Abstract
Since Babel, the divine mission (missio Dei) has guided human history. A crucial turning point occurred when Jesus Christ left the Jerusalem Temple for the last time, marking the end of the Old Testament phase of God’s redemptive plan. His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension initiated a new era of worldwide mission. The New Testament, particularly Acts and Paul’s letters, demonstrates how God’s people transitioned from a Jewish-centered covenant community into a multicultural, global fellowship. This growth redefined what covenantal belonging means and reshaped the core beliefs of Christian mission. This article examines this transition and its missiological implications, highlighting how early Church dynamics provide enduring guidance for modern global mission. In a world marked by rapid cultural changes, returning to God’s strategic redirection offers vital insights for churches navigating post-Christendom realities.
The Book of Acts: History, theology, and the spirit-led expansion of the early church
The Book of Acts is a theologically charged story that traces the Spirit-empowered growth of the early Church from its beginnings in Jerusalem to its witness at the center of the Roman Empire (Acts 1–28). Scholars have long debated the balance between historical accuracy and theological shaping in Luke’s writing (Achtemeier, 1986: 1; Dockery, 1990: 43). However, recent scholarship, especially the extensive work of Keener (2012–2015; 2020), has confirmed both the historical credibility and theological depth of Acts, reinforcing its importance as a reliable source for understanding the early Church’s missionary history and theological development. Furthermore, Acts serves as a literary and theological link between the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament, situating the story of apostolic Christianity within the larger unfolding of God’s redemptive work (Cho and Park, 2019: 16).
At the core of Luke’s account is the work of the Holy Spirit as the primary agent of the missio Dei. The Pentecost event (Acts 2) marks a decisive theological moment: the Spirit is poured out not merely upon Israel, but on “all flesh” (Acts 2:17), transforming a fearful group of disciples into bold, public witnesses. This moment signals the start of a new era in which God’s presence is no longer confined to the Jerusalem Temple but is now universally accessible. The Church is born as a Spirit-led community empowered for mission.
Subsequent Spirit-led interventions, such as Peter’s vision in Joppa and the conversion of Cornelius (Acts 10–11), are not merely narrative developments but theologically significant moments of divine initiative. These events demonstrate that the expansion of the gospel is not the result of church strategy or human ambition, but rather the work of God breaking down longstanding ethnic and ritual boundaries. The inclusion of Gentiles into the covenant community without the requirement to adhere to Jewish law affirms the Spirit’s role in redefining the people of God around Christ, not Torah.
Acts also documents the theological and sociological development of the early Christian community from its Jewish origins. The rapid growth of believers in Jerusalem (Acts 2:41; 4:4), followed by further expansion throughout Judea and beyond (Acts 9:31; 11:19-21), indicates a significant shift: from a mainly Jewish movement to a diverse, transethnic fellowship. This change is not a rejection of Judaism but its fulfillment through the inclusive scope of God’s mission. Paul’s calling becomes central in this process, embodying a missional identity rooted in Jewish heritage yet aimed at a universal vision. As Dockery (1990: 43) correctly observes, the primary challenge in studying Acts lies in integrating theology and history, a dynamic interplay that drives Luke’s narrative.
The theological momentum intensifies in Acts 13–19, where Paul’s mission to the Gentiles provokes increasing resistance, especially from within Jewish communities. As Culpepper (1974: 487) observes, this section marks a watershed moment in the early Church: the gospel’s boundary-breaking movement into the Gentile world heightens Jewish-Gentile tensions and exposes the challenge of reconciling God’s inclusive mission with inherited religious identity. The Church’s struggle to interpret and follow God’s directive to reach the nations reveals the internal friction of divine expansion disrupting human categories.
Luke’s theological storytelling emphasizes this pattern of disruption and growth. As Conzelmann (1960: 14-17) and Gaventa (1988: 153) highlight, Acts presents a paradox: opposition to the gospel does not hinder its spread but accelerates it. Luke’s narrative is more than just a historical record; it is a theologically developed account where suffering and opposition serve a redemptive purpose. The Spirit guides the Church beyond geographic, ethnic, and institutional boundaries, often through persecution and marginalization.
