The Outlook — March 2024

VOL . 20 6 NO. 03 | M ARC H 2024 | F IV E USD

INSIDE Artificial intelligence and the Gospel

p.20

Generative AI

p.27

AI as abolitionist liberator

p.35

THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK Leading faithful conversations in the church and beyond

The ethics of AI

Finding our path as Christians in a world of intelligent machinery

Austin College Announces Full-Tuition Scholarships for Presbyterian Students

A

ustin College announces the largest single gift in the College’s history, a $20 million bequest from the estate of Clifford J. Grum. The gift will fully fund the Westminster Scholarship Program for Presbyterian students to attend Austin College with full tuition paid, beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year.

Austin College was founded in 1849 as a Presbyterian institution, and is the oldest college in Texas operating under its original charter. The gift comes on the eve of the College’s 175th year.

Clifford J. Grum, who graduated from Austin College in 1956, was known as a successful businessman and a dedicated civic leader.

He also served in leadership roles in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and on the Austin College Board of Trustees. In 1989, Grum created the Westminster Fund for scholarships to benefit the children of Presbyterian Church (USA) clergy and staff, which has provided access to an Austin College education for generations of Presbyterian students.

With this gift, the Westminster Scholarship Program will now cover full tuition for any student on the membership roll of a Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation.

The fund will additionally cover room and board for children of PC(USA) clergy and staff.

“In this time of rising costs, this bequest adds to Austin College’s robust gift-aid program and is reflective of our unwavering commitment to remove financial barriers for a college education,” said President Steven P. O’Day, J.D., L.H.D. “The gift bolsters the College’s resources to support young people and deepens the Presbyterian legacy of this campus.”

“The College is profoundly grateful for Clifford’s remarkable generosity,” said Gillian Locke, Vice President for Institutional Advancement. “His foresight and commitment exemplify the unparalleled power of philanthropy to create transformative opportunities for Austin College students, today and for generations to come.”

Austin College 900 N. Grand Ave. Sherman, TX 75090 austincollege.edu For information, contact the Office of Admission: admission@austincollege.edu

THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK VOL. 206

CON VERSATIONS Jesy Littlejohn, the Outlook’s social media producer, and Jo Nygard Owens, pastor for digital ministry at Washington National Cathedral, explore the uses and possibilities of digital ministry.

AI isn’t new. But advancements in the technology have stirred concerns about its use and our way forward, writes Teri Ott.

6 N E W S I N B R I E F

Faith-based organizations are concerned about immigration policy landscape.

35 A I and abolitionist possibilties

10

It is vital that AI is used not as an engine to perpetuate greed, says Chris Burton, but as an engine to promote human thriving.

8 F R O M T H E A R C H I V E S

16 years ago: April 14, 2014 Presbyterians using blogs, Web sites, podcasts to reach out.

36 H O R I Z O N S Sacred encounters

By Rosalind Banbury

9 T E C H W A T C H

Apps familiar to churches — like Mailchimp and Canva — can integrate AI for efficiency and data-gathering.

37 D I S C U S S I O N G U I D E

By Donald Griggs

14

38 B O O K S I N R E V I E W

IN FOCUS 10 What is AI? A rtificial intelligence is as common as cell phones, but understanding it – even while using it – is another story.

14 A rtificial Intelligence is here. Now what?

AI is integrated into the work done in any administrative, research, or social role — including ministry, writes Kate Ott.

20 T eaching AI about ethics and the Gospel

Jacob Alan Cook wonders: Can we train AI to coach us into deeper honesty so we

MARCH 2024

3 2 F A I T H F U L

4 R E A D E R’ S O U T L O O K 5 E D I T O R’ S O U T L O O K AI: Reflection, evolution, transformation

Being Here by Pádraig Ó Tuama

|

INSIGHTS

AT A GL ANCE

8 B O O K M A R K

NO. 03

can help others — whose l ives it might know more intimately than we do?

26 D isparities in representation in tech

Only 30% of workers in tech are women, and less than 4% are women of color. Eric Nolin writes, as AI and digital ministry grow and the church shrinks, what does that mean for Christians?

