention to the view of Original sin as presented by Augustine which held that the human will was incapable obtaining eternal life without the grace of God through Jesus Christ.Additionally, Pelagius concept of original sin consisted in an â€Å"imitation† of Adam and can be eliminated by an â€Å"imitation† of Christ and also taught infant baptism was not needed for the remission of any â€Å"original guilt. † This view of human nature received a great deal of criticism. Celestius, Pelagius, and their close associates were condemned at Carthage in C. E. 412. Other condemnations followed at Carthage and Milevum in 416 and at the great African council in Carthage in 418. The doctrine was finally anathematized at the Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus in July of 431. 5 Augustine spent a great deal of time contending with the views held by Pelagius and others who followed his doctrine; Augustine was even asked by an imperial commissioner for instruction on how to deal with Pelagius. Augustine then after so much time disproving Pelagius had to vie with another antagonist , a Bishop and disciple of Pelagius, Julian of Eclanum. Julian Eclanum (c. 386- c. 455 A. D. ) promoted the belief’s of Pelagius several decades after his death. Julian expressed sharply his objection to the idea of a fundamental taint in human nature connected to Adam’s sin.Julian was one of many who had a great deal of trepidation with the theology of Augustine and would write multiple volumes spurning Augustine’s doctrine. Julian made several charges against Augustine and the Catholic Church; however, he would focus primarily on Augustine view of grace, original sin, and infant baptism. Julian charged Augustine with relapsing back into Manichean fatalism by teaching on the need for grace. â€Å"Julian chief charge of Mancihesim is predominantly related to its position that there is an evil principle at war against the good principle.He objected to Augustine’s doctrine of original sin as implying that all are born the power of the devil and have to be re-born in Christ. † Julian like most followers of Pelagius considered the sin of Adam less grave than Cain’s murder of Abel as evil, along these lines of thinking Julian purports a question, â€Å"why would God punish Adam’s sin with quite disproportionate penalty? † Answering the question states, that God would not; therefore, we have not inherited a skewed sinful nature from Adam. Additionally, going to say that man nature is similar to Adam before his fall, all people start off fall when it comes to sin.These and other 16 charges made by Julian would be proved false by Augustine; nevertheless, Julian succeeded in causing great distraction and Augustine would spend the latter part of his life contending with the Pelagian disciple. Conclusion Augustine the Bishop of Hippo is considered one of the greatest church fathers and apologetics in all Christendom; he made an immense contribution to Church dogma, holding people in the early church accountable to s cripture. Although his writings are now centuries old, have stood the test of time and provide fundamental essentials that the church today adheres too.Like some before him, Irenaeus, Origen, Polycarp, and Ignatius, Augustine understood scripture as being delicately shrouded allegorical idioms, purposely arrange by God in order for man to seek Him out through inquiry. Augustine thorough inquiry attempted to focus on and solve many theological and existential questions that many then and many today ponder over. For instance, Augustine writes on the need for sacramental baptism, prevenient grace, freewill, evil, original sin, turmoil, tragedy, human nature, and false doctrine. The answers to these philosophical, heological, and spiritual questions would take a life-time for Augustine to traverse, establishing him solidly as a great apologist, theologian, and more importantly a man of God. Augustine’s theology was shaped and formed through early life experience. Being inclined t o sin (lust of the flesh) saying of himself â€Å"so small a boy, so great a sinner† This brings to light a frame of thought Augustine details in two of his better known writings, City of God, and Confessions. In the compositions Augustine brings clarity and a deeper level of thought on multiple subjects, his candid memory illustrating his early innocence evolving, while 17 t the same time, providing great intellectual thought on substantive issues relating to scripture, dogma, heresies spiritual formation, faith, love, maturity, and much more, which would aid the church in its infancy. Overall Augustine presented a message that reiterated Romans 5:12, and the blessed hope (Christ) that all humanity is certain of, by God’s Grace to atone for our sins. 18 Bibliography Alan Jacobs. Original Sin, A Cultural History. 1st Edition. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2001. Ambrose, Saint (Bishop of Milan: Ide M. Ni Riain). Commentary of Saint Ambrose on the Gospel according to Sain t Luke.Halcyon Press in association with Elo Publications, 2001. Augustine, Saint. Confessions of Saint Augustine. Translated by Edward B. Pusey, D. D. Grand Rapids, MI: Christians Classics Ethereal Library. Augustine, Saint, A Treatise on Nature and Grace in Nicene Post Nicene Fathers, trans. Peter Holmes, ed. Philip Schaff. Grand Rapids, MI: Christians Classics Ethereal Library Augustine, Saint. On Forgiveness of Sin, and Baptism, translated by Phillip Schaff. Grand Rapids, MI: Christians Classics Ethereal Library. Brown, Peter. Augustine of Hippo, a Biography. 2nd Edition.Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 2000. Clark, Mary. Augustine. New York London: Continuum, 2001. Etwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Grand Rapids, Mich. Carlisle, Cumbria, U. K: Baker Academic Paternoster Press, 2001. Hall, Christopher. Learning Theology with the Church Fathers. Downers Grove, Ill: Intervarsity Press, 2002. Harent, S. â€Å"Original Sin. † Catholic Encycl opedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. Hiestand, Gerald. â€Å"Augustine and the justification debates: appropriating Augustine's doctrine of culpability. Trinity Journal 28, no. 1 (March 1, 2007): 115-139. