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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 Publication: “Mobile Liturgy”

New Publication: “Mobile Liturgy”

Recently an article of mine was published: Joshua L. Mann, “Mobile Liturgy: Reflections on the Church of England’s Daily Prayer App” Online: Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet 12 (2017): 42–59. Abstract: Technologies used to represent texts are not hermeneutically neutral. Since technologies have illocutionary force, we should ask of any text, whether print or digital, In… Continue Reading

My book picks from Princeton Profs’ Summer Reading

My book picks from Princeton Profs’ Summer Reading

I am always interested in the books that other academics are hoping to read. Recently Princeton released the summer reading that a handful are hoping to tackle this Summer. From those recommendations, I have highlighted the following for my own list: From AnneMarie Luijendijk’s list: Carol Harrison, The Art of Listening in the Early Church… Continue Reading

Reducing Oneself to a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Reducing Oneself to a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

It recently occurred to me that the academic Curriculum Vitae (CV) is not only an instrument through which a scholar presents the scholarly self to the scholarly world, but also an instrument through which the scholar presents the self to the self. In other words, the CV functions like a (highly skewed) window through which the world can see… 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

Today’s Degrees Cost More, Worth Less

Today’s Degrees Cost More, Worth Less

A friend of mine shared an article repeating a familiar narrative, namely the plight of freshly minted PhDs looking for work. Today’s academic degrees cost far more than they used to but are worth far less. So who is cashing in on the difference? Related to this, I have deep reservations about the nearly unqualified encouragement given… Continue Reading