Authentic Expression Research Articles

The Gospel in the Womb of Culture: Between Syncretism and Orthodoxy in Christian Mission Spirituality and Contemporary Mission

Main issue discussed in this study is the tension between the Gospel and culture in the context of contemporary Christian missions. Often, efforts to proclaim the Gospel are seen as conflicting with local cultural values, creating a dilemma between syncretism and orthodoxy. The aim of this research is to offer an alternative understanding that bridges this tension through an incarnational concept, and to explore how the Gospel and culture can mutually interpolate without losing their respective essences. The methods used are literature review and theological-missional analysis, focusing on the incarnational understanding as an approach in Christian missions. This study explores various theological and missiological perspectives to formulate a alternative understanding of the relationship between the Gospel and culture. The findings show that an incarnational approach allows for dynamic dialogue and interaction between the Gospel and culture. The Gospel can become a renewing agent that purifies the positive aspects of culture, while culture provides a contextual "language" for understanding and experiencing the Gospel. This process is not mere syncretism, but a creative effort to translate the Gospel message into local cultural categories without losing its integrity. In conclusion, the concept of the “Gospel in the Womb of Culture” offers a new paradigm in contemporary Christian missions. The incarnational approach opens the way for the creation of authentic expressions of faith, rooted in the Christian tradition but also relevant to the local cultural context. This implies the need for a shift from a confrontational approach to one that appreciates local wisdom while remaining faithful to the essence of the Gospel.

The Crown must always win: Rethinking authentic leadership through ‘The Crown’ series

Abstract This research explores the theory of authentic leadership and the critiques on the theory by analyzing the portrayals of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, and Margaret Thatcher in season 4 of the Netflix’s series The Crown. Utilizing directed qualitative content analysis, we seek to understand how authenticity in leadership is manifested, its limitations, and the role of gender within this framework. The investigation highlights the challenges leaders face between expected role fulfillment and genuine self-expression. It explores the benefits and drawbacks of authenticity, the attribution of authenticity when the leaders deviate from the formal roles, the nature of the role as influencing the expression of authenticity (e.g., degrees of freedom associated with each role) and the complex interaction between gender and authenticity. In response to these findings, the concept of ‘leader bounded authenticity’ is proposed, suggesting a balance between adhering to the formal role and the display of authentic leadership.

Christianity in Africa

Christianity planted itself in Africa 2,000 years ago through the work of the Apostle Mark who created a vibrant center for Christianity in Alexandria, Egypt. The Pax Romana in North Africa enabled Christianity to spread across North Africa. With the coming of Islam in the 7th century, Christianity was almost wiped out in those regions, barely being able to survive through the liturgy and worship of the Egyptian Coptic Church and monastic influence. It was from there that Christianity spread into Nubia informally through the trade routes. The Ethiopian Church, which had independent origins has always been considered an authentic expression of true African Christianity. No effort was made to spread Christianity into Sub-Saharan Africa. Some missionary work was done along the western coasts by the Jesuits and Dominican Catholics in the 15th century, but focused mainly on the Europeans in the area, such that little mission work was done among the natives. After the abolition of the slave trade mission work was largely spearhead by Protestant Christians. Next came the colonial period which lasted from around 1870 to 1960 A.D. Great gains were made to Christianity during this period which enjoyed the patronage of the colonial administrators. The colonial period brought many economic, social, and religious benefits to Sub-Saharan Africa. Some of these benefits were positive and some negative. Indeed, the missionaries made some mistakes by downgrading everything in African culture, but today many Africans are finding the freedom to express themselves as Christians in a truly African way.

Increasing Black Employees’ Social Identity Affirmation and Organizational Involvement: Reducing Social Uncertainty Through Organizational and Individual Strategies

Despite the psychological benefits of authenticity, Black employees within predominantly White organizations often face the dilemma of whether to downplay versus highlight their social identity. Our research introduces social uncertainty as a unifying lens to understand the reluctance of these employees to express their social identity. Highlighting the central role of social uncertainty also helps identify novel factors at both the organizational level (authenticity climates) and individual level (perspective-taking) that can encourage Black employees to engage in social identity affirmation—authentic expressions of the positive aspects of their social identity. To test our hypotheses, we conducted two survey studies, two experiments, qualitative interviews, as well as coded text responses to our experimental prompts. Across our studies, authenticity climates were associated with greater social identity affirmation by Black employees, and this relationship was strengthened when these employees engaged in perspective-taking. Consistent with our theorizing, social certainty mediated these direct and moderated effects. In addition, social identity affirmation increased Black employees’ organizational involvement. Our experimental studies offer causal evidence for the roles of both authenticity climates and Black employees’ perspective-taking, our qualitative interviews vividly illuminate our hypotheses, and our text response analyses provide insight into how authenticity climates operate. Overall, the current research highlights how organizations can help Black employees feel comfortable emphasizing and expressing their true selves by increasing their social certainty. These findings also have direct implications for organizational leaders, providing them with actionable strategies to create more inclusive environments. Funding: The research was supported by Northwestern University and Oklahoma State University. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2020.14659 .