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed October 7, 2012). Irenaeus of Lyons, Irenaues Against Heries: Ante- Nicene Church Fathers, Philip Schaff, ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Christians Classics Ethereal Library. McCann, C. (2009). Influence of Manichaeism on Augustine of Hippo as a spiritual mentor. Cistercian Studies Quarterly, 44(3), 255-277. Nassif, Bradley L. â€Å"Toward a â€Å"catholic† understanding of St Augustine's view of original sin. † Union Seminary Quarterly Review 39, no. 4 (January 1, 1984): 287-299.ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed October 7, 2012). 19 Papageorgiou, P. (1995). Chrysostom and Augustine on the Sin of Adam and Its Consequences. St Vladimir's Theological Quarterly, 39(4), 361-378. Ph ipps, William E. â€Å"The heresiarch : Pelagius or Augustine?. † Anglican Theological Review 62, no. 2 (April 1, 1980): 124-133. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed October 7, 2012). Smither, Edward. Augustine as Mentor: A Model for Preparing Spiritual Leaders. Nashville, Tenn: B ; H Academic, 2008 Taylor, John.The Doctrine of Original Sin Proposed to Free and Candid Examination. London: New Castle, 1845. Tertullian, Tertullian on Baptism. Translated by Rev. S. Thelwall. Grand Rapids, MI: Christians Classics Ethereal Library. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Nassif, Bradley L. â€Å"Toward a â€Å"catholic† understanding of St Augustine's view of original sin. † Union Seminary Quarterly Review 39, no. 4 (January 1, 1984): 287-299. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed October 7, 2012). [ 2 ]. Alan Jacobs, Original Sin, A Cultural History (New York, NY: Harper Collins, 2001), ix. [ 3 ].Gerald Hiestand, â€Å"Augustine and the justification debates: appropriating Augustine's doctrine of culpability. † Trinity Journal 28, no. 1 (March 1, 2007): 115-139. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed October 7, 2012). [ 4 ]. Mary Clark, Augustine (New York London: Continuum, 2001), 2-3. [ 5 ]. Edward Smither, Augustine As Mentor: A Model for Preparing Spiritual Leaders (Nashville, Tenn: B & H Academic, 2008), 103. [ 6 ]. Ide M. Ni Riain Saint Ambrose (Bishop of Milan), Commentary of Saint Ambrose on the Gospel according to Saint Luke (Halcyon Press in association with Elo Publications, 2001). 7 ]. Walter Elwell, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Grand Rapids, Mich. Carlisle, Cambria, and U. K: Baker Academic Paternoster Press, 2001), 1103. [ 8 ]. Ibid, 1103 [ 9 ]. P. Papageorgiou. (1995). Chrysostom and Augustine on the Sin of Adam and Its Consequences. St Vladimir's Theological Quarterly, 39(4), 361-378. [ 10 ]. Augustine, Saint. Confessions of Saint Augustine. translated by Edward B. Pusey, D. D. (Grand Rapids, MI: Christians Classics Ethereal Library), Book 1, 7 [ 11 ]. Ibid, Confessions Book V, 8 [ 12 ]. Mary Clark, Augustine (New York London: Continuum, 2001), 50-51. 13 ]. Ibid, 121-123. [ 14 ]. Peter Brown, Augustine of Hippo, a Biography, 2nd Edition (Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 2000), 419. [ 15 ]. Clark, 55. [ 16 ]. Bradley L Nassif. â€Å"Toward a â€Å"catholic† understanding of St Augustine's view of original sin. † Union Seminary Quarterly Review 39, no. 4 (January 1, 1984): 287-299. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed October 7, 2012). [ 17 ]. Nassif, 287-299. [ 18 ]. B. J. Gundlach and Walter A. Etwell ed. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology: Augustine of Hippo (Grand Rapids, Mich. Carlisle, Cumbria, U.K: Baker Academic Paternoster Press, 2001), 123. [ 19 ]. Irenaeus of Lyons, Irenaues Against Heries: Ante- Nicene Church Fathers, Philip Schaff, ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Christians Classics Ethereal Library), Book V, chapter 23. [ 20 ]. Nassif, 287-299. [ 21 ]. Edward Smither, Augustine as Mentor: A Model for Preparing Spiritual Leaders. Nashville (Ten: B & H Academic, 2008), 104. [ 22 ]. Saint Augustine, Concerning the City of God, trans. Rev Marcus Dodds, D. D. (Grand Rapids, MI: Christians Classics Ethereal Library), Book XII, 22. [ 23 ]. Clark, 95. [ 24 ]. Nassif, 287-299. 25 ]. Smither, 107-108. [ 26 ]. Brown, 387. [ 27 ]. Clark, 46. [ 28 ]. Saint Augustine, On Forgiveness of Sin, and Baptism, translated by Phillip Schaff (Grand Rapids, MI: Christians Classics Ethereal Library), 43:27 [ 29 ]. Tertullian, Tertullian on Baptism, translated by Rev. S. Thelwall (Grand Rapids, MI: Christians Classics Ethereal Library), Book 2. [ 30 ]. William E Phipps. â€Å"The Heresiarch: Pelagius or Augustine? † Anglican Theological Review 62, no. 2 (April 1, 1980): 124-133 . ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed October 7, 2012). [ 31 ].John Taylor The Doctrine of Original Sin Proposed to Free and Candid Examination, (London: New Castle, 1845), 6-7. [ 32 ]. C. McCann, (2009). Influence of Manichaeism on Augustine of Hippo as a spiritual mentor. Cistercian Studies Quarterly, 44(3), 255-277. [ 33 ]. Harent, S. â€Å"Original Sin. † Catholic Encyclopedia. (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911). Retrieved October 7, 2012 from New Advent: www. newadvent. org/cathen11312. htm. [ 34 ]. W. A. Hoffecker,. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Walter A. Elwell ed. Grand Rapids, Mich (Carlisle, Cumbria, U. K: Baker Academic Paternoster Press, 2001), 729. 35 ]. Augustine, Confession, Book IV, 15. [ 36 ]. Nassif, 287-299. [ 37 ]. Ibid. [ 38 ]. Augustine, â€Å"A Treatise on Nature and Grace† in Nicene Post Nicene Fathers, trans. Peter Holmes, ed Philip Schaff (Grand Rapids, MI: Christians Classics Ethereal Library), book V, 14 . [ 39 ]. Mary Clark, Augustine (New York London: Continuum, 2001), 48. [ 40 ]. Nassif, 287-299. [ 41 ]. Clark, 48. [ 42 ]. Hall, Christopher. Learning theology with the church fathers. Downers Grove (Ill: InterVarsity Press, 2002), 134. [ 43 ]. Clark 50-51 [ 44 ]. Hall, 146. [ 45 ]. Ibid [ 46 ]. Clark, Augustine, 2.

