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Category: Public Theology

Public theology explores how Christianity can work for the common good. It is concerned with translating religious virtues, ideals, and values into a secular framework for the public square.

How can Machine Learning Empower Human Flourishing?

As a practicing Software Product Manager who is currently working on the 3rd integration of a Machine Learning (ML) enabled product my understanding and interaction with models is much more quotidian, and at times, downright boring. But it is precisely this form of ML that needs more attention because ML is the primary building block to Artificial Intelligence (AI). In other words, in order to get AI right, we need to first focus on how to get ML right. To do so, we need to take a step back and reflect on the question: how can machine learning work for human flourishing?

First, we’ll take some cues from liberation theology to properly orient ourselves. Second, we need to understand how ML models are already impacting our lives. Last, I will provide a pragmatic list of questions for those of us in the technology field that can help move us towards better ML models, which will hopefully lead to better AI in the future. 

Gloria Dei, Vivens Homo

Let’s consider Elizabeth Johnson’s recap of Latin American liberation theology. To the stock standard elements of Latin American liberation theology–preferential option for the poor, the Exodus narrative, and the sermon on the Mt –she raises a consideration from St. Irenaeus’s phrase Gloria Dei, vivens homo. Translated as “the glory of God is the human being fully alive,” this means that human flourishing is God’s glory manifesting in the common good. One can think of the common good not simply as an economic factor. Instead, it is an intentional move towards the good of others by seeking to dismantle the structural issues that prevent flourishing.

Now, let’s dig into this a bit deeper –what prevents human flourishing?  Johnson points to two things: 1) inflicting violence or 2) neglecting their good. Both of these translate “into an insult to the Holy One” (82). Not only do we need to not inflict violence on others (which we can all agree is important), but we also need to be attentive to their good. Now, let’s turn to the current state of ML.

Big Tech and Machine Learning

We’ll look at two recent works to understand the current impact of ML models and hold them to the test. Do they inflict violence? Do they neglect the good? The 2020 investigative documentary entitled (with a side of narrative drama) The Social Dilemma (Netflix) and Cathy O’Neil’s Weapons of Math Destruction are both popular and accessible introductions to how actual ML models touch our daily lives. 

Screen capture of Social Dilemma

The Social Dilemma takes us into the fast-paced world of the largest tech companies (Google, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) that touch our daily lives. The primary use cases for machine learning in these companies is to drive engagement, by scientifically focusing on methods of persuasion. More clicks, more likes, more interactions, more is better. Except, of course, when it isn’t.

The film sheds light on how a desire to increase activity and to monetize their products has led to social media addiction, manipulation, and even provides data on the increased rates of sucide amongst pre-teen girls.  Going even further, the movie points out, for these big tech companies, the applications themselves are not the product, but instead, it’s humans. That is, the gradual but imperceptible change in behavior itself is the product.

These gradual changes are fueled and intensified by hundreds of daily small randomized tests that A/B change minor variables to influence behavior. For example, do more people click on this button when it’s purple or green? With copious amounts of data flowing into the system, the models become increasingly more accurate so the model knows (more than humans) who is going to click on a particular ad or react to a post.

This is how they generate revenue. They target ads at people who are extremely likely to click on them. These small manipulations and nudges to elicit behavior have become such a part of our daily lives we no longer are aware of their pervasiveness. Hence, humans become commodities that need to be continuously persuaded. Liberation theology would look to this documentary as a way to show concrete ways in which ML is currently inflicting violence and neglecting the good. 

from Pixabay.com

Machine Learning Outside the Valley

Perhaps ‘normal’ companies fare better? Non-tech companies are getting in on the ML game as well. Unlike tech companies that focus on influencing user behavior for ad revenue, these companies focus on ML as a means to reduce the workload of individual workers or reduce headcount and make more profitable decisions. Here are a few types of questions they would ask: “Need to order stock and determine which store it goes to? Use Machine Learning. Need to find a way to match candidates to jobs for your staffing agency? Use ML. Need to find a way to flag customers that are going to close their accounts? ML.” And the list goes on. 

Cathy O’Neil’s work helps us to get insight into this technocratic world by sharing examples from credit card companies, predictions of recidivism, for-profit colleges, and even challenges the US News & World Report College Rankings. O’Neil coins the term “WMD”, Weapons of Math Destruction for models that inflict violence and neglect the good. The three criteria of WMD’s are models that lack transparency, grow exponentially, and cause a pernicious feedback loop, it’s the third that needs the most unpacking.

The pernicious feedback loop is fed by biases of selectivity in the original data set–the example that she gives in chapter 5 is PredPol, a big data startup in order to predict crime used by police departments. This model learns from historical data in order to predict where crime is likely to happen, using geography as its key input. The difficulty here is that when police departments choose to include nuisance data in the model (panhandling, jaywalking, etc), the model will be more likely to predict new crime will happen in that location, which in turn will prompt the police department to send more patrols to that area. More patrols mean a greater likelihood of seeing and ticketing minor crimes, which in turn, feeds more data into the model. In other words, the models become a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

A Starting Point for Improvement

As we can see based on these two works, we are far from the topic of human flourishing. Both point to many instances where ML Models are currently not only neglecting the good of others, they are also inflicting violence. Before we can reach the ideal of Gloria Dei, vivens homo we need to make a Liberationist move within our technology to dismantle the structural issues that prevent flourishing. This starts at the design phase of these ML models. At that point, we can ask key questions to address egregious issues from the start. This would be a first for making ML models (and later AI) work for human flourishing and God’s glory. 

