Digital Theology: A Computer Science Perspective

Length: 157 pages
Edition: 1
Language: English
Publisher: Emerald Publishing
Publication Date: 2021-07-27
ISBN-10: 1839825359
ISBN-13: 9781839825354
Sales Rank: #726094 (See Top 100 Books)

Digital Theology is a rapidly emerging field of academic research and gaining traction with scholars of Computer Science, Theology, Sociology of Religion and the wider Humanities.
This book explores Digital Theology from a Computer Science perspective, providing a comprehensive definition of the subject and setting the agenda for future work in the field for both academics and practitioners. A range of Digital Theology case studies highlight the challenges, and successes, and the lessons learned which can be applied to future situations. The book also includes a timely analysis of the role that digital technology has played in the response of the global church to specific world events; clarifying a number of turning points which have driven dramatic and rapid change in church operating models.

Half Title Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
List of Tables and Figures
List of Abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Foreword
1: Introduction: Towards A Dialogue Of The Theological And The Computational
1.1. Meeting the increasing demand for Digital Theology
1.2. Computer science point of view on Digital Theology: Designing digital solutions for theological challenges
1.3. How digital transformation shapes Digital Theology
1.4. Technology and power issues: Top-down or bottom-up?
1.5. How to use this book
1.6. A field of scholarship rooted in practice
2: What is Digital Theology?
2.1. Existing definitions of Digital Theology
2.1.1. Steinhart (2012)
2.1.2. Kolog, Sutinen and Nygren (2016)
2.1.3. Phillips, Schiefelbein-Guerrero and Kurlberg (2019)
2.1.4. Cooper, Mann, Sutinen and Phillips (2021)
2.2. Offering a new definition from a computer science perspective
2.3. Examples of Digital Theology research, projects and applications
2.3.1. Online Church Services
2.3.2. Online-only Churches
2.3.3. Online Christian Communities
2.3.4. Virtual, Augmented and Extended Reality Church
2.3.5. Bible Apps and Bible in a Year Apps/Plug-ins
2.3.6. Online Christian Dating
2.3.7. Life Before Death
2.3.8. Use of Emojis and Emoticons in Religious Discourse
2.3.9. Digital Theology Research
2.3.10. Online Theology Vocational Training
2.3.11. Church Leadership and Management Technology
3: Why Explore Digital Theology?
3.1. Ubiquitous theology
Case: Ubiquitous Design for Digital Sacred Realities – Spaces and Places, Chronoi and Kairoi.
3.2. Innovating or innovative theology
Case: Creative Faith Communities.
3.3. Crowd-sourcing theology
Case: Online Faith Communities Strengthen at the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
3.4. Mobile theology
Case: Mission by a Mobile Congregation.
3.5. Sustainable theology
Case: Glocal Congregation.
3.6. Big data theology
Case: Using Data Science for Understanding the Trends.
3.7. Artificially intelligent theology
Case: Human Language Technologies for Intra- and Extra-Church Encounters.
3.8. Context-aware (or adaptive) theology
Case: Gamification Missiological Awareness.
3.9. Universal access theology
Case: Inclusive Church.
3.10. e-Theology
Case: E-Leadership at Church.
3.11. Summarising the why: What would Aristotle say of Digital Theology?
4: How to Research Digital Theology?
4.1. General view
4.1.1. What: (Post-)Positivistic Orientation and Quantitative Approach
4.1.2. Why: Interpretive Orientation and Qualitative Approach
4.1.3. How: Building Digital Solutions – Orientation and Design Science Research
4.1.4. Action: Emancipatory Orientation and Action Research
4.2. Encyclopaedia of example Digital Theology research methods
4.2.1. Quantitative Surveys
4.2.2. Statistical Analyses
4.2.3. Machine Learning
4.2.4. Qualitative Interviews
4.2.5. Focus Groups
4.2.6. Ethnographies
4.2.7. Phenomenography
4.2.8. Grounded Theory
4.2.9. Qualitative Surveys
4.2.10. Case Studies
4.2.11. Observations
4.2.12. Design Science
4.2.13. Mixed Methods
4.2.14. Social Media Research
4.2.14.1. Social Media Research: Content Analysis
4.2.14.2. Social Media Research: Geospatial Analysis
4.2.14.3. Social Media Research: Sentiment Analysis
4.3. Tools
4.3.1. Data Collection and Analysis
4.3.2. Software Development
4.4. Ensuring quality in Digital Theology research
4.4.1. Quality Assurance
4.4.2. Ethical Principles for Digital Theology
4.4.2.1. Ethical Principles Case Study: Life Before Death
4.4.2.2. Ethical Principles Case Study: Online Bible Technology
5: What Might the Future of Digital Theology Look Like?
5.1. Factors shaping the future of Digital Theology
5.2. Narrative of the interplay of tensions
5.2.1. Setting the Scene
5.2.1.1. Agents and Origins of Change
5.2.1.2. Representing and Naming the Reality
5.2.1.3. Key Resources in Economy and Oikoumene
5.2.2. Complexities of the Drama
5.2.2.1. Modes of Human Existence
5.2.2.2. Dependence: Freedom or Slavery
5.2.2.3. Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
5.2.3. Where From and Where To?
5.2.3.1. Alpha et Omega
5.3. Tasks of Digital Theology in the foreseeable future
5.4. Real-life laboratories for designing Digital Theology applications
5.5. A computer scientist challenging a theologian
5.6. Can Digital Theology provide theology or computer science a paradigm shift?
6: Conclusion
References
Index

Sociology