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English reaserch paper - Essay Example et of rules, norms or processes by which individuals live since childhood and tolerating or understanding those having differing views of it is a challenging task. B. The advent of technology and the simultaneous evolution of globalization have blurred national and international boundaries thereby further stressing on the significance and need for encouraging cultural acceptance. As nations of the world, join hands for commercial exchange of goods and services, understanding cultural diversity has gained supreme significance. C. On the basis of the above arguments it can be established that there exists widespread cultural diversity across the globe and in the wake of globalization and rapidly blurring geographical boundaries, there is an urgent need to eliminate and reduce the cultural differences. This can only be done through encouraging cultural acceptance as it has great potential in eliminating the racial conflicts that tends to tarnish human development and create obstacles in the fight against environmental degradation. For instance, the fight against terrorism – a popular political agenda of the U.S. government which seeks to defend the nation from prospective terrorist attacks, is a glaring example of both – apparent cultural differences which has given rise to such animosity between faiths, and the investment of huge resources and manpower in arms and ammunition rather than investing the same in more culturally relevant issues such as global warming. D. Cultural acceptance may lead to better socio-economic relations among nations, protection of environment, development of a culturally diverse yet united world, establishment of world peace, greater racial tolerance, healthier trade relations, cultural globalization etc among others. â€Å"In these troubled times with the world in search of its bearings and way ward minds using the terms â€Å"culture† and â€Å"civilization† in an attempt to turn human beings against one another, there is an urgent

