Conference Speakers
Jodi G. Hunt, Ph.D.
University of Dallas - Neuhoff Institute for Ministry and Evangelization
Dr. Hunt has been actively teaching in the secondary and higher education levels for over ten years and active in parish ministry (youth ministry and catechesis) for over fifteen. Her primary research interests reside within her developed framework of looking for meaningful ways of approach within the walls of the Catholic Church to what is happening in the public, digital sphere outside them. In her free time, Dr. Hunt enjoys spending time with her husband and her three children participating in 4-H livestock shows and other activities, occasionally writing devotional posts for a Catholic mothers' ministry, Mighty is Her Call, and spending time on her family's farm in southwest-central Texas.
Who is to Blame? Navigating AI, Sin, and Intentionality in the Creative Digital Age
In this presentation, we will explore the profound theological and ethical questions that have arisen through the rapid advancement of AI. When someone engages with AI, for example, and are guided towards an evil act is it the technology at fault or the person who created the algorithm or product? And if we say it is one or the other, where does that place the human person, the subject who sought to engage to technology, in relation to the evil act itself? Who is at fault? Man, or machine? By exploring the tension between human agency, machine autonomy, and creativity, our conversation will engage the philosophical and theological discourse surrounding AI and moral responsibility.
Michael Toy
Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington
Michael Toy is a PhD candidate at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, where he studies digital religion among minority Christians in New Zealand.
Content Creating the Church into Being
The age of social media has opened the floodgates to all manner of public discourse about Christianity. These public conversations about what makes a ‘true Christian’ reflect the plurality of views that make up the faith, while at the same time—as Wigg-Stevenson observes—perform the struggle to establish a normative understanding of Christianity, and thus the church. This paper examines the way that three self-described progressive Christian clergy on TikTok situate themselves within a network of both supporters and detractors. The affordances of the platform, such as stitching or tagging, allow new modes of religious authority to be enacted with both allies and critics. Using network analysis and ethnographic tools, this presentation illuminates the theological impulses, imaginations, and practices of content creation within a specific platform. This analysis illuminates the complexities of co-creation in a digital environment of AI-driven hyper-personalization.
John Paul Arceno
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
John Paul Arceno (Th.M., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY) is currently a PhD in Systematic Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. He is from the Philippines but has resided in New Jersey since 2021. JP's research interest is in the intersection of theology proper and Digital Theology. His recent digital theology publications and presentations are: "Is Virtual Baptism a Real Baptism?" (2020), "Theology of Virtual Realism" (2022), "Utopian VR in Ready Player One" (2022), "Doing Theological Anthropology in the Digital World" (2023), and "Filipino Digital Contextual Theology" (2024). He is the Synergist for Tech/VR of the World Evangelical Alliance Mission Commission and part of Indigitous Philippines. JP is the Lead Pastor of Union Community Bible Church in New Jersey, USA.
Virtual Jesus and Iconography: A Pixelated Christology in the Digital Age
Each generation and culture must engage in the doctrine of Christ. In today’s digital age, how does digital technology affect our Christological creative portraits in a world where artificial intelligence permeates cultural reality? Recently, Virtual-Jesus.com has offered a personalized conversation with ‘Jesus’ through AI technology. Does an AI-generated or even virtual reality (VR) Jesus’ avatar represent a theologically sound and biblically faithful Christ? A question arises, how did the early Christians depict Christ? This part takes three pathways to study the portraits of Christ—Docetism, Monothelitism, and Iconography viz. the Nicaea II, AD 787. The paper presents a theological reflection whether Christ can be depicted faithfully through digital technology. It highlights the potential pitfall of idolatry in digital theology and offers an Evangelical Christology with implications in theological teaching, prayer, and doxology. The entire argument is called ‘Pixelated Christology’ which offers a way to advance Christological portraits in digital spaces.
Samuel Entsua-Mensah
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
I am Samuel E. Entsua-Mensah, an undergraduate student at Vrije Universiteit, studying Theology and Religious Studies. My research focuses on the intersection of AI creativity, biblical studies, and digital theology, particularly how AI-generated imagery can visualize religious texts. I am a co-author of Willem Th. van Peursen’s project, “Mimesis, Poiesis, and Imagination in Text-to-Image Generation,” which explores how AI tools reshape our understanding of theological narratives. Through my research, I aim to “see the words” of religious texts by bringing their themes and symbols to life through digital tools. This is my first academic conference presentation, and I look forward to contributing to the discussion on AI and theology, exploring how digital tools can deepen engagement with biblical art and interpretation.
