Over a week ago, we celebrated 50 years since humanity first stepped in the moon. To celebrate this monumental achievement of the moon landing and also to spark interest in the sciences in my children, we took a road trip with some friends to Alabama. There we visited the Space Center where they originally built rockets for NASA. The center currently houses an authentic Saturn V rockets that launched the Apollo program astronauts to the moon.
That’s my over-enthusiastic selfie taken in front of the Saturn V rocket. The Rocket was so massive that it was really hard to capture in one picture.
Before sharing my reflections, let me first put a plug for this place. As a parent of young children, the visit was a success at all counts. My kids were engaged, entertained and educated all at once. The place surpassed my expectations while also being relatively affordable ($25 adults/ $14 child for admission. There is an additional cost for movies and the planetarium). The combination of amusement park rides, educational expositions, VR attractions and planetarium made it for a rich and entertaining experience. Can you see that excitement in my face? That was real.
Sophia and Anna, aspiring astronauts, hanging out at the capsule simulator
The visit was a trip on history lane, back to the twentieth century when the United States competed and won the space race against the USSR. While the backdrop of the Cold War loomed large, the story of the space race transcends nationalistic sentiments. At the center of it, it is a celebration of how 400,000 people worked together for a few decades to put a person in the moon and bring them back safely. As we just celebrated 50 years since the Apollo mission moon landing, its story reminds us of the potential of humanity when working together towards a common goal.
Levi and his proud dad riding the lunar rover
A Herculean Effort
We often forget the amount of effort, preparation, risk and courage it took to pull this off. In the center, we get to see the real size of the Saturn rocket, the same model that took astronauts to the moon. The three stage rocket is simply massive. The majority of its body is simply there to carry fuel so that the small capsule on top of it can overcome the extraordinary power of Earth’s gravitational force.
It was also striking to learn about the onboard computer that navigated the rocket. It was state-of-the are technology even if its memory and processing power is only a fraction of today’s smartphones. Somehow, even with those constraints, they were able to develop a navigational system that could not only steer the rocket to its destination but also greatly aid the astronauts at the crucial moment of landing in the moon.
The moon landing story reminded me of a time where technology’s aims were more noble and more daring than today’s. It is ironic that 50 years later, with all the advances we have made, nothing still compares to the feat of leaving Earth’s atmosphere. While it is encouraging to learn about the recent efforts on commercial space flight and the budding space programs of emerging powers like China and India, nothing really compares to the tremendous advance the Apollo program accomplished in the 60’s.
The competitiveness of the Cold War has long been replaced by the international cooperation of the last decades. The International Space Station testifies that space exploration is no longer the job for a nation alone but one that belongs to humanity. Even so, the challenges to deep space travel and Mars colonization loom large in the horizon. It will take multiple moon-shot style efforts for us to get there.
A Crisis of Imagination?
While finance, logistical and natural challenges persist, I wonder whether the biggest hurdle is the lack of interest. Space exploration no longer holds the imagination of our generation. We are too preoccupied with the latest absurd tweets staring down at our phones that we forgot to look up to the sky. What would be for us to dream of space exploration again?
I’ve been recently digging into Teilhard de Chardin’s theological writings. If it could be summarized in one statement it would be: faith in God and faith in the world. Today, both faiths are challenged. We not only wonder about a transcendent God but also whether we can live on to perpetuate our kind. Can we take care of this earth or are we destined to see it squandered by our greed? Can we learn to love each other or will we always be susceptible to the smallness of nationalistic and racial projects? Can we develop technology that foster the flourishing of life on this planet and beyond or is it all a game to perpetuate wealth accumulation?
Above all, I leave the Space center yearning to believe in humanity again. For if we are able to fly to the moon why can we not do amazing things here on Earth?
In part 3, I described my learning experience with holistic ministry in Brazil after meeting with local pastors in Caratinga. In this blog, closing the series on my Brazil trip, I describe in more detail the last talk I gave in the university. Unlike previous talks, this time I was there more to listen than to speak. The event consisted of a panel discussion entitled: “AI and Postmodernity.” The plan was for me to give a 15 minute introduction and then pass on the discussion to a panel of professors.
With such a loaded title, I struggled to develop a suitable introduction. Postmodernity is such a broad term which does not lend itself to simple definitions. Moreover, it is not something usually discussed alongside a technology. The task before me was to elucidate points of correlation that would spark fruitful conversation. The preparation forced me to think deeper about some assumptions inherent in AI technology. After some careful thought, I came up with the following:
All problems have a technological solution
Nature (including humanity) is an algorithm that needs to be decoded
Data reveals the truth and shows the way to solutions
Every activity can and should be optimized
The more I reflect on these, the more I see them informing the development of Artificial Intelligence. Without these assumptions in place, I don’t see AI attracting the attention, funding and research needed to develop further. This is only happening because business leaders, politicians and investors have bought into these claims.