Quality of life for Women with bleeding disorders Essay

Quality of life for Women with bleeding disorders - Essay Example However, health care physicians play a significant role in detecting signs and symptoms of vWD and in the ensuring that proper management is given to patients suffering from the disease (Lillicrap and James 2009). Von Willebrand Disease (VWD) is named after Dr. Erik von Willebrand (1870-1949) who first described the condition in 1926. He became famous for his description of bleeding among inhabitants of the island of Foglo in the Aaland archipelago in the Baltic Sea. In 1925, he examined a 5-year old patient whose four siblings died of bleeding disorders. In his report, he presented this as an unidentified type of hemophilia. He initially called the disorder â€Å"pseudohemophilia† because of lengthened bleeding time. During the course of his study, he noted that platelets were involved so he renamed it â€Å"constitutional thrombopathy† (Owens 2007). The ability of blood to clot is usually affected by vWD and can cause excessive bleeding. In rare cases, such bleeding m ay harm the internal organs or may even be fatal. VWD manifests in a deficiency in protein in the blood which is called von Willebrand factor (vWF) found in the linings of the blood vessels. Bleeding occurs when blood vessels are injured. Blood cells called platelets cluster together to block the hole in the blood vessel and control the bleeding. vWF serves as adhesion to help the platelets bond together to form a blood clot. Another vital protein that helps the blood clot is factor VIII (FVIII) found in vWF. FVIII is normally inactive in hemophilia which is another clotting disorder. In comparison with hemophilia, vWD more common and less serious among inherited bleeding disorders. It affects 1 out of 100 to 1000 people. Unlike hemophilia which mostly affects males, vWD has effects in both males and females (NHLBI 2008). vWD Disease Forms or Types Just like in many health conditions, vWD is classified into different forms. Type 1 is the most prevalent and is the mildest form, where in vWF in the blood is decreased. The symptoms manifested are mild and may not even be detected. However, use of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can aggravate the condition. People with Type 1 (partial quantitative deficiency), vWD do not have spontaneous bleeding but may bleed considerably with trauma, medical and dental procedures. In Type 2 (qualitative deficiency) vWD, there is an abnormality in vWF. This type is further subdivided into Type 2A and Type 2B. In Type 2A, the multimer which are the building blocks in VWF are smaller than the normal size and rupture easily. In Type 2B, vWF glues to the platelets too well resulting to the clustering of the platelets which can cause reduced platelet number. There are 2 more subtypes (2M and 2N) but these are much rarer. In Type 3 (total deficiency) vWD, there is severe bleeding with vWF and FVIII in the blood at very low levels. Pseudo or platelet type of vWD is comparable to Type 2B but in this case, t here is a deficiency in the platelets instead of vWF (Griffin 2010). Prevalence of vWD VWD is prevalent worldwide and can also manifest in animal classes including canine and hogs. Its occurrence in people differs depending on the method applied to identify medical findings. It has been reported in two extensive epidemiologic researches that symptoms and signs of vWd were evident in up to 1% of children and infant population (Werner, Broxson, Tucker, Giroux, Schults, and Abshire 1993). Type 3 vWD