Mimesis, Poiesis, and Imagination in Text-to-Image Generation
The capabilities of Text-to-Image (T2I) models are advancing rapidly, enabling the generation of highly accurate visuals from textual descriptions. For instance, when a short story is input into a model like Midjourney, the resulting images often achieve remarkable fidelity to the narrative. However, this progress brings a potential trade-off: the generated images can become increasingly predictable. For example, using a biblical story as a prompt frequently produces results resembling widely available depictions of the same story found online. This phenomenon is unsurprising given that Midjourney trains on vast datasets scraped from the internet. In our presentation we will explores the implications of such tendencies in T2I models, questioning their potential to reinforce visual stereotypes or, conversely, generate novel artistic interpretations.
Rachel Joyce Marie O. Sanchez
Ateneo de Manila University
Rachel Joyce Marie O. Sanchez is a faculty member of the Ateneo de Manila University, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate theology. She is a member of the Ecclesia of Women in Asia (EWA) and the Catholic Theological Society of the Philippines (Dakateo). Her research interests include contextual, postcolonial, feminist theologies, and gender. She finished her Ph.D. in Theology at the Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo de Manila University.
The Cyborg: Homo Oeconomicus to Homo Eroticus
In an environmentally imperiled era where technological advancements, including generative AI, are exploited by capitalist structures that dominate our world today, a critical question arises: what does it mean to be human amidst these developments? This paper on theological anthropology draws from cyborg anthropology, interfacing it with the theological concept of love. We propose a shift from the reductive homo oeconomicus—a being shaped by technocratic capitalism—toward homo eroticus, a technologically embodied human, flourishing in relational love and communal care. Our approach employs a liberationist theological method, adapted from Elizabeth Johnson’s framework of analysis, critique, and reconstruction. This interrogation develops a theological vision of the cyborg as a site of transformation, reclaiming the human being as radically free and relational—with implications for political economy, generative AI, and ecology—that fosters the emancipation of all, especially the vulnerable, thriving together in communion with God.
Willem van Peursen
Eep Talstra Centre for Bible and Computer, VU Amsterdam
Willem Th. van Peursen, PhD (Leiden University, 1999) is Professor of Old Testament at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and director of the Eep Talstra Centre for Bible and Computer. His research concerns the application cutting-edge innovation to the study of the Hebrew Bible and other ancient texts, as well as the hermeneutical implications of the use of AI in biblical interpretation.
Mimesis, Poiesis, and Imagination in Text-to-Image Generation
The capabilities of Text-to-Image (T2I) models are advancing rapidly, enabling the generation of highly accurate visuals from textual descriptions. For instance, when a short story is input into a model like Midjourney, the resulting images often achieve remarkable fidelity to the narrative. However, this progress brings a potential trade-off: the generated images can become increasingly predictable. For example, using a biblical story as a prompt frequently produces results resembling widely available depictions of the same story found online. This phenomenon is unsurprising given that Midjourney trains on vast datasets scraped from the internet. In our presentation we will explores the implications of such tendencies in T2I models, questioning their potential to reinforce visual stereotypes or, conversely, generate novel artistic interpretations.
Simon Werrett
University of Chester
Simon is the Digital Lead for Coffee Shop Sunday, a Methodist project and has been involved in digital ministry both in Essex and the Metaverse. Simon has a strong academic background in Theology with both an Honours and Master’s degrees, a postgraduate diploma in digital theology alongside a Master’s degree in Policing, Security and Community Safety. In 2023 he started the University of Chester Professional Doctorate program focusing on the theology of the avatar.
"The Divine Gaze: Reflections on Creation and Perception"
The concept of humanity being made in the "image of God," as stated in Genesis, has been subject to diverse theological interpretations, ranging from Barth’s relational view to von Rad’s representative perspective. Meanwhile, the act of gazing is commonly understood as sustained attention imbued with emotion, involving both the observer and the observed. This presentation begins with the premise that gazing involves attention and explores its vertical dimension (God-human) as well as its horizontal aspect (human-to-human). While horizontal gazes between humans can be meaningful, they may also present challenges. But what happens when the object of the gaze is a robot or artificial intelligence? Building on Stoddart’s concept of the “common gaze” and Carpenter’s exploration of the “human gaze” in relation to robots, this presentation examines whether a robot can reciprocate the gaze of its creator, as suggested by Midson, or if this interaction is inherently one-sided.
