Hacking the Divine

Finished the Virtual Theology paper finally. Definitely a start toward something larger (a thesis chapter?) and a weaving together of some strands of my research.

Had a large section (1500-2000 words) on the role of science-religion models of interaction in technology-theology engagement. It went into the paper, was removed, went back in and then was brutally cut out. Felt like I was doing the “Hokey Cokey” [Syr. mss “Hokey Tokey”, Copt. mss “Hokey Pokey”]. My main problem with science-religion stuff is that the messy stuff (like the ethics of embryonic stem cell research) is left as an exercise to the reader. Too much abstraction and not enough “rubber meets the road.” Anyway, here’s the abstract.

Hacking the Divine : A metaphor for theology-technology engagementIn this paper the metaphors of �God as hacker� and human beings as created co-creators are linked with the narratives of creativity, novelty and experience within contemporary technoculture. This type of approach is envisaged as one of many that might be used to engage with technology theologically. Drawing upon the tradition of God as creator and a functional interpretation of the imago Dei in humans it aims to open up a conversation with technology. This conversation looks to move beyond mere abstraction and into existential questions raised by new technologies together with identifying how to live wisely within the everyday technological world.

Note: The term created co-creator is one that Philip Hefner developed. The idea that we are rooted in an ongoing creation yet can act as agents of change – producers of novelty – as we participate with God’s ongoing creative action.

Note 2: Also managed to fit viriditas in the too. Might print the final copy of the paper in green.