Conzelmann famously characterizes Luke’s theology in Acts as one of glory, triumph, and growth, where divine sovereignty guides the Church toward eschatological fulfillment (Gaventa, 1988: 147). Yet this triumph is deeply Christological; it follows the pattern of the cross, where suffering precedes glory. Barrett and Gaventa both emphasize how this cross-shaped trajectory defines the apostles’ experiences, especially Paul’s. Despite persistent rejection, hardship, and imprisonment, Paul’s unwavering proclamation of the gospel embodies the paradox of divine victory through human weakness. His final words in Acts 28:26–28 acknowledging Jewish resistance and Gentile openness, serve as a theological climax that encapsulates the themes of divine purpose, gospel persistence, and mission driven by opposition.
Ultimately, Acts illustrates the transformation of the early Church from a Temple-centered Jewish sect into a Spirit-led, cross-cultural missionary movement. This change is not driven by strategic planning but by divine disruption. The gospel progresses not through institutional power but through the Spirit’s boundary-breaking, missio Dei-inspired activity. Acts thus provides a vital theological basis for Paul’s vision of a united, global Church and reminds readers that the Church’s mission develops through Spirit-empowered, cruciform witness amid adversity.
The Spirit is not merely a divine gift but the divine missionary, moving the Church from Jerusalem outward, breaking down resistance, and creating a new people in Christ. (Keener, 2012–2015: 684)
Paul’s theology shaped by mission: The missio Dei in action
Paul’s theological insights are closely linked to his missional calling. The Book of Acts depicts Paul’s dramatic conversion from persecutor to proclaimer (Acts 9:1-19) as a divine calling that not only transformed his life but also shifted the course of the Church’s mission. His apostolic mission was specifically to carry God’s name “before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15), emphasizing a cross-cultural missional focus from the start.
From the beginning, Paul’s theology develops from lived missional tension. As the gospel expanded beyond Jewish boundaries, Paul rejected the expectation that Gentile converts must become proselytes by submitting to circumcision or Torah observance to belong to God’s people. Instead, he emphasized faith in Christ as the only basis for inclusion in the covenant community (Galatians 3:28; Romans 4). This radical redefinition was not a rejection of Judaism itself, but a theological revolution rooted in divine grace and aligned with the missio Dei (Barclay, 2015: 377-378).
This development was confirmed through key encounters in Acts 11 and Acts 15, where Peter and Paul, working together, supported Gentile inclusion without demanding full observance of the Torah. Paul’s stance, rooted in divine revelation and the Spirit’s guidance, promoted a new understanding of covenantal belonging based on grace rather than ancestry, establishing an identity for Christianity that is separate from Judaism (Polhill, 1981: 238). For Paul, the gospel broke down the cultural and ethnic barriers that once separated God’s people, replacing them with unity centered on Christ (Wright, 2013: 784-785).
Paul’s theology matured through conflict and cross-cultural engagement. His letters reflect ongoing confrontation with efforts to reimpose boundaries that the gospel had already overcome. In Galatians, Paul directly challenges the Judaizers, whose insistence on circumcision threatened the freedom of Gentile believers (Gal. 5:16). In Ephesians, he articulates the theological climax of his mission: that Gentiles are now “fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household” (Eph. 2:19). The dividing wall has been broken down (Eph. 2:14). A new humanity has emerged in Christ (Eph. 2:15).
As Cooper (2020: 109) notes, Paul’s theology is not abstract doctrinalism but a framework forged in the crucible of cross-cultural mission. His teaching on the Church is shaped by pastoral concerns, contextual pressures, and the Spirit’s directive work. Paul offers a missional ecclesiology, a gospel-rooted vision of community that transcends both ethnic exclusivism and institutional uniformity.
Paul’s theological framework is driven by his missionary practice. . . The mystery of the gospel is that all nations, through Christ, have equal access to God by one Spirit. (Cooper, 2020: 109)
Thus, Paul’s theology and mission are closely linked. The mission of God did not just send Him; it shaped Him, and through Him, influenced the Church. His redefinition of covenant membership, no longer based on ethnicity or the Torah, but on participation in Christ, became a foundation for Christianity’s global growth.