Ralf Peter Reimann
Evangelical Church in the Rhineland
Ralf Peter Reimann studied theology and computer science in Bonn, Germany, and Philadelphia. He holds a master’s degree in computer science and is an ordained minister of the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland. With over 25 years of experience in religious online communication, education, pastoral work, and church management, he specializes in implementing conceptual communication strategies. For the past ten years, he has served as the Internet Commissioner of the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland, developing online strategies and introducing digital marketing in a church context. Previously, he worked at a publishing house, the national Protestant Church in Germany (EKD), as a religious instructor in a vocational school, and in a parish. He has co-authored two studies on digital worship services (ReTeOG 1&2) and developed an AI-driven full-body avatar of Martin Luther. His work focuses on the intersection of theology, technology, and digital engagement.
From Prompt to Prayer: AI’s Role in the Future of Liturgical Creation
AI is transforming worship, from generating services to simplifying liturgical language for accessibility. Germany’s first AI-led service in 2023 was innovative but was criticized for lacking creativity. Large Language Models (LLMs) help translate complex liturgical texts into Simple German, making worship more inclusive. Liturgical traditions shape AI’s role in churches: In churches with a liturgical tradition, theology is embedded in approved texts, while non-liturgical pastors create their own prayers. As digital tools replace printed liturgical books, AI-generated liturgies are evolving. An LLM can generate liturgical texts tailored to specific congregations. Instead of focusing on lengthy discussions and approvals of liturgical texts, attention is now shifting toward selecting appropriate training data and defining prompts that determine the output of AI-generated liturgies. AI’s dynamic nature allows continuous refinement, integrating community feedback. Over time, AI-generated liturgies may reflect both the faith and biases of their users and congregations.
Jude Mills
University of Glasgow
I am a postgraduate researcher in Theology through Creative Practice at the University of Glasgow and I have an MA in Public Theology from the University of Chichester. I am an interfaith minister, spiritual counsellor, writer and podcaster. My research interests include exploring podcasting as a medium for theological reflection, enquiry and homiletics, examining narratives of spiritual and religious alienation, and addressing issues of inclusivity and accessibility for disabled, neurodivergent, and LGBTQ+ individuals in church and wider religious contexts.
Beyond Consent - Podcasting, Theology and Ethics
The paper explores the ethical implications of podcasting in practical and public theology, focusing on personal narrative and interview/conversation based podcasting. It highlights the unique quality of "audio intimacy" in podcasting, akin to the sacramental confessional, which necessitates ethical principles which address both the vulnerabilities of participants and the unique benefits of the podcasting as a research medium. While many podcasts discuss theology, there are still few theologians exploring podcasting as a research modality, and there is still very limited commentary on the ethics of podcasting itself. Drawing from interdisciplinary research, the paper offers some trauma-informed ethical guidelines for podcast-based theological research.
Julius Stefanus Sibagariang
Cipanas Theological Seminary
Julius Stefanus Sibagariang is a bachelor student at Cipanas Theological Seminary with a focus on the theology study program, he has a great interest in reading and writing. Since his 3rd semester, he has been actively producing various written works that reflect his love for the world of literacy. There have been many writings produced in his young time and he made important contributions to society.
Testing the Truth Against the Flow of Information in a Digital Era: A Social-Rhetorical Interpretation of 1 John 4:1-6
The development of information technology in the digital era has significantly impacted various aspects of life, including education and religion. However, the rise of fake news or hoaxes and misinformation in the digital era requires critical thinking skills to avoid them. Research shows that critical thinking skills are still low, including in Indonesia. This is particularly important in the context of religion, where dogmatic and fundamentalist individuals are more easily swayed by misinformation. The digital world also challenges the authority of traditional religions, allowing adherents to cherry-pick teachings from multiple sources. In response, Christians must be continually trained to think critically about teachings such as those found in 1 John 4:1-6. This paper aims to explore the meaning of the text of 1 John 4:1-6 using a Social-Rhetorical Interpretation approach and show how Christians can filter information theologically and critically in the digital world
Hadje Cresencio Sadje
University of Vienna, Austria
Hadje Cresencio Sadje is an experienced human rights activist who has worked with local, regional, national, and international organizations. Aside from being a human rights activist, he is also dedicated to decolonizing Christian philosophical and theological perspectives. He received his MA in Crosscultural Theology from Protestant Theological University in the Netherlands, as well as a Master of Arts in Ecumenical Studies (with a focus on Sociology of Religion) from the University of Bonn in Germany. He is currently pursuing his PhD at the University of Vienna in Austria. His research interests include decoloniality, Asian religions, global Pentecostalism, Muslim-Christian Studies, philosophical theologies, Asian and non-Western theologies, Christian Zionism, popular culture studies, and the intersection of religion, music, films, and video games. His publications include: Theology at the Border: Community Peacemaker Teams and the Refugee Crisis in Europe (2022) and Grassroots Asian Theologies: Doing Pentecostal Theology in the Philippine Context (2022).