For Postmodernity, I framed the topic around four key implications that I found to be relevant for the panel discussion. They were the following:
The acceptance and celebration of diversity
Skepticism towards institutions or any power structure
Increase in both nihilism and fatalism
Openness to all narratives especially those coming from the margins
Bring the two together, I formulated four questions to spark the discussion among panel participants. Here were the questions:
What is the socio-cultural dominant narrative in Caratinga?
How can AI empower groups in the margins?
How can AI foster human flourishing in the local level?
Could the development of AI be a sign of a return to Modernity?
The panel consisted of professors in engineering, law, computer science, theology and social service. Their answers stayed mostly around themes of ensuring technology is used to enhance not diminish humanity. For example, the Social Service professor expressed the hope that data collection could improve their work with vulnerable populations. The Computer Science professor emphasized the differences between the human brain and AI. The Theology professor talked about the potential of AI for furthering ministry opportunities and addressing income inequality.
When hearing their answers, I sensed a bit of a disconnect on where I expected the discussion to go and where it actually went. While I set up the stage preparing for a more philosophical discussion of AI and postmodernity, the professors mostly avoided such approaches preferring instead to speak of concrete ways they understood that technology could affect their work. The panel ended up being about impact of AI applications rather than how it could change our view of humanity and the world we live in.
This disconnect only highlighted the importance of context. I noticed how my North-American academic context was dominated by deep specialists while the particular academic context I encountered in Brazil was run by generalists. This was not limited to academia but reflected more how the local society worked. People tended to rely on a broader more general level of knowledge rather than simply consulting the specialist for each field at hand.
I realized that such environment made them more receptive to the message of integration that I was proposing. In a place where people tend to rely on generalized knowledge, they already are doing the integration I suggest between faith, science and technology. They may not be doing directly on those topics but are practicing it in other areas.
On the flip side, reliance on a generalized knowledge can hinder more in-depth reflection on a specific topic. So, while I mostly agreed with the professors that technology should not replace humanity, I hoped to hear more nuanced arguments on how that could be the case in their context. I was hoping for new insights of how technology could integrate with their environment to solve deeply entrenched social problems. I was hoping for more layers of “why” and “how” in their answer. With that said, the panel was still fruitful in that it sparked discussion on how technology is impacting diverse segments of society. That in itself is an important step forward.
I left Caratinga deeply impacted by my time there. As the old adage goes, I came here to teach but ended up learning more. In fact, there were times where I wonder whether my talks were even relevant to their context. This was not just personal insecurity, though there was probably some of it , but it came from accepting that the assumptions that I operate under do not necessarily hold here. In many ways, I found a community where technological change was not as voracious as I have witnessed in the US. Even if many of these AI breakthroughs come to pass, they may not necessarily upend the social order there as it will in my own community. This is not to say that they will be immune from it. Just to realize that technology adoption is not as inevitable as we make it to be. The issue is not just whether something is technically possible but whether people will openly adopt it.
From what I saw, smart phones has become a integral part of their lives. Yet, in many other areas, the way they study, work, eat and relate to each other has remained unchanged. That is not a sign of being “backward” but of resistance. Caratinga show that there isn’t only one way to integrate technology into the fabric of a society. This realization led me reflect on how I can live a life, in a techno-dominant society, that is more in tune with my humanity and of those around me. That is the question I take home with me, hoping to not let the lessons I learned here go into oblivion.
In Part 1 and Part 2, I discussed my two first talks in Brazil. In this blog, I will describe my third talk to a group of local pastors. Expecting to give them some new ideas, I left the meeting with new avenues of reflection. Hoping to teach, I ended up becoming the student.
The talk happened a monthly local pastors’ breakfast. I was elated to learn that they were already meeting regularly to discuss local ministry needs and coordinate actions. It is uncommon to see local religious leaders cooperating on anything. In this case, I could see evidence of joint projects and fruitful dialogue between church leaders in spite of the many different denominations represented.
I gave my opening remarks challenging them to see technology more as an enabler than a threat to their efforts. I spoke of ways in which the churches could participate in furthering the democratization of technology through education, awareness and political involvement. In other words, I wanted them to think of their work beyond the traditional bounds of preaching and Bible teaching. I then opened the floor for questions and comments.
The discussion inevitably steered towards the impact of social media. In that vein, I encouraged them to both model and provide guidance to their communities on healthy ways to use those technologies. I was also surprised to learn about the prevalence of smart phone ownership in Brazil and other areas in the world. There, I learned that there now more smart phones in Brazil than people! Also, one of the pastors, who had recently returned from India, spoke of village that lacked indoor plumbing and electricity but where people could still connect to a common solar panel to charge their phones! This discussion only confirmed my belief that technology, now more than ever, can be an enabler for human development.
