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This project develops a novel framework of “argumentative civility” by analyzing political argumentation's nature and challenges. It distinguishes political disagreements from other domains, focusing on civility's dual role as both a facilitative and potentially oppressive tool. Key inquiries include: Who defines civility? Can it foster engagement without silencing dissent? The analysis integrates Western virtue argumentation theory with Islamic traditions of Munāẓara and Adab al-Jadal to build a cross-cultural model for civil discourse. Ultimately, this research aims to establish argumentative civility as a means of fostering peaceful coexistence and socio-political transformation through reasoned, inclusive debate across cultural boundaries.

Keywords: Adab al-Jadal, Argumentative civility, Civility, Equal political dignity, Munāẓara, Political argumentation, The minimum principle of argumentation, Virtue argumentation

There is an apparent inconsistency at the heart of Mary Astell’s theory of virtue, for she seems committed to contradictory propositions: (1) that virtue involves alignment of all passions with their proper objects; and (2) that virtue involves the elimination or extirpation of at least some passions, such as pride, anger, hatred, and overwhelming sorrow. Jacqueline Broad (2015) has tried to solve this interpretive problem by suggesting that Astell recommends a two-step process for the virtuous management of one’s passions, with (1) occurring first and in the short term and (2) occurring second and in the long term. This essay agrees with Broad that Astell does not fall into inconsistency, but for different reasons. It argues that Astell consistently treats self-esteem, anger, hatred, and sorrow as unmoralized (i.e., neither virtuous nor vicious) passions that cannot, and hence should not, be extirpated, but that vicious forms of these passions, such as in the case of pride and overwhelming sorrow but also in the case of excessive anger and hatred, should be removed from the soul through proper redirection and adjustment in both the short term and the long term.

Keywords: Mary Astell, virtue, pride, anger, hatred, sorrow, Jacqueline Broad, passions, self-esteem

This article claims there is an underlying soteriological conceit in Spenser’s Amoretti (1595) concerning the roles that “works” and “grace” play in the beloved’s requital: roles with theological analogues in justification, the means by which people were declared righteous before God. I show how Spenser’s lover struggles with works-righteousness, and how Spenser betrays “Protestant” thought about the inadequacy of works even as his lover insists upon them. Spenser’s lover fails repeatedly in his labours until grace comes to him, unwilled, in a moment of concession. His “works” afterward become meaningful—but only according to the reformed understanding by which good works come after faith. Still, a doctrinal line cannot be perfectly drawn, since requital is effected through poetic labour. I propose this irresolution is a consequence of Spenser’s attention to Paul’s Epistles, and their occasional affirmations of the usefulness of law despite their overwhelming insistence on grace. It also stems from the lack of a reformed doctrinal consensus about the role of works after justification.

This article presents a new account of the reception of John Locke’s Paraphrase and Notes on the Epistles of St. Paul (1705–7) in the eighteenth-century Church of England. Although the Paraphrase is rarely discussed in studies of the influence of Locke’s writings, this work was widely used by later scholars and clergymen. The fierce early response to the Paraphrase’s apparently heterodox interpretations of St. Paul’s accounts of the Resurrection and the Trinity soon gave way to a more positive appreciation of the work’s merits. Even in these early years, some putatively orthodox divines had found much that was useful in the Paraphrase. After 1730, such positive readings of the Paraphrase became more prevalent. The growing status of Locke’s philosophy facilitated a re-reading of his religious writings. The Paraphrase was lauded in Biblical commentaries, educational writings, sermons, and systematic treatises. Scholars and clergymen frequently imbibed Locke’s hermeneutic principles; his judicious comments on St. Paul’s style and argumentative strategy; his anti-Calvinist exegesis; and, the contextual knowledge he provided for understanding the epistles. The enduring influence of the Paraphrase also ensured that it was deployed in several significant theological debates around Deism and obligatory subscription to articles of faith.