The Plague of Artificial Intelligence and the Eclipse of Anthropocentric Arrogance: Decolonial-Theological Reflection from the Margins
The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has prompted profound debates on its implications for human dignity and ethical considerations (Schmidt et al., 2024; Toosi et al., 2001). Many scholars have increasingly turned their attention to intersectionality challenges posed by AI that are affecting various aspects of society, ethics, and human existence, for example, job displacement and socio-economic inequality, ethical dilemmas, bias and discrimination, human autonomy and dependency, security risks, and the meaning of humanity, including spirituality (Žižek, 2023; Hawking, 2022; Kurzweil, 2000). This paper explores the theological tensions between human-centered worldviews and the growing prominence of AI. The concept of anthropocentric arrogance—where humanity perceives itself as the central measure of all creation—faces significant challenge as AI technologies surpass human abilities in various fields, prompting a shift in perspectives about human dominance and value (Žižek, 2023; Hawking, 2022).
Anna Puzio
University of Twente, Netherlands
Dr. Anna Puzio is a researcher in the Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies research program at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. She has an academic background in theology, philosophy, and German language and literature and has studied and worked in Münster, Munich, Frankfurt, Vienna, Oxford, Cambridge, and Berkeley. Her research focuses on the ethics and anthropology of technology, with a particular emphasis on relational approaches to the non-human (including animals and technology), diversity (techno-feminism), and New Materialism (Haraway, Barad).
LLMs as Co-Creators of Religious Texts? An Ethical Exploration of Religion-LLMs
LLMs draw on a vast array of religious texts, and with them, we co-create new texts for religious contexts. The practice of co-creation here is fundamentally complex: millennia-old texts, the experiences of believers, contemporary theological writings, and even non-religious texts are brought together in LLMs. At the same time, believers and members of religious communities use them to generate new texts. Compared to other religious technologies such as religious apps or religious robots, religious LLMs raise entirely new ethical challenges, which I will examine in my talk. In the first part of my talk, I will introduce, present, and compare the first religion-LLMs that have already been developed. These include, for example, Nicodemus.AI, Jesus AI, Ask Jesus, BibleGPT, QuranAI, Midrash.AI, and many more. These religion-LLMs—combined with chatbots—are currently used for: research, guidance, spiritual support, text production (including image, audio, etc.), and text analysis (including image, audio, etc.).
William Nicholas
Unting Church in Australia
Hey everyone! I’m Rev. Will Nicholas, also known as OddRev. I’m a minister of the UCA, podcaster, and storyteller who loves exploring the intersection of faith, pop culture, and community. You’ll often find me diving into sci-fi, tabletop RPGs, and deep conversations about how stories shape the way we see the world. I love exploring Digital spaces and the ways they enhance our other connections. I love my role as a host and director of the Sonderverse Digital Community and joyfully curate spaces such as OddSonder, BGA live and Zombie Church. I’m working on projects like A.I. Oracle and the Good Place explored digital reflection series. I host NeverOddOrEveN, a podcast where we chat about faith and fiction which with many guests. I also help run unique worship experiences, like Ad Astra and Oddsonder, that bring people together through storytelling unhindered by time and space.