Here are a few questions that will start us on that journey:

  1. Is this data indicative of anything else (can it be used to prove another line of thought)? 
  2. If everything went perfectly (everyone took this recommendation, took this action), then what? Is this a desirable state? Are there any downsides to this? 
  3. How much proxy data am I using? In general proxy data or data that ‘stands-in’ for other data.
  4. Is the data balanced (age, gender, socio-economic)? What does this data tell us about our customers? 
  5. What does this data say about our assumptions? This is a slightly different cut from above, this is more aimed at the presuppositions of who is selecting the data set. 
  6. Last but not least: zip codes. As zip codes are often a proxy for race, use zip codes with caution. Perhaps using state level data or three digit zip code levels average out the results and monitor results by testing for bias. 

Maggie Bender is a Senior Product Manager at Bain & Company within their software solutions division. She has a M.A. in Theology from Marquette University with a specialization in biblical studies where her thesis explored the implications of historical narratives on group cohesion. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, enjoys gardening, dog walking, and horseback riding.

Sources:

Johnson, Elizabeth A. Quest for the Living God: Mapping Frontiers in the Theology of God (New York: Continuum, 2008), 82-83.

O’Neil, Cathy. Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy (New York: Broadway Books, 2017), 85-87.

Orlowski, Jeff. The Social Dilemma (Netflix, 2020) 1hr 57, https://www.netflix.com/title/81254224.

What is Mystical Christian Transhumanism? A Conversation with ICN

Just recently, I had the privilege to talk to Luke Healy and David Pinkston for the Integral Christian Network podcast. The interview was inspired by the 3 essay series I completed at Medium on Mystical Christian Transhumanism.

To listen to the podcast click on the picture

In this casual conversation, we covered a lot of ground from deconstructing evangelical faith to integrating it into all aspects of life. I really enjoyed the conversation and would like to provide a guided summary here for those interested in listening in.

Luke started us off with a short guided meditation, setting the tone for a lively but relaxed conversation. It also helped me engage with the questions less from the head and more from the heart.

The conversation started at 4:00 when Luke asked me to give a short overview of my spiritual journey. I discussed portions of it in previous blogs like this one and this one. In the podcast, I described the path from a Charismatic militant religion to the Mystical Christian Transhumanism where I am today.

Discovering the Mystical

Next at about 7:55, Luke asked about how the mystical fits into this picture. What is the mystical part? I spoke a bit about how the mystical was a thread that was there all along. One that has run through Christian history and even embedded in our current movements. In short, the mystical is about the experience of the divine presence irrespective of how we explain it theologically. It sets a foundation of non-dualistic thinking that enables us to be open to the world.

At around minute 12, Luke asked me to dive deeper into the Christian part. He was particularly interested in the militant part of my faith upbringing. I shared how while having to shed the more combative aspects of my earlier faith, I was also grateful for how it celebrated the experiential. While this was a long a painful road, I would certainly not be who I am today without going through it.

Technology and Transhumanism

This became a good segway into discussing technology at minute 19. He first asked me about the path to integrating my work with technology with the Christian faith. That is how I told the story of how AI Theology started as a desire to integrate the technologist in me with the theologian.

From minute 24 onwards, the conversation shifted towards Transhumanism. I started by providing a brief definition. Next, I talked about engaging this emerging philosophy and its Christian roots. I then proceeded to better define Christian Transhumanism as a way to live out the faith in very practical terms.

At 29:30, Luke asked how the mystical relates to Transhumanism. Are those opposing ideas? I talked about how mystical adds a spiritual dimension to the pursuit of Transhumanism. The remainder of the conversation revolved around our relationship with technology and how it can support and uphold human flourishing. Part of this process is re-thinking how we use church buildings.

This is the first of many conversations to come on this topic. I hope you find the exploration of Mystical Christian Transhumanism helpful for your journey.

Developing an E-Bike Faith: Divine Power with Human Effort

What can technology teach about faith? In a past blog, I spoke of the mystical qubit. Previously I spoke on how AI can expand our view of God. In this blog, I explore a different technology that is now becoming a common fixture of our cities: e-bikes. A few weeks ago I bought a used one and have loved riding it ever since. For those wondering, you still get your exercise minus the heart palpitations in the uphill climbs. But I digress, this is not a blog about the benefits of an e-bike but of how its hybrid nature can teach us about faith and spirituality.

Biking to Seminary

Eight years ago, we moved to sunny Southern California so I could attend seminary. We found a house about 5 miles from the campus which in my mind meant that I could commute by bike. The distance was reasonable and the wonderful weather seem to conspire in my favor. I could finally free myself from the shackles of motorized dependency.

On our first weekend there, I decided to go for a trial bike ride. The way to the campus went by like a breeze. In no more than 15 minutes I was arriving at Fuller seminary beaming in delight. Yet, I had a nagging suspicion the way back home would be different. One thing that did not enter my calculations was that though we were only 5 miles away from campus, our house was at the foothills of Altadena. That meant that the only way home was uphill. The first 2 miles were bearable yet by mile 3, my legs were giving out. I eventually made it back home drenched in sweat and disappointment.

It became clear that this would not be a ride I could take often. My dreams of biking to seminary ended that day. Back to the gasoline cages for the rescue, not as exciting but definitely more practical.

Photo by Federico Beccari on Unsplash

Divine Electricity

We now live in the Atlanta area and often go to Chattanooga for day trips. This charming Tennesee jewel offers a beautiful riverfront with many attractions for families like ours. Like many cities seeking to attract Millenials, they offer a network of public bikes for a small cost. Among them, I noticed they had some e-bikes available. For a while, I was curious to try one but not enough to shell out the thousands of dollars they cost. Timidly, I pick one for a leisure ride in the city.

From the beginning, I could sense the difference. I still had to pedal normally like I would on a normal bike. Yet, as I pedaled it was like I got a little push that made my pedaling more effective. I would dash by other bikers glancing back at them triumphantly. I then decided to test in an uphill. Would the push sustain or eventually fizzle out because of gravity?