I was also glad to hear about local efforts to improve computer literacy in poor areas of the city. Pr Marco Antonio dos Santos, a Methodist pastor and seminary coordinator told me about his church’s community center. It offered classes in music, homework tutoring and computers. I was so impressed that I asked to visit the center the next day. The two story building reflected already the vision I was proposing to pastors. It hosted a community center in the first floor open in the weekdays and a church sanctuary in the second floor for the weekend services. The building was located in a poor neighborhood of the city. In my short visit, I downloaded Scratch software to enable them to start teaching code to the children.
Here is a picture from my visit to the community center. All the way to the right is the Methodist pastor right beside my dad. To my left are two mentors and one of the children served by the center.
What would happen if more pastors had a holistic approach to ministry like Sombra e Agua Fresca (community center’s name which means “shade and fresh water”)? I left my visit convinced that, even with all its shortcomings, churches continue to be a tremendous force for good in the world. For those interested in learning more, click here. The site is all in Portuguese but it gives you a good idea of the diverse work this church is doing in the city.
Reflecting on what I learned, it brought me back to my time at Fuller where I learned about Holistic Mission. While many have heard about Latin American liberation theology, few know about the evangelical variant theology called missao integral. This theology and ministry philosophy transcended the traditional North-American divide between evangelism and social action. Instead of taking sides in this useless binary discussion, Christian leaders in Latin American decided it was about “both and”. That is, Christian mission should always happen in a context of social action. There is no point in sharing the gospel to the hungry without feeding them first. Also, there is no point in building charities that never empower the poor to break out of their cycle of poverty. Pastor Marco Antonio’s work is a vivid example of this theology. On weekdays, the center fleshes out what is preached on Sunday upstairs. This way, the church runs a holistic mission in a place of tremendous need.
It is unfortunate how in the US, mainline churches will focus on social action while evangelical churches focus more on evangelism. Of course, there are a lot of exceptions but that tends to be the case for the most part. Maybe this is where we can learn from the Latin American church. As this relates to technology, Holistic Mission means teaching the poor to code while sharing the gospel with them. These two go hand in hand.
What if more churches had computer labs in their buildings?
In the previous blog, I described my first talk in Caratinga where I addressed how to transmit our faith to our kids in a technological era. It was a good way to break into the series of talks that followed.
The following day, I delivered a talk in the evening to a wider audience of students, professors and admnistrators of the university. After being introduced, I walked up to the stage with with sunglasses doing a robotic walk, to Information Society’s “What’s on Your Mind”. (Yes, I went there! For those old enough, who can forget Leonard Nimoy’s voice saying “Pure Energy” in the intro – it’s a classic. Also, I do remember that being a big hit in Brazil. What happened to all the great music of the 80’s and 90’s? That’s a topic for another blog.) For an introvert like me, that was a tremendous risk and one that that could have gone badly. Thankfully, the audience was gracious with my clumsy attempt waiting to hear what I had to share.
After outlining a short introduction to what Artificial Intelligence is I then moved on to examples of how it is changing relationships, jobs and religion. I wanted to audience distinguish between general and narrow AI and also the difference between replacement and augmentation. On relationships, I talked about the promises of algorithmic match making and shared the example of the virtual wife hologram, now available in Japan. For jobs, I talked about how many job functions would be affected noting that it would come not as in total replacement but in automating tasks. For fun, I shared the story of the robot run hotel in Japan where robots ended up being fired for annoying customers! In other words, AI changes would be more complex than what is portrayed in science fiction.
Finally, on religion, I shared a blessing from Robot Pastor with the audience. First, I assured seminarians that robot competition was not an issue for them. Instead, I encouraged those training for the ministry to view technology not as a threat but an ally to their efforts. Historically, religious leaders have often displayed knee-jerk resistance to new technologies. Could we react differently this time? I also mentioned how AI could amplify their efforts in counseling parishioners or even just getting their message out.
That’s me with sunglasses getting ready to speak.
The main message of the talk was that narrow AI was coming to change our lives, how would we respond? I encouraged the audience to replace fear with courage, engaging AI with a broader view that seized on opportunities while monitoring risks. On the latter, I mentioned the perils of using face recognition for policing and how such uses required a broader democratic discussion from the civil society. Interestingly enough, after my talk, a local lawyer told me of a recent effort to coordinate camera footage from many areas in the town for law enforcement. I was not speaking of a distant future but of the here and now.
The question and answer time proved very thought provoking. The students asked insightful questions. One that impressed me was how far computers were from approaching the human brain capacity. Others asked more directly about how AI would hinder belief in God and religious adherence. In my view, the questions demonstrated some critical thinking and deep intellectual engagement with the topic. That is, the students were awake and listening. That is not always the case in events like these where they are required to go for class credit.
Maybe “pure energy” and a robotic walk was all it took to hook them in. Maybe not. Either way, my hope was to spark conversation on the topic. Judging by their questions, the dialogue had begun. In the 21st century, we are now all “Information Societies.”
That’s me getting ready to kick the soccer ball with my dad.