Trash: A Poor White Journey A Faith Of Many Rooms: Inhabiting a More Spacious Christianity

Worth Fighting For: Finding Courage & Compassion When Cruelty is Trending

41 C L A S S I F I E D S 42 B E N E D I C T O R Y If the tool becomes the master, the greatest commandment remains

By Jay Blossom

27 G enerative AI and using it faithfully

Eric Nolin speaks to some in ministry who are finding innovative ways to use AI faithfully in the Christian world.

pres-outlook.org

3

THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK

AT A GL ANCE

Published by the Presbyterian Outlook Foundation Inc. 1 N. 5th St., Suite 500 Richmond, VA 23219

READER’S OUTLOOK

Re: Purple church possibilities

by Teri Ott, Presbyterian Outlook, Feb. 2024 In reading the article about purple churches, I agree that it is a difficult place to be, yet offers opportunities for wonderful conversations. But it takes courage to have those conversations and to listen to one another.

I serve what would be termed a purple church. We have it all. And all are welcome. But what if instead of purple — we could allow the church to be plaid? For we are not mixing the colors and losing our individuality, but allowing people to remain with their blues and reds and even purples perspectives. There are shadings of each, and they intertwine with one another, just like creating a plaid piece of material which uses a variety of colors of thread or yarn to make the whole. When you look at it from a distance, it seems to blend in, but up close, you can see the different threads involved.

What if, instead of mixing everyone together and creating a purple melting pot, we allow each one to bring their understanding and perspective to the larger group, and to embrace those differences and celebrate our unity we find in Christ as a part of the church?

— Ann F. Aichinger, Bristol, Virginia

ABOUT THIS ISSUE: The term “artificial intelligence” – AI – slid into our vernacular in the early 1950s. But what is it, other than the chatbot face that replaces a real person to ask if you need help with a shopping selection, or an editing program that tweaks writing? And what are the implications around faith? For Christians, there are speculations about AI replacing things like sermon writing, thoughtful exegesis or even pastoral care. In the grand scheme, generative artificial intelligence is still simply a tool, dependent on human insight and intuition, and as such, we get the opportunity to consider its implications for the kingdom of God. As we explore AI, inputting all our human data, the data ref lected can clarify who we are and who we want to be. This issue of the Outlook explores some of the facets and questions about the faithful use of generative AI in ministry and the ways Christians can learn to live with a future that’s right here, right now.

EDITOR Teri McDowell Ott tott@pres-outlook.org EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE EDITOR Renee Westry rwestry@pres-outlook.org MANAGING EDITOR Dartinia Hull dhull@pres-outlook.org DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR Rose Schrott Taylor rstaylor@pres-outlook.org SOCIAL MEDIA PRODUCER Jesy Littlejohn jlittlejohn@pres-outlook.org BOOK REVIEW EDITOR Amy Pagliarella apagliarella@pres-outlook.org OFFICE MANAGER Alfred Walker awalker@pres-outlook.org ADVERTISING SALES Patrick Shanley patrick@kevinshanley.com 312-919-1306 SUBSCRIPTIONS pres-outlook@cambeywest.com 877-902-9759 P.O. Box 111, Congers, NY 10920-0111 $59 one year; $104 two years; $149 three years (Visit pres-outlook.org for rates outside the U.S.A. and for group subscription rates).

Individual copy: $5.00 CORRESPONDENCE 1 N. 5th St., Suite 500, Richmond, VA 23219 Telephone: 804-359-8442 Toll Free: 800-446-6008 WEBSITE pres-outlook.org NEWS SERVICE Religion News Service (RNS) ISSN: 0032-7565 VOL. 206-03 | MAR 2024

THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK

(ISSN 0032-7565). Periodical postage paid in Richmond, Va., and additional mailing offices. Published by The Presbyterian Outlook Foundation 11 times a year — once a month, with the exception of July and August, which will share an issue. The Presbyterian Outlook is an independent, nonprofit publication with no financial or editorial ties to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Presbyterian Outlook, 1 N. 5th St., Suite 500, Richmond, VA 23219-2231.

Copyright © Presbyterian Outlook 2024.

All rights reserved. General inquiries, information on rights and permissions, and inquiries on submissions can directed to info@pres-outlook.org.

4 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

The Presbyterian Outlook is printed on 100% recycled/50% post-consumer paper using agricultural-based inks made from soybeans and canola. We are a member of Green America.

AT A GL ANCE

EDITOR’S OUTLOOK

AI: Reflection, evolution, transformation Teri McDowell Ott

“F

or anybody who could use a break.”

