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A Review of “Corpo:reality – Body and Embodiment in AI and Robotics”
The Corpo:reality – Body and Embodiment in AI and Robotics conference was held in early December in Würzburg, Germany, organised by Netzwerk für Theologie & Künstliche Intelligenz. Elon Musk recently indicated that AI would eliminate the need for all jobs and we will all have robot friends.[1] At the conference Dr. Ilona Nord raised the question will robots replace the pastor or is the physical presence more important? There are uses for robots in social care, industry and even to assist the pastor, but to replace them would remove the physicality. Even with Zoom meetings, YouTube services or in the metaverse, both pastor and congregation need to be physically present,…
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Pastoral Ethics and Belief Baggage: A Critical Look at Animal Symbolism in Witchcraft
Introduction One for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl… So begins the old British rhyme about magpies. I would have dismissed this as silly superstition, but for my experience one spring afternoon in 2014. I was writing in my studio in North London, seated at a desk facing the window. Outside, a magpie nestled on a big tree facing my direction and stayed there all day. In time, it moved to other branches but did not fly away. Occasionally, I looked up, hoping it was no longer there, but it stayed put, still staring in my direction. The following morning, I was back at my desk, and…
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BIAPT Conference 2023, Practical Theology Hub Event: S.H. Cedar, S. Horne, and Patricia Palazzo Tsai (Video)
Today we are thrilled to release the video of the Practical Theology Hub Event on hospitality which was held at BIAPT’s annual conference 2023 and features S. H. Cedar, Steven Horne, and Patricia Palazzo Tsai. Please note that parts of the video have been edited in order to protect the identities of non-speaking participants. Check it out below or on our YouTube Channel.
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Announcing PTH’s Forthcoming Event “The Future of Liberation Theology” (February 17, 2024)
Following the success of the Practical Theology Hub’s Inaugural Event at BIAPT’s annual conference 2023, we are thrilled to announce that will be holding a standalone event on February 17, 2024 from 14:00 to 16:00 UK Time. Details of the event and registration can be found below: The Future of Liberation Theology: Responding Practically to Neo-Liberalism and Inequality Join Practical Theology Hub for an engaging online discussion where we explore the future of liberation theology and discuss practical ways to address the challenges posed by neo-liberalism and inequality. Our panelists are: Register to attend here. Looking forward to seeing you there!
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Cats don’t have names: Does Neil Gaiman’s black cat teach emptiness?
‘Please. What’s your name?’ Coraline asked the cat. ‘Look, I’m Coraline. OK?’ The cat yawned slowly, carefully, revealing a mouth and a tongue of astounding pinkness. ‘Cats don’t have names,’ it said. ‘No?’ said Coraline. ‘No,’ said the cat. ‘Now, you people have names. That’s because you don’t know who you are. We know who we are, so we don’t need names.’ Neil Gaiman, Coraline (2002), p. 42. Neil Gaiman’s brilliant book entitled Coraline. The reader trying to make sense of this article may ask why the character Coraline is talking to a cat, they may be in awe trying to understand how a cat can engage in conversation, or…
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Surveillance and the All-Seeing Gaze of God
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. Proverbs 15:3. Whether from the mouths of cautious parents or disgruntled siblings, the ominous words, “God is watching you,” shape the beginning of ethical reflection for many Christians from a young age. At first, it might seem rather obvious what this sentence means. However, a little unraveling of the context, “who said this and how?” or “why is this the way?” reveals rather quickly that this statement is very reductive even if it is not quite false. Much more can and should be said about God’s knowledge than these four words. To use…
