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Category Archives: Digital Humanities

Expositus at 12 Months (and other work)

Expositus at 12 Months (and other work)

Over at the Expositus blog, I have posted a brief overview of the first 12 months of the organization I lead. I might add to the research summarized there that I also continue to work in New Testament-related subjects, including research related to my PhD on Luke-Acts, and marketing and teaching a NT Greek course for Erasmus Academy.

From the blog:

The first 12 months at Expositus have flown by, and for good reason. What have we been up to?

  • Incorporation in Missouri on August 1, 2017.
  • 501(c)(3) status granted (Letter of Determination dated September 28, 2017).
  • Successful fundraising of startup costs (Nov-Dec 2017).
  • First contract signed, working with CODEC, a major research center in the UK (December 2017—present).

Research work includes:

  • Researching and writing on the subject of how technology impacts interpretation of texts.
  • Writing a book on the history of Bible Software (contracted with Routledge).
  • Co-editing/authoring a book on Bible reading habits of 18-35 yr old British people.
    • Includes collaboration with CODEC, Bible Society (UK), and Barna.
    • More will be posted on the blog about the findings of this research soon.
  • Teaching on CODEC’s MediaLit summer course and CODEC’s MA in Digital Theology.
  • Trips to Durham (UK), Turku and Koli (Finland).
  • Collaboration with a potential research fellow of Expositus on computational linguistics related to New Testament texts.

In the year ahead, I expect much of this work to continue. In addition, we hope to begin working more on issues around high speed internet accessibility and digital literacy in rural Missouri. In fact, making a greater local impact is high on the priority list.

Why is this important? At the core of our work is the conviction that the impact of technology on communities, work, and even faith, is so great that we must study its influence in depth—to reap the benefits and mitigate the negative (often unintended) consequences.

Many thanks to all of Expositus’ supporters!

If you wish to support Expositus, please find out more here.

New Country, New Job

New Country, New Job

A couple of months ago I returned to the USA from the UK to lead a new research and education nonprofit (=charity in Britain) called Expositus. This is a continuation of my work in the area of digital humanities, especially faith and technology. Expositus seeks to bring tech research, training, and solutions to the local… Continue Reading

Digital Humanities and Theology in Finland

Digital Humanities and Theology in Finland

In February I had the pleasure of visiting the University of Turku, Finland with my colleague, director of CODEC, Pete Phillips. We were participating in a consultation of sorts that brought together computer scientists, theologians, and professionals to discuss how each of us were approaching relevant questions and technologies from our disciplinary perspectives. For my… Continue Reading

How You Should Use Academia.edu?

How You Should Use Academia.edu?

Dr Sarah Bond, a US scholar of Classics and DH, has recently written to tell fellow scholars using the popular academic social network Academia.edu, “It is time to delete your Academia.edu account.” Her primary concerns are the website’s for-profit character and its lack of true open-access. Continue Reading

SBLCentral: A personalised (digital) research assistant for SBL members

SBLCentral: A personalised (digital) research assistant for SBL members

I recently presented at the SBL in a section in which John F. Kutsko, executive director of SBL, also presented. He shared about funding the Society has received to pursue the development of SBLCentral, which “…envisions a highly customized and automated research platform…”. “The research platform would provide access to specialized content, including books, reviews, journal… Continue Reading

Chad Wellmon on Reading, From Augustine to Digital Humanists

Chad Wellmon on Reading, From Augustine to Digital Humanists

Chad Wellmon, in “Sacred Reading: From Augustine to the Digital Humanists,” recounts various shifts in the conception of reading over the centuries–how we read, for what we read, the telos of reading, etc. Underlying the compelling narrative Wellmon crafts is a comparison of ‘close’ and ‘distant’ (sometimes equated with ‘computational’) reading: Continue Reading

A Brief Description of Digital Humanities

A Brief Description of Digital Humanities

I reflected once before on the issue of defining the ‘digital humanities’. Here’s the description I typically give now: The digital humanities is a field that (i) applies the questions and methods of computing to the humanities (e.g., sentiment analysis of 19th century Scottish literature); and/or (ii) applies the questions and methods of the humanities to computing (e.g.,… Continue Reading

Questioning DRM and Encrypted Media Extensions

Questioning DRM and Encrypted Media Extensions

Danny O’Brien from the Electronic Frontier Foundation says: There is more encryption in the protected pathway that you have built in (without asking) for Hollywood movies to be presented on your screen without you being able to somehow tap them between the computer and the screen…than any of the encryption that actually protects your communications. It’s… Continue Reading

List of 1123 Greek Mss. at British Library

List of 1123 Greek Mss. at British Library

Get the spreadsheet here (.xlsx file). From the British Library: The completion of the third phase of the Greek Manuscripts Digitisation Project is as good a time as any to release to this world a handy spreadsheet containing details of the Greek manuscripts held by the British Library. The spreadsheet includes a brief description of the… Continue Reading