Belief in the Future

David Zvi Kalman

Technology and religion sometimes seem like oil and water, but they've been crossing paths for centuries and aren't going to stop. Hosted by David Zvi Kalman. New episode every other week. Belief in the Future is a production of Sinai and Synapses. It was made with support from Templeton World Charity Foundation.

  1. What Could Go Right?

    AUG 27

    What Could Go Right?

    To close out our summer episodes, we're talking with Kevin Kelly, founder of WIRED Magazine and writer about all things tech and culture. Kevin is a devout Christian with an eye toward the ethical good of technology. In our conversation, we cover technological skepticism, the AI identity crisis, the Amish, and much more.  P.S. Check out host David Zvi Kalman's new YouTube channel, Sabbath Mode, for more in depth conversations about religion and technology. Resources: Kevin's website Kevin's books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    39 min
  2. The Two Codes

    AUG 20

    The Two Codes

    BIG NEWS: Belief in the Future now has a YouTube channel: Sabbath Mode. Go check it out before listening to the episode Coding is one part skill, one part magic, and one part tradition. But when AI use takes out the conversation of code -- the necessary language of the code itself -- can the tradition be kept alive? How do we keep something living and growing without passing along its stories, its trials and errors, and its complexities? On this episode, host David Zvi Kalman speaks with scientist Samuel Arbesman about his new book, The Magic of Code, and the ways that religion and coding reflect one another.  Resources:  The Magic of Code by Samuel Arbesman  The poetic web Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min
  3. Are AI Sermons a Good Thing?

    AUG 12

    Are AI Sermons a Good Thing?

    Religious organizations, like all other organizations, are beginning to use AI. Some of these uses are unremarkable, but others bring AI into the business of delivering religious messages. In this episode, host DZ Kalman speaks with religion and AI evangelist Kenny Jahng about the tools he sees churches adapting and what it means to use AI as a tool for evangelism. Resources: Kenny Jahng's website Futureproof, by Kevin Roose Exponential NEXT Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min
  4. The Wild World of Bible Apps

    FEB 26

    The Wild World of Bible Apps

    We often think about how technology has influenced religion, but we rarely question the opposite: how has religion pushed technological advancement? In the case of Christianity, software to share the Bible has been in development for decades and has been shaping tech advancement behind the scenes for even longer. On this episode, we're talking to John Dyer, a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and the author of the new book People of the Screen that details the entwined history of software and evangelism. Reading and resource list:  YouVersion Hebcal The Medium is the Message, Marshall McCluhan Geneva Bible The Scofield Study Bible Encountering Peace Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    46 min
  5. The Church that wants to build God

    JAN 17

    The Church that wants to build God

    What if AI and religion had a converging relationship rather than a parallel one? In Professor Beth Singler's new book, Religion and Artificial Intelligence: An Introduction, she explores how enmeshed technology and religion are in our current era, and how we as a society may be heading toward the creation and worship of a god-like AI.   Reading list:  Roko’s Basilisk or Pascal’s? Thinking of Singularity Thought Experiments as Implicit Religion The TESCREAL bundle: Eugenics and the promise of utopia through artificial general intelligence Existential Conversations with Large Language Models: Content, Community, and Culture The Turing Church Theta Noir Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    39 min
  6. The Temptation of AI Christ

    12/24/2024

    The Temptation of AI Christ

    The confessional booth is usually a private space for reflection and human connection. But what if, on the other side of the wall, you discovered you were asking forgiveness from a robot? This week, we're talking to Marco Schmid, the theologian at St. Peter's Chapel in Lucerne, Switzerland, about how his church uses AI to guide people to and through their prayer.  You can read more about St. Peter's Chapel and its AI program on NPR or The Guardian, or join AI Jesus for an interactive chat on Twitch.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 min
  7. Does Religion Have Wisdom for Tech?

    12/03/2024

    Does Religion Have Wisdom for Tech?

    Does religion have a role in developing ethical frameworks around technology? On this episode, we're talking to Rabbi Zvika Kreiger, spiritual leader of Chochmat Halev and former Director of Responsible Innovation at Facebook. Zvika and host David Zvi Kalman dive into the Metaverse and discuss how religious leaders can lean into technology, and what separation of tech and religion looks like. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    46 min
  8. Is Tech Too Fast to be Governed?

    11/12/2024

    Is Tech Too Fast to be Governed?

    Technology moves quickly – often times faster than governments can create laws to regulate it. So how do we adapt our lawmaking practices to keep up?    We’re talking to Gideon Lichfield, a journalist and alum of MIT Technology Review, The Economist, and WIRED Magazine, about how lawmaking can keep up with the fast pace of our digital world, and how government and religion mirror each other when interfacing with new technology.    Reading list:    Gideon’s newsletter, Futurepolis. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt  Dune by Frank Herbert Karl Schroeder Kim Stanley Robinson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    38 min
See All (17)

5
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Technology and religion sometimes seem like oil and water, but they've been crossing paths for centuries and aren't going to stop. Hosted by David Zvi Kalman. New episode every other week. Belief in the Future is a production of Sinai and Synapses. It was made with support from Templeton World Charity Foundation.

Information

  • Creator
    David Zvi Kalman
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    17
  • Copyright
    © 2024 David Zvi Kalman

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