Realis releases an electronic compilation of articles and excerpts from monographs of leading world theologians of various Christian denominations and specialists in the field of digital theology and Christian digital media. The anthology is primarily intended for students of Realis courses, for preparation and independent research as part of their curricula, and for scholars in the field of digital humanities, religious studies, and media studies, as well as for a wide range of ministers and church volunteers involved in social media.
Since 2019, Realis and the CODEC Research Centre for Digital Theology at Durham University (UK) have developed and implemented the first study programme in Ukraine on Theology and Digital Culture. The programme focuses on the impact of digital culture and technology on society, the church, and the perception of sacred texts by Christians. Among the speakers of this programme were leading experts in the field of digital theology: Peter Phillips, Jonas Kuhlberg, Stephen Williams, and a number of national experts. Recurrently, Realis continues to organise open lectures for a wide range of listeners from experts in Christian social media and new media, artificial intelligence, transhumanism, and social crises impact. The need for such a programme has grown all the more during the global epidemic and the great war in Ukraine due to the forced transformation of the church in all spheres of Ukrainian society. An urgent problem in promoting such a study programme is the lack of national studies and popular science publications in the field of digital humanities, including digital theology, religious studies, and media studies. As part of its own programme, Realis provides an opportunity for everyone to get acquainted with a wide range of opinions on topical issues of digitalisation of Christianity and society that have been formed in the world scientific community. In creating this almanac, we primarily wanted to convey to readers the thoughts of Christians – scholars and specialists – on the pressing issues of the impact of digital transformation on Western Christianity. The order in which the materials in the almanac are presented follows the theses of the study programme. Instead, the region of origin and dating of the publications are intended to show the reader the basis for a contextualised perception of the author’s publication in historical and geographical terms. The religious beliefs of the authors create a wide range of contemporary Christian denominations, from Protestant mainstream to Catholicism and post-Soviet evangelicalism, so the publications sometimes indicate the titles of church ministers for the authors. Finally, taking care of the development of Ukrainian scientific thought in the direction of digital theology, it was impossible not to include author’s notes and a bibliography, which provide a rich ground for independent scientific research.
We hope to find among the readers of our almanac active Christians and scholars who seek to change society through the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, together with the Ap. Paul, we will ‘Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him (Eph. 1:16-17, KJB).