Keywords: John Locke, St. Paul, Catharine Trotter Cockburn, William Dodd, Abraham Tucker, John Jebb, Anglicanism

This study demonstrates the existence of a disjuncture between (1) the purported desire of Ontario schools to ensure that all students feel respected, included, and valued; and (2) the treatment of their Jewish students. Its main source of information is a survey of 599 Jewish parents and their reports on 781 antisemitic incidents in Ontario K–12 schools. Antisemitic incidents are defined as those that parents and their children consider antisemitic. The 781 incidents reported here were directly experienced by an estimated 10 percent of Ontario’s approximately thirty thousand Jewish school-age children. The survey was in the field from late January to early April 2025. It covers incidents that took place in the sixteen months (thirteen school months) from October 2023 to January 2025. The survey sample is roughly representative of the two-thirds of Ontario Jews most closely tied to the Jewish community by membership in synagogues or other Jewish organizations. Key findings of the survey include the following: More than 40 percent of antisemitic incidents made no mention of Israel or the Israel-Hamas war. They involved Nazi salutes, assertions that Hitler should have finished the job, and the like. Fewer than 60 percent of antisemitic incidents referred to Israel or the Israel-Hamas war. Nearly one in six antisemitic incidents were initiated or approved by a teacher or involved a school-sanctioned activity. Just over two-thirds of antisemitic incidents occurred in English public schools and nearly one-fifth took place in Jewish private schools. Fourteen percent of incidents occurred in French, Catholic, and non-Jewish private schools. Nearly three-quarters of antisemitic incidents take place in the Toronto District School Board, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, and the York Region District School Board.  The most common emotional reactions to antisemitic incidents on the part of their victims involved anger (31 percent), fear of returning to school or of being bullied (nearly 27 percent), and worrying about losing non-Jewish friends and being socially isolated (more than 27 percent).  Some children insisted that their parents not report an antisemitic incident, fearing it would become public, and they would consequently become the target of increased harassment or bullying. Some removed clothing and jewelry with Jewish symbols and Hebrew lettering so they would not be identified as Jewish. Forty-nine percent of antisemitic incidents reported to school authorities were not investigated. In another nearly 9 percent of cases, school authorities denied the incident was antisemitic or recommended that the victim be removed from the school permanently or attend school virtually. In under one-third of cases reported to school authorities, schools responded by providing counselling for the targeted child or the perpetrator, taking punitive action against the perpetrator, creating or modifying a program to promote ethnic, racial, and religious tolerance of Jews, or reporting the incident to the police. Because of antisemitic incidents experienced by their children, 16 percent of parents moved their children to another school or are considering doing so. Some relocated residences to enrol their children in different schools. A Jewish private school is the choice of 39 percent of parents who moved their children to another school or are considering doing so.        

Keywords: Antisemitism, Ontario, Education

Background: Social accountability in medical education is conceptualized as a responsibility to respond to the needs of local populations and demonstrate the impact of these activities. The objective of this study was to rigorously examine and compare social accountability theories, models, and frameworks to identify a theory-informed structure to understand and evaluate the impacts of medical education in Northern Ontario. Methods: Using a narrative review methodology, prominent social accountability theories, models, and frameworks were identified. The research team extracted important constructs and relationships from the selected frameworks. The Theory Comparison and Selection Tool was used to compare the frameworks for fit and relevance. Results: Eleven theories, models, and frameworks were identified for in-depth analysis and comparison. Two realist frameworks that considered community relationships in medical education and social accountability in health services received the highest scores. Frameworks focused on learning health systems, evaluating institutional social accountability, and implementing evidence-based practices also scored highly. Conclusion: We used a systematic theory selection process to describe and compare social accountability constructs and frameworks to inform the development of a social accountability impact framework for the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. The research team examined important constructs, relationships, and outcomes, to select a framework that fits the aims of a specific project. Additional engagement will help determine how to combine, adapt and implement framework components to use in a Northern Ontario framework.