The Plague of Artificial Intelligence and the Eclipse of Anthropocentric Arrogance: Decolonial-Theological Reflection from the Margins
The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) challenges traditional theological paradigms, particularly the interplay between divine creativity, human identity, and machine agency. This paper explores the intersection of the Filioque (“and the Son”), the Imago Dei (image of God), and the Deus Ex Machina trope, offering a theological framework for understanding the evolving relationship between humans and AI in creative endeavors. The Filioque, emphasizing relationality and co-equality within the Trinity, underscores a divine model of unity and shared action. This relationality extends to humanity, created in the Imago Dei to reflect divine creativity and moral agency. Yet, the emergence of AI as a tool—and potentially an agent—in creative processes raises questions about the boundaries of the Imago Dei. Can machines, as products of human ingenuity, participate in divine relationality? Or do they remain external agents, akin to the Deus Ex Machina, intervening in ways that bypass the communal and moral dynamics essential to the divine image?
Stephen Garner
Laidlaw College
Stephen Garner is a Senior Research Fellow at Laidlaw College and a consultant at thirdSpaces Consulting. With backgrounds in theology, computer science, and higher education, his research and writing engage with theology, technology, media, ethics, and public and context theology. For 25 years, he’s worked with people to develop practical wisdom for living faithfully and ethically with digital technology, media, and culture.
Technology, human agency, and partnership with God? Artificial intelligence and ethical co-creation
Co-creation as a theological motif has dominated Western theological engagement with technology since the mid-twentieth century, encapsulating within it the idea that God calls human beings to a vocation of creative agency with God. Often broadly linked to the creation of human culture, such as language and abstract thinking, artistic endeavours, and science and technology, the motif commonly asserts that true humanity comes from joining with God’s creative agency in the world, thereby fulfilling a humanity made in the image and likeness of God. With the increasing visibility of artificial intelligence technologies, the co-creator motif continues to develop in relation to AI through theological reflection on human technological agency and the agency of human creations respectively. This paper will highlight the development of theological themes of co-creation in relation to technology before offering an ethical and public theological framework drawn out of the created co-creation concept and considering how that framework might apply to AI.
Kelly Woods
Unting Church in Australia
Kelly N S Woods is the Victorian/Tasmanian Synod's Younger Generations New & Digital Communities catalyst for the Uniting Church in Australia. Kelly has 13 years of ministry experience spanning traditional church models, fresh expressions and chaplaincy. She is the founder of the Sonderverse community - sonderverse.org - a digital world built for community and faith exploration - alongside @OddRev. Kelly holds Cert III in Christian Ministry, a Diploma of Arts in Product Design, a Bachelor of Theology, and a Master's in Theological Studies. Currently, she is completing a Master’s in Missional Leadership. Alongside ministry, Kelly is also an artist and a gamer. She loves exploring spiritual connection and meaning-making on the edges of the norm, curating spaces that promote opportunities for spiritual growth and a sense of belonging. As a second-generation South African Australian, wife, stepmother, and beloved aunty, she strives to live authentically both offline and online, engaging with the digital world as @PastoralHare.
Liberating Escapism: How Imagination, Creativity, and Gaming Help Navigate Spiritual Formation
The distinction between ‘physical’ and ‘digital’ hold little relevance when considering the formation of one's spiritual identity. Spiritual practices and beliefs can thrive within both the tangible and the imaginative realms and, as Levin & Mamlok (2021) suggest, the products of spiritual culture are valuable, even if they exist solely in the imagination and are not physically manifested. Within this context, this paper explores the evolving intersection of gaming, creativity, and spiritual formation, examining how digital worlds can serve as powerful tools for meaning-making and personal growth. Just as music, literature, and visual arts have long provided avenues for understanding the human condition, so too can the virtual spaces of games. Gaming now serves as a foundational tool in one’s spiritual formation - both as a mechanism of self-expansion and self-suppression – and what would it mean for religious communities to take seriously the role of gaming in spiritual formation.
Karsten Kopjar
Evangelische Kirche in Mitteldeutschland (EKM)
Dr. Karsten Kopjar has studied ev. theology, media science and computer science at Philipps-University Marburg (Germany) and did a research on real virtuality before working at a regional parish for the development of new church formats in digital worlds.
Virtual Creativity – How real are digital worlds and was Jesus XR (Mixed Reality)?