Acts 15 and the Jerusalem Council: A defining moment for belonging and mission
Introduction
Acts 15 marks one of the most theologically and missiologically significant moments in the early history of the Christian church. As Gentiles began entering the Church in large numbers (Acts 10–14), the question arose: Must non-Jews adopt Jewish law, especially circumcision, to be part of God’s people? The Jerusalem Council was convened to address this identity crisis, and its decision would have a lasting impact on the Christian community and mission (Corniche, 2010: 837; McKinney, 2024: 17).
Redefining belonging beyond Jewish custom
At the heart of the council’s debate was the issue of belonging: who is in, and on what grounds? Jewish Christians, especially those with a Pharisaic background, demanded that Gentile converts observe the Torah (Acts 15:5). Peter’s testimony, however, based on his Spirit-led encounter with Cornelius (Acts 10), highlighted that God had already approved Gentile inclusion by giving them the Holy Spirit “just as to us” (Acts 15:8). The council concluded that faith in Christ, not the Mosaic law, constitutes full inclusion in the people of God (Garland, 1994: 171; Mathews, 1909: 337).
This was not just a policy change; it was a theological breakthrough. The Church shifted from a limited, ethnically defined identity to a covenantal community shaped by grace, reflecting Paul’s gospel of justification by faith (cf. Galatians 2:16; Romans 3:28; Wright, 2013: 784-785).
Affirming Salvation by Grace through Faith
James, presiding over the council, affirmed that Gentiles should not be burdened with “a yoke. . . neither we nor our ancestors could bear” (Acts 15:10). Instead, he appeals to the prophetic witness of Amos (Acts 15:16–17), suggesting that Gentile inclusion has always been part of God’s plan. This pronouncement formally established salvation by grace, rather than Torah observance, as the foundation of the Christian faith. The council thereby echoed Paul’s emphasis that righteousness comes by faith alone (cf. Romans 4), confirming a core tenet of Christian theology (Dunn, 1983: 99, 102; Garland, 1994: 171).
Opening the door to cross-cultural mission
The council’s decision to exempt Gentile believers from legal obligations (except for a few communal ethics in Acts 15:20) served both as a missional strategy and a theological stance. By removing unnecessary cultural barriers, the Church enabled the gospel to reach diverse communities without demanding cultural erasure (Walls, 1996: 7-8). This supported Paul’s contextual mission approach and demonstrated that the early Church recognized the broader implications of a universal gospel.
Establishing Paul’s missional framework
The apostolic decree aligns with Paul’s missionary approach: the gospel must be adapted to each culture while staying faithful to Christ’s lordship (cf. 1 Cor. 9:19-23). This reflects what Walls (1996: 7-9) calls the Indigenizing and Pilgrim Principles, highlighting the dual need to support local cultures and critique them through the gospel. The Jerusalem Council thus provided theological and institutional support for Paul’s cross-cultural work.
Ongoing tensions and unfinished unity
Despite the council’s ruling, tensions persisted. Paul’s confrontation with Peter in Antioch (Galatians 2) occurred after the council, revealing the fragility of the remaining unity. Achtemeier (1986: 23-26) suggests that the council did not resolve the deeper rifts between Jewish and Gentile Christians but instead marked the beginning of a long and unfinished process toward true gospel unity. Jewish Christians in Judea continued to advocate for adherence to Jewish customs among Gentile converts, leading to ongoing tension within the early Church (Doss, 2005: 440). Paul’s ongoing efforts, such as the Gentile collection for the Jerusalem church (2 Cor. 8–9), indicate that reconciliation was as much relational as doctrinal. Paul’s eventual arrest in Jerusalem during intense nationalistic fervor underscored the enduring difficulties of reconciling Jewish and Gentile identities within Christianity (Polhill, 1981: 244). Although establishing a precedent for inclusivity, unity between Jewish and Gentile Christians remained unresolved within Paul’s ministry and early Church history.
Fragile unity in the primitive church: Between vision and reality
Transition from Luke’s narrative to Paul’s theological struggle
While the Book of Acts portrays the Spirit-led expansion of the Church through narrative and divine intervention, Paul’s epistles expose the ongoing theological and cultural tensions within that mission. Where Acts proclaims momentum, Paul’s letters unveil conflict. The next phase of the missio Dei reveals a Church wrestling to live out the very unity that Acts proclaims. Paul’s theology does not reject Luke’s vision; it deepens it, illuminating the cost and complexity of forging a global people of God.