This is Becky Chambers’ dedication in her optimistic book of speculative fiction, Psalm for the Wild Built. In the book, humans have moved away from previously destructive behavior — wars, domination, environmental degradation — and learned to live in harmony with nature, reversing the climate crisis, and reorganizing society around principles of compassion, kindness and respect for all forms of life. Humans don’t live in luxury in this future world, but they do live in peace. They have learned from past mistakes and done the work to repair historical harms. What would such a world look like? I certainly want to know. Don’t you?

In Chambers’ fictional world, the catalyst for this change in human behavior was inspired by robots — aka, artificial intelligence. Psalm for the Wild Built is set decades after robots woke to sentience and went on strike. They wanted to be set free from the factory lines and labor for which they were created. Humans had recognized the evil of enslavement, honored the robots’ new agency and set them free, and the robots vanished into the wilderness to learn about themselves and the world beyond human design.

Our March issue of the Presbyterian Outlook focuses on artificial intelligence and the questions, ethical concerns, fears and opportunities this evolution in technology has inspired. As many contributors to this issue highlight, AI itself is not new. (Hello, Siri. Hello, Alexa. Hello, creepy grocery store bot. “CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE!”) But recent advancements, and new, more powerful tools like ChatGPT, have stirred ethical concerns of AI’s use and misuse — and the need to think carefully about how we move forward while considering “intelligence” that largely regurgitates what humans have created, without crediting the sources or paying for it.

What fascinates me about AI is that it ref lects us. It evolves from the baseline set by our intelligence, our values, our ethics, our beliefs, our philosophy and theology. Our fear of AI might more accurately described as a fear of us, who

we humans are, who we have become, and who we might be in the future.

Certainly, there is reason to be afraid.

The tragedies and terrors recapped every night on the news feel like signs of the apocalypse. In a world of artificial creators working with the raw materials we’re offering, what does our future look like? More starkly, do we even have a future?

I take solace from people like Becky Chambers, who is determined to envision and build a future where humans have learned hard lessons and have evolved to embrace world-building work that is more compassionate, just and equitable.

Chambers’ fictional world makes me want to take advantage of this moment, to examine our fears and think carefully and ethically about what we want from artificial intelligence and ourselves.

In my experience, teaching others is one of the best ways to learn. As we teach artificial intelligence, inputting all our human data, the data ref lected to us can clarify who we are today.

But we can also get clear on who we want to be — and what we want for our future. We can ask and answer questions like: In a world addicted to violence, what can I do today to promote a future of peace? In a political moment marked by incivility, disrespect and division, how can I embody Christ’s path of love, care and compassion?

Amid environmental chaos and crisis, what can I do to attune myself to the natural world and honor the dignity of all creation?

“For anybody who could use a break.”

Chambers’ dedication includes me, for sure. I need a break from the terrifying tragedies of our current reality. But, more so, I need a break that helps me, you, us, envision a new, more hopeful future. I pray you’ll join me in this faithful conversation and this sacred work. ◆ Peace,

pres-outlook.org

5

AT A GL ANCE

NEWS IN BRIEF

PC(USA) discourages certain gatherings in Texas State’s immigration bill targeting immigrants and asylum seekers could also put others at risk

Presbyterians in Texas and nationally are seeking ways to respond to Senate Bill 4, which would make border crossing from Mexico without required documentation a state crime and not just a federal one. It is the latest legislative effort to criminalize immigration, and members of the denomination wish to respond in ways that align with the values of their faith and the policies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

The issue of SB4 first came to the attention of many Presbyterians around the country in February when the Office of the General Assembly released an update discouraging PC(USA) organizations from holding national meetings in the state of Texas, except for those planned at Presbyterian sites such as schools and conference centers. Acting Stated Clerk Bronwen Boswell clarified that OGA is not advising a boycott but is asking national committees and other groups to “take care when meeting.”

“We’re asking that we refrain from national meetings where people would be coming from a variety of areas and backgrounds to be in Texas at this time,” Boswell said.

She hopes the advisory is a way of “shedding light on the injustice that is being raised in Texas about all of this. For us the story was able to raise once again the policy that we have as Presbyterians.”

