the songs of ascents: a decentralised hermeneutic for evangelical spiritual formation
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The Songs of Ascents: a decentralised hermeneutic for evangelical spiritual formation
Paper presented to the 2007 Annual meeting of Aotearoa/New Zealand Association of Biblical Studies
(ANZABS) at Christchurch, New Zealand
John C. Douglas 12/4/2007
1
Abstract
Several exegetical schools have viewed the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134) as
pilgrim hymnal; describing their environment of use within Jerusalem festival. This
perspective engages debate concerning whether they should be interpreted as expectation
(pilgrim journey) or participation (festival liturgy), “is or was there a generalised context
hermeneutic applied in the pre-Christian Hebrew usage?” An interpretative understanding
which invested spiritual reflection, and meaning into the pilgrims/worshippers interpersonal
and corporate spiritual formation through participation in festival. This paper will move
from that question to explore the notion of developing several context hermeneutics, and pose
the possibility of how ―context reflection‖ and the use of the images in the texts could
facilitate interpersonal and corporate spiritual formation amongst conservative evangelical
faith communities. Part of this paper will consider the praxis (or potential propensity) of
shifting primary exegesis from text toward an exegesis of both interpretation and application.
John C. Douglas
jcd@sage.ac.nz
December 2007
The meeting‘s full schedule of presented papers can be viewed at http://anzabs.blogspot.com/
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“The Songs of Ascents: a decentralised hermeneutic for
evangelical spiritual formation”
A paper presented by John C. Douglas at ANZABS 2007 Conference, Auckland, New Zealand
Paul offers this paper background when he defines, ―all Scripture as God-breathed
and is useful for the formation of faith (teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness)1. In so doing he is commending the broad value of First Testament canon to
the young faith community. In this paper I humbly (and nervously) propose the same
commendation through some hermeneutical consideration in the Songs of Ascents to the
growing field of evangelical spiritual formation.
In view of our title, I will now proceed by considering the views of several exegetical
schools of thought2 regarding the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134) as pilgrim hymnal;
including describing their use-environment within Jerusalem festival. This group of Psalms
form the collection known as the "Songs of Ascents," which in turn is a major part of the
Great Hallel psalms (120-136). An exact meaning of the designation, "songs of ascents" is
unclear, whether they are name as the former or as "Pilgrim Songs," "Song of Degrees," or
"Gradual Psalms."3 However the ascent identification rests primarily in the superscription to
each psalm in the collection, with a secondary contribution being ascent as the ―going up to
Jerusalem (which stands high above the sea level and much of the land of Israel)4 of the
pilgrims.‖ The consideration of these perspectives will engage a limited weighing up of
1 II Timothy 3:16
2 In the early Christian period two main ―schools‖ dominated. Antioch School of Exegesis, the
theological institution in Syria, traditionally founded in about CE200, stressed the literal interpretation of the
scriptures and the completeness of Christ's humanity, in opposition to the Exegetical School of Alexandria
which emphasized the allegorical interpretation of the scriptures and stressed Christ's divinity. See page 8.
3 VanGemeran, Willem A. Psalms in the Expositor’s Bible Commentary Ed. Gaebelein, Frank E.
(volume 5). Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988.p.256.
4 See Matthew 20:17 cf Psalms 24:3; 122:4 for described or implied geographic going-up.
3
their debate concerning whether they should be interpreted as expectation (pilgrim journey)
or participation (festival liturgy).
Engaging Context, Collection, Construction and Contribution
Edersheim (1874)5 Elaborates the relationship of the songs to pilgrims travelling to
the temple, and states they sang from 122:2 ―Our feet are standing within thy gates O
Jerusalem‖ as they enter the city.