How do I encapsulate 2 intense weeks in a short summary? How can I do so by providing enough detail to take the reader with me but also without making this a long drawn-out memoir? Hard task but one worth engaging in. In the previous blog, I gave my overall reflections on Brazil but did not go much in detail on what happened in my time there. This is what I will attempt to do in the following series of blogs. Here is the first installment.
First, it is important to disclose how this trip came about. For those who do not know me, I was born in Brazil and lived there until I was 15. My parents and my sister still live there. Since I had not been there since 2015, I thought it was about time to go back even if I could not bring my whole family with me. As I discussed my visit with my dad, he suggested I give some talks on Artificial Intelligence to the seminary and university he is involved in. It is a growing institution, founded by my grandfather, situated in a small town in Brazil’s interior. Because my visit, they organized a theology forum on the topic of Artificial Intelligence which consisted of 4 events:
Sunday School in a Presbiterian church entitled: “How to transmit our faith to our kids in a technological age”
A lecture open to the public in the university entitled “How Artificial Intelligence is changing relationships, professions and religion”
A talk with a group of pastors in the city entitled “Artificial Intelligence: How do we receive it and use it in our communities”
An open debate with professors in the University about “Artificial Intelligence and Post-Modernity.”
Phew, clearly this vacation turned out to be quite some work but very gratifying. Since I had little time to prepare prior to flying to Brazil, I spent a my first few days there gathering material for the talks and discussing the topic with friends and family. I had a lot to say on the topic but I wanted to contextualize it to the local reality. Attitudes and beliefs toward technology can vary widely depending on the context.
For example, it was illuminating to learn that while most of my audience did not have a computer at home, almost all of them had smart phones. Most were not familiar with terms like “machine learning” or “data science” but could see that in action when they typed a letter to send a text to a friend. I also learned that Whatsapp was the application of choice even more used than email in some cases. To my surprise, the town had Uber service even as they still had newstands in their main square. Wifi was widely available as well as small mom and pop stores that I visited while I was a kid. No Amazon and Wall-Mart nearby leaving most of commerce to local businesses. I witnessed The old and new living side-by-side in an interesting mixture. I learned of people who harvested coffee in the morning but looked up answers in google at night to help their kids to do homework.
How then should I speak of a disruptive technology in an environment
where technological change was so uneven? It was important to keep my assumptions
in check.
The first talk in the church inaugurated my time in Caratinga on a personal note. I was there in the church my parents married and also the one where my grandparents and some uncles had been buried. I was there to speak first as a father and husband, not as a data scientist. I started by using an analogy. I showed them first on a screen a typewriter and then a 3-D printer. While most were familiar with the first, few could recognize the latter. There lied the challenge of sharing our faith with our kids. It felt as if we were teaching faith like typewriting in a world of 3-D printers. That is, our teaching carried assumptions from bygone era, failing to address the needs, fears and questions of our time. That did not mean we had to use more technological means for sharing our faith, but it required different approaches.
I shared from my heart that in a world of noise and fast technological change, it is crucial we teach our kids the gift of silence. Furthermore, in a world of multiplying screens, nothing speak louder than a loving gaze, a warm embrace and words of affirmation. Only when we practice those, can we even begin to transmit our faith to the next generation. If our faith reflects a God of love, the best way to introduce God is through loving action.
I believe this applies not just to a small town in the interior of Brazil but it is indeed a message of global relevance. In a world of instant digital connections, physically visiting different places still matters . The learning I got being there for two weeks could not be assimilated through reading or VR. If anything, physical presence will only become more impactful than before.
Therefore, let’s cherish every chance we get to see, touch and embrace our loved ones.
Contemplating Bom Será Falls in Caratinga, MG Brazil / Contemplando a cachoeira do Bom Será em Caratinga, MG
The way there was long! It took more than 28 hours in all, one sleepless night on the plane, two connections and hundreds of curves on winding roads until I reached my parents’ home. All the effort was worth it! The sound of the waterfall, the cozy house and the my parents’s warmth reminded me that I was returning to a familiar place. Being there allowed me to recuperate and prepare for the marathon of talks scheduled for the following week.
The first days consisted mostly of spending time with a sister and her husband, nephews, uncles and cousins. There is always that initial strangeness when re-connecting with others we have not seen for so long. At first we are reminded that we live in parallel realities of different customs, values and habits. However, there are also memories of joint experiences that show how we are deeply related despite distance and time. Visiting family and old friends often brings a mix of nostalgia, awkwardness, joy and anxiety.
Beyond connecting with family I hoped to witness examples in Brazil that gave me hope. It is very easy to see and focus on what is wrong and what needs to be changed. But I wanted to find reasons to be grateful and proud of our country. I was looking for points of light even in a sea of darkness.
Luckily, this trip did not disappoint. First I was impressed with my meals. Every lunch and dinner was a mixture of local fruits and vegetables and home made products. In an increasingly globalized world, nothing is more precious than local taste. Not only is it healthier as it promotes a greater connection with the land, and what a land!