To my contentment, that was when the e-bike shined. For those accustomed to biking, you know that right before going uphill you pedal fast to get as much speed as you can. As you start climbing, you switch to lower gears until the bike is barely moving while you pedal intensively. You make up for the weight relief by tripling your pedal rotations. It can be demoralizing to pedal like a maniac but move like a turtle which is why many dismount and walk. It is like all that effort dissipates by the gravitational pull on the bike.

Pedaling uphill in an e-bike is a completely different experience. First, there is no need to maximize your speed coming into it. You pedal normally and as the bike slows down, the electric motor kicks in to propel you forward. You end up keeping the same speed while pedaling at the same rate.

Goodbye frantic-pedaling-slow-going uphill, hello eternal-e-bike-flatlands

It is as if the hand of God is pushing you from behind when your leg muscles can keep the speed. Going up is no longer a drag but a thrill, all thanks to the small electric motor in the back wheel capable of pushing up a grown man and a 50 lbs bike.

Humanity Plus

If I could change one thing in the Western Christian tradition, that would be the persistent and relentless loathing for humanity. From very early on, and at times even expressed in the biblical text, there is a tendency to make humans look bad in order to make God look good. The impetus stems from a desire to curb our constant temptation to hubris. Sure, we all, especially those whom society put on a pedestal, need to remember our puny frailty lest we overestimate our abilities.

Yet, we are mysteriously beautiful and unpredictable. Once I let go of this indoctrinated loathing, I could face this intricate concoction of flesh in a whole new way. Humanity is a spectacular outcome for an insanely long and painful process of evolution. In fact, that is what often leads us back to the belief in God. The lucid beauty of our humanity is what points us to the invisible divine.

This loathing of humanity often translates into the confusing and ineffective grace-versus-work theology. Stretching Pauline letters to ways never intended by the beloved apostle, theologians have produced miles of literature on the topic. While some of it is helpful (maybe 2%, who knows?), most of it devolves into a tendency to deny the role of human effort in spirituality. In an effort to address transactional legalism, many overshoot in emphasizing divine activity in the process. This is unfortunate because removing the role of human effort in spirituality is a grave mistake. We need both.

Photo by Fabrizio Conti on Unsplash

The Two Sides of Spiritual Growth

Human empowerment plays a pivotal role in a healthy spirituality. If pride is a problem so is its passive-aggressive counterpart low self-loathing. To have an inordinately negative view of self does not lead to godliness but it is a sure path to depression. Along with a realistic view of self comes the understanding that human effort is key to accomplishing things on this earth.

Yet, just like pedaling uphill, human effort can only take you so far. Sometimes you need a divine push. For a long time, I thought divine empowerment worked independently from human effort. What if it is less like a car and more like an e-bike? That is, you still need to pedal, tending for this earth and lifting fellow humans from the curse of entropy. Yet, as you faithfully do it, you are propelled by divine power to reach new heights.

Had e-bikes existed 8 years ago, my idea of commuting to seminary would have been viable. I could have conquered those grueling hills of Altadena with elegant pedaling. I would have made it home without breaking a sweat and still kiss my wife and kids without repelling them with my body odor. It would have been glorious.

Conclusion

Human effort without divine inspiration is not much different from trying to bike uphill. It requires initial concentrated effort only to get us to a state of profuse effort with little movement. Engaging the world without sacred imagination can and will often lead to burnout.

As we face mounting challenges with a stubborn pandemic that will relentlessly destroy our plans, let’s hold on to an e-bike faith. One the calls us to action fueled by divine inspiration. One that reminds us of our human limitation but focuses on a limitless God. That is when we can soar to new heights as divine electricity propel us into new beginnings.

Alexa Goes to Church: Imagining a Holy AI for Modern Worship

Can artificial intelligence be holy?

The very question of holy AI calls to mind certain images that raise our anxiety: chatbots offering spiritual advice or pastoral care; an artificial minister preaching from the pulpit or presiding at Communion; a highly advanced AI governing our lives with the authority, power, and mystery reserved for God alone.

It’s not surprising that we instinctively shrink back from such images. Artificial intelligence is still so new, and advancing so rapidly, that finding the proper categories to integrate it into our faith can be a major challenge.

But if we’re willing to entertain the idea that AI can be holy, doing so can help us imagine new possibilities for using AI faithfully in our churches and spiritual life. It can show us the potential of AI to be a constructive partner with people of faith in shaping our spiritual lives, bearing witness to God’s grace in the world, and loving one another.

Photo by christian buehner on Unsplash

What Is Holiness?

It’s important to begin with a clear understanding of holiness in the Bible and Christian tradition. Holiness in its most basic sense means set apart for God. The Hebrew word for holy, qadosh, has a root meaning of “separate,” indicating the boundary separating the everyday, the human realm from the sacred, divine realm. To be holy is to be separated—set apart—for God.

Throughout the Bible, we find a broad range of things designated as holy:

  • Places (the Tabernacle, the Temple, Mount Sinai).
  • Times (the Sabbat, various holidays and festivals).
  • People (the people of Israel, the Israelite priests, prophets).
  • Objects (the Ark of the Covenant, the menorah or lampstand, and the other instruments of worship in the Tabernacle).

These examples are from the Old Testament, but a look at Christian practice today shows that Christians recognize a similar range of holy things, though the specifics vary depending on one’s particular tradition:

  • Places (sanctuaries, holy sites such as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem).
  • Times (Sunday, holidays like Christmas and Easter).
  • People (ministers, priests, bishops, elders).
  • Objects (altar, the chalice and patin used in observing Communion).

Holiness does not make something inherently better or more worthy in God’s sight. Rather, designating a person or object as holy often signifies and expresses God’s care and claim for all. So, the Temple is a holy place where God’s presence is especially intense and most keenly felt, but this does not mean God is absent everywhere else. On the contrary, at the Temple’s dedication, Solomon says, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27). God’s presence at the Temple signifies God’s presence throughout the whole earth. In the same way, God calls the Israelites a holy people, while affirming that all people belong to God: “Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6). The designation of the Sabbath as a holy day is a way of ordering all of our time in a way that honors God as the Creator of all that exits.

The existence of a holy artificial intelligence in this sense—that is, set apart for God in a special way—would not mean that only this AI belongs to God or serves God. Rather, a holy artificial intelligence would signify and express that all artificial intelligence belongs to God and finds its proper orientation when directed toward God’s purposes. Seen in this way, recognizing a holy artificial intelligence seems not only permissible but imperative. Identifying an artificial intelligence as holy, and recognizing it as such through specific practices, can teach us to envision how all artificial intelligence—and all the human energies and hopes it represents—belongs to God.

Photo by William Farlow on Unsplash

Holy Artificial Intelligence

One way to think of holy artificial intelligence is as a tool or instrument—in this case, a complex piece of technology—created by humans and used in worship. The Tabernacle and its furnishings described in Exodus 25-40 make for a good comparison: the Ark of the Covenant, the menorah or lampstand, the incense altar, even the curtains and tent posts that served as the Tabernacle’s structural elements and walls.

These items were created by humans, highly skilled at their craft, at God’s initiative and direction. God gave specific instructions to Moses, and the narrative repeatedly tells us that the workers built everything “as the Lord had commanded Moses.” The artisans exercised great care in creating them, expressed in the detailed, step-by-step account of their construction in Exodus 36-39. The Tabernacle signified God’s presence in the midst of the Israelites, and its furnishings and tools facilitated the people’s worship of God.

It requires a bit of imagination to envision ways in which artificial intelligence might serve similar purposes in Christian worship today. A few possibilities present themselves for holy AI:

  • An automated program to turn on lights, music, or other dimensions of a sanctuary’s atmosphere as a way of preparing the space or guiding the order of worship. The algorithm might work at pre-set times, or in response to other input such as facial recognition, number of people in the sanctuary, or verbal or physical cues from a worship leader. Such a program might tailor the worship atmosphere to feel more intimate for a smaller gathering, or grander and more energetic for a larger body of worshipers.
  • An automated program might offer a repeated portion of a litany or prayer, responding to specific cues from the congregation or minister. Such cues might be verbal, such as a particular word at the end of the congregation’s part of the litany, or physical, for instance in response to the congregation standing, kneeling, or making a particular gesture. A program used in a digital worship service might collect and respond to input through social media.
  • A self-driving vehicle might bring people to worship, helping worshipers prepare for the worship experience before arriving at the church. The AI might respond differently to different individuals or to different worship experiences. Upon detecting a family with young children, the vehicle might play kid-friendly worship music with brightly colored lighting, while it would play something quieter and more meditative for an adult individual.

Conclusion

Others will no doubt think of more and different possibilities, or find dilemmas with the possibilities mentioned above.

I will end with a final point of emphasis. Recognizing an AI as holy, something set aside for God, is different from simply using it in a holy or worshipful setting. There should be ways for the worshiping community to recognize its status.

Specific procedures to use during its development or activation, such as prayers or Scripture reading, would be one way to acknowledge its status as holy—for instance, saying a special set of prayers throughout the development or programming of the AI, or using certain programming processes and avoiding others. There might be a liturgy of dedication or short worship service for when the AI is activated or used for the first time in worship. Social media feeds or a virtual environment might allow the congregation to digitally “lay hands” on the AI as a part of the service. Another, similar liturgy or service could accompany its deactivation or replacement.

The key is not reducing the artificial intelligence to a purely functional role, but providing a means for worshipers to recognize and express God’s initiative and their own response in setting it apart for a holy purpose. The means to accomplish this should engage both the congregation and the AI in appropriate ways; should invoke God’s presence and blessing; and should be surrounded by a theological narrative that illuminates how and why it is being set apart for a holy purpose.

Such a way of identifying and acknowledging AI as holy is an invitation for the worshiping community to consider that all AI are a part of God’s creation, and can be directed toward God and God’s purposes in the world.

Dr. Brian Sigmon

Brian Sigmon is an acquisitions editor at The United Methodist Publishing House, where he edits books, Bible studies, and official resources for The United Methodist Church. He has a Ph.D. in Old Testament Studies from Marquette University, where he taught courses in the Bible and theology. Brian finds great joy in thinking deeply about the Christian faith and helping people of all backgrounds deepen their understanding of Scripture. He lives in Kingston Springs, Tennessee with his wife Amy and their three children.

Can AI Empower the Poor or Will it Increase Inequality?

Faster, better, stronger, smarter. These are, with no exaggerations, the revolutionary goals of AI. Faster trading is revolutionizing capitalism.[1] Better diagnostics is revolutionizing health care.[2] Stronger defense systems are revolutionizing warfare.[3] And smarter everything will revolutionize all aspects of our lives, from transportation,[4] to criminal justice,[5] to manufacturing,[6] to science,[7] and so forth. But can AI also revolutionize our relationship to the poor?

According to International Data Corporation, AI is a $157 billion industry and expected to surpass $300 billion by 2024.[8] What’s behind this figure, however, is that “AI” is being developed by companies for specifically targeted goals. While some organizations, like Google’s Deep Mind, have their goal as Artificial General Intelligence, nearly every current breakthrough and application of AI is targeted toward specific industries. The money spent on AI is, therefore, seen primarily as an investment—the technology will yield much greater profit than human-based approaches.

This shouldn’t surprise us. As they say, money makes the world go around. But it does create a moral problem for Christians. Is it really a good thing for AI to be developed around the primary goal of increasing wealth? According to Latin American Liberation Theology, the answer is no.

Photo by Roberto Huczek on Unsplash

Liberation Theology

Latin American Liberation Theology, distinct from, say, Black Liberation Theology or Minjung Theology, is a theological tradition rooted in Roman Catholic communities in Latin America. The tradition, as explained by Gustavo Gutierrez, is rooted in a Marxian approach to society that develops theology through “praxis.” Praxis, for Gutierrez, is a cyclical process of letting one’s theology and activity in the world mutually influence each other.[9] Theology should not be removed from the experiences of the campesinos. A theology stuck in the “ivory tower” is, in the view of liberation theology, a dead theology.

Liberation theology has had a large impact on Catholic Social Teaching from the late 60s on. One of the most popular contributions is the so-called “option for the poor,” an idea taken from the 1968 Latin American Episcopal Conference in Medellin, Colombia. The basic idea of this, which Pope John Paul II validated in his 1987 encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, is that our social perspective should prioritize the needs and experiences of the poor above all else. The idea has undergone some modifications in more recent theologians use of it, but the core remains that those most underprivileged by society should get the greatest attention from Christians.

But what does this have to do with AI?

The Civilization of Wealth and the Civilization of Poverty

The Jesuit martyr Ignacio Ellacuría proposed the concepts of a “Civilization of Wealth” and a “Civilization of Poverty.” Like Luther’s Two Kingdoms or St Augustine’s Two Cities, these antagonistic civilizations sit as dipoles for Christians. The Civilization of Wealth, for Ellacuría, is modeled by so-called “first world” countries like the United States and Western Europe. It’s the goal of growth, of efficiency, of progress and wealth. In this model, it is “the possessive accumulation, by individuals or families, of the maximum possible wealth [that is] the fundamental basis of one’s own security and the possibility of an ever-increasing consumerism as the basis of one’s own happiness.”[10] The problem with this model, Ellcuría’s student Jon Sobrino notes, is that it “does not meet the basic needs of everyone, and…that it does not build spirit or values that can humanize people and societies.”[11] In short, the goal of technological progress and “faster, better, stronger, smarter” that the Civilization of Wealth pursues is a goal that lets some people starve while others are rich (cf: Thomas Malthus), but also reduces human beings and the world around us to use objects. Max Weber called this phenomenon “instrumental rationality”—the world becomes an assemblage of numerical values, which, for capitalists, can be converted to money while, for data scientists, can be converted to data.

I don’t think it is too much to suggest that nearly all AI projects currently underway operate under these goals of the Civilization of Wealth. The Civilization of Poverty, in contrast, “rejects the accumulation of capital as the engine of history, and the possession-enjoyment of wealth as the principle of humanization; rather, it makes the universal satisfaction of basic needs the principle of development, and the growth of shared solidarity the basis of humanization.”[12] This model may not be the “wealth of nations” Adam Smith promised nearly 250 years ago, but it is a civilization where the poor and hungry are not reduced to poverty statistics. The dedication to human rights and the virtue of solidarity over progress leads to collective flourishing, even if it does not lead to leaps and bounds in science and technology. There may be no AGI in the Civilization of Poverty, but there will also be no discarded human beings.

A New Role for AI: The Voice of the Poor?

The place of AI in liberation theology I have presented is quite unfavorable, but I believe it is not the last word. The “option for the poor” is a privileged, but poorly developed notion in Catholic thought. As both an undergraduate and a grad student, I often heard this phrase tied to the call to be “voices for the voiceless.” The sentiment is noble, but how can we really have an “option” for the poor if we don’t actually hear from the poor? Why not give the “voiceless” their own voice? Therein lies my biggest problem with liberation theology as well: while Ellacuría and Sobrino are prophetic voices, they were also middle-class Spanish Jesuits, not formed within the third-world poverty they encountered.

Since AI develops its “understanding” based on the data and rules programmed into it, the problem of AI serving the Civilization of Wealth extends as far as the programmers themselves pursue those goals. AI programmed on data sets created by the poor, or AI programmed by the poor could, theoretically, be able to be an actual voice for the poor. An AI that can help shape policies directed toward the Civilization of Poverty because its references are taken from the voices of the poor does not have the same limitations or blind spots that current AI projects suffer from.

Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether AI can or will be an instrument to promote the flourishing of the poor or if its uses will remain tethered to the Civilization of Wealth. As Christians, our task must be toward building the Kingdom of God, a place where, Isaiah reminds us, all eat and drink without money and without cost (Isaiah 55:1).

Levi Checketts. Photo by Jiyoung Ko

Levi Checketts is an incoming Assistant Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Hong Kong Baptist University and an assistant pastor at Jesus Love Korean United Methodist Church in Cupertino, California. His research focuses on ethical issues related to new technologies, with a special interest for the transhumanist movement and Artificial Intelligence. He has been published in Religions, Theology and Science and Techne: Research in Philosophy and Technology and is currently working on a book related to the challenge of our obligations to the poor and AI. When not teaching or preaching, Levi likes to play RPGs and point-and-click adventure games and go site-seeing with his wife and daughter. 

[1] https://builtin.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-trading-stock-market-tech

[2] https://www.healtheuropa.eu/technological-innovations-of-ai-in-medical-diagnostics/103457/

[3] https://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/IF11150.pdf

[4] https://indatalabs.com/blog/ai-in-logistics-and-transportation

[5] https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/252038.pdf

[6] https://www.plantautomation-technology.com/articles/the-future-of-artificial-intelligence-in-manufacturing-industries

[7] https://royalsociety.org/-/media/policy/projects/ai-and-society/AI-revolution-in-science.pdf?la=en-GB&hash=5240F21B56364A00053538A0BC29FF5F

[8] https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS46757920

[9] Gustavo Gutierrez, A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, Salvation, trans. Sr. Caridad Inda and John Eagleson (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1986), 10-13.

[10] Ignacio Ellacuría, “Utopía y Profetismo,” Revista Lationamericana de Teología 17 (1989): 170.

[11] Jon Sobrino, “The Crucified People and the Civilization of Poverty: Ignacio Ellcuría’s ‘Taking Hold of Reality,’” in No Salvation Outside the Poor: Prophetic-Utopian Essays, trans. Margaret Wilde (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2008), 9.

[12] Ellcauría, 170.

