Daniel Bliss (August 17, 1823 – July 27, 1916) was the founder of the American University of Beirut. Born in the town of Georgia, Vermont, he was one of seven children in his household. His parents were Loomis and Susanna Bliss. His mother died when Daniel was only nine years old. Bliss spent much of his youth in the state of Ohio. He began to support himself at the age of sixteen mainly by farming, tanning, and tree grafting. He graduated from Kingsville Academy in 1848 and went on to attend Amherst College. Once he graduated from Amherst in 1852, Bliss went on to attend Andover Theological Seminary to prepare for foreign and overseas missions. By October 1855, he was ordained at Amherst and in November of the same year he was married to Abby Maria Wood.

After being assigned to Syria by the American Board, he and his wife sailed from Boston, Massachusetts, in December 1855. By April, 1856, they had arrived at their destination in Aley, Lebanon. Bliss and his wife worked there for roughly one and a half years in a small school which had opened in 1843. Under his direction, the school grew rapidly and became one of some significance in the area. From October 1858 until 1862, Bliss was in charge of a boarding school in a town just north of Aley called Souk-al-Gharb. He also studied Arabic during this time. His success there led the Syrian mission to open a new college in Lebanon. Bliss got the project chartered in 1864 by New York State. To obtain funds, he toured the United States and the United Kingdom.

Once he had accumulated enough money, he founded the Syrian Protestant College. The school opened in Beirut in 1866. This school later came to be known as the American University of Beirut (AUB). Bliss was named president of the college he had founded and also took on the responsibilities of treasurer and Professor of Bible and Ethics. Having been one of its prime movers, he returned to the United States, arriving in New York in September 1862. He met with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions where he spoke in support of the resolutions adopted in Beirut. The Hon. William E. Dodge, impressed by Bliss's presentation, helped him form a Board of Trustees. A certificate of incorporation was drafted on April 18, 1863, and on April 24, 1863 a charter for establishing a college was granted by the legislature of the State of New York. A building in the The AUB and a well-known street in Beirut were named after him. He resigned in 1902 and was succeeded by his son, Howard Bliss.

Daniel Bliss died on campus at July 27, 1916.

External links

AUB site

The Bliss Family Website

Daniel Bliss Biography

Category:1823 births Category:1916 deaths Category:American Christian missionaries Category:Christian missionaries in Syria Category:American University of Beirut Category:Amherst College alumni

ar:دانيال بليس

Name	Saint Daniel
Birth date	7th Century B.C.E
Death date	6th Century B.C.E
Feast day	June 26
Venerated in	Roman Catholic ChurchEastern Catholic ChurchesEastern Orthodox ChurchLutheranismIslamArmenian Apostolic Church
Death place	Babylon (?)
Titles	Prophet
Attributes	Often depicted in the den of the lions
Major shrine	''Tomb of Daniel'', Susa, Iran
Prayer attrib	}}

Daniel (, meaning "Justice [from] God") or sometimes referred to as "God is my judge" is the protagonist of the ''Book of Daniel''. According to the biblical book, at a young age Daniel was carried off to Babylon where he became famous for interpreting dreams and rose to become one of the most important figures in the court.

Daniel's life

''The following is a summary of the biblical Book of Daniel''

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim (BC 606), Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among the young Jewish nobility carried off to Babylon. The four were chosen for their intellect and beauty to be trained as advisors to the Babylonian court,() Daniel was given the name ''Belteshazzar'', i.e., ''prince of Bel'', or ''Bel protect the king!''(not to be confused with the neo-Babylonian king, Belshazzar). Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were given the Babylonian names, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, respectively. At the close of his three years of discipline and training in the royal schools, Daniel was brought into public life. He soon became known for his skill in the interpretation of dreams (; ). Daniel made known and interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream; as well as a later dream preceding the king's descent into animal behaviour, and many years afterwards as an old man, after the alarm and consternation of the night of Belshazzar's impious feast (in which Belshazzar and his concubines drank wine out of the royal Jewish ceremonial goblets of the Temple), Daniel was called in at the suggestion of the queen-mother to interpret the mysterious handwriting on the wall. For successfully reading the cryptic handwriting by an angel of God, Daniel was rewarded by the Babylonians with a purple robe and elevation to the rank of "third ruler" of the kingdom. It is believed that the place of "second ruler" was held by Belshazzar as associated with his father, Nabonidus, on the throne (), though nowhere in the book of Daniel is Nabonidus mentioned by name and according to the book of Daniel Nebuchadnezzar was the father of Belshazzar. Nabonidus left Babylon in his son Belshazzar's care when he fled because of his refusal to accept the role of Marduk as the prime deity. The Hebrew word translated in the book of Daniel as "son" can mean any descendant. Belshazzar was actually the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel interpreted the handwriting, and "in that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain".