Service virtuousness: implementing the very best of human qualities in service delivery

PurposeIn light of the increasing prevalence of non-human services, organizations can benefit by emphasizing distinctively human qualities in their services. This paper suggests that cultivating virtues among employees can enhance the value of human-provided services.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper incorporates ideas from management and service research examining the notion of virtue as well as human qualities that are associated with virtuousness. The paper builds upon service research, which emphasizes the important role of human elements in service interaction, along with extensive research in positive organizational scholarship, which characterizes virtues as the finest attributes of human nature.FindingsThe paper introduces “service virtuousness,” the voluntary and authentic expression of human virtues like compassion and creativity in service delivery, treating customers as individuals beyond their formal roles. A review of the literature reveals how virtuousness appears in services. The study also identifies when it is most beneficial, explores the challenges in its implementation, and suggests future research directions.Originality/valueThe paper offers a novel concept for service research grounded in core human values. Although service virtuousness does not focus on outcomes, it offers numerous benefits to all parties involved in the service setting. The theoretical framework for studying service virtuousness provides new opportunities to identify the conditions in which virtuousness is most beneficial in a service context.

We are a miraculous mess and that is the only way we can be

This article introduces the second issue of Stolen Tools by exploring the concept of the love and ‘the erotic’ as described by Audre Lorde. The erotic is a deep, non-rational life force rooted in creativity, self-knowledge, and authentic emotional connections. The erotic embraces a chaotic plurality of identities; creative, free and authentic expression; and meaningful, nurturing solidarity. It is crucial for resisting racial oppression and something that Stolen Tools aspires to, even in the face of institutional and personal blocks. The second half of this piece presents the papers that constitute this issue and build on its theme. The papers in this issue include fictional stories and a poem exploring the complexities of identity, resilience, and racism, as well as articles analysing the limitations of equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in academic and clinical settings. Thank you to everyone who worked on and contributed to this issue including Ricardo Twumasi, Gabi Nieuwoudt, Rubbia Ali, and Hannah Abdalla. Particular thanks to Ebony Burke, who has been seconded from the King’s College London Library and Collections to support our project and is indicative of the creative institutional support that we survive on. I dedicate this issue to my daughter Nika, who inspired the opening article and is one year old at the time of writing.

Cultural bias and cultural alignment of large language models.

Culture fundamentally shapes people's reasoning, behavior, and communication. As people increasingly use generative artificial intelligence (AI) to expedite and automate personal and professional tasks, cultural values embedded in AI models may bias people's authentic expression and contribute to the dominance of certain cultures. We conduct a disaggregated evaluation of cultural bias for five widely used large language models (OpenAI's GPT-4o/4-turbo/4/3.5-turbo/3) by comparing the models' responses to nationally representative survey data. All models exhibit cultural values resembling English-speaking and Protestant European countries. We test cultural prompting as a control strategy to increase cultural alignment for each country/territory. For later models (GPT-4, 4-turbo, 4o), this improves the cultural alignment of the models' output for 71-81% of countries and territories. We suggest using cultural prompting and ongoing evaluation to reduce cultural bias in the output of generative AI.

Joy Beyond the Gender Binary: Experiences, Constructions, and Barriers of Joy in Nonbinary Lives

ABSTRACT Sociologists have increasingly begun exploring the experiences of gender-expansive populations; however, these studies are oversaturated with negative experiences of prejudice and discrimination and do not accurately portray the joy that accompanies identifying outside of the gender binary. This omission of joy prevents a comprehensive exploration of gender-expansive lives, potentially reinforcing stereotypes and contributing to the marginalization of their diverse narratives. To address the growing concern about the “joy deficit” in sociology and trans studies, I conducted in-depth interviews with 28 nonbinary people in which they discussed their experiences of joy. This study identifies four key dimensions of nonbinary joy: 1) discovery of gender identity; 2) authentic expression of gender; 3) external affirmation of identity and expression; and 4) engagement with validating communities. However, interviewees also discussed individual and social factors that frequently created barriers to experiencing these forms of joy. By examining both the sources of nonbinary joy and obstacles to its realization, this research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of gender-expansive identities. Furthermore, this project reveals joy as a social constructed phenomenon, influenced by structural factors that govern its accessibility and manifestation, rather than an individual state of being.