I had forgotten the beautiful hills of these Minas Gerais. In the car trip, in the sites and even in the cities, you can see spacious pastures, closed forest and spectacular landscapes. The highlight was to contemplate the powerful waterfall of the Bom Será, a paradise found in the middle of a valley surrounded by closed forest. Sitting on its edge, listening to its noise and feeling the steady moist breeze from its waters was a spiritual experience – a multi-sensory reflection of the Creator’s beauty.
Finally, I was impressed with the existing social capital in Caratinga. In a world marked by isolation and loneliness, it is refreshing to visit a place where people talk to each other on the street without ceremony. A place of deep, intertwined relationships for generations. Seeing that was a lesson in humanity and spiritual wealth.
I came to talk about how technology is transforming the world but ended up getting a lesson on how human warmth builds community. While technologies like AI have much to offer to a place like Caratinga, it should not come at the cost of what they have already built there. My prayer is that my visit sparked conversations that can help further strengthen the existing social capital already there.
Later this week, I’ll be publishing a more detailed summary of my time and talks there. For now, I leave you with this picture that only offers a glimpse of the natural beauty of Minas.
Standing with my cousin Felipe in the Bom Será water fall.
Last week, I had the privilege to see one of my favorite theologians speak in person at Emory University. I was introduced to her in one of my first classes in seminary through her book “She Who is”. In it, Johnson sheds light in the many astonishing yet often neglected feminine aspects of the Triune God. Being a feminist Catholic nun and a theologian (yep, that is quite a unique mixture!), her theology comes through as both pointed and generous. That is, as a feminist theologian she is unafraid to tip some sacred cows. Yet, her commitment to the Catholic church and to a life of sacrifice, adorns these pointed critiques with generous orthodoxy. She lives in the tension between protesting for change and faithfulness to tradition and does it gracefully.
God’s Love For Bears
Dr Johnson’s lecture used John Muir’s writing to challenge us to re-think our relationship with nature. After encountering a bear corpse in one of his hikes, Muir asks: “Is God charity broad enough for bears?” The context of his remarks was a critique to religious people he knew that held nature in total disregard. To them, nature was only an accessory to God’s crowning creation: humans. She then turned to Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ recent encyclical that addresses ecojustice issues as a source to answer Muir’s timely question.
Before proceeding, a bit of historical context is warranted. In 1967, Lynn White published an article that traced the root of our ecological crisis to Genesis 1:26-30, where God commands humanity to subdue the earth:
Christianity] not only established a dualism of man and nature but also insisted that it is God’s will that man exploit nature for his proper ends… Man’s effective monopoly…was confirmed and the old inhibitions to the exploitation of nature crumbled… Christianity made it possible to exploit nature in a mood of indifference to the feelings of natural objects.
Lynn White Jr., ‘The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis’, Science 155 (1967) 1203-207 (p. 1205)
White’s critique initiated serious soul-searching in theological scholarship to re-evaluate Christian’s theology role in defining our relationship to nature. I see Dr. Johnson’s perspective here as a mature fruit from this conversation. She not only re-defines the Christian view of our relationship with nature but also turns it into a moral and theological imperative for action.
A Conversion To Earth and Ecojustice
Echoing Pope Francis’s call in Laudato Si, Dr Johnson exhorted us to a conversion TO earth. In her view, our detached ways to nature made us so prone to destruction and neglect that we now need a wholesale conversion, a radical turning and change of heart, in order to address the ecological crisis we are in. Only when we realize God’s love for creation and endeavor to love creation with such love will we be able to avert disaster. Thus, the incarnation is at the heart of ecojustice.
While such conversion entails many implications, one of the primary results is a revision in liturgy. As a small example, Dr. Johnson suggested we started reading “us” in Psalms not only as people but as all of creation. This simple expansion of meaning yields tremendous change. What if God’s liberation was not just about saving humans but saving all of creation? This would also amplify Romans 8:19-20 where creation itself is groaning for liberation from decay and destruction.
Selah (pause and think about these things)
When It came time for questions, I raised my hand. I asked her what was, if any, the role of technology in this conversion back to earth. By her pause and initial comments, I could tell this was not a question she gets asked often. I could also detect some puzzling looks from the audience who were wondering why this question was even relevant. Questions preceding mine revolved around liturgy, politics and art. As technology is most often regarded as the culprit of ecological destruction, does it even belong in the conversation around ecojustice?
Dr. Johnson answered by making a few points. She first highlighted issues of production and disposal of gadgets. Understanding how we extract materials all the way to how we dispose them involves issues of ethics in treatment of laborers and pollution. Beyond that, she recognized the complexity of the issue, which therefore does not lend itself to simple answers. She also acknowledged the inevitability of technology growing role in our lives. It has the potential for a lot of good and a lot evil, hence, calling for more robust ethical consideration.