After the Persian conquest of Babylon, Daniel held the office of the first of the "three presidents" of the empire under the reign of Darius the Mede, and was thus practically at the head of state affairs, with the ability to influence the prospects of the captive Jews (), whom he had at last the happiness of seeing restored to their own land; although he did not return with them, but remained still in Babylon.

Daniel's fidelity to God exposed him to persecution by jealous rivals within the king's administration. The fact that he had just interpreted the emperors' dream had resulted in his promotion and that of his companions. Being favored by the King, Darius the Mede, he was untouchable. His companions were vulnerable to the accusation that had them thrown into the furnace for refusing to worship the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar as a god; but they were miraculously saved, and Daniel would years later be cast into a den of lions (for continuing to practice his faith in YHWH), but was miraculously delivered; after which Darius issued a decree enjoining reverence for "the God of Daniel" (). He "prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Great," whom he probably greatly influenced in the decree which put an end to the Jewish Captivity (BC 536). Daniel's ministry as a prophet began late in life. Whereas his early exploits were a matter of common knowledge within his community, these same events, with his pious reputation, serve as the basis for his prophetic ministry. The recognition for his prophetic message is that of other prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel whose backgrounds are the basis for their revelations.

The time and circumstances of Daniel's death have not been recorded. However, tradition maintains that Daniel was still alive in the third year of Cyrus according to the Tanakh (). He would have been almost 100 years old at that point, having been brought to Babylon when he was in his teens, more than 80 years previously. Many posit that he possibly died at Susa in Iran. Tradition holds that his tomb is located in Susa at a site known as Shush-e Daniyal. Other locations have been claimed as the site of his burial, including Daniel's Tomb in Kirkuk, Iraq, as well as Babylon, Egypt, Tarsus and, notably, Samarkand, which claims a tomb of Daniel (see "The Ruins of Afrasiab" in the Samarkand article), with some traditions suggesting that his remains were removed, perhaps by Tamerlane, from Susa to Samarkand (see, for instance, Itinerary of Benjamin of Tudela, section 153).

Apocalypse

From Chapter 7 to the end of the book of Daniel, an apocalyptic vision is being described, supposedly from the perspective of Daniel. In the Book of Daniel, the name is spelled with a middle letter suggesting the ''i'' of that name — but this letter is not included in Ezekiel, suggesting that the reference there may be to another person, possibly the "Danel" ("Judgement of God") known from Caananite Ugaritic literature (such as the Epic of Aqhat and Anat), whose reputation for wisdom and righteousness had made him legendary. (Vowel-points were not added to the consonantal Hebrew text before well into the Common Era, and the scribes may then have slipped in a vowel-point for "i" as a middle syllable.)

Habakkuk

In the Deuterocanonical portion of Daniel known as Bel and the Dragon, the prophet Habakkuk is miraculously transported by an angel to take a meal to Daniel while he is in the lions' den. In response, Daniel prays, "Thou hast remembered me, O God; neither hast thou forsaken them that seek Thee and love Thee".

Tomb

There are six different locations claiming to be the site of the tomb of the biblical figure Daniel: Babylon, Kirkuk and Muqdadiyah in Iraq, Susa and Malamir in Iran, and Samarkand in Uzbekistan.

Liturgical commemorations

On the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar, the feast days celebrating St. Daniel the Prophet together with the Three Young Men, falls on December 17 (during the Nativity Fast), on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers (the Sunday which falls between 11 and 17 December), and on the Sunday before Nativity. Daniel's prophesy regarding the stone which smashed the idol () is often used in Orthodox hymns as a metaphor for the Incarnation: the "stone cut out" being symbolic of the Logos (Christ), and the fact that it was cut "without hands" being symbolic of the virgin birth. Thus the hymns will refer to the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) as the "uncut mountain"

In the West, the Roman Catholic Church commemorates Daniel on July 21.

He is commemorated as a prophet in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod together with the Three Young Men (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), on December 17.

He is commemorated as a prophet in the Coptic Church on the 23rd day of the Coptic month of Baramhat.

Rabbinic literature

Daniel in Islam

Muslims traditionally consider Daniel (Arabic: دانيال, ''Danyal'') as an Islamic prophet, alongside the other major prophets of the Old Testament. Although Daniel is not mentioned in the Qur'an, there are accounts of Daniel's life which feature in later Muslim literature. There are debates, however, that go on about Daniel's time of preaching and some Muslims believe that he was not a prophet but a saintly man. Daniel is listed as a prophet in all major versions of ''Stories of the Prophets''. When the Muslims conquered Alexandria in 641 C.E, a mosque was immediately built dedicated to Daniel.