EGT2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

EGT2 - Essay Example We can also say that as the income of a consumer will increase, he will consume less of those goods The coefficient of Cross-price elasticity helps us determine whether the good is complementary or substitute to one another and if the elasticity has negative sign it means that the goods are complementary. Where as if the goods are strong substitutes to each other then there will be a positive sign(this can be easily understand from the example given in part A that there is a positive relationship between price of Pepsi and quantity demand of coke). Similarly, when the elasticity is POSITIVE it means it is a normal good (luxury good). As your income will increase you will demand more branded goods. Instead of a normal coffee you would like to enjoy coffee from Starbucks, designer dresses and Rolex watches. The coefficient of income elasticity for inferior good is always negative. (As income and quantity demand moves in opposite direction). And positive for normal goods (income and quantity demand moves in same direction) All above elasticity of demand plays a significant role in understanding the behavior of consumer or individual under each scenario. We can also predict a possible outcome with the changes in either of the determinant. If the substitute for a particular product is open to a consumer, then the demand would be elastic which means that the increase in price of product ‘A’ will decrease its quantity demanded and people will be willing to consume more of the substitute good as it is cheaper than product ‘A’ and also provides equal utility and vice versa. We know that there is always a positive relationship between price of one good and quantity demanded of the substitute good. Hence if price of a good ‘A’ increases then the quantity demand of its substitute will also increase. The larger is the share of consumer’s budget to a particular good,

International relation theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International relation theory - Essay Example While neo-realist theory contends the effect of state principles and capabilities for the international system, neo-liberalist theory emphasizes on a wider view of the international politics, focusing on the plurality of state actions including the economic and cultural aspects. Taking these two schools of thought for discussion, we bring out an analysis of which theoretical perspective provides the most plausible account of international politics, with particular reference to the films, Independence Day, and Lord of the Flies. The article examines how the international theories appear to be true on the movie and analyze whether the theory is portrayed in the film as normal or deviant from the world in it. According to Neo-realism, the international political structure is defined by the principle of anarchy, mentioning that there is no central authority of governance for the international system. Kenneth Waltz, regarded as the founder of Neo-realism, argues that, unlike the tradition al realism, the conduct of the states is determined by this structure of the international system. The states are inclined to be formally equal in the system and they act without subordinating to each other. The needs and abilities of a state determine their capabilities and power on the international system. ... Anarchy and self-preservation alone are not sufficient to explain the war of all against all† (Pechlivanis 2012). The international relation is shaped by the balance of power among the states, which is attained by the states’ abilities to constrain to the relative powers for relative gains, through internal and external balancing. The great powers within the international system could be classified as the unipolar, bipolar and multipolar systems, owing to the number of powers contained in the system. According to neorealist, bipolar system would be a stable one as it is balanced through internal balancing alone, eliminating the need for external balancing. This is because there is no greater power to be formed from alliances and therefore lesser chance for great wars. On the other hand, Neoliberalism tends to view the international system from a wider perspective, demanding for a stronger state that promotes its interests. Unlike the neo-realism that views the state as a single entity, neo-liberalism includes plurality of its affairs. It focuses on security, integration of states and conflicting nature of the international politics in respect to the political economy and cooperation between the states. Neo-liberalism insists that states should have the goal of absolute gains rather than concerning about the relative gains for establishing power. The collaboration among the competitive states can be achieved in an anarchic international system with a rational decision and preferences of the states. Neo-liberalism contends that international institutions can successfully pave a way for the states to cooperate in the international system. â€Å"Institutions exert a causal force on international relations, shaping state preferences and locking

Financial Regulation & Supervision. Andrews Bank case study Essay

Financial Regulation & Supervision. Andrews Bank case study - Essay Example Adam is a newly hired commercial loan officer in training at the Andrew and Andrews Bank. After clearing several credit analysis exams, he joined the bank with zeal and fervor towards credit analysis. Several of his seniors noticed him for his intelligence and smartness. Soon Adam was promoted to be a financial analyst and was assigned to his superior, Jon Smith who was a commercial loan officer. As part of his job, Adam was required to conduct credit analysis to check credit worthiness for all new customers that Jon brought into the bank. In one such case, where Roberts and Roberts had requested for a five million pound loan, Adam was extremely confused by the way Jon had handled the situation. Adam noted that the company, a retail store chain, was very highly leveraged with most of the exposure being handled by his bank. In most of the cases, Roberts and Roberts had undertaken operating leases which were not part of the long term loans like other leases. As an accounting regulation , finance leases are classified as long term loans while operating leases only come under contingencies and commitments and in the notes. As a result, Roberts and Roberts was playing with accounting rules and noting its operating leases under notes. Subsequently, when Adam analyzed the credit worthiness of the company, he found that the company was dangerously over leveraged and therefore was not a safe investment or customer for the bank. Adam included this element into his analysis in the memorandum which he then forwarded to Jon so that she would include that in the credit file. However, Jon decided not to include that in her credit file and the file was later approved by the credit committee with the operating lease issue never coming up in the credit committee meeting. After this scenario, Adam overheard a conversation between Jon and other colleagues. Apparently, Jon had a personal mortgage loan application approved by the Sheffield Building Society. It was also found that the President of Roberts and Roberts was also chairing the board of the society. Adam also found that extremely favorable rates were offered to Jon on the personal mortgage. Adam was thoroughly confused because of the unfolding scenario and this case now portrays several ethical concerns. Following this is an outline of the ethical concerns that are raised by this case along with the action steps that Adam should take in order to fix the situat ion. Moreover, certain recommendations for the organization are also put up in order to avoid such situations in the future. Ethical Concerns Highlighted in the Case Various ethical concerns have been highlighted in the case based on the scenario outlined above. The first issue that has come up is that Jon has been given the sole responsibility to present the credit file to his superiors and the credit committee which leads to issues such as dependency on only one person who can be easily