How not to talk about it: Using digital storytelling with children with anxiety

This paper explores the benefits and challenges of using digital storytelling (DST) in mental health research with children. By using DST to centre children's experiences, the study empathetically deepens our understanding of children's complex mental health issues. DST involves a gradual process that fosters safe self-expression and imaginative storytelling. The DST process can help convey difficult or stressful stories coherently and creatively to support both researchers and participants in understanding mental health issues. However, a narrow focus on neat endings and resolutions may limit authentic expression, indicating a need for more open-ended narrative structures to capture the complexities of children's mental health experiences.This is a story about three stories. This is also a story about the discoveries and challenges of working alongside children (ages 10–13) as they used digital storytelling to share their anxiety experiences through short self-made videos. Our journey began with two questions: How would children portray their anxiety through digital storytelling? What aspects of the digital storytelling process would be the most fruitful for both participants and researchers, and why? In this paper, we weave three of the children's stories within our own narrative of using digital storytelling as a research tool to better understand children's experiences of anxiety. Rather than present the children's stories as the results of our research, we use their stories as springboards for articulating and interrogating digital storytelling as a tool for understanding anxiety. We intertwine the first-person accounts of each child with our academic prose, deliberately highlighting the different ways of knowing that our approach enables.

Talking about pain plainly: authentic expression of pain management on Reddit

Verbal authenticity is the degree to which a person is monitoring self-expression that reflects one’s motivation. Though benefits of authentic expression are studied in interpersonal, social, and entrepreneurial success, few have explored authenticity within online health communities for social support and self-disclosure, especially when the health issues are stigmatized offline, such as living with chronic pain and opioid use. Given the health benefits authentic expression provides, the present study explored the discourse of pain management prevalent on Reddit.com and investigated the authentic expression patterns across its labeled communities: subreddits. Relevant messages (N = 57, 564) from posts and replies were collected and evaluated using the authenticity category developed by the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software. The analysis suggests that subreddits built for inviting inquiries such as “r/AskReddit” “r/AskDocs” had higher scores in terms of authentic expression, while others like “r/politics” “r/marvelstudios” had lower authenticity. Also, the more frequently a user posts and replies in a community, the more likely they expressed authentically for the post construction, but not for the reply authenticity. This study explicates the concept of authenticity by exploring what authentic expression means for health benefits in pain management. It also contributes to a growing body of studies focusing on the therapeutic effect of authentic expression in online health communities.

Expressions of authenticity in Interwar Romanian Literature

Expressions of authenticity in Interwar Romanian Literature

Psycho-Sociocultural Determinants of Code-Switching among Igbo- Speaking English Language Undergraduates in Southeastern Region, Nigeria

The present investigation aimed to ascertain the psychological, social, and cultural determinants propelling code-switching behaviours among Igbo-speaking English Language undergraduates in the southeastern region of Nigeria, as perceived by students enrolled at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, in Anambra State, and Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, in Imo State, Nigeria. Employing a quantitative descriptive survey research design, the study comprised the entire population of regular Igbo-speaking English language students from the aforementioned region, with a sample size of 735 participants selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. Guided by four research questions and two null hypotheses, data were collected utilizing a 34-item researcher-structured questionnaire entitled the Psycho-sociocultural Determinants and Code-switching Questionnaire (PDCQ). The validity of the instrument was established through extensive use of relevant literature and also peer-reviewed by experts in English, Research Methods, and Psychology all from the Faculty of Education at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α = 0.76). Analysis of the research questions relied on measures of central tendency and dispersion, while Simple Linear Regression was employed to test the hypotheses. Findings unveiled a prevalent pattern of code-switching among undergraduates, attributed to a complex interplay of psychological, social, and cultural incentives, including the desire to foster solidarity and belongingness within diverse social circles, the conveyance of bilingual prestige, and the authentic expression of personal identity and ideas. In light of these findings, recommendations were proffered for governmental, policy-making, and university administrative entities to collaborate in formulating inclusive language policies that acknowledge and respect the cultural diversity of students, thereby fostering an educational milieu that is both inclusive and culturally attuned.