From Incarnation to Resurrection
I want to pick up on Dr. Johnson’ answer as a way to expand on some of the ideas of her lecture. Her call to a return to nature is a fitting admonition in a time of climate change. Highlighting God’s connection with creation through the incarnation also addresses Lynn White’s critique that a misinterpretation of Gen 1:27-30 has led Western civilization towards ecological destruction. This happened primarily because at that point in history, humanity was interpreting the Bible from a position detached from nature. Emphasizing incarnation, help us re-build that connection back with nature leading to new ways of looking at the Bible.
Yet, incarnation is not enough. The trajectory of the Christian Bible implies not only incarnation but renewal and transformation. Connecting with nature and turning from destruction is only the first step. If Christians are to be people of the resurrection, we must complement this turning with a call to the renewal of nature. That is, to actively work for the flourishing of all life. In this view, the role of technology changes from one of ecological destruction to rebuilding, repairing and replenishing. Bending the trajectory of technological advancement towards flourishing becomes a central task in pursuing ecojustice.
Much more could be said on this, but the first step is clear. As we turn back to nature, we start with the incarnation and look forward to resurrection. We start with Advent then move on to Lent, start with Christmas but look forward to Easter.
This week, I take a break from my recent blog series to report on my road trip to Nashville last week. This was a unique experience as I traveled in the middle of the work week to meet new friends and engage in meaningful conversations in the evening all while working from different offices in the day. One of the perks of working remotely for a company that is present in 40 states is that I can always find an office in most large and mid-size cities. So, while my work week started in Acworth, GA (Monday), it took me to Chattanooga, TN (Tuesday), Nashville (Wednesday and Thursday), returning home on Friday. I logged over 600 miles of driving, listened to hours of podcasts and attended three different events in my stay in Nashville.
Leaving the family behind for three days was a challenge that took some preparation. I am very grateful for my wife that held the fort with our three kids so I could go. She continues to be my rock and my safe refuge that I can return to. I am also grateful for my adopted grandma Carolyn who warmly received me in Nashville so I could be there for three days. Finally, I am thankful to both Scott Hawley and Micah Redding for re-arranging their schedule to accommodate my visit and greeting me with open arms. Though we had not met in person, I felt like I was visiting old friends.
Reflections on the Road
I hit the road on Tuesday at 7:30 am. The way to Tennessee is visually stunning. Early in the morning, I can still see the mist in the air as I drive through large open prairies. The sun is just starting to rise, the open road and inviting scenery can only be enhanced by listening to inspiring podcasts. My list includes an eclectic mixture of Economics (Freaknomics), Theology (Homebrewed Christianity), Data Science (Linear Digressions) to futuristic journalism (The Future of Everything) , Christian Transhumanism (CTA Podcast) and sermons from Trinity Anglican in Atlanta. For this trip, I added Richard Rohr’s “Another Name for Everything,” which is a series of interviews where he introduces chapters of his new book, The Universal Christ.
I am an auditory learner who can easily get lost into rich conversations and stories. Listening to podcasts in the road makes time pass faster allowing me to forget that I am driving. I will often go through a full podcast and then have 20 minutes of silence so I can react mentally to what I just heard. This is often the time where ideas, deep thoughts and life-giving insights come to me.
Recently, I have learned that the process is not just limited to thoughts but also includes feelings. At times, I will hear something that will cause an emotional reaction which I can’t immediately identify the cause of it. In this trip, this happened after listening to a sermon from Trinity, an evangelical Anglican church I attend on occasion. I could not pinpoint what triggered it but I noticed an acute discomfort while listening. When I started probing it, I realized this was a recurring feeling that emerged when I went there.
I have grown increasingly bothered by the evangelical tendency to reduce the gospel to individual piety. Everything becomes a moral lesson on how to become a better person, a plea to read my Bible more or to tell others about God. While those are all good things, they no longer captivate my imagination. I yearn for a bigger vision of God’s activity on earth, one that encompasses not just my individual life but also my community and the world.
Later in the trip, I heard Richard Rohr’s reflections on the Universal Christ and found hope that he may be onto something. Is this the cosmic vision I am yearning? Above all, is this the next station God is leading in my spiritual journey? The jury is still out but the traveling must continue.
Visiting Belmont University
My time in Belmont started with a lovely dinner with a group that included a physicist, a mathematician, a theologian (the visiting lecturer) and an engineering student. Our conversation touched on many topics, most notably, how deep specialization in academia has hindered the integration between humanities, science and technology. This is even more problematic in the US where PhD curriculums tend to be more narrow than in Europe. Thankfully, our dinner felt like a step in the right direction. If we could get more Mathematicians to talk to Theologians, maybe integration can start.
After dinner, we all headed to campus for the talk entitled “Remaining Human in a Technological Age.” Dr. Waters’ lecture was in essence a critical Christian response to Transhumanism (H+). In his view, H+ offers an attractive but flawed vision for the future of humanity. In its search for perfection, it threatens to erase the very traits that make us humans, namely, our imperfections. Instead, he believes Christianity offers a counter-message in encouraging us to find God in the mundane and by accepting rather than fighting the limitation brought on by death. All creatures have a beginning and an end, and therefore humans must accept that their lives on earth will eventually come to a conclusion.
