Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Where I’ll Be (November 2025 Edition)

Where I’ll Be (November 2025 Edition)

Last updated on: November 18, 2025 at 1:20 pm by James F. McGrath

0 Comments

Where I’ll Be (November 2025 Edition) 2025-11-18T13:20:30-05:00 James F. McGrath

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I thought it would be useful to share where I’ll be speaking and what else I’m involved with in the coming weeks. First, there’s the upcoming AAR/SBL conference. I get there Thursday morning for part of the NetVUE preconference. Butler University is a member, and we’ll be hosting a Scriptural Reasoning hub on campus in May 2026. Mark your calendar and plan to attend!

Back to Boston, I’ll be leading a pre-conference session as part of THATCamp (The Humanities and Technology Camp) on Friday November 21st starting at 9:00 am. Here’s the general description for the full day, the whole of which is led and coordinated by Randall Reed and Tracy Throthen (whose work is featured in Publisher’s Weekly about AAR/SBL 2025).

Artificial Intelligence is the latest and most disruptive example of digital technology transforming how religious communities function. Digital tools have also reshaped how scholars teach and conduct research on religion. If you’re curious about how technology is changing our work now and in the future, we invite you to join us at THATCamp.

THATCamp is an unconference: instead of formal presentations, learning happens through hands-on workshops proposed by participants. Topics might include using AI in research or teaching, digital research methods, web-based assignments, and more. What are the implications of technology for our disciplines? How does digital scholarship fit into our field of study? What are the professional ramifications?

THATCamp offers an open, welcoming space for sharing, exploring, and learning together.

I’m only leading and participating in the morning, based on my recent book co-authored with Ankur Gupta, Real Intelligence: Teaching in the Era of Generative AI.

From 12:30-2:30 on Monday we have a Traditions of Eastern Late Antiquity session co-sponsored with the Platonism and Neoplatonism program unit, on the intersection of these two areas.

Gorgias Press has a discount connected with the review panel that I am participating in. This will take place Monday evening at 5 pm in the Marriott Copley Place, Suffolk. Edmondo Lupieri’s book isn’t out yet and so we’ll have little about that, and much more about the important volumes by Jorunn Buckley and Sandra van Rompaey, the latter being the very first study of Mandaean illustrated scrolls by an art historian. The book is groundbreaking and also beautiful, as well as full of incredible insights. There is so much more to be done in this field.

Eerdmans also has a conference discount that they have shared with those unable to attend, and so it seems appropriate to share it with blog readers. Just use the code AARSBL2025 at checkout. Wipf and Stock’s conference discount is also available using CONFSHIP at checkout on their website.

Although not presenting in the Christian Apocrypha sessions this year, I’m involved in the Symeon Metaphrastes translation project and so will share what I’ve worked on in 2026. On Monday night I hope to make it to the SBLAAR craft beer reception (SBLAAR in this case standing for “Society of Beer Lovers and Assorted Academic Research”).

On Tuesday morning, there is a session co-sponsored by the John the Baptist and Johannine Literature program units, since we received proposals related to the “friend of the Bridegroom” in John 3.

There will be a performance of Del Case‘s “The Binding of Isaac According to the Elohist” on the Saturday evening while we’re in Boston, at a conveniently located venue. If you’ve never heard a piece of music that sets one of the Pentateuchal sources, then you simply must come and hear this.

There are a variety of receptions I’ll try to make a point of getting to. I still haven’t heard that there will be a Durham University one. When Jimmy Dunn was still alive, he and his students would gather for dinner at SBL. I hope to see Durham friends, and suggest that if there isn’t another occasion that will make it likely that that will happen, we should start something.

I will be at Starbase Indy the weekend after Thanksgiving. This will be a special one, not least because I am one of the authors who has a story in the first ever Starbase Indy anthology. You can purchase a copy for Kindle online or get a physical copy at Starbase Indy. Here are the panels and sessions in which I’m appearing:

Friday, November 28

3pm

Fiction as Commentary on Social Issues

Writer’s Room, 3pm – 4pm

Diana Catt, Jeff Couch, A.D. Beam, TammyJo Ekhart, Dr. James McGrath

Our current society sometimes feels like a timebomb of dissent and anger. Instead of (or maybe in addition to) going to a protest and carrying a sign, some authors reveal their feelings through their writing, be it prose or poetry. What have you read or what have you written that takes a stand? Does it make a difference?

8pm

Book Release Party

Writer’s Room, 8pm – 10pm

Mary Bischoff, Diana Catt, Franklin Oliver, Jeff Couch, Dr. James McGrath, TammyJo Ekhart, Clif Flynt, Mona Mehas

Come to celebrate the launch of the first Starbase Indy Anthology, created in partnership with Dragon’s Edge Publishing.

Saturday, November 29

11am

Inspiring Action Through Music

Communications, 11am – 12pm

Jen Midkiff, Dr. James McGrath, P.J. O’Connor, Lisa Meece

Music has been used across cultures to bring people together, to help them understand new concepts, and to inspire action. This panel includes artists who craft and perform original music to talk about the ways music has moved them, and how they have used music to move others.