Kidner (1973)6 states (as do Dahood, et.al.) the Mishnah recording that fifteen steps
led up from the Court of the women to the Courts of the Israelites ‗corresponding to the
fifteen Songs of the Ascents in the Psalms, and upon them the Levites used to sing‘.7 While
Kidner ventures Keet‘s comment, ―there is no record of what was sang there‖8, Edersheim
has the Levites singing Psalm 150.9 VanGemeren states, ―It is more likely that the songs
were sung in the three annual festival processions, as the pilgrims ‗ascended‘ (`-l-h) to
Jerusalem (cf. Exodus 23:14-17; Deuteronomy 16:16), hence the designation "songs of
ascents" (ma`aloth).10
The greater weight of perspective regarding “authorial intention” does not appear to
have the ―collection‖ written for the express purpose of festival, as either pilgrimage or
liturgy. Goldingay‘s comment serves as a summary, ―… some headings look as if they
reflect adaptations of the psalm to new circumstances: e.g., Psalms 120-34 are ‗psalms of
Ascents‘, suggesting they were used for pilgrimage or procession, but they do not as if they
5 Edersheim, Alfred. The Temple: Its Ministry and Services as they were at the Time of Jesus Christ.
Originally published 1874. p.382-4.
6 Kidner, Derek. Psalms 1 – 72: An Introduction and Commentary on Books I and II of the Psalms.
Leicester: IVP 1973. p.43
7 Middoth 2:5, The Mishnah, ed. H. Danby (Oxford University Press, 1933). p.593.
8 Keet, Cuthbert C. A Study of the Psalms of Ascents. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary Upon
Psalms CXX to CXXXIV Greenwood: Attic, 1969. p.16
9 Edersheim p.383.
10 VanGemeren, p.256.
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were written for that‖.11 They clearly some reflect other original uses, but they became
canonically significant in a new liturgical adaptation, when they were incorporated together
in a small collection of fifteen hymns.12 The Mishnah teaches that in the period of the
second temple they were incorporated into the temple liturgy.13 Richard Press held that they
were composed during the Exile.14 Michael Goulter develops and supports his authorial
thesis on four propositions: (1) The Songs of Ascents are a unity, coming from the hand of a
single author. (2) The author of the Songs composed them to celebrate the achievement of
Nehemiah. (3) Psalms 120-127 follow the stories in the original first-person, so-called
Nehemiah memoir, Neh. 1:1-7:5a, in sequence, as do 133-34 in its continuation in Neh.
12:27-43; 128-32 follow that part of the original Nehemiah ‗memoir‘, for which Neh. 7:5b-
12:26 has been substituted — principally Neh. 13:4-31, which has been displaced. (4)
Nehemiah‘s ‗memoir‘ was in fact his testimony, proclaimed to the people evening and
morning through the feast of Tabernacles in BCE445; and the Songs of Ascents were responses
to those testimonies, sung at the fifteen services through the week.15
Construction - the broad scholarly opinion within commentary and research articles
is they are an assembled collection, a construction. Along with form and social setting in the
individual poems there is relationship between poems and the structure and intent of the
Psalter itself.16 Contrasting to authorial intention in the writing of individual units/psalms,
there is ―redactor intention‖ in the collection‘s assemblage. The collection‘s redactor
intention is broad. In the early twentieth century, Herman Gunkel‘s17 form critical work re-
11
Goldingay, John. Psalms Volume 1: 1-41. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006 p.26.
12 VanGemeren,p.258.
13 Ibid.p.257.
14 Press, Richard. "Der zeitgeschichtliche Hintergrund der Wallfahrtspsalmen," Theologische
Zeitschrift 14:1958.
15 Goulter, M. D. The Songs of Ascents and Nehemiah. JSOT 75:1997. p.43.
16 Prinsloo, Gert M. The Role of Space in the (Psalms 120–134) BSL p.457
17 Gunkel, Hermann. The Psalms: A From-critical Introduction. trans. Thomas M. Horner.
Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1967.
5
related psalms to corporate worship of Israel as community. As he classified them according
to forms, types or genres and into purposeful collections, the hermeneutical spotlight shifted
away from the late dating tendency of the late ninetieth century with its attendant focus on
their major role of supporting individualized spirituality/piety and onto seeing them as
composed late in Israelite history, based upon earlier prototypes originating in the worship
life of an earlier period.18 The continuing of form criticism – cult functional methods
through the twentieth century and beyond have in the last twenty years become supplemented
(not supplanted) with rhetorical critical method, thus allowing consideration of ―the actuality
of the text‖.19 These interpretive developments co-exist with the continuing pursuit of
considering the diversity of redactor intentionality.