Does God Hear Robot Prayers? A Modern Day Parable

The short video above portrays Juanello Turiano’s (1500-1585 AD) invention, an automated monk that recites prayers while moving in a circle. It was commissioned by King Philip II to honor a Friar whom he believed had healed his son. The engineer delivered a work of art, creepy but surprisingly life-like, in a time where Artificial Intelligence was but a distant dream. This Medieval marvel now sits at the Smithsonian museum in Washington, DC. 

Take a pause to watch the 2 minute video before reading on.

What can this marvelous work of religious art teach us today, nearly 5 centuries later, about our relationship with machines?

In a beautifully well-written piece for Aeon, Ed Simon asks whether robots can pray. In discussing the automated monk, he argues that the medieval invention was not simply simulating prayer. It was actually praying! Its creation was an offer of thanksgiving to the Christian God and till this day continues to recite its petitions.

Such reflection opens the door for profound theological questions. For if the machine is indeed communicating with the divine, would God listen?

Can an inanimate object commune with the Creator?

We now turn to a short parable portraying different responses to the medieval droid.

A Modern Day Parable

Photo by Drew Willson on Unsplash

In an effort to raise publicity for its exhibit, the Smithsonian takes Turiano’s invention above in a road show. Aiming to create a buzz, they place the automated monk in a crowded square in New York city along with a sign that asks:

When this monk prays, does God listen?

They place hidden cameras to record peoples’ reaction.

A few minutes go by and a scientist approaches to inspect the scene. Upon reading the sign he quickly dismisses it as an artifact from a bygone era. “Of course, machines cannot pray” – he mulls. He posits that because they are not alive, one cannot ascribe to them human properties. That would be anthropomorphising. That is when people project human traits on non-human entities. “Why even bother asking why God would listen if prayer itself is a human construct?” Annoyed by the whole matter, he walks away hurriedly as he realizes he is late for work.

Moments later, a priest walks by and stops to examine the exhibit. The religious person is taken aback by such question. “Of course, machines cannot pray, they are mere human artifacts” – he mulls. “They are devoid of God’s image which is exclusive property of humans” he continues. “Where in Scripture can one find a example of an object that prays? Machines are works of the flesh, worldly pursuits not worthy of an eternal God’s attention” he concludes. Offended by the blasphemous display, the priest walks away from the moving monk on to holier things.

Finally, a child approaches the center of the square. She sees the walking monk and runs to the droid filled with wonder. “Look at the cool moving monk, mom!” she yells. Soon, she gives it a name: monk Charlie. She sits down and watches mesmerized by the intricate movements of his mouth. The child notices the etched sandals on his feet. She also pays attention to the movement of his arms and mouth.

After a while, she answers: “Yes, God listens to Charlie.” She joins with him, imitating his movement with sheer delight. In that moment, the droid becomes her new playmate.

How would you respond?

Waking up to the Power of Dreams for Self-Awareness

I am not sure how it started but I was riding shotgun with Dr. Charles Stanley. Yes, that Charles Stanley, the famous pastor who just recently retired from ministry. We were deep in a conversation where he shared his regrets from the last years. I was honored to be worthy of his trust but deep inside was wondering: why me? When it came to my turn to talk, I awkwardly mumbled trite words of empathy and encouragement. What else was I to do? It probably took a lot for him to share his heart with me, a stranger.

We finally arrived at our destination. At that point, I realized we were in front of a hospital. Dr. Stanley went in and when I opened the door, to my surprise, it fell out. Felling embarrassed, I tried putting the door back on the hinges but it was not staying. At that point, Dr. Stanley came back out and signaled me to come in. He told me to not bother as the door was broken for a long time. “Not bother?” I thought; “I can’t just leave the door here in the street”. Finally, I tried one more time when I saw that the side mirror of the broken door was covered with gray epoxy.

That is when I woke up.

An Unexpected Journey

I wasn’t one to pay attention to dreams. To me, they were mere confusing accidents of nature carrying little relevance to the real world. Occasionally, I would remember one, tell my wife, and move on with life. Nothing to see here, carry on with more pressing matters. Yet, recently my perspective changed. All it took was social isolation and a few sleepless nights that forced me to pay more attention to my dreams.

Apparently, I am not alone. Many have reported a surge of vivid dreams lately. At first, I thought this was simply an anomaly. However, the more I journaled about it, the more I realized how little I have paid attention to my dreams. What if they were trying to tell me something important? What if they revealed truths about myself I refuse to confront?

It was then, through friends and a few google searches, that I discovered Jungian psychology. A contemporary of Freud, Carl Jung was one of the fathers of modern psychology. He started his own school of thought in the field which among other things took dreams seriously. He believed they were not simply side effects of stomach indigestion but important symbolic messages our subconscious was trying to convey.

Faithful Dreams

In my religious upbringing, dreams played a role. Inspired by biblical passages, dreams could be warnings, premonitions, or messages of hope. In short, the tradition is aware of the importance of dreams even if centuries of Enlightenment in the West has made serious theological engagement with it a rarity at best. Yet, my religious upbringing was too concerned with morality to dig deeper into the symbolic world of dreams. It often gave me little options as to what the dream could be.

Hence, unless the dream was revealing a message of eternal value or carrying a warning of things to come, there was simply no interest in probing further. It lacked a more robust understanding of self that went beyond a narrow consideration of right and wrong. Consequently, in an attempt to focus my eyes on heavenly topics, it left me blind to the earthly mundane work of self-awareness. This where the wealth of knowledge accumulated through psychoanalysis in the last century and a half comes in hand.

Ultimately, Jungian analysis focuses on what the dream has to speak of the dreamer him or herself. If we suspend the question of source, namely who or what is creating the dream, the dream is there to deliver a message to the individual (or ego, the conscious individual). It most often is not about an earth-shattering message but a hidden insight that helps the conscious self better understand what is underneath.