Tensions between Acts and Galatians
The unity envisioned at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) is tested almost immediately in Antioch. Galatians 2 records Paul’s confrontation with Peter for withdrawing from table fellowship with Gentiles, likely under pressure from conservative Jewish believers in Jerusalem (Gal. 2:11-14). Scholars debate whether this event occurred before or after the events described in Acts 15. Bennema (2013: 753) views it as a post-council fallout, while Achtemeier (1986: 23) argues that it may have triggered the council. Either way, the episode shows that formal resolutions do not guarantee communal reconciliation. The Antioch incident underscores how social boundaries, particularly those related to food and purity, remain focal points for identity and inclusion.
A dream deferred? Luke’s ideal vs. Paul’s reality
Luke depicts a church advancing triumphantly under divine guidance (Acts 28:30-31), yet Paul’s letters are filled with warnings, rebukes, and unresolved fractures. Achtemeier (1986: 25-26) reflects that this unity was “a dream” cherished by Peter, guarded by James, pursued by Paul, yet ultimately elusive.
Paul’s later ministry, including the Gentile offering for Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8–9), was a practical effort to bridge divides. Yet the book of Acts never mentions this offering, suggesting either its rejection or its limited effect. Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem (Acts 21) amid nationalist fervor further highlights that reconciliation was tenuous at best.
Missional implications: Unity as ongoing struggle
Rather than viewing unity as a finished achievement, Paul sees it as an ongoing task. In Ephesians 4:36, he calls believers to “make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit,” a unity that is both given and fragile. Early Church unity was not uniformity but a complex negotiation of cultural, theological, and relational differences.
For today’s Church, this reminds us that missional inclusion must be accompanied by ecclesial transformation. The global body of Christ must continue to grapple with the same issues of identity, belonging, purity, and power.
A new perspective on Paul: Reframing covenant and belonging for a global church
In traditional Protestant interpretations, Paul’s theology is often understood through the lens of law versus grace, particularly in light of the Reformation’s critique of legalism. However, modern Pauline scholarship, particularly the New Perspective on Paul, has shifted this view. Initiated by E.P. Sanders (1977) and further advanced by James D.G. Dunn (1983) and N.T. Wright (2013), this approach reexamines Paul’s relationship with Judaism not as a rejection of works righteousness but as a critique of exclusive covenant boundaries.
Covenant, not merit
Sanders argued that Second Temple Judaism operated based on covenantal nomism—meaning that Jews obeyed the law not to earn salvation, but to maintain a covenant already granted by grace. Paul’s issue, therefore, was not with Jewish law per se, but with the ethnic boundary markers that excluded Gentiles (Sanders, 1977: 75-83). Dunn (1983: 115) built on this by showing how Paul’s doctrine of justification redefines belonging, not through circumcision, Sabbath, or food laws, but by faith in Christ alone (Gal. 2:16).
Justification as missional inclusion
According to Dunn, Paul’s language of justification should be understood not merely as an individual’s legal standing before God, but as a declaration of who belongs to God’s people. Justification by faith is not just a spiritual reality; it is a missional act that redraws the boundaries of the covenant community to include Gentiles without requiring them to become Jews (Dunn, 1983: 115; Wright, 2013: 1013). This perspective reorients the doctrine of justification toward a theology of unity, inclusion, and cross-cultural reconciliation.
Theological implications for belonging
For Paul, then, the gospel is not about abandoning Judaism but about expanding the covenant through Christ to include all peoples. As Wright (2013: 1050) states, being “in Christ” becomes the new center of identity and belonging. Baptism, not circumcision, marks the covenant people. Faith, not ethnic heritage, defines the family of Abraham (Romans 4:11-12).
This shift does not erase Jewish uniqueness but refuses to let ethnic boundaries restrict access to God’s promises. The church, as Paul envisions it, is not a new religion but a new humanity (Ephesians 2:15), created by grace, sustained by faith, and called to global mission.
Identity and the missional church
Although the term “identity” is modern, its theological counterpart, covenantal belonging, appears repeatedly in Paul’s thought. Scholars such as Barclay (2015) observe that the “gift” of grace transforms social norms, establishing a new community not based on hierarchy or ethnic privilege but on shared participation in Christ (Barclay, 2015: 446-447). Paul’s use of ‘in Christ’ language expresses a collective, missional identity rooted in God’s inclusion of the ‘other.’