This council from OGA draws on a policy passed at the 219th General Assembly in 2010, which indicates PC(USA) organizations should “Refrain from holding national meetings at hotels or non-PC(USA) conference centers in those states where travel by immigrant Presbyterians or Presbyterians of color or Hispanic ancestry might subject them to harassment due to legislation similar to Arizona Law SB 1070/HB2162” — the notorious 2010 legislation known as the “show me your papers law.” The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against that law in a 2012 decision declaring “states may not implement their own immigration laws,” according to Ballotpedia.

Ministers and advocates in the state of Texas are working to make sense of the SB4 and discerning how

6 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

to respond. Ezequiel Herrera, for one, is glad the national church is drawing attention to the crisis facing the communities he serves. Herrera works as the Rio Grande Valley evangelist for Mission Presbytery, which includes Central Texas and much of the border region, and he pastors a new worshipping community called New Life Faith Community/Comunidad de Fe Nueva Vida.

“It seems it will be very difficult to be a law-abiding citizen in Texas complying with SB4 and also being a disciple of Jesus Christ and living into Matthew 25,” he said. “How can you reconcile the two? How can you bear witness and extend a helping hand to a person in need if by doing so you might find yourself violating the law and potentially being charged with serious crimes?”

And, he noted, SB4 is just one aspect of an increasingly complex set of federal and state policies facing immigrants, asylum seekers, and the people who serve them. There are even two SB4s in Texas right now, passed in different special legislative sessions in 2023.

The second one, signed in December by Gov. Gregg Abbott, also deals with state immigration law, and it increases the “minimum sentence from two years to 10 years for people convicted of smuggling immigrants or operating a stash house,” according to a story in the Texas Tribune.

The OGA advisory about SB4 in Texas comes at a time when many states are passing laws that criminalize people based on characteristics including gender expression and pregnancy status. Valerie Young, synod executive and stated clerk for the Synod of the South Atlantic, which includes Florida, hopes to not see additional OGA policies discouraging travel to these states. In a state where here immigration and the rights of transgender people are both contentious legislative issues, Young has other thoughts around possible responses.

“Personally, I would rather the denomination lean in to having meetings in these places and taking that opportunity to have our voices heard about the policies and treatment of people of all kinds,” she said. “There is much work to be done in advocating for humane policies of all kinds. Not meeting people where they are and joining in that important work means that we miss an opportunity to speak love and truth in the world.”

Boswell said OGA won’t stop at this advisory. Her office has meetings set with presbytery and synod leaders in Texas to learn more about how they are responding to SB4 and other legislation that targets immigrants, as

SB4 is just one aspect of an increasingly complex set of federal and state policies facing immigrants, asylum seekers and the people who serve them.

Photo by Gregg Bulla, Unsplash

well as what support they need from the national church, Boswell said. She added: “If a Texas presbytery said, ‘we’re having a big protest,’ we’d say, ‘we need to be there with you.’

Though the legal tangle creates numerous, complex challenges, some responses may be deceptively simple.

“We can all be preaching about loving the stranger, the sojourner, the wanderer, and putting that back at the center of our faith. That is not negotiable,” said. Jim Rigby, pastor at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin.

For eight years, St. Andrew’s has been a sanctuary church, housing a mother and son from Guatemala in the church building to protect them from potential deportation. Rigby reflected on the power of liturgical arts, casting the image of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns made of razor wire in reference to the dangerous material used to enforce the border which often sinks below the water, creating an invisible and deadly risk for people crossing.

Texas Impact highlighted the status of houses of worship as exempt from immigration enforcement in a recent call to action. Texas Impact, which “exists to put faith into action," also operates Courts and Ports, a two-day immersive program designed to help people understand the immigration system more deeply — and which Herrera helped found.

Texas Impact Executive Director Bee Moorhead said other courses of action include attending “Know Your Rights” trainings, getting to know the immigration court

system in your own community, and contacting your congress people to ask for comprehensive immigration reform. Whatever route you choose, she said, people of faith have a responsibility to identify the levers of power they can press in order to alleviate suffering for migrants.

“People are not coming [to the border] because they love to travel, they are coming because they could not stay where they were,” Moorhead said. “And when they get here, we should welcome them.”

Rev. Adrian White is a writer, Texan and life-long Presbyterian living and serving in Nashville, Tennessee. They earned their M.Div at Vanderbilt Divinity School and serve on the national board of directors for More Light Presbyterians.