Cristian Popescu. The Poetics of Atrocity and Candor

This article offers an analysis of the expressions of authenticity in the poetic texts of Cristian Popescu (1959-1995). There are two general directions of analysis of the author’s vision of literary authenticity: the ethical one, which consists of committing to one’s own destiny as a writer, and the aesthetic one, which can be seen in the contrast between atrocity and candor, between the grotesque and the sublime. Experiencing one’s own art as destiny is the way in which Cristian Popescu sees the notion of literary authenticity. The author connects his name, which he considers the definition of his own person, his own destiny, with existence through art, and this is explicitly and sharply formulated in his poems. Regarding the aesthetic dimension, the grotesque and the sublime intertwine in Cristian Popescu’s texts, which accentuates the effect of authenticity.

CORRELATION BETWEEN PERSONNEL' AUTHENTICITY IN THE WORKPLACE, BURNOUT AND WELL-BEING

To be authentic is to be oneself, needs, true and original, to be aware of one's identity, to act in accordance with values, needs and desires, which naturally contributes to quality of life. Well-being is a universal life goal and one of the most important strategic priorities and human resource trends in organizations today. A large part of people's lives is spent at work, which today is characterized by uncertainty, competitiveness, and stress, so it is in the interest of organizations to contribute authentic expressions in their employees, making them feel better and thus more productive, while attracting new talents who value authenticity at work as a psychological benefit. The aim of the research is to explore personnel’ authenticity in the workplace in relation to burnout and well-being and to develop proposals to human resource managers and managers for enhancing personnel’ authenticity and well-being and reducing burnout. Three research questions: Are there correlations between personnel' authenticity in the workplace, burnout, and well-being; Are there differences in variables between age groups, by organization size, between seniority groups and different types of work models; Does authenticity in the workplace affect burnout and well-being. The following methods were used: Relational Authenticity Questionnaire; Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey; Index of Psychological Well-Being at Work; two open questions created by the authors of the study and socio-demographic survey. Based on the results, it was found that there are correlations between variables, namely, a positive relationship between relational authenticity and well-being and a negative – between both exhaustion and cynicism burnout subscales. There are differences in variables between age groups, seniority groups and different types of work models, and the impact of authenticity on both burnout and well-being was found. Results help to draw the attention of employers to promotion of authenticity as a tool for enhancing well-being and preventing burnout, proposals can be used for aforementioned purposes in organizations.

Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ Sergius and the Soviet State

At the end of 1925, Metropolitan Sergius of Nizhny Novgorod assumed the position of Deputy Patriarchal Locum Tenens. He undertook the task of formulating the Church’s position in relation to state authorities. Its authentic expression was the draft “Appeal”. which was rejected by the government, leading to the arrest of its author. After his release, Metropolitan Sergius, together with the Synod, issued a Message referred to as a “Declaration” in journalism. It emphasized the loyalty of the clergy and the Orthodox people to the Soviet government. Some clergymen criticized the Declaration, but a significant majority of the episcopate, clergy, and church people reacted with understanding to its publication. At the end of 1936, Metropolitan Sergius assumed the position of Locum Tenens following a false report of the death of Locum Tenens Peter. In fact, the holy Martyr Peter was still alive at that time, but in October 1937, he was shot. 1937 marked the peak of the terror. A new blow struck the Orthodox Church. On September 1, 1939, the Second World War began. As a result of the expansion of the borders of the Soviet state to the west, the Moscow Patriarchate effectively gained control over the dioceses of the Baltic States, Western Belarus, Western Ukraine, and Moldova. In the new territories, churches were closed only in exceptional cases. On June 22, 1941, Germany attacked the USSR. On the first day of the war, the Locum Tenens composed a Message in which he blessed the Orthodox people for the defense of the Fatherland. From October 1941 to August 1943, the Patriarchate was located in Ulyanovsk. After its return to Moscow, Stalin and Molotov met with Metropolitans Sergius, Alexy, and Nikolai in the Kremlin. At the meeting, permission was given to convene the Council of Bishops, the most important act of which was the election of Sergius as Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’. Patriarch Sergius died on May 15, 1944.

Broadening Perspectives and Possibilities: Learners’ Pathways to Digital Multimodal Composition (DMC) in ESL Context

In this paper, we delve into the experiences of 60 English as a Second Language (ESL) undergraduate learners who actively participated in distinct multimodal instructional units within their writing curriculum. Drawing upon a qualitative analysis encompassing design interviews, written reflections, and video observations, this research elucidates the principal themes that emerged from the learners' perspectives related to the potential of Digital Multimodal Composition (DMC) in the ESL context. These themes encompassed the exceptional opportunities afforded by this approach, which included the capacity to conceptualise ideas through the incorporation of visuals and auditory elements, the ability to communicate in novel and inventive manners, the platform it provided for the authentic expression of personal identities, and its effectiveness in the contextualising topic within their learning journey. Furthermore, this research highlights the primary challenges and constraints voiced by the learners, which encompassed a gamut of technical issues and the quest for the most suitable mode of expression within the multimodal framework. Leveraging these insights, the study culminates in a discussion of implications for both research and practice, particularly about the integration of digital multimodal composition in the multilingual classroom setting.

