Tag Archives: unity

White Paper: Strategic Depth and Fragile Unity: Managing the Tensions Between Territorial Expansion and Internal Cohesion

Executive Summary States have long sought strategic depth—the acquisition or consolidation of geographic space that provides military buffer zones, control of transportation corridors, and protection of core population centers. Yet this expansion often incorporates peripheral regions with weak historical integration … Continue reading

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White Paper: Historical Periods of Cultural Fragmentation Analogous to the Early 21st Century and the Lessons They Offer

Executive Summary The early 21st century is marked by profound cultural fragmentation: weakening shared narratives, splintering institutions, decentralized media, contested identities, and the erosion of cultural monocultures. Such fragmentation is not unprecedented. Diverse historical eras—including the Late Roman Republic, the … Continue reading

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White Paper: Pathways to the Reunification of Cyprus

Executive Summary The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, and despite decades of negotiation under the auspices of United Nations (UN) and other actors, a comprehensive settlement remains elusive.  This white paper outlines the key pre-conditions, structural components, obstacles, … Continue reading

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Why Fine Young Cannibals Never Made a Third Studio Album — and What Happened Next (1989–present)

Executive summary Fine Young Cannibals (FYC) were one of the most successful UK-to-US crossover pop acts of the late 1980s, scoring two U.S. #1 singles and a U.S. #1 album with The Raw & the Cooked (1989). Yet the group … Continue reading

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White Paper: Resolving The Split of the Jets

1 – Executive Summary The Jets emerged in the 1980s as a successful family band of siblings from the Wolfgramm family, achieving significant chart success and global tours.  Over time, the group fractured: siblings formed separate touring line-ups, legal disputes … Continue reading

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White Paper: The Theology of Authority and the Continuing Lessons of the UCG–COGWA Division

Executive Summary The separation between the United Church of God (UCG) and the Church of God, a Worldwide Association (COGWA) in 2010 was not primarily a doctrinal dispute over Sabbath observance, holy days, or the gospel—it was a conflict over … Continue reading

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White Paper: A Typology of Issues That Threaten the Unity of Churches

Executive Summary Church unity has long been a central theme in Christian theology and ecclesiology, rooted in Christ’s prayer “that they may be one” (John 17:21). Yet, churches across history and denominations face recurring threats to their internal and external … Continue reading

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White Paper: The Dynamics and Policy Implications of Locked Religious Councils

Abstract This paper examines the practice—found across history and faith traditions—of religious councils being sequestered or “locked in” until a unanimous or majority consensus is reached on doctrinal or disciplinary matters. Such procedures, whether literal or symbolic, aim to ensure … Continue reading

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White Paper: The Complicated History of the Release and Reception of Music from Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Executive Summary Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY) occupy a unique and paradoxical place in rock history — as both a symbol of musical harmony and a case study in artistic conflict. Their recordings, both together and apart, trace the … Continue reading

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Restoring Trust and Accountability: A Path Forward for Church Governance

Introduction In the life of any church, periods of institutional challenge can test the bonds of fellowship and the resilience of governance structures. The situation our church currently faces—with tensions between popular leadership and traditional governance processes, concerns over resource … Continue reading

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