Christian Ethics for a Digital Society

[Kate Ott] argues cogently that for Christians to practice ethical internet use, they must be digitally literate. For Ott, this means understanding 'how data is used, information is created, and predictive analytics are promoted.' . . . Ott implores Christians to use technology in ways that honor God, including practicing forgiveness, being socially responsible, and caring for the environment with their technological choices. Ott’s book will appeal to Christian technology enthusiasts looking to engage in digital communities. * Publishers Weekly *
Finally, a book about tech that treats Christians like real human beings. Kate Ott offers a sophisticated, critical, accessible primer on Internet cultures and their discontents. It is not another call for a prudish retreat from networks, nor a ploy to manipulate them for propagandistic ends. Rather, it invites faith to be a guide for creative and savvy participation in building a more just digital world. -- Nathan Schneider, University of Colorado Boulder
So many theological responses to the digital age begin (and end) in moral hand-wringing about how much our world has changed, or in ‘how-tos’ designed to enable more tech-savvy ministers and lay leaders. Kate Ott offers us something else: a kind of moral grammar—or in her language, practices of moral ‘hacking’—to navigate our digital lives in embodied, incarnational ways. An improvisational book in the best of senses, this should be read by teachers, professors, students, parents, ministers, and anyone trying to think and act Christianly. -- Kathryn Reklis, Fordham University
What difference does it make to engage digital technology as a Christian? Kate Ott invites us to think intentionally and creatively about the shaping effect our engagement with the ever-changing digital world has on our relationships and our community formation. Providing a new ethical language, she orients our reflection away from a rule-based approach toward a relational and imaginative approach, all while keeping context, community, and justice at the fore. -- Xochitl Alvizo, California State University, Northridge