Opinion: Presbyterian Outlook, online

PC(USA) response to Texas migrant tactics falls short The state of Texas is flouting human rights law, writes Robert Lowry, and the PC(USA)'s response rings hollow.

pres-outlook.org

7

AT A GL ANCE

Bookmark

Being Here: Prayers for Curiosity, Justice, and Love REVIEWED BY REV. AMY PAGLIARELLA, the Outlook's book review editor and a pastor at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, Illinois.

by Pádraig Ó Tuama

Eerdmans, 175 pages Published January 23, 2024

W

ith warmth and humility, devotional poet Pádraig Ó Tuama offers Being Here. It’s a small book, chock full of prayer and liturgy, accompanied by brief teachings and reflections. For example, Ó Tuama introduces us to the collect – a five-fold form of prayer – in such a straightforward way, before inviting us to pray his collects and craft our own.

He writes, “(i)f you know what you’re doing, you’re blessed. If you don’t know what you’re doing, then try it one way for a month, and another way for another month and then go with what works.” He then offers 31 days of liturgy, each opening with the same prayer and layering upon it a gospel passage, collect, poem or prose reading and closing prayer. Simple enough to sit with for 10 minutes each morning and rich enough to reflect upon all day long.

By inviting us to make his work our own, Ó Tuama creates myriad possibilities. Being Here would be a welcome addition to a small group’s gathering and closing time or stand on its own as the foundation of a daily or weekly prayer service. I found myself wishing I was planning a retreat or pilgrimage, so that I could joyfully announce, “I’ve found the perfect little book to accompany us!” In the meantime, I’ll just sit with Being Here in the stillness of the early morning, allowing Ó Tuama’s language to travel with me throughout the day. ◆

From the Outlook archives

16 YEARS AGO, NOV. 12, 2007, VOLUME 189-37

Presbyterians using blogs, websites, podcasts to reach out So what happens when John Stuart posts his daily devotions on his blog “Heaven’s Highway” . . .?

People write to him from India, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Folks from his congregation say things like, “That’s not what I believe,” or “I never thought about that,” and the conversations begin. . . .

There is no blueprint to Web 2.0, but the simple truth is this. Presbyterians – like lots of other folks – are using Web-based technology more and more. They find it freeing, a doorway to discipleship, a way to creatively meld words and music and images and ideas. . . .

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) has joined both MySpace . . . and Facebook . . . — its friends include pastors and teenagers and youth groups and middleaged folks and the Synod of Lakes and Prairies. …

8 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

“Conan the Presbyterian” — John Vest, an associate pastor for youth ministry for Fourth Church [Chicago] . . . doesn’t use MySpace much anymore; among teenagers, he finds more energy on Facebook, and says, “Students will respond to a post on Facebook much faster than they’ll respond to an email or a phone call.” . . .

There are cautions, though . . .

At the Open Door Church, in an urban neighborhood in Pittsburgh, “the digital divide has become an increasingly important conversation for us, because many urban poor or working poor … don’t have the faintest idea” about web technology, [pastor B. J.] Woodworth said. “They don’t have Internet access, they don’t have email. As the Lord enables us and we become more representative of our community and our neighborhood, things need to change.” . . .

—Leslie Scanlon

AT A GL ANCE

TechWatch

AI in Canva and Mailchimp REVIEWED BY DARTINIA HULL, the Outlook's managing editor

M

any organizations, no matter the size, use a variety of apps without being aware of some of their AI and its capabilities. We touch on a couple of familiar ones here.

Yes, we’ve reviewed Canva before, but it’s worth mentioning AI’s capabilities for this specific Outlook issue.

Canva’s Magic DesignTM allows users to type in a few keywords and create personalized designs. The AI takes any media that you upload/input (text, images, video, documents) and builds templates customized to the context and content specified. The AI also creates eight templates that allow you to build a cohesive, subject-specific set of templates that can be redesigned.

Magic StudioTM will also tighten your writing. Some of the Magic Studio tools are free, others are “freemium,” which means you can test them and decide whether to upgrade. Others are paid.

In 2023, Mailchimp introduced a generative AI email marketing tool that helps users more easily create email campaigns. The GPT AI tech draws from an organization’s voice, industry and intent. After a series of acquisitions, Mailchimp’s acquisition by Intuit further expanded the app’s AI toolbox and data science features.