Electoral Democracy: The Manifestation of Collective Will and Deliberation

This article examines the conditions under which elections can genuinely express the 'will of the people.' It argues that the establishment of a shared community and the engagement in genuine deliberation are fundamental to achieving this. Drawing on the philosophical concept of 'general will' as presented by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the article posits that a democratic society must first and foremost establish an effective social contract. This contract serves as a crucial mediator between conflicting individual desires, fostering harmony and collective wills. Furthermore, the article also notes that the establishment of a social contract is not a one-time event but rather, an ongoing process. It emphasizes the need for this contract to be consistently renewed and reevaluated through thoughtful deliberations. The article analyzes various election processes, highlighting the failures and successes of different countries. It underscores how different approaches to elections can either facilitate or hinder the formation of a representative general will. It finally concludes that elections, when conducted under the proper conditions of deliberation and a constantly evolving social contract, can indeed serve as authentic expressions of the will of the people.

“There’s no one as honest as those in pain”: The language of Tom Petty’s song lyrics

Tom Petty’s songs are among the most recognized and influential in rock music. One aspect of Petty’s songs that contributes to his popularity is his use of language in his lyrics. The current study performed two sets of analyses: (a) to examine linguistic features of Petty’s song lyrics over the course of his songwriting career; and (b) to investigate similarities and differences between Petty’s lyrics and the earlier and contemporaneous lyrics of an artist widely assumed to have influenced him, Bob Dylan. Results of analyses using a standard textual program, Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWC), showed that Petty reduced his references to social relations and reduced his focus on future time orientations over his songwriting career. There were also rises and declines in expressions of authenticity as well as increases in analytical thinking. In analyses comparing Petty to Dylan using a time-lagged approach, Petty’s songs remained shorter in number of words than Dylan’s songs and there was an increase in indicators of analytical thinking in Petty’s later work reaching levels that are characteristic of Dylan’s songs. Further research is needed to trace the influences on prolific songwriting and other aspects of music beyond lyrical expression.

Additive effects of emotional expression and stimulus size on the perception of genuine and artificial facial expressions: an ERP study

Seeing an angry individual in close physical proximity can not only result in a larger retinal representation of that individual and an enhanced resolution of emotional cues, but may also increase motivation for rapid visual processing and action preparation. The present study investigated the effects of stimulus size and emotional expression on the perception of happy, angry, non-expressive, and scrambled faces. We analyzed event-related potentials (ERPs) and behavioral responses of N = 40 participants who performed a naturalness classification task on real and artificially created facial expressions. While the emotion-related effects on accuracy for recognizing authentic expressions were modulated by stimulus size, ERPs showed only additive effects of stimulus size and emotional expression, with no significant interaction with size. This contrasts with previous research on emotional scenes and words. Effects of size were present in all included ERPs, whereas emotional expressions affected the N170, EPN, and LPC, irrespective of size. These results imply that the decoding of emotional valence in faces can occur even for small stimuli. Supra-additive effects in faces may necessitate larger size ranges or dynamic stimuli that increase arousal.

Faith and Works … Or Works and Faith? A Performative Faith in Samoan Churches

Christianity is the main religion in the Pacific Islands, and what is unique about Christianity in the Pacific is that religion cannot be separated from everyday life experiences. This is because the worship and veneration of a divine source is the foundation of Pacific cultures and worldviews. In the Samoan context, faith in the Christian God is not only a rational activity but a concrete, practical experience embracing the physical and emotional manifestation of one’s faith in God. This essay is a contextual theology paper examining the significance of applying authentic expressions of the gospel from a Samoan cultural worldview while acknowledging Christian traditions passed down by Western missionaries of the 19th century. Faith in God, without good works, is impossible in the Samoan context. This is because service to God and one another is imperative to social cohesion and prosperity. The physical manifestation of one’s faith through active, committed service to the church ministry is a sign of good faith, evident through excessive monetary offerings, responsibility for fulfilling specific roles in the ministry and a commitment to all church programs. The Samoan cultural nuance of community and service helps form an authentic expression of Samoan Christian identity.