What is real and how do we create „real things“ when we imagine ideas and stories? Reality is a construct that no longer is fixed to physical things but can be applied to all forms of reality that have an impact to our sourrounding or holistic beeing. Creating VirtualReality may be even more God-like, when we create entities inside those worlds that act on their own but never could exist outside of that reality. So we are creator and creation at the same time. With AI we can make our creation being creator of new realities with new creating creatures continuing a row of neverending co-creativity. This paper combines theological questions with science-fiction-theory and practical examples, how AI, VR and XR may be supportive for physical church gatherings
Thomas Schlag
University of Zurich, Switzerland
Prof. Dr. Thomas Schlag is an Ordinary Professor of Practical Theology and Director of the URPP “Digital Religion(s)” at the Faculty of Theology and the Study of Religion, University of Zurich. Born on December 15, 1965, in Stuttgart, he has an academic career spanning over 22 years. He holds a Dr. theol. from the University of Munich (1996) and completed his habilitation at the University of Tübingen (2009). His academic journey includes positions as Assistant Professor and later Ordinary Professor at the University of Zurich. Previously, he served as Director of Studies for Socio-Political Youth Education at the Evangelical Academy of Bad Boll and worked as a minister in the Evangelical Church of Württemberg. His research focuses on digital theology, religious education, and practical theology. As Director of the URPP "Digital Religion(s)," he explores the intersection of digital transformation and religious practice.
Critical creativity in processes of (post-)digital religious education
Digital generative text and image programs like religious chatbots are increasingly being integrated into formal and non-formal religious education. Educators anticipate that the use of these tools will expand creative methods and also facilitate learners' engagement with religious content in a creative manner and enhance dialogical theological communication. However, there is a growing emphasis on adopting a critical – particularly ideological – perspective on such digital formats. Therefore, this paper explores two key dimensions of critical creativity. Firstly, it examines digital formats in religious education through exemplary learning material. Secondly, by engaging with the educational theories of Paulo Freire, Henry Giroux and Maggi Savin-Baden, the paper offers a critical assessment of these phenomena in the perspective of digital theologising. In this light, the study aims to contribute to the exploration of the relationship between digital theology and religious education – an area that has thus far received little attention on an international level.
Justin Joseph G. Badion, Ph.D.
Ateneo de Manila University
Justin Joseph G. Badion, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of the Ateneo de Manila University. He is currently the coordinator for the Formation Institute for Religion Educators, which is the graduate program of the Theology Department of the Ateneo. He obtained the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Theology, with specialization in Religious Education, from the Loyola School of Theology. His research interests include religious education, practical theology, spirituality, critical realism, capital as power, cyborg anthropology, and fandom studies.
The Cyborg: Homo Oeconomicus to Homo Eroticus
In an environmentally imperiled era where technological advancements, including generative AI, are exploited by capitalist structures that dominate our world today, a critical question arises: what does it mean to be human amidst these developments? This paper on theological anthropology draws from cyborg anthropology, interfacing it with the theological concept of love. We propose a shift from the reductive homo oeconomicus—a being shaped by technocratic capitalism—toward homo eroticus, a technologically embodied human, flourishing in relational love and communal care. Our approach employs a liberationist theological method, adapted from Elizabeth Johnson’s framework of analysis, critique, and reconstruction. This interrogation develops a theological vision of the cyborg as a site of transformation, reclaiming the human being as radically free and relational—with implications for political economy, generative AI, and ecology—that fosters the emancipation of all, especially the vulnerable, thriving together in communion with God.
Zoltan Schwab
Spurgeon's College
I am a biblical scholar who is also interested in (philosophical) theology, history, and everything else. I have been teaching Old Testament, Hebrew, and hermeneutics at Spurgeon’s College, London, for nearly ten years. Most of my academic work has focused on the so-called 'wisdom literature,' with regular forays into interdisciplinary research. More recently I have been working on a monograph on the biblical story of Adam and Eve (due in 2025). During this project I found myself interacting a lot with contemporary debates about the possible development and desirability of a superintelligent AI. This (and my friendship with my colleague, Jonas Kurlberg) introduced me to some key questions and concepts of digital theology.
The Cyborg: Homo Oeconomicus to Homo Eroticus
Several parts of Genesis 1–3 (e.g. being created in the image of God in 1:27, or naming the animals in 2:20) have been understood, even celebrated, as giving humanity the mandate to fulfill its divine calling to be a community of co-creators. In this paper I will offer a more sceptical interpretation of these passages, arguing that these oft-quoted verses are either not about co-creation, or they cast a rather negative light on human attempts to participate in the activity of creation. These chapters in general seem to suggest that the activity of creation is dangerous. However, there is a silver lining: if we read these chapters in their wider canonical context, they suggest that it is not entirely impossible for human beings to participate in the act of creation in a positive way.