Mailchimp’s generation and optimization tools also provide data and comprehensive insights on campaign

performance, which means users can adjust on content and email send times.

For individuals, I looked at a few Bible apps, but the one that got my attention was “Text with Jesus.” I’m not recommending it, necessarily — but the name draws attention. In the free version, users can send questions to Mary, Jesus, Joseph, two of the 12 disciples, a couple of prophets, Noah, Job and Queen Esther (one of the few women.) It was fascinating to ask “Queen Esther” what her day was like. She texted back that her days were filled with prayer, seeking guidance from the Lord, and that it was important for her to remain faithful to God and bring glory to God’s name. With that, I cannot be angry.

MAY 2-5, 2024, Little Rock, AR Registration deadline: April 4th Tuition $300 pp

www.solarunderthesun.org

pres-outlook.org

9

IN F O C US

What is AI? Dartinia Hull

The term “artificial intelligence” (AI) slid into our vernacular in the 1950s. Since then, the term and the tech have become ubiquitous in the U.S., as common as cell phones. But understanding the thinking behind it – even while using it – is another story.

BUT – WHAT IS IT?

EXAMPLES:

It’s not “just” a program, much in the same way the internet wasn’t “just” some linked websites.

According to a 2007 paper written by computer scientist John McCarthy and posted on the Stanford University website, AI is “the science ... of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs. It is related to the similar task of using computers to understand human intelligence, but AI does not have to confine itself to methods that are biologically observable.”

Aruna Pattam, a LinkedIn Top Voice and AI expert, put it more simply in 2021: “Artificial intelligence is the science of making machines that can think like humans. It can do things that are considered “smart.”

•A playlist recommendation from your music app •F itness trackers that record hours of sleep and exercise • Th e spam filter in email •A chatbot that answers questions immediately for customers •S ecurity cameras that send alerts for unrecognized faces at the door •P roduct suggestions based on previous purchases On a self-reported measure, Pew says 44% of Americans feel they never interact with AI – at all – and that might be true if they never log into email, or venture out anywhere that has security cameras, or take a product recommendation from a chatbot.

Understanding AI requires getting familiar with the accompanying dictionary, conveniently located in a Siri or Alexa near you. What does open source mean? (It’s modifiable code that’s publicly accessible. You can create your own AI, which is a heady thought.) What is ChatGPT? (It’s probably the most well-known generative AI chatbot. It can do everything from writing headlines – or a sermon – to planning vacations.) What’s a chatbot?

(Say “hey Siri,” and there’s part of your answer; generative chatbots can also “write.”)

WHERE IS IT? According to a 2023 study by Pew Research Institute, most adults in the U.S. are aware of some of the common ways AI has become a part of everyday life — for instance, product recommendations from chatbots based on what you’ve previously bought. However, only 30% of adults in the U.S. “are able to correctly identify the six specific uses of AI asked about in the survey, underscoring the developing nature of public understanding,” Pew states.

10 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

“[AI] is related to the similar task of using computers to understand human intelligence, but AI does not have to confine itself to methods that are biologically observable.” — John McCarthy

pres-outlook.org

11

Alexa, is there time to buy bread and milk before the snowstorm hits?

AI relies on thousands – millions, perhaps – of bits of informational programming from everywhere: books, blogs, newspapers, museums, churches, websites. Horoscopes. Vacation rental postings. That’s how it thinks. That’s how it thinks so quickly. Countless minds and music sites went into determining what should follow Maze featuring Frankie Beverly in my music app. It was the Women of Philly Soul. Beverly is from Philly.

“Artificial intelligence is the science of making machines that can think like humans. It can do things that are considered “smart.” — Aruna Pattam I used to work with a guy who ran a complex stock-market analysis program daily. He’d cross his arms and watch the green code f lash on the screen.

If anybody asked him to do anything else before the program finished, he’d refuse.

“When my computer’s thinking,” he’d say, “I’m thinking.” Since then, I’ve been in meetings where saying the computer was thinking was close to blasphemy. But — wasn’t it thinking, and in the way we’ve designed it to gather information and make logical turns and decisions toward rational outcomes?

AI was perhaps a logical step in the “Star Trek” direction that tech is taking us. And it’s not new.

There is computer-driven art from the 1970's that could be considered precursors to today’s generative apps that construct content, “including text, imagery, audio and synthetic data,” according to TechTarget. Artificial intelligence is embedded now: the “intelligence” answers questions on your hardware store’s website, guides us through onboarding at a new job, helps us write succinct memos. AI is present in programs that make our lives simpler.