1pm

Believing What’s Beyond the Stars

Communications, 1pm – 2pm

Dr. James McGrath, Tim Taylor, Lisa Meece

When we discover life on other planets, some people are going to be surprised. We find the same challenge with scientific breakthroughs on this planet – when challenged with a world view that is fundamentally different than what we have believed in the past, how do we deconstruct and reconstruct meaning to fit what we’ve learned.

2pm

Legitimate Uses of AI

Communications, 2pm – 3pm

Clif Flynt, Ross Carley, Dr. James McGrath

ChatGPT has created the biggest stir in Artificial Intelligence since Hal was lobotomized. People use it to write (bad) books, generate legal briefs (badly) and do research (resulting in citations to non-existent journals). Despite chat’s well-popularized

gaffs, there are legitimate uses of ChatGPT and other AI engines that don’t hallucinate (much). We’ll talk about things you can do with chat to liven up your RPG games, get ideas for stories, and improve your life. (Even so, eating more fiber will probably improve your life more.)

3pm

Education of the Future

Communications, 3pm – 4pm

Vinod Agrawal, Carly Patterson, Celeste Allgood, Dr. James McGrath, Lisa Meece

As we expand our horizons Beyond the Stars, we’ll have a lot to learn – and to teach to future generations. This conversation will discuss the future of education on this planet, and beyond the stars.

Below is an interview with the authors, including me. You can also listen to just the audio as a podcast.

I’m looking forward to seeing lots of friends at AAR/SBL, including Steve Wiggins, who has a review of The Carpenter’s Son out. I’m even kind of looking forward to seeing Mike Bird! 🙂 Sorry, that’s the kind of joke Mike would make…

ATLA will be there, as will contributors to the ETC blog. Bloggers have shared highlights of what is on the program on particular topics, such as the Letter to the Hebrews.

If you hope to see me there, please don’t leave it up to chance!

American Academy of Religion

science fiction

Society of Biblical Literature

American Academy of Religion

Society of Biblical Literature

Starbase Indy

Previous Post

November 15, 2025

The Carpenter's Son

Next Post

December 3, 2025 Imran H Spam

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"V. good.For me, the gold standard for this sort of thing is still Wikihistory by ..."

Scurra

The Time-Traveler’s Apprentice (A Short Story)

"The one who says "no one comes to the Father but through me" is the ..."

James F. McGrath

Attack on Religious Freedom in Indiana

"Until I read, "As a Christian, it is possible but not at all necessary to ..."

Sam Vimes

Attack on Religious Freedom in Indiana

"Hey James, regarding your penultimate paragraph, I struggle with the same issue. I do think ..."

Jeff Cate

The Fourth Synoptic Gospel

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Peter 1 Samuel 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Corinthians 2 Kings 2 Peter 2 Samuel 2 Thessalonians 2 Timothy academia Acts of the Apostles afterlife Akhaten Alcatraz American Academy of Religion Amos Anglican Arabic Aramaic archaeology art artificial intelligence astronomy atheism atonement Babylon 5 Baptists Battlestar Galactica Bible Biblical Studies Carnival biblioblogging Black Mirror Blade Runner Book of Job book review Buddhism Call for Papers China Christianity Christmas Christology Chronicles Coptic creation Daniel Deuteronomy Doctor Who Dune Easter Ecclesiastes economics education Eldad Keynan Enoch Seminar Ephesians eschatology Esther Evangelicals evolution Exodus Expanse Ezekiel Ezra fantasy Fringe fundamentalism Galatians games Ge'ez genealogy Genesis Gnosticism Gospel of Jesus' Wife Gospel of John Gospel of Judas Gospel of Luke Gospel of Mark Gospel of Matthew Gospel of Peter Gospel of Thomas Greek Harry Potter Hebrew Hebrews Hinduism historical Jesus history Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Holidays horror Hosea humor incarnation India inerrancy information literacy inspirational Intelligent Design Ireland Isaiah Islam Israel Italy James Jeremiah John the Baptist Jonah Joshua Judaism Jude Judges Judith Lamentations languages Latin Leviticus libraries literature Lord of the Rings LOST Mandaeans Mandaic memes Methodism Micah monotheism morality Mormons movies music mythicism NASSCAL Nehemiah new perspective New Testament news Numbers Orthodox paganism panentheism pantheism Patheos Paul and his letters Pentecostals Philippians Philippians 2:6-11 philosophy physics Planet of the Apes podcast politics Progressive Christianity Protestantism Proverbs Psalms pseudoscience racism religion Revelation Roman Catholicism Romania Romans Ruth scams science science fiction Secret Gospel of Mark Society of Biblical Literature Song of Songs Star Trek Star Wars Stargate Swahili Syriac Taoism technology Terminator The Handmaid's Tale The Hobbit The Matrix theodicy theology theory Timeless Titus tomb Torchwood travel TRON Uncategorized United Kingdom Westworld X-Files young-earth creationism Zechariah

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 February 2007 January 2001

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz