Lessons from the Ministry of Philip, the Deacon
During the Eastertide we hear so much from and about the Acts of the Apostles. The first reading of today focuses on the ministry of Philip, one of those seven who were appointed by the Apostles as deacons in Acts 6. Last Sunday we reflected on Chapter 7 of Acts of the Apostles regarding the ministry and the subsequent martyrdom of Stephen – one of those seven deacons too. This Sunday, we focus on two salient points that emerge from the ministry of Philip.
“Philip went to a Samaritan town”: Just like ‘Stephen’, ‘Philip’ also was a Greek name. Perhaps this is why they were among the seven chosen to minister to the Hellenist (Greek) Christians who had complained about being neglected in […]
Innovative Capstone Assessment Models Beyond the Thesis in Master’s Psychology Programmes
Sahaya G. Selvam
Abstract
Master’s degree is a liminal stage at higher education between the bachelor’s and the doctoral degrees. The expected competency outcomes of a master’s degree presuppose a development on the foundations of the bachelor’s level while providing a basis for an original contribution at the PhD level with subject-specific abilities in integration of knowledge, its application, and communication of the same, coupled with a set of skills in self-learning.
A capstone experience that generally marks the conclusion to the coursework assesses these outcomes before a candidate is awarded a master’s degree. Does a thesis or dissertation consisting of empirical research alone assess the programme outcomes, as is the norm in many universities? Could there be an integration of capstone experiences and research with a variety of possibilities, taking into consideration the […]
Excellence: Doing well or doing good?
Early January 2026, the United States launched a military strike in Venezuela and captured incumbent president Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Later Trump in his inimical style prided to a journalist, “we have weapons nobody else knows about… we have some amazing weapons. That was an amazing attack.” He even shared on his Truth Social page a fake Wikipedia entry describing himself as the acting president of Venezuela.
Yes, America pulled off the “Operation Absolute Resolve” with impeccable precision, that is what the press reported. Yes, it was done well, but was it right, was it good? Was it ethical or even legal?
‘Excellence’ is an overused term these days. Often a mere capitalist marketing byline. Academic institutions aim at excellence in education. Service industry strives for excellence in customer care. Government agencies claim to deliver excellence in public administration.
The […]