In that sense, looking at dreams this way requires faith. That is, it requires trust that whatever source is speaking to us is worth listening to. Furthermore, it calls for a belief that that message is there ultimately for our good. I confess, that I struggled with this one. As a Christian, I was trained to doubt the human voice. Inherent in our theology is the idea that humanity is fallen and in need of divine intervention. This can oftentimes lead us to turning away from our humanity in pursuit godly things. Yet, here we are invited to trust that God can and will speak through our very human subconscious.

Extending an Invitation

The best of Christian tradition embodies the habit of hospitality. It is often preoccupied with inviting others into a new reality. In the same way, my journey through Jungian psychology is shaping into an invitation to go within. It is a call to listen to dreams and imagination without judgement, only seeking to listen to what is saying. Can our dreams speak life into our awaken selves?

Unfortunately, staying in the abstract level will not be sufficient. An invitation must translate into a call to action. Action in this area, for many of us who have grown distant and neglectful of the inner life, requires some training and coaching. Towards that aim, I was delighted to discover from the suggestion of a friend, Robert A Johnson’s Inner work: Using Dreams and Active Imagination for Personal Growth. This practical yet dense book is proving to be a great tool in my own personal journey within.

In the next blog, I will summarize the main points Dr. Johnson brings up in this book. Yet, you don’t have to wait for them. If you are serious about this journey, go ahead and purchase the book and read it for yourself. In this extended time of social isolation, it is never too late to embark on a journey inwards.

Pandemic Lessons: Moving from Denial to Engagement

In a previous blog, I discussed the role of prophetic models in guiding world leaders to respond to this crisis. Here, I go to a more personal level, addressing the temptation of denial in a time of crisis. This is one of the pandemic lessons I dare not ignore. I confess this is by far my strongest tendency when the going gets tough. My first reaction is not to fight or flight but simply freeze. I retreat inwardly shielding myself from the suffering around me.

This time, with God’s help, I must do differently.

A Global Initiation Rite

Father Richard Rohr offers a provocative perspective for this pandemic. Skirting away any suggestions that this is God’s punishment on humanity, instead he sees it as a global rite of passage. It is a collective experience of suffering aiming to mature us by reminding us of our frailty. This perspective emerges from his in-depth study of male initiation ceremonies, a global phenomenon where elders teach young boys the deep truths of their culture.

As he studied these rituals, he learned they contained recurring core messages. In short, they aimed to convey the following to its initiates:

  1. Life is hard.
  2. You are not that important.
  3. Your life is not about you.
  4. You are not in control.
  5. You are going to die.

Read this list again and pause for a moment.

In a time of greater gender equality, it is fair to ask why girls did not go through these types of ceremonies. I do not know for sure but I would venture to guess the feminine life had more natural ways to initiate them. When you are raised to serve and groomed to endure child-birth, these messages have a way of coming to you naturally. Till this day, it is usually men who need to get smacked around a bit to learn these truths lest they think too highly of themselves and, God forbid, run for president.

Going back to our time of crisis, what would this perspective mean? At the heart of it, I believe Father Rohr is inviting us to embrace this period as an opportunity for personal growth that we experience as a global community. We have all unwillingly entered this rite. Let’s receive it as an opportunity to re-center, reset and re-orient inwardly and toward each other.

When wedded with meaning, suffering can produce beautiful fruits of virtue, love and wisdom.

Memories from a Previous Crisis

When this pandemic started, it reminded me of a previous global crisis I went through. Almost two decades ago, I was a senior in college going about my business when two planes crashed into the WTC Towers in New York. That crisis hit close to home because my brother lived in Manhattan at the time and I immediately feared for his life. Thankfully, he survived unharmed even if traumatized by that horrific experience.

What I remember, however, was not the shock or concern but a persistent attempt to mentally distance myself from that reality. Once I learned my brother had survived and had a chance to see him, I jumped right back into life. I refused to spend hours watching the news from it. I never reflected on what that meant for the world or even how that could affect me. Life had to continue as planned. Nothing to see here.

In fact, I remember being bothered that my routine of classes had been disrupted. Even as my brother was a survivor, I made no attempt to connect with the pain of those in New York and of the nation in general. I didn’t even reflect theologically on it. I filed under the category of “bad people do bad things,” and that was that.

Regrettably, I missed the opportunity to enter into that global rite of initiation, share in the suffering and learn from its wisdom. I went through it and came out the the other side unchanged.

From Denial to Engagement

I decided this crisis was too important to waste. That is when I am looking for ways to step away from avoidance and denial into active engagement. One surprising gift of this time has been a flourishing in my writing. If before the crisis, I had to come up with ideas for blogs, now I can’t finish these ideas fast enough. I am still limited by the realities of shelter in place and therefore have not published significantly more. However, I sense my voice coming through more clearly.

Another practice is to contact loved ones that are far. I have done a lot more of that than I used to. Now there is the realization we couldn’t travel to see each other face-to-face. Then, the Skype or Zoom screen becomes more bearable, more cherished and all the more real. It is life-giving to see each other eyes even if it is through a 2 dimensional screen.

Finally, I have grown to empathize more with others. Gone is the usual habit to shelter myself from bad news. This is a global experience and we are all being impacted by it. There is no escaping. Even social media, in its best days, has become a true place of encounter where we sing, cry, laugh and share our sheltered lives. Whether it is through photos, tweets, videos, memes and music – they multiply and amplify our shared humanity.

This is not to say that I wake up every day cheering on the opportunity to face the unknown. There are dark days of sadness, exhaustion, anger, denial or incipient disconnection. This is a crisis after all, one that we did not choose nor one we can simply turn off when it gets uncomfortable.

Surprising gifts often come intertwined with painful losses. Hope emerges wrapped in fear for the future. Love appears in the ever threat of rejection.

Hence I invite all, in this time of social distancing, to resist the temptation of denial through generous acts of engagement.