Photo taken by Scott Hawley
In the next day, I sat beside Dr. Waters in Dr. Hawley’s class where we took turns answering pre-submitted questions from students. Interacting with the student’s questions was one of the highlights of the trip. The questions ranged from the impact of AI on humanity to what it means to be human. Dr. Waters offered insights majorly hinging upon the view he expressed in the night earlier. He called students to continue to attend to the mundane in a fast-changing world intoxicated by novelty.
Hoping to provide an alternative, though not necessarily opposing perspective, I challenged students to re-think about how they see technology. At times, I questioned the notion of artificial and natural, affirming that technology was part of nature. That is why, when asked whether one could be a cyborg and Christian, I answered with an unwavering yes.
Finally, one of them asked whether the development of AI would turn out to be good or bad for humanity. Instead on speculating on an answer, I turned to them and said: “I turn this question on you. You will decide how AI impact our future.” It is my hope they , and all of us, heed to this call to engage in the debates that are shaping the use of AI technologies in our times. We neglect this reality to our peril.
Christian Transhumanist Association Meetup
The meetup, the following evening, closed the trip in grand style. There I met fellow Christians seeking to engage Transhumanism from a more receptive stance. I shared a bit about my journey from feeling a call to the ministry to discovering it in Data Science. Sometimes, when you re-tell your story, you gain new insights. As I shared in the meetup, I realized that my journey was really about integration. Seeking to bring together profession with faith, technology with meaning, piety with concrete action, and hopefully people from different upbringing with each other.
While the initial topic was around AI, we ended up having a deeper discussion around what is means to be a Christian in our time. One issue was the role of Scripture in a world where knowledge is becoming more democratized. I confessed that the fundamentalist view of Scripture handed over to me by my upbringing was simply inadequate to navigate reality today. This perspective tried to build a virtual fortress around Scripture to protect from all questioning, fearing that any perceived error would collapse the whole edifice of faith. In doing so, it not only failed to address reality but also kept us from experiencing the true power of Scripture, namely its ability to point us to God in new situation. Change must be in order.
Photo by Micah Redding
Micah shared how Christianity has undergone major upheavals every 500 years where the primary question was the source of authority. At first, the question settled on the creeds, then on the figure of the Pope and finally on Scripture itself. Our 500 years is up, is it time for a new reformation? What would that look like? I would suggest that the path to that answer must pass through science and technology, even if it does not end there.
Coming Home
I often wonder how community can happen online. So far, my answer would be: only if accompanies, supports or facilitates actual encounters. This trip was an example of the online world paving the way to real world connections . It would not have happened have I not started blogging and met Dr. Hawley and Micah through the Christian Transhumanist Association Facebook group. Is this how a connected world work? Virtual friendships that culminate on dialogue over good burgers and beer? My trip to Nashville suggests that may be so.
Writing this blog was a journey of its own. I wasn’t sure what I would say but wanted to allow the writing to take me there. My intent here was to pull back the curtain on my internal musings so the reader may relate with aspects of my own personal experience. While I don’t think mine or anyone’s experience is normative, sharing them can open doors of meaning in others. That is my hope with this blog
Thanks for joining me on this ride and see you next week!
Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. Gen 22: 6-8.
One of the most powerful narratives of the Hebrew Bible is the story of Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son Isaac. The book of Genesis tells us that God, after promising and delivering a son to Abraham at old age, one day asked him to sacrifice him as an offer back to God. The absurdity of the request is matched by Abraham’s unquestioning obedience.
As he is taking Isaac to the place of sacrifice, the young boy asks where was the animal to be sacrificed. In a prophetic statement, the father of the Hebrew faith simply answered: “God will provide.” The agony and suspense continues as Abraham ties his sleeping son and raises the knife to end the young boy’s life. That is when God intervenes, relieving Abraham from the unbearable task of killing his own son. It was a gruesome test, but Abraham passed. Thinking of my 16 month-old boy, I cannot imagine ever coming this close.
Episode 3 of the third season of Travelers tells a story with too many parallels to the Old Testament story to ignore. For those not familiar with the show, let me give you a quick overview of its plot. Travelers are people from the a distant apocalyptic future whose consciousness travel to the present and take on bodies of those who are about to die. They work in teams to complete missions that are meant to change the course of history. They take their orders from an advanced AI that has the ability to work out the best alternative in other to improve the future. They refer to it simply as the Director.
In episode three, Mack (Erick McCormack) the team leader, tries to re-trace their last mission. Waking up with a gap in his memory, he suspects that his team altered his memory for some unknown reason. The episode unfolds as Mack pieces together the events from the previous day.
Misguided Good Deeds Lead to Unintended Consequences
In season one, we met an adopted boy called Alecsander. As the team is executing their mission, the historian (the team member who knows the future), throws a curve ball by sending them to save this little boy. He knew that the boy was in an abusive situation and therefore creates the intervention to save him. Seems like a noble action except that this was not in the Director’s plan. Travelers were trained to never deviate from the plan. Therefore, even though they are able to rescue the boy, the implications of this deviation are unknown.