Human Resources - Pay Plans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Resources - Pay Plans - Essay Example Hence, reward system in organization can be defined as â€Å"The degree to which reward allocations (i.e., salary increase, promotions) are based on employee performance criteria in contrast to seniority, favoritism and so on.† However, reward systems are more than bonus and stock options. As Steve Jobs says â€Å"The journey is reward†; often rewards include both of these incentives, they can also include other recognition such as reassignment, non-monetary like vacations. Abraham Maslow’s theory of needs hierarchy explains the needs of human beings into five hierarchical categories namely physiological, safety, social, esteem, and need for self-actualisation.   On the contrary, Victor Vroom’s expectancy theory explains why employees act the way they do, in light of their aspirations and their expectation of reaching those goals. These two theories are renowned frameworks that are used to create effective reward systems in organisations. Intrinsic rewards are intangible, i.e., feeling of accomplishment and a sense of achievement. These rewards are those that produce non-quantifiable, personal satisfaction and a feeling that the work of employee is appreciated. On the other hand, extrinsic rewards are tangible outcome such as monetary, promotion, bonuses and sales prizes. Such employees are thought to be motivated to work hard to produce quality results when extrinsic rewards are offered. In research paper of â€Å"Management implication of the interaction between intrinsic motivation and extrinsic rewards† by David Beswick of University of Melbourne, when employee is intrinsically motivated, they are more aware of wide range of phenomena while giving more attention to complexities, inconsistencies and unexpected possibilities. Such employees need time and independence to make choices, to collect and process information, and to get applauded for well

Obesity Has a Deep Impact in the Life of a Child Essay Example for Free

Obesity Has a Deep Impact in the Life of a Child Essay Using the Center for Writing Excellence and MyFoundationsLab resources, provide the topic sentence and informal outline for your Personal Ethics Statement. †¢ Topic sentence: Obesity has a deep impact in the life of a child. †¢ Informal outline: 1. Explain how obesity affects the childs physical health. 2. Explain how obesity affects the childs mental health. 3. Give ideas of how parents can be involved in the change of habits in the obese child. 5. Summarize why obesity has a deep impact in the life of a child. Obesity has a deep impact in the life of a child, physically, and mentally as well. An obese child is at risk of having health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, and strokes as an adult, if he or she is not treated in an early age. An overweight child can be a target for bullying at school, making his or her social life poor, creating anxiety, depression, and lowering their self esteem. The parents play an important role in the life of an obese child. does not matter if the child is obese because a genetic factor, or just because his or her does not have a proper eating habit, the condition it is treatable. Encourage the child to follow a healthy diet, being an example for him or her, and being supportive, are examples of how a parent can be involve in the life of an obese child. Taking obesity in a child seriously, and trying to find ways to improve this condition, are the first steps to a better future in an obese childs life.

Assessment of a students personal learning style

Assessment of a students personal learning style Any educational course is always commenced with some expectations and hopes to achieve some specific goals. These expectations and hopes are always contingent to some estimation as well as some strategic plans to achieve the set goals. In this essay I will endeavour to write a personal reflection on what I have learned upon completing the course .This will include some assessment of my personal learning style and strengths and weaknesses, an estimated work plan for my completion of the degree, and the strategy I will intend to adopt for future essay writing. This will be a useful document to help me through the course as well as an important part of my assessment. These expectations with reference to their strategic planning for the accomplishment of the course are as follows: My expectations before the commencement of the B.Th. course at SLCC. A new learning experience in London (SLCC). Exploration of learning potentials and weakness. Evaluation of my strengths and weakness to improve the mistakes and shortcomings. The Assessment to judge my achievement and future planning to complete my degree at a specific determined time. MY EXPECTATIONS AND THE NEW LEARNING EXPERIENCE: It was expected by me that I would be supposed to go through the written examinations as is instructed in my home country, Pakistan. I was unaware of the enhanced research study at UK because I never researched before even at my Master degree level studies rather went through a specific syllabus and examination system. I also thought to be prepared for the examination by cramming the things in contrast to be creative minded person as I am now. Learning through visual aids like movies that are being shown by Mercia time to time and use of PowerPoint in the seminars are very innovative and a new things to learn for me. These things left a permanent impression on my memory as is also said that show and tell is a good way of teaching and one learns a lot through hearing and seeing. Seminars that are held on some occasions are also a good source of education as they just bring a slight change in ones regular monotonous routine of learning work. Apart from this change, they also provide a chance to learn a very comprehensive and lengthy topic within a short period of time. These seminars are also a unique experience for me as they informed me about the things happening on an international level for instance persecution of the Christian throughout the world came to my knowledge at SLCC in contrast to my previous knowledge of persecution that was only limited to the Bible. Discussion on some topic is a best way of learning as compared to learning alone because in a group discussion different opinions and ideas are shared that bring out the best possible answer of the faced issue. In addition, question answer method of study at SLCC also brought confidence in me to further explore and polish my hidden talents. I never had any idea to cope with an atmosphere where essays are written by using libraries and internet because I was not good at internet and never used any library before coming to SLCC. Therefore, usage and utilization of library and the Internet created in me a sense of curiosity for more and more as well as correct knowledge. EXPLORATION OF MY POTENTIALS AND WEAKNESSES:- I was accustomed to read books as opposed to e-learning or learning by internet as far as my study is concerned. A poor knowledge of computer and internet kept me away from using an internet but it is now hoped that I will be used to it very soon in my next two years. The Subject of theology was limited to biblical doctrines only but an interaction with a multicultural environment at SLCC gave me a good opportunity to learn theology at a broad canvas; for some African countries laid more emphasis on stereology contrary to the Christology. If I had not been here I would have not known that I could write and speak English correctly, in fact I developed my English writing skills here. A well-organized and well-scheduled study system revealed as well as enhanced my strengths as a student as I will be adapted to this system to read as many books as possibly I can. Especially, the course of research and study skills has been proved the best source to create convenience for study as well as essay writing. This course guided me to improve my study skills to a great extent. It is said that travelling is a part of ones education. Local tour of London and international tours especially of Israel is a long lasting educational experience for me as a student of theology to learn the Christian geographical boundaries. Previously I was not well-disciplined and always waited for last moments to prepare and complete my study tasks but now I am disciplined enough to meet even the tight deadlines whether they are inside or outside of my study spheres. THE ASSESSMENT AND FUTURE PLANNING:- Generally, an annual and particularly a weekly assessment of my achievements is required in order to be accountable to myself to see whether I achieve my set targets or not. This assessment includes my educational as well monetary obligations to the degree. I am being benefited by a well-read faculty of SLCC to be imparted with correct Biblical and theological knowledge to be enabled to write my assignments. I am intended to avail all the available sources such as books, the Internet, movies and journals to present a good academic and scholarly work to get appreciable results in future. I am supposed to complete a minimum one essay in a week in order to complete my degree on time. Therefore, keeping in mind this tight and tough routine of essay writing I am determined to be regular and punctual in attendance to clarify my concepts about theology so that I will be able to reproduce my essays easily. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that completion of first year of B.Th. at SLCC as was expected and desired by me, had been a wonderful academic and spiritual experience for me as it highlighted hidden qualities and talents in me. Therefore I could explore my talents to improve my academic career. Evaluations of my weakness and strengths as a student further stimulated me to improve my shortcomings of poor knowledge of research and computer utilization and use my previous good knowledge and skills of English for the attainment of my targets. The successful completion of first year has infused in me a marvelous spirit to make a strategic plan of my regular assessment and accountability on weekly, monthly, mid-termly, mid-annually and annually basis for the further achievement of my aims as far as my next two years are concerned. Briefly, the study at a degree level is a well-planned and career-shaping study. A Study at a degree level is not merely degree-oriented rather it is a well-researched and knowledge-oriented study which actually develops a ones character as well shapes ones destination.