Quarantine Cooking: When Wisdom Puts on an Apron

Patience is calm acceptance that things can happen in a different order than the one you have in your mind.

David G. Allen

An Unexpected Dialogue

In an ordinary afternoon, I felt a conversation taking place. Was it with God or only my imagination? I just felt as if wisdom had come down from somewhere and was staring at me ,ever so humorously critical, but with a glistening promise. And, I might add, with a pinch of wonder.

“Today you’re going to relearn cooking”

“Oh, is that so? Hmm, isn’t my cooking good enough?”

“It is good, but you have forgotten a simple and very important principle of cooking.”

“Hmm, and what is that?”

“To have delight while in the process. To cook is to appreciate. To cook is to wait for the proper timing, and to cut the right ingredients. Preferably methods that might take longer, but will taste as love and kindness had been added with a pinch of salt.”

“And how could this be possible? How can abstract feelings turn into ingredients?”

“Hands are carriers. They carry objects, but also carry stories. A newborn held tight, sweet strokes of assurance given by fathers and mothers, a handheld grip of a lover. These stories carry feelings, and when you cook, with patience, embracing each step, you become a storyteller.”

The Tyranny of the Practical

Living and cooking had become straining to me. Everything needed to be practical and fast. I always felt I had a clock ticking and that at any moment the alarm would yell how long I was taking and that people were hungry.

Quarantined, I started to have time.

I started to notice how my cooking wasn’t pleasurable. I noticed as well how I was dependent on methods that probably didn’t make the food tastier. If I knew ways to make food tastier and had time to create, why not do it? It would take patience, time management plus organization, and probably a total change of perspective.  In the end, would it be worth it?

Do I even know how to make my own seasoning from scratch?

I sliced the garlic in tiny pieces. With a knife. I could have used three thousand devices that could have made the process take seconds, but I felt that I had to experience those long 5 minutes (maybe 2, in my mind actually it felt like 10). I put on some music, sometimes humming and swaying while tasting a hot spoon of magical sauce, just like I remembered my mom love to do. I started listening, and not just trying to get things done. I let creativity flow through my mind, through my hands. I started to use things that I wouldn’t, but because I listened, those ingredients would whisper what they needed more.

Learning to Slow Down

Humanity is acquiring all the right technology for all the wrong reasons.

R. Buckminster Fuller

Technology is not our enemy. Making things practical aren’t the villains, but forgetting the importance of waiting and the eminence of patience can be. How, if things happen in a different order than what we had planned, they can still be joyful and wonderful!

What could be the wrong reasons, and what could be the right ones?

Could simply cooking remind me of things that I had forgotten that were important?

And yet, I am no master to all these elements. Like I once said to my mother while we were discussing important things in life: “I am still learning”.

I’m learning to pick wisely, to spend time in what matters, to cut with patience and to listen to the right melody. To sway in the right tempo, and to embrace the right feelings.

STAY HOME, STAY SAFE, STAY PATIENT!

Lidia Krüger Braconnot is an adventurer and a storytelling enthusiast. Having lived in many different places, she now lives in Brazil, where she is an English teacher for all ages. She is 21 years old with a dream of expressing in beautiful detail what life is about, hoping to reach out to people in a comical and lighthearted way.

A Pandemic Turn of Events

It all started very quietly and hidden. It felt as if it was a world away.

Who could have known that a tiny, unwelcomed intruder could change everything so abruptly?

Who could have known that everything that I had faith in, all I was working for, everything that I envisioned for the future, could change in a matter of days?

I remember coming home from a job meeting. There details were exposed about the challenges the company would be facing inevitably, as the crisis was spreading throughout the country. All the fatalities, numbers and percentages were running through my mind as if a pandora box had just been opened. I honestly hadn’t considered what was going on till then. I sat down on my bed, trying to get a hold of sanity as if she had run for a coffee break.

“What could happen? What could change? Will I get infected, will I infect others?”

 “God, will I die?”

I remember feeling claustrophobic and not knowing for sure if I had ever felt that way. I felt my heart racing, the pressure made my chest ache. I felt the walls closing in. My comfortable bedroom turned into a “quarantine confinement”. I hadn’t felt this anxiety for years. I had long forgotten what it felt like and how my body reacted under so much pressure. The longer I questioned myself of my own safety and if I had washed my hands before entering the room, the more made me expectant of inevitable doom. I led myself to outrageous conclusions.

I had let fear take control.

 Until I heard the faintest voice whisper inside of me:

“Why do you fear? Have I ever once left your side? If I haven’t, why would I now?”

Hot tears started to melt from my eyelashes while I felt the warmest feeling.

For years anxiety had been a constant pain, sometimes would come without warning, making me question through raggedy breaths everything I believed in. Always making me wonder: “Am I loved? Am I safe? Will things be better? “

Through the years I had learned that trusting God with my future would cost me everything, but in return he would embrace me with peace, love and courage. Anxiety would pass by, but I felt rooted. Truths that could not be shaken held on to me. I learned that even though I would feel weak at times, all I had to do was take one step at a time. Close my eyes.  Count to ten. Remember all the precious things in life I cherished, and let him take control.

Everything was under control, I had it all planned out. My week was perfectly squeaky organized.  Procrastination had taken a terrible blow that month until a huge pandemic turn of events forced me to change things a bit. It made me look into myself more intently. It made me appreciate my family, my wonderful grandparents that inspire me to constantly reinvent myself into greatness. It made me even more sure of the decisions I had made until now, and made me wonder if I could make wiser decisions for tomorrow.

STAY HOME, STAY SAFE!!

___________________________________________________________

Lidia Krüger Braconnot is an adventurer and a storytelling enthusiast. Having lived in many different places, she now lives in Brazil, where she is an English teacher for all ages. She is 21 years old with a dream of expressing in beautiful detail what life is about, hoping to reach out to people in a comical and lighthearted way.