The Christ-event redefines the criteria for belonging. . . The new identity created by grace is a re-socialization into a community that embodies the incongruity of the gift. (Barclay, 2015: 447, 562)
This redefinition forms the theological backbone of global Christianity. Paul’s gospel established a new realm of radical inclusion, which continues to challenge nationalisms, ethnocentrism, and legalism across all ages. It remains the theological driver of the missio Dei.
Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians: The unity and mission of the global church
The Letter to the Ephesians serves as a culmination of Paul’s theological insights and missional vision. Written from prison, it provides a cosmic and church-centered perspective on God’s eternal purpose, centered on Christ and revealed through the Church. For Paul, Ephesians is not just about individual salvation; it emphasizes the Church as God’s new humanity, tasked with embodying His reconciling mission to the world (Ephesians 2:14-22).
The mystery made known
Central to Ephesians is Paul’s revelation of the mystērion—the “sacred secret” now disclosed: that Jews and Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the same promise in Christ Jesus (Eph. 3:6). This mystery had been hidden in ages past but is now revealed through the apostles and prophets by the Spirit (Eph. 3:5). According to Lemmer (1998: 489), this was not merely a new insight, but a divine economy—God’s historical plan to unite all peoples in Christ.
Paul’s role in this unveiling is crucial. He sees himself as a steward of this mystery, responsible for proclaiming a gospel that creates a multiethnic, reconciled community. As Wright (2013: 1050) notes, the phrase “in Christ” functions as the new covenantal identity marker, replacing ethnic, ritual, or national distinctions.
From ethnic division to missional community
The core message of Ephesians is its depiction of Christ’s body as a reconciled community. In Ephesians 2:14-16, Paul states that Christ has dismantled the barrier of hostility, forming one new humanity. This is not only soteriological but also missional. The Church serves as the concrete expression of God’s reconciling love in a fractured world (Cooper, 2020: 133).
This is why Ephesians speaks not only of vertical reconciliation with God but also of horizontal reconciliation between Jew and Gentile, enslaved person and free, male and female. As Lemmer (1998: 462) argues, “the body of Christ” is not an abstract metaphor but the lived communal experience of believers united across boundaries by the Spirit.
The church as a global witness
Ephesians presents the Church as God’s cosmic exhibit, the display of His manifold wisdom to powers and principalities (Eph. 3:10). This public theology grounds the Church’s mission not in pragmatism, but in God’s eternal design. Paul envisions a Church that is both indigenized within local cultures and yet pilgrim-like, continually shaped by Christ’s kingdom ethics (Walls, 1996: 7-9).
The Church’s calling, therefore, is to be a living symbol of reconciliation, overcoming hostility and embodying peace. This vision remains prophetic in an age marked by fragmentation, ethnonationalism, and sectarianism. As Cooper (2020: 137) notes, “Ephesians gives us not a theory of mission but a theology of community that fuels mission.”
The incorporation of Gentile Christians was already known; the way of incorporation was now made known. (Lemmer, 1998: 489)
The cross-cultural expansion of Christianity: Contemporary implications for the global missional church
The cross-cultural expansion of Christianity, rooted in the New Testament and reinforced through Pauline theology, continues to shape the Church’s identity in the modern world. From its Jewish origins to its global spread, the Church has always been defined by the tension and creative potential between local cultural expression and universal gospel truth. In the 21st century, this dynamic remains central to God’s mission.
Indigenization and pilgrimage in the modern church
Walls (1996) famously identified two impulses within Christian mission: the Indigenizing Principle, which is the gospel’s ability to adapt locally, and the Pilgrim Principle, its capacity to critique and transform culture. These principles were evident in the early Church and remain essential for the global Christian community today. The Church must be both at home in every culture and a prophetic voice to it.
African Independent Churches (AICs), for example, demonstrate the indigenizing tendency. They incorporate African cosmologies, leadership styles, and worship methods while maintaining the core message of the gospel. As Sanneh (2003: 97) notes, African believers felt at home with the gospel because it spoke their language and entered their worldview on its terms. Bediako (1995: 214) also affirms that the African Christian experience is not borrowed but transformed, anchoring Christian identity in the context of African culture.