In Muslim literature

Muslim exegesis, including Tabari's ''History of the Prophets and Kings'' narrates that Daniel was carried off to Babylon after Nebuchadnezzar's attack on Jerusalem. It goes onto state that there he was thrown into the den of the lions, but was later rescued. In one such account, Daniel is aided by Jeremiah, who comes to Babylon to help Daniel in the lions den. In the apocryphal ''Bel and the Dragon'', however, there is a very similar tale which states that the Hebrew prophet Habbakuk was miraculously transported to the den of the lions, to give a meal to Daniel.

All sources, classical and modern, describe Daniel as a saintly and spiritual man. Abdullah Yusuf Ali, in his Qur'anic commentary says:

See also

Islamic view of Daniel

Tanakh

Prophecy

Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon

Book of Daniel (book of the Bible)

List of names referring to El

Persian Jews

Apocalypse of Daniel

References

External links

Book of Daniel (Biblical Passage)

''Daniel'' by Rob Bradshaw Detailed dictionary-style article.

''Daniel'' in the TaNaKh Detailed authorized Jewish translation of the original

Who is Ezekiel's Daniel? : The Ugaritic Danel

Daniel 11 in Context Overview of the allusions to the Syrian Wars in Daniel 11

Category:Hebrew Bible people Category:Jewish writers Category:People celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendar Category:Prophets in Christianity Category:Prophets of Islam Category:Year of death missing Category:Book of Daniel Category:Muslim saints

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Daniel Edwards (born 1965, La Porte, Indiana) is an American sculptor whose pieces address celebrity and popular culture in ways that have often stirred controversy. The release of the pieces is generally accompanied by press releases. He includes the idea of promotion and associative fame in his own marketing of his art.

His works include a sculpture of the disembodied head of Ted Williams, a life-sized statue of Britney Spears giving birth while nude on her hands and knees on a bearskin rug, a bust of Senator Hillary Clinton, and a 25 foot bust of Fidel Castro.

Britney Spears

Edwards titled the piece "Monument to Pro-Life: The Birth of Sean Preston," explaining that it symbolized Spears' decision to put childbirth ahead of her career.Britney Spears actually had a caesarean section.

In an Associated Press interview, Edwards asserted that he incorporates celebrity stories because:

"You’re bombarded with these stories. And there’s a thread that winds back to the art. That’s not a bad thing. People are interested in sex, and it works for art as well."

Edwards conceded, however, that he "wouldn't march with either pro-life or pro-choice advocates".

A number of the images shown in the media are casts of the sculpture rather than the original. Casts can be distinguished by the joins around the forearms and shins and by their paler color.

Hillary Clinton

The life-size bust of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is titled "Presidential Bust of Hillary Rodham Clinton". The sculpture depicts her wearing a low-cut floral dress.

Suri Cruise

On 28 August 2006, Edwards unveiled a sculpture titled "Suri's bronzed baby poop", purported to be the actual first bowel movement of the baby of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. The sculpture was to be auctioned on eBay, and Edwards was commissioned to produce a limited-edition plaster replica. Sources disagreed on whether the bronze sculpture actually contained Suri's excrement: some reported that it did, while others reported the story as being a hoax.

Fidel Castro

Edwards promoted his sculpture "Fidel Castro's Deathbed Portrait" by sending a press release announcing its unveiling in Central Park in New York City, although he did not apply for the proper permits.

Paris Hilton Autopsy

This life-size sculpture of Paris Hilton depicts the heiress dead and naked with her legs spread. She is wearing a tiara and clutching a mobile phone. Her pet Chihuahua, Tinkerbell, also wearing a tiara, is featured resting its front paws on her breast. The sculpture is aimed at stopping young women from drinking and driving, a crime of which Hilton had previously been found guilty and subsequently sentenced to jail after breaking probation. The sculpture also has an open abdominal cavity with removable life-size organs and twin fetuses, which visitors to the exhibition may hold if they wear special gloves.

The publicity around this work even attempted to incorporate a Web 2.0-style participatory element, with a contest for viewers to submit their own essays about drunk driving.

The artwork was unveiled on 11 May 2007 at Capla Kesting Fine Art in New York.

Dead Prince Harry

A sculpture of Prince Harry depicting him dead, in military uniform, his head resting upon a Bible with a locket of his mother's clasped in his hands and with a vulture standing by his feet. Edwards suggests that the sculpture shows how Prince Harry "must have died the day they told him he couldn't serve" (in Iraq).

Oprah Sarcophagus

Edwards created a half-scale model depicting Oprah's Sarcophagus at Gardenfresh Gallery in Chicago at In April 2008. The golden bronze casket lid bears an unclothed full-figure rendering of the media mogul with vertical stripes. Along side it is the artist's Oprah Burial Mask.

Other works

Edwards sculpted figures of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy for the Landmark for Peace Memorial in Indianapolis.

In 1997, Edwards spent 30 hours with former Alabama governor George C. Wallace preparing to create a wax bust of Wallace.