The older or two-fold redaction intentions relate to (1), construction for the purpose of
guiding pilgrimage, and (2) as liturgy in guiding the seven days/fifteen units of actual festival
at Jerusalem have been supplemented through recent scholarly articles.
Goulter‘s thesis‘ third and fourth points are in support of the assertion they are
composed as a unity by a single author, to celebrate the achievement of Nehemiah; and
follow the stories in the original first-person writing of the Book of Nehemiah (or so-called
Nehemiah memoir) proclaimed to the people evening and morning through the feast of
Tabernacles to serve as sung liturgical responses to the testimonies. The thesis ascribes
redactor intentionality and authority (not task) to Nehemiah as legitimate leader/governor of
the people/community.20 This intentionality is liturgical.
Kirsten Neilsen21 advances a thesis established around the proximate relationship of
Psalm 199 to the ‗fifteen Songs‘ as a ―connection of Torah to pilgrimage‖ to answer Micah‘s
18
McCann, J. Clinton, Jnr. A Theological Introduction to the Book of Psalms: The Psalms as Torah.
Nashville: Abingdon, 1993. p.17.
19 Ibid. p.18.
20 Goulter. P.44.
21 Nielsen, Kirsten. Why Not Plough with an Ox and an Ass Together? Or: Why not Read Psalm 119
Together with Psalms 120-134? SJOT. Volume 14:1, January 2000.
6
rhetorical question22 of ―what does the Lord require of you … how does one walk justly and
humbly with God?‖
As far as I can see, we can find an interpretation of that in Ps 119, which tells the reader to
walk according to the law of the Lord, for ―Blessed are they whose ways are blameless.‖ (Ps
119:1) And we can find another interpretation of the same words expressed in the Songs of
Ascents, not least in the superscript, if we translate it as Songs of Ascents. The author of Ps
119 wanted to underline the Torah23
and by doing so stressed the role of ethics. The redactors
of Psalms 120-134, on the other hand, wanted to stress the pilgrimage to the Jerusalem
temple. And if I am right in this suggestion, then I could argue that standing side by side in
the Hebrew Bible Psalm 119 and Psalms 120-134 give two different answers to the same
question. If the question is ―How do we walk humbly with our God?‖ one answer is: We walk
with God in our daily life following his Torah; and the other would be: We walk with God on
our way up to the house of the Lord. And the redactors of the Psalter included both answers
and placed them side by side.24
Neilsen develops the idea that the redactor‘s work offered two ways to answer the question;
one meeting Jerusalem for pilgrims, the other for stay-at-home-Hebrews.25 Nielsen‘s
redactor intentionality is pilgrimage.
Loren D. Crow26 sees the Songs consist of two layers. The oldest layer, which is the
core of the collection, derives ―from a north-Israelite agrarian provenance‖.27 The younger is
a Jerusalemite redactional layer that deliberately gives the older songs a new purpose, namely
to persuade northern Israelites of the Persian period to go on a pilgrimage to the Jerusalem
temple. Neilsen states, ―I am not able to tell whether Crow‘s dating of this Jerusalemite
redaction to the Persian time is correct; but that is not the main point for me. I am more
concerned with the idea of some redactors wanting to make propaganda for pilgrimage.‖28
22
Micah 6:8
23 For the meaning of Torah in Ps 119 see Jon D. Levinson, ―The Sources of Torah: Psalm 119 and the
Modes of Revelation in Second Temple Judaism‖ in Patrick D. Miller, Jr., Paul D. Hanson, S. Dean McBride
(eds), Ancient Israelite Religion. Essays in Honour of Frank Moore Cross (Philadelphia 1987), 559-574.
Levinson argues convincingly that in the Second Temple period Torah is more than the Pentateuch, i.e. more
than written Torah.
24 Ibid.
25 Nielsen, Kirsten,p43.
26 L.D. Crow, The Songs of Ascent (Pss 120-134): Their Place in Israelite History and Religion (SBLD
148; Atlanta 1996).
27 Ibid., p.167.
28 Neilsen, p.58.
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McCann observes of Crow‘s analysis29, ―the pilgrimage orientation derives not from the
character or origin of the nucleus group but rather from the redactor, whose work means that
"the Songs of Ascents not only depict but make a case for pilgrimage from outlying areas to
Jerusalem" (Crow, p. 157).
Qumran redaction of the Psalter has the Songs ending with 132. Matthias Millard30
maintains the reason for the shorter collection relates to conflict with the Essenes and the
priests at Jerusalem. He states; ―The Essenes never went on pilgrimage, and therefore
Psalms 133-34 have been removed from the Songs of Ascents in order that the wish
expressed in Psalm 132 of going to the house of the Lord should not be fulfilled immediately
after.‖ He bases his argument on differences between the MT version and the Qumran
version of the Psalter; the latter ending with Psalm 132, ―Let us go to his dwelling place‖ as
an intention – capable of fulfillment by staying-at-home. The Qumran redaction implies
liturgy.
Contribution - the contributions of the cited material, including my readings in, yet
un-cited scholarship, have come from five scholarly/literary offerings, monographs,
commentaries, published papers/essays, journal articles, and reviews. A generalized
agreement exists concerning the designation ―Songs of Ascents‖, through not without
divergent opinion whether the superscription‘s voice is one of introduction (apriori) or
summary classification (apostori). Their place within canon/collection clearly relates to
redactor-intention, though the world behind the redactor(s) carries influence into the world of
the individual psalms‘ role within the primary usage in pilgrimage, as journey-liturgy,
liturgical-journey or functional within the pursuit of Torah-piety. Their usage spans latter
divided kingdom, exilic, restoration, first century Judaism and into the Common Era. I
29
McCann, J. Clinton, Jnr., Review of The Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134): Their Place in Israelite
History and Religion, Loren D. Crow. SBLDS 148; Atlanta: Scholars, 1996. in the The Catholic Biblical
Quarterly I:59, 1997 p.534
30 Millard, Matthias. Die Komposition des Psalters. Ein formgschichtlicher Ansatz. FAT 9; Tübingen.
p.219-227.
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observe these ―flexible contributing factors‖ supported engagement in broader ways by
divergent communities in their processing of YHWH-centric communal faith.
Change Beyond Trends in Evangelicalism
31
My opening reference to Paul‘s commendation of the broad value of First Testament
canon to the young faith community - ―all Scripture as God-breathed and is useful for the
formation of faith (teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness)32 refers to a
canon which took a journey of diversity as it was used/applied. It experienced variation in
―fixed form‖ before it became settled or ―canonical‖ form for the Hebrew communities,
without the exclusive authority conferred by the ultimate closure of the canon. Collections
in the Psalms served spiritual formation through both a community-supported personal
pursuit of Torah-piety and participation with community liturgical pilgrimage. This
diversity of collection-in-composition/construction implies that along with prophets, poets
and scribes, redactors ―breathe with the breath of the Spirit‖ as the text which forms the
communities is formed within the contexts of the communities.
One of the commonalities amongst evangelicals in the importance of the Biblical text
as the authoritative, clear and objective voice for the Spirit in the community in matters of
faith, practice and mission. Another is a generalised commitment to the practice historical-
grammatical hermeneutics – they live mainly at Antioch, with occasional excursions to
Alexandria.
31
In this paper the term evangelicalism refers to a historically recent, approximately 150 years, yet
broad, collection of religious beliefs, practices, and traditions which can be found among some Protestant
Christian churches. It is typified by an emphasis on evangelism, and what adherents call a "personal
experience" of conversion. Current media usage of the ―term‖ is often synonymous with conservative Protestant
Christians.
32 II Timothy 3:16
9
Evangelicals in a post-modern world, seeking spiritual formation33 are adopting
historic (pre-modern) praxis34 with their usual default approach of centred pragmatism ... ―if
the Bible speaks for it, and/or not against it, we‘ll use it‖. Individualism and method
influence perspective, even in the broadening of spirituality. There are marked changes in
rhetoric and interests as the terms ―community/communal‖ are increasing applied and
discipleship is being re-designated ―spiritual formation‖35 ... for a movement beyond trend,
existing generalised evangelical hermeneutics should allow for a broadening by de-centering.
A de-centering by allowing for a hermeneutical movement away from all major effort
concentrated on uncovering and sustaining generalised truth and praxis and placing a new
emphasis on local (and diverse) context.
Realities in Evangelical Hermeneutics
Evangelicalism is Adolescent - Evangelicals as faith community are have yet to
obtain social adulthood in general terms, incidentally so does ANZ, while beyond childhood
the characteristics of adolescence exert influence on self-perception. Adolescent self-
assuredness is mistaken for arrogance, idealism and peer influence can drive herd instincts, in
the quest ―pseudo-enemies‖ are created (often members within the family), and for peace-
sake others are forced to become masters in the art of accommodation. In James Marcia‘s36
ego-identity terms their ―identity is shaped by a high, yet ‗foreclosed‘ view of the Bible‖.
Evangelical(ism) is not monolithic; it never has been … Diversity already exists
even though if often looked, smelled and apparently acted as monolith. At least six varieties
of evangelical can be discerned within ANZ Christian society. (1). Fundamentalists, whose
33
Webber, Robert E. The Younger Evangelicals: Facing the Challenges of the New World. Grand
Rapids: Baker, 2002. p.182.
34 ―Traditional‖ praxis disciplines of silence, meditation, lectio divina, meditation icons, classical
reading, labyrinth, journaling, etc.
35 Over 250 new titles have been published in 2007.
36 Marcia, James E. Development of and validation of ego-identity status, Journal of Personality and
Psychology 3:1966, p.551-558.
10
primary adherence is to the ―inerrant Word‖, generally possessing polemical and separatist
mentality. They also can be apocalyptic or non-apocalyptic, political or apolitical. (2).
Established Evangelicals, where the affective side is in ascendancy, personal experience of
regeneration being decisive, together with its expression in mass evangelism. (3). New
Evangelicals, the designation "Neo-evangelical" came into use mid twentieth century to
describe those who stressed the social import of faith and its apologetic persuasiveness and
criticized fundamentalist sectarianism. (4). Justice, Peace and ―Greening‖ Evangelicals,
influenced by the anti-establishment social movements of the nineteen sixties and since,
related often to communitarian experiments, these activist evangelicals advocate a political
agenda drastically at variance with ANZ‘s fledgling Christian Right. (5).
Charismatic/Pentecostal Evangelicals, New birth leads to fresh blessings and personal
spiritual renewal— glossolalia, healing, charismata, celebrative worship, intense group
experience; those of ―charismatic orientation‖ often reflect an ―a-institutionalism‖ in contrast
to Pentecostal ―neo-institutionalism‖. (6). Ecumenical Evangelicals, more a tendency than a
constituency, ecumenical evangelicals edge the movement toward relationships with the
larger Christian community. This evidences itself in a variety of ways from sacramental
rediscoveries
to alliances with mainline Christians on common social and environmental
concerns.
Evangelicalism is Intelligent and Biblically Competent - both globally and nationally
Evangelicalism‘s communities/constituencies have both individual and corporate
intelligence, there is clear capability to comprehend; to understand and profit from
experience, to learn, reason, and problem solve. They are also biblically competent.
Incidentally, ANZ has never been a safe haven for ―tight inerrantists‖ – the major focus or
the question on biblical/textual reliability within ANZ‘s evangelical diversity has viewed
Scripture‘s inspirational and authority as priori above ―subscriptional inerrantism‖. Any
11
narrow and minority debate over the ―battle for the Bible‖37 is at best the limited conduct of a
North American war in our backyard.
While competency signals capability, it does not necessitate exercise; that requires
working intelligence in engagement – especially fresh engagement. Hermeneutically
evangelicals are in a strong publishing mode, especially in biblical engagement for adequate
theological belief/missional interaction within post-modern society.38 The commendable
pursuit is largely validating evangelicalism‘s historic core into the present ethos, especially
interpreting cultural artifacts such as literature, film, music, newspapers and the media of
twenty-first centre ―public square(s)‖. There is a place to use known principle/perspectives
in hermeneutics in establishing ―other centers‖, of local (and diverse) context. An example
of this would be applying the ―three world exegetical framework‖ of Randolph Tate39 against
the Songs of Ascents toward exploring the development of a decentralised hermeneutic for
evangelical spiritual formation.
Tate sees the locus of meaning is found in the interplay between all three worlds, of
author, text, and reader.40 His first world, "The World Behind the Text", explains the value
of a careful historical investigation of the redactor intention, author's linguistic, cultural, and
ideological milieu; the second is "The World Within the Text" main ‗textual sub-genres‘ and
‗broad literary-contextual genres‘, and a third world, "The World in Front of the Text"
considers the contribution readers (as individuals and communities) make to meaning
through the presuppositions and interpretative interests that inform their readings.
37
Lindsell, Harold. The Battle for the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990.
38 Franke, John R. The Character of Theology: A Postconservative Evangelical Approach. Grand
Rapids: Baker, 2005. Zimmermann,, Jens. Recovering Theological Hermeneutics: An Incarnational-Trinitarian
Theory of Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004. Goldsworthy, Graeme. Gospel –Centered
Hermeneutics: Biblical-theological Foundations and Principles. Nottingham: Apollos, 2006.
39 Tate, W. Randolph. Biblical Interpretation: An Integrated Approach. Peabody: Hendrickson,
1991.p.xv.
40 Ibid., p.145.
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Locating the Exegesis in Evangelical Praxis
There is an emerging praxis differential (or potential propensity) of shifting primary
exegesis from text toward an exegesis of both interpretation and application. Exegesis41 as
generally understood involves an extensive and critical interpretation of an authoritative text,
in this activity a textually-adequate hermeneutical method/theory approach is applied.
Communication of the textual findings has traditionally been through the ―media‖ of
exposition and instruction. Historically the task of textual exegesis provides interpretation
for belief communication calling for reception of the interpretation/belief by application; this
is no longer a generalized praxis norm. Postmodern developments have elevated all three
elements to ―text‖42; the primary text of scriptures, secondary texts of interpretation, and the
third, texts of application. The effect is not a threefold exegesis, but exegesis of either second
or third texts must be served by a hermeneutic capable of providing coherence with the
primary text.
Meanwhile, Back to the Songs or in Conclusion
I will summarise some of our findings in a three world framework.
The world behind the text, a generalized agreement exists concerning the designation
―Songs of Ascents‖, through not without divergent opinion. Their place within
canon/collection clearly relates to redactor-intention, as the world behind the redactor(s)
carries influence into the world of the individual psalms‘ role within the primary usage in
pilgrimage, as journey-liturgy, liturgical-journey or functional within the pursuit of Torah-
41
Often the terms exegesis and hermeneutics are used interchangeably; however, they are distinct. An
exegesis is the interpretation and understanding of a text on the basis of the text itself. A hermeneutic is a
practical application of a certain method or theory of interpretation, often revolving around the contemporary
relevance of the text in question.
42 Text in post-modernity can be any source of presentation capable of ―exegesis,‖ this includes art,
story, media, community cultural narrative. Ie. An accepted interpretation or application of some
foundational/defining data or experience can be regarded as text based on the notion ―if it is capable of
construction, it is therefore capable of textual deconstruction‖.
13
piety. This broad range of usage spans from later exilic to the Common Era. Their flexible
contributing factors supported engagement in broader ways by divergent communities in their
processing of YHWH-centric communal faith.
The world within the text mixes genres to facilitate the journey-liturgy from the very
borders of the nation to the solemnity of the evening majesty of the Temple/Zion. Lament,
celebration, renewal of confidence, festival, community approach to YHWH are some of the
sub-genre serving the poetry within the world of the text.
The world in front of the text (in this paper) is inhabited by communities with
common beliefs, diversities, capabilities, pursuing fresh and creative ―localized‖ spiritual
formation pathways. They have the possibility of building their own parallels and exegesis of
all three worlds by apprehending a biblically generated hermeneutic within their local
contexts. Who knows a post-adolescent evangelicalism may yet contribute a fresh
community discipline into ―spiritual formation‘s historic magesterium.‖
J. C. Douglas
4th
December 2007
Tauranga, New Zealand
jcd@sage.ac.nz
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