Liberation theology and the prophetic pilgrimage
Conversely, Latin American Liberation Theology embodies the pilgrim aspect. Grounded in postcolonial critique and economic injustice, theologians such as Gustavo Gutiérrez and Leonardo Boff interpret the gospel as God’s solidarity with the poor and oppressed. Gutiérrez (1973: 78) argues that liberation from injustice is not peripheral but essential to the Church’s mission. Boff (1986: 122) emphasizes that the Church’s credibility depends on its willingness to embody the values of the kingdom: justice, mercy, and inclusion.
These movements reflect Paul’s approach: affirming the value of each cultural setting while urging every culture to submit to Christ. His gospel is deeply inclusive, yet thoroughly transformative (cf. Gal. 3:28; Eph. 2:15).
Missional lessons for the global church
As the “center of gravity” in Christianity shifts from the Global North to the Global South, the Western Church must learn from these contextual expressions of faith. Paul’s theology of justification by faith, covenantal inclusion, and Spirit-shaped community provides a model for addressing ongoing issues of exclusion, nationalism, racism, and religious legalism.
The Church must practice contextual humility, avoid cultural imperialism, and adopt a polycentric missiology, where mission comes from all parts of the world, not just from former colonial centers. This is not only faithful to Paul’s vision but also essential for the Church’s credibility in a postcolonial, pluralistic age.
The gospel’s triumph lies not in erasing cultural difference, but in reconciling difference within the body of Christ. (Walls, 1996: 9)
The global Church, as Paul foresaw and Ephesians affirms, must serve as a sign, preview, and tool of God’s reconciling purpose. This calling is not nostalgic; it is urgent, prophetic, and entirely relevant for the Church’s witness today.
Conclusion: From Jerusalem to the nations - the church in God’s global mission
The transformation of the early Church from a temple-based, Jewish sect to a Spirit-led, multiethnic global community was not a strategic evolution but a divinely initiated reorientation of God’s redemptive mission. This seismic shift, revealed through Jesus’ departure from the temple (Luke 21:6; 24:50), enacted at Pentecost, affirmed at the Jerusalem Council, and theologically articulated in Paul’s epistles, redefined what it meant to belong to the people of God.
The Book of Acts demonstrates the broad reach of the Holy Spirit, urging the Church to step beyond its cultural comfort zones. Paul’s mission and his theology, developed through that mission, established the framework for covenantal belonging that crossed ethnic and legal boundaries. As the New Perspective has clarified, Paul accepted Judaism but reinterpreted its boundary markers within a universal gospel centered on Christ.
At the Jerusalem Council, the Church officially confirmed that Gentile believers did not need to become Jews to follow Jesus. This decision reflected a missional ecclesiology that would become crucial for Christian identity in future generations. However, as Paul’s confrontation in Antioch and his pastoral struggles demonstrate, achieving this unity has been and remains an ongoing challenge. True unity is not based on structure or politics but is spiritual and relational, rooted in grace and sustained by the Spirit.
Ephesians clearly articulates this vision: the Church as the new humanity, God’s reconciling community created to display His wisdom to the world (Eph. 3:10). This community serves as a signpost of the kingdom; a preview of the reconciled creation that God is bringing into existence.
Today, as the Church grapples with nationalism, racial division, and postcolonial critique, the cross-cultural spread of Christianity provides vital insights. The examples of African Independent Churches and Latin American Liberation Theology demonstrate how Paul’s vision continues to develop in new settings. The Church must be both connected to culture and guided by the gospel, embodying the tension Walls described between indigenization and pilgrimage.
The mission of God continues. God’s plan to bless the nations through His people remains constant, even as the shape of His Church is continually transformed. In every era, the Church must return to the foundations set by Christ, proclaimed by Paul, and lived out in communities of diverse reconciliation. Only then can the Church credibly witness to the gospel in a divided and pluralistic world.
Theology and mission must begin again and again at the beginning, permanently anchored in God’s transforming purpose for His people and creation. (Migliore, 2014: 16)
Footnotes
Funding
The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Declaration of conflicting interests
The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.