In 2009, Edwards released "String Of Babies" depicting Nadya Suleman (Octomom) as an octopus embracing the world's only surviving set of octuplets.

In 2009, Edwards brought in Cory Allen, a publicist who also works with tabloid artist XVALA and artist Marilyn Artus.

On August 9, 2009, Edwards unveiled his latest piece, a nude statue of Angelina Jolie breastfeeding twins, one African and one not.

In 2010, Edwards released the book "Blues Heads: Portraits of American Roots Music", ISBN 1452891982, through New York publishing house, AppleParrot. The book is based on Edwards’s collection of Blues Heads he sculpted, face-to-face with famous blues musicians over a ten-year excursion around the country, visiting festivals, nightclubs and even at times, in their own homes. The book features musicians such as: Chuck Berry, Bobby Blue Bland, James Brown, Bo Diddley, Bob Dylan, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Otis Rush, Hubert Sumlin and Ike Turner.

On August 9, 2011, pictures surfaced of a new statue Edwards had created depicting actress/singer Selena Gomez with her boyfriend singer, Justin Bieber conjoined by the torso, nude, with only coverings on their private parts. Justin was given the Canadian maple leaf as a covering and Selena, the Texas star.

Documentary

In 2006, feature filmmaker A.D. Calvo produced a series of short documentaries on Edwards and his work. His compilation was entitled La Danse Macabre: Portrait of a Serial Sculptor.

Vacant Era Films and Festival City Films is currently in production with the Daniel Edwards and XVALA documentary titled ''Domestic Bliss: The Daniel Edwards/XVALA Project'' and set for release fall 2009. Filmmaker Dave Smith will capture the lives’ of both artists and their latest collaboration, ''The Brangelina'', to be unveiled in New York City, Los Angeles, London and Oklahoma City. Directed by Dave Smith and produced by Cory Allen.

Sources

Print

Online

References

External links

, a short film by A.D. Calvo , a short film by A.D. Calvo , a short film by A.D. Calvo

European journal Culturekiosque comments on significance of Edwards' Paris Hilton Autopsy and other sculptures, and his play with celebrity, media, classical mythology and even search engine optimization.

, a Vacant Era Films and Festival City Films documentary by filmmaker Dave Smith and produced by Cory Allen , a Vacant Era Films and Festival City Films documentary by filmmaker Dave Smith and produced by Cory Allen , a clip from Vacant Era Films and Festival City Films documentary by filmmaker Dave Smith and produced by Cory Allen

Category:1965 births Category:Living people Category:American sculptors Category:Contemporary sculptors Category:20th-century sculptors Category:21st-century sculptors Category:People from La Porte, Indiana Category:Artists from Indiana

de:Daniel Edwards fi:Daniel Edwards

Peter Fitzgerald Dorman (born 1948) is an epigraphist, philologist, and cultural anthropologist. He currently serves as the 15th President of the American University of Beirut (AUB). He spent most of his career as a professor and chair in the department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations (NELC) of the University of Chicago, and was director of Chicago House and the Epigraphic Survey project of the Oriental Institute.

Dorman is an international leader in the study of the ancient Near East, excelling as a historiographer, epigrapher and philologist. He is the author and editor of several major books and many articles on the study of ancient Egypt and is probably best known for his historical work on the reign of Hatshepsut and the Amarna period. He occasionally spars with Zahi Hawass over the interpretation and appropriation of artifacts and texts associated with this period and their relevance to modern Egyptian identity and pride. His most recent monograph, ''Faces in Clay: Technique, Imagery, and Allusion in a Corpus of Ceramic Sculpture from Ancient Egypt'' (2002), examines artisanal craftsmanship in light of material culture, iconography, and religious texts. In 2007, he and Betsy M. Bryan of The Johns Hopkins University came out with an edited volume titled ''Sacred Space and Sacred Function in Ancient Thebes''.

An accomplished academic leader and administrator, since 2002 he has chaired with great success the distinguished Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at one of the world's top research universities, the University of Chicago. Prior to that, he spent nine years (1988–1997) heading the epigraphic efforts at Chicago House in Luxor, Egypt. From 1977 to 1988, he worked in curatorial positions in the Department of Egyptian Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Peter Dorman was also an amateur lyric tenor in Chicago, performing with Golosa (The University of Chicago Russian Choir), the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of The University of Chicago, and Vestostertones Barbershop Quartet.

On March 21, 2008, the Board of Trustees selected Peter F. Dorman to be the 15th president of the American University of Beirut (effective July 1, 2008). He succeeded John Waterbury who was president from 1998 to 2008. He is also the grandson of Alice Bliss, which makes the founder Reverend Daniel Bliss his great-great grandfather.

References

Category:1948 births Category:Living people Category:American anthropologists Category:American Egyptologists Category:University of Chicago faculty Category:American University of Beirut Category:American University of Beirut trustees