Fast forward to episode three of season three, we eventually find out the team’s mission for the previous day. The Director, knowing that Alecsander was destined to become a psychopath, task the team to eliminate him. A reckless good deed, operating outside the director’s plan had created bigger problems for the future. It was time to course-correct.
Mack, the team leader, draws the responsibility to himself. They pick up the boy in his current foster home and their fears are confirmed. The boy was growing recluse and disturbingly violent with animals – early signs of a troubled adulthood to come.
Mack takes the boy to a deserted woods with the intention of killing him. . While walking in the woods, they find a struggling coyote who is facing a painful end of life. Mack ends his misery with a shot.
Next, they share a meal around the fire, cooking a rabbit the boy had previously caught. There, they have a heart-to-heart conversation where Mack demonstrates to the boy that he is seen, known and understood. Mack becomes the father that Alecsander never had. All of this only heightens the tension as these tender moments contrast with Mack’s dreadful mission. Just as Abraham, Mack agonizes over his assignment while also showing love to the troubled boy.
As the climactic scene begins, they dig a hole to bury the dead coyote. The altar is ready for the sacrifice. Once they place the dead animal in the designated place, Aleksander asks to say a prayer. As the boy is praying in memory of the dead animal, Mack steps back reluctantly. He pulls out his gun as he see the designated time of boy’s death approaches. He points the gun and prepares to pull the trigger. At that moment, just like Yahweh in Genesis, the director intervenes. Instead of an angel, the AI speaks through the boy : “mission abort.” Just like Isaac, the boy is spared.
Later in the episode, Mack’s teammates inform him that the director had a change of plans. Apparently, Mack’s heart-to-heart conversation with the boy changed his future. The assurance of love from a father figure was enough to halt a future of serial murders.
New Avenues of Meaning
There is so much to unpack in this episode that I can’t hardly do justice in a few paragraphs. As stated above, the episode draws some clear parallels with the biblical story but does not re-tell it outright. I honestly even wonder if the writers had the biblical story in mind when formulating the episode. Yet, using the Biblical story as a backdrop allows us to reflect deeper into the many themes addressed here.
One underlying theme throughout the show is the conflict between the AI’s plan and human action. Often times, travelers struggle to follow through with the mission as conditions on the ground change. At its core, it explores the philosophical debate between free-will and determinism.
Classical theism resolves this tension on the side of determinism, often referred to as “God’s will.” In its extreme forms, this thinking paints the picture of a detached God whose plans and will cannot be altered. Hebrew Scripture does not always support this script as it contains some examples where Yahweh changed his mind. Yet, this idea of God’s immutability made its way into Western Christian thought early on and has persisted to our time. For many, God is the absolute ruler that controls every aspect of the universe while also demanding blind loyalty from humans.
For the most part, the same is true in the relationship between the travelers and the Director. Mack, especially, is often the one who claims and demands unquestioning loyalty to the Director’s mission. This episode illustrates this well as Mack showed complete willingness to carry out the unthinkable mission of killing the young boy.
Yet, the emphasis of the episode is not on Mack’s loyalty but in how by showing love to the boy, he altered his future. Mack’s actions changed the director’s plans. It suggests that human action can bending the will of a greater being (or technology in this case).
Sacrificial love can alter divine plans.
Hence, this well-written Science-Fiction series challenges us to re-think our relationship with the divine. Is it possible to move the heart of God or is our job simply to accept his will? Do humans have real power to shape their future or is it all pre-determined by a higher power?
Answer: they are all mentioned in the Superposition Magazine.
As some of you may not know, besides keeping this blog I am also writing for a newly launched SuperPosition magazine. I am excited to be part of this new endeavor that aims to broaden the conversation on faith and technology. Superposition is the world’s first theologically informed digital tech magazine. We create new content and aggregate content from around the web to create reality changing observations. Beyond Technology, the magazine also explores society, culture, the environment and many other topics.
Here is a short list of what you can find there:
Is AI a threat to Democracy? This article explores author Yuval Harari’s current article explaining why he believes so.
Your Ancestor’s may define you more than you think. Genes may be passing on more than hair color, height and nose size. Could it also be transmitting memories? The research on this topic could have ground-breaking implications in how we understand humanity.
God uses Technology to Redeem the World. In this five-part article, Rev Chris Benek shows us how the God who created our natural world can also use technology to fulfill His plans.
Beyoncé Uses AI to Teach Compassionate Eating. I didn’t think I would see the words “Beyonce” and “AI” in the same sentence but here it is. The singer is using machine learning to help fans come up with Vegan diet plan.
These are just a few examples of the content being created there. Please be sure so sign up and comment on the site. Let’s get the word out about this new tool that help us make sense of this ever-changing world.