Association of IL-12β rs3212227 and Psoriasis

Association of IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 and Psoriasis Title: Associations between IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 polymorphism and susceptibility to psoriasis: a meta-analysis Running title: Association of IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 and psoriasis Highlights: We performed a Meta-analysis to assess the association ofIL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 and psoriasis. Association between IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 and psoriasis was proved. IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 is the susceptibility gene of psoriasis in Asian and European. Abstract Purpose The aim of this meta-analysis was to explore whether IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 polymorphism confer susceptibility to psoriasis. Methods We performed a computerized literature search before December 2013. Review Manger 5.2 was used to perform meta-analysis. The meta-analysis was conducted on the associations between IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 polymorphism and the risk of psoriasis. Results Nine studies involving 17,620 subjects were included in this meta-analysis. Significant association was found between psoriasis and IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 allele in all study subjects (C vs. A: OR=0.68, 95%CI =0.64-0.72, P Conclusions This meta-analysis demonstrated that the IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 polymorphism is associated with the risk of psoriasis. Keywords IL-12ÃŽ ², polymorphism, psoriasis, Meta-analysis, susceptibility gene Introduction Psoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory skin disease, characterized by epidermal hyperplasia and infiltration of leukocytes into the dermis and epidermis [1]. An recent systematic review [2] reported that the prevalence in children ranged from 0% (Taiwan) to 2.1% (Italy), and in adults it varied from 0.91%(United States) to 8.5% (Norway). In children, the incidence estimate reported (United States) was 40.8/100,000person-years. In adults, it varied from 78.9/100,000 person-years (United States) to 230/100,000 person-years (Italy). It reported that psoriasis occurred by the interaction between genetic and environmental factors [3] and the immune mechanism plays an essential role in the chronic development and progression of psoriasis [4]. However, until now the exact etiology and pathogenesis of psoriasis remain unclear [5]. Currently, the study of psoriasis susceptibility genes is a hot research direction. IL-12 is a kind of key cytokines involved in T cell immune [6]. It confirmed thatIL -12 is closely related to the pathogenesis of psoriasis . rs3212227 is a SNP in 3’ untranslated region [7]. Tsunemi et al. [8] reported the association of rs3212227 with risk of psoriasis. Capon et al. reported that there was significant association between rs3212227 and psoriasis. It indicated that IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 may be one of the psoriasis susceptibility genes. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine whether IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 polymorphisms confer susceptibility to psoriasis. Methods Literature search A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Medline and Embase up to December 2013. We screened all fields by combining the term â€Å"psoriasis† or â€Å"psoriatic†, â€Å"interleukin-12ÃŽ ²Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"IL-12ÃŽ ²Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"genetic polymorphism† or â€Å"genetic variant†. Selection criteria Literatures were included in this meta-analysis if they met each of the following criteria: (1) case-control studies between patients with psoriasis (experimental group) and hospital-based or population-based individuals (control group), (2) published English literatures involving studies of association between IL-12ÃŽ ² genetic polymorphism and psoriasis, and (3) having the data of genotype and frequency of allele in the experimental and control group or obtaining by computing. Studies were excluded when genotype distribution in the control group did not meet the test of hardy-weinberg equilibrium. Data extraction and quality assessment Data extraction was conducted by two reviewers independently. Disagreements between reviewers were resolved by discussion with a third investigator. From the included studies, the following data were abstracted: the first author name, year of publication, country or race, genotype distribution inthe experimental and control group, gender ratio and mean age of the subjects in the experimental and control group. In this meta-analysis, we applied the criteria based on Clark et al [9] to assess the quality of included studies. On the basis of their scores, the included studies were classified into three levels: low quality (0-4), moderate quality (5-7)and high quality (8-10). Statistical analysis Test of hardy-weinberg equilibrium [10] was conducted to ensure the quality of the included literatures before running meta-analysis. Review Manger 5.2 was used to perform meta-analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated under five genetic models: the allele model (C vs. A), the dominant model (CC+AC vs. AA), the recessive model (CC vs. AA+AC), the homozygous/additive model (CC vs. AA) and the heterozygous model (CC vs. AC). Heterogeneity was evaluated using by the chi-square-based Q statistic test [11] and I2 test with ÃŽ ±12]. Subgroup analysis was performed by the difference of ethnicity. The sensitivity analysis was conducted to see the stability of pooled results by sequential omission of individual studies [13]. Funnel plots were used to assess the possibility of publication bias. Results Literature search In total, 114 potentially relevant studies were identified and screened after an initial search. Among them, 98 articles were excluded after screening based on abstracts or titles. Five out of these 16 remaining literatures were excluded because of duplicate publication. Then 2 studies were removing because there was no available data. As a result, 9 literatures were included in this meta-analysis. A flow diagram of the search process is shown in Fig.1. Characteristics of included studies The characteristics of 9 included studies [8, 14-21] were summarized in Table 1. The publication years of these studies ranged from year 2002 to 2013. A total of 17,620 subjects were involved in this meta-analysis, including 6,520 psoriasis patients and 11,150 healthy controls. The race of these subjects was Caucasian or Asian except one study in which mix racial subjects were studied. None of the SNPs had genotype frequencies that deviated significantly from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in these included studies. All quality scores of included studies were from 5 to 8. It showed that the included studies were moderate–high quality literatures in this meta-analysis. Meta-analysis of the association between IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 polymorphism and psoriasis Summary results of this meta-analysis for the association between IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 polymorphism and psoriasis were shown in Table 2. For the genotype model of CC+AC vs. A, no heterogeneity (I2=57%, P=0.02) existed in the included literatures, so the random effects model was used. For the other genotype model, fixed effects model was used because of significant heterogeneity among studies. The meta-analysis results showed the highly significant association of these alleles with psoriasis (C vs. A: OR=0.68, 95%CI =0.64-0.72, PC vs. A: OR= 0.66, 95%CI =0.61-0.70, P Sensitivity analysis and publication bias Sensitivity analysis by dropping one study at a time did not indicate the dominant influence of any single study. The funnel plot showed that there was no obvious publication bias was shown in the result. Discussion In this meta-analysis, we combined data from published studies to evaluate genetic associations between polymorphisms of IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 and psoriasis. Our meta-analysis of IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 showed significant association of the IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 polymorphisms with the risk of psoriasis. Another meta-analysis [22] reported the association of IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 and psoriasis. Compared with that one, there were three the advantages of this meta-analysis. The first one was that this meta-analysis had been more recently (2013) conducted to synthesize evidence concerning the association of IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 and psoriasis. Second, furthermore subgroup analysis by ethnicity was performed and showed that the results did not varies with the difference of ethnicity. Third, the publication meta-analysis reported no heterogeneity among the included studies. Nevertheless, in this meta-analysis, heterogeneity was found among the included studies in the genotype model of CC+AC vs. AA. Ex ploring the sources of heterogeneity was useful to study the association of IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 and psoriasis. Thus, further well-designed studies need to focus on exploring the sources of heterogeneity. In the publication studies, it demonstrated that IL-12 was closely related to the pathogenesis of psoriasis. It reported that the mRNA [23]and protein expression [24] of IL-12 p40 was increased in the psoriatic skin. Efficacy was obtained by the drug therapy on immunization targets [25]. The SNP, rs3212227, is located in IL-12ÃŽ ² gene [26]. The expression of IL-12 p40 was changed after import homozygous gene fragment into cell [27]. It indicated that the change of allele might cause change in the expression of IL-12p40 and affect the function of IL-12p40. Then a series of immune responses were triggered. Finally, these events would lead to the onset of psoriasis. These findings prove that IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 may be the susceptibility gene of psoriasis. The result of this meta-analysis provided further evidence of the association betweenthe polymorphisms of IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 and psoriasis. It reported that the occurrence of psoriasis varied according to geographic region [2]. And the family genes are difference in each region. In this meta-analysis, subgroup analysis was performed by the difference of ethnicity. However, the subjects did not contain all the population. Thus, it proved that rs3212227 is the susceptibility gene of psoriasis in Asian and European. Further studies need to be done to study the influence of ethnicity. Present study has some limitations that require specific consideration. The first one is that there is no enough data of age and sex to concern the influence of these confounding factors for the result of this meta-analysis. Second limitation is that the type of psoriasis cannot be analyzed because of the limited information. Furthermore, there are many other possible susceptibility genes, but only one of them was selected to do this meta-analysis. Conclusions In conclusion, we determined that there was significant association between the polymorphisms of IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 and psoriasis. IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 has a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. For researching the pathogenesis of psoriasis, all the susceptibility genes as well as the interaction among them need to be studied in the future. References 1. Bromley SK, Larson RP, Ziegler SF, Luster AD: IL-23 Induces Atopic Dermatitis-Like Inflammation Instead of Psoriasis-Like Inflammation in CCR2-Deficient Mice. PloS one 2013, 8(3):e58196. 2. Parisi R, Symmons DP, Griffiths CE, Ashcroft DM: Global epidemiology of psoriasis: a systematic review of incidence and prevalence. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 2012. 3. Naldi L: Risk Factors for Psoriasis. Current Dermatology Reports 2013, 2(1):58-65. 4. Gudjonsson J, Johnston A, Sigmundsdottir H, Valdimarsson H: Immunopathogenic mechanisms in psoriasis. Clinical Experimental Immunology 2004, 135(1):1-8. 5. Baweja P, Agarwal B, Sharma V, Alex A: Oxidant and antioxidant status in patients with Psoriasis. Indian J Applied Pure Bio Vol 2013, 28(2):143-148. 6. Lamont AG, Adorini L: IL-12: a key cytokine in immune regulation. Immunology today 1996, 17(5):214-217. 7. Hong K, Chu A, Là ºdvà ­ksson BR, Berg EL, Ehrhardt RO: IL-12, independently of IFN-ÃŽ ³, plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of a murine psoriasis-like skin disorder. The Journal of Immunology 1999, 162(12):7480-7491. 8. Tsunemi Y, Saeki H, Nakamura K, Sekiya T, Hirai K, Fujita H, Asano N, Kishimoto M, Tanida Y, Kakinuma T: Interleukin-12 p40 gene (IL12B) 3†²-untranslated region polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to atopic dermatitis and psoriasis vulgaris. Journal of dermatological science 2002, 30(2):161-166. 9. Clark MF, Baudouin SV: A systematic review of the quality of genetic association studies in human sepsis. Intensive care medicine 2006, 32(11):1706-1712. 10. Ledwina T, Gnot S: Testing for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Biometrics 1980:161-165. 11. Lau J, Ioannidis JP, Schmid CH: Quantitative synthesis in systematic reviews. Annals of internal medicine 1997, 127(9):820-826. 12. Feng R-N, Zhao C, Sun C-H, Li Y: Meta-analysis of TNF 308 G/A polymorphism and type 2 diabetes mellitus. PloS one 2011, 6(4):e18480. 13. Liu ZH DY, Xiu LC, Pan HY, Liang Y, Zhong SQ, Liu WW, Rao SQ, Kong DL: A meta-analysis of the association between TNF-alpha -308G>A polymorphism and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Han Chinese population. PloS one 2013, 8(3):e59421. 14. 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Smith RL, Warren RB, Eyre S, Ho P, Ke X, Young HS, Griffiths CE, Worthington J: Polymorphisms in the IL-12ÃŽ ² and IL-23R genes are associated with psoriasis of early onset in a UK cohort. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 2007, 128(5):1325-1327. 27. Morahan G, Huang D, Ymer SI, Cancilla MR, Stephen K, Dabadghao P, Werther G, Tait BD, Harrison LC, Colman PG: Linkage disequilibrium of a type 1 diabetes susceptibility locus with a regulatory IL12B allele. Nature genetics 2001, 27(2):218-221. Table 1 Characteristics of included studies. Authors Year Country population Experimental group/control group score PHWE mareà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ %à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° age (years) n Capon F1 2007 UK European 65.4/50 52.1/- 318/288 8 >0.05 Capon F2 2007 UK European 42.4/50 44.1/49 519/528 8 >0.05 Cargill M1 2007 USA European 45.5 28 467/500 7 0.5876 Cargill M2 2007 USA European 45.5 29 498/498 7 0.9129 Eiris N 2012 Spain European 54/55 47/47 304/422 6 0.1045 Hà ¼ffmeier U 2009 Germany European 62/58 48.2/31.6 1114/937 6 >0.05 Nair RP1 2008 Germany European 360/1097 7 >0.05 Nair RP2 2008 USA European 1450/1425 7 >0.05 Nair RP3 2010 Thailand Asian 58/42 34/45 206/114 7 0.8488 Oka A 2013 Japanese Asian 560/560 8 Smith RL 2008 UK Mixed 581/4681 6 0.5815 Tsunemi Y 2002 Japanese Asian 143/100 5 0.3177 PHWEà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’the result of the test of hardy-weinberg equilibrium Table 2 Meta-analysis of the associations between IL-12ÃŽ ² rs3212227 polymorphisms and psoriasis Polymorphism population Test of association Test of heterogeneity OR (95%CI) p P I2 C vs. A Overall 0.68 (0.64, 0.72) 0.18 27% European 0.66 (0.61, 0.70) Asian 0.71 (0.62, 0.82) CC+AC vs. AA Overall 0.61 (0.53, 0.71) 0.02 57% European 0.62 (0.52, 0.73) Asian 0.45 (0.25, 0.82) CC vs. AC+AA Overall 0.53 (0.43, 0.66) 0.85 0% European 0.48 (0.36, 0.64) Asian 0.56 (0.36, 0.85) CC vs. AA Overall 0.46 (0.36, 0.57) 0.78 0% European 0.42 (0.31, 0.56) Asian 0.43 (0.26, 0.70) AC vs. AA Overall 0.65 (0.59, 0.71) 0.16 33% European 0.62(0.56, 0.69) Asian 0.66 (0.44, 0.98) Figure legends Fig.1 Selection of relevant publications, reasons for exclusion. Fig.2 Forest plot displaying the results of the meta-analysis on the genotype of C vs. A Fig.3 Funnel plot analysis of publication bias. ________________________________________________________________________