12 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

Don’t we all yearn for so-called simpler, easier times? And yet ...

It is fallible, and not the One With All Answers.

AI is complex enough – and intuitive enough – to make us wary.

According to Pew, “Americans are increasingly cautious about the growing role of AI in their lives generally. Today, 52% of Americans are more concerned than excited about AI in daily life, compared with just 10% who say they are more excited than concerned; 36% feel a mix of excitement and concern.” Can it really “think?” Whose thoughts is it thinking?

Whose biases is it following? Which information is it choosing? That all determines the outcome, right? And: if an AI process follows a specific logic, what would happen if it decided it understood the collective of humanity better than the humans who gave it its brain?

COMPUTER: EARL GREY. HOT Artificial intelligence doesn't (yet) have the ability to produce, out of the ether, a cup of piping hot tea for “Star Trek's” Jean-Luc Picard. Right now, for many of us, AI is mostly good for the mundane or the brain-busting, and the in-between areas of thought.

What if AI assisted with some of our daily mental tasks, or took Einstein-level computations off our plates, giving us more time to be creative?

To be with each other and truly see one another rather than looking past or away? What if, during that time, we began to see each other again as children of God? Or what if we discovered new ways of receiving God’s word? Organic possibilities are myriad.

To test some ideas on how this could look in a faith-based situation, I ran an idea for a children's lesson through ChatGPT. Give me, I asked, a fourminute children’s sermon about the bravery of Queen Esther as she confronted her husband, the king, about the treatment of her people, and what this story says about bravery and God’s support of you as you stand for what’s right. Make this for a Presbyterian congregation.

This is part of what it returned: Today, let's embark on an exciting journey into the story of Queen Esther from the Bible.

Imagine living in a grand palace as a queen, like Esther did, and discovering that something not very nice was happening to your friends and family. You see, Esther's husband was King Xerxes, a powerful ruler. One day, Queen Esther learned that a rule was made that could hurt her people, the Jewish people. It made her very sad because she loved her people and didn't want to see them treated unfairly.

Esther's bravery comes into play. Instead of staying silent, she decided to do something about it. Can you imagine talking to a king, especially when he didn't ask you to? It takes a lot of courage, doesn't it? Esther knew she had to be brave and speak up for what was right. Esther's courage teaches us an important lesson about standing up for others, even when it's difficult. When we see something unfair happening, we can be brave like Esther and find a way to speak up for those who need our help. Now, let's talk about faith. Esther had a deep belief in God, and that belief helped her be brave. Faith is like having a special friend in God who is always there for us. When we trust God and know that God loves us, it gives us the courage to do what's right, just like Esther did. And guess what? When Esther went to talk to the king, she wasn't alone. God was right there with her, helping her find the right words and giving her the strength to stand up for her people. This reminds us that, no matter what we face, God is there to help us, too — like a loving friend who supports us.

Not great. And not necessarily what a future pastor seeks when in seminary. Also — not a horrible start for a part-time pastor who has full-time pastoral duties and a full-time family.

Right now, for many of us, AI is mostly good for the mundane or the brain-busting, and the in-between areas of thought.

But doing a search for God and AI in a visuals app gave me Jesus with the good hair. White Jesus.

More than a few of them, which supports what Eric Nolin writes on page 38: people of color in tech are few, so visuals and wording have an inherent bias.

It’s not the programmed and pre-built app’s fault.

It’s only what has been uploaded. For a pastor who has but two minutes before faith formation class begins, what does this mean for the ways we are able to consider and dispense the image of what’s holy and good?

I’ll stop now. The deeper you dig, the more you realize the topic and use of AI is as bottomless as the universe. Which, for most humans, means there’s little chance of avoiding AI. Which, for Christians, especially the ones who embrace thoughtful reform, means learning how to become “Star Trek’s” Uhura, who understood all the things about the tech keeping the Enterprise moving but knew when to consider adjustments.

She kept her eye on the big picture.

Which, for us, is not necessarily the tech, but learning to move forward while serving God as faithfully as possible with the fallible tools we’ve been given. ◆

Can it really “think?” Whose thoughts is it thinking? Whose biases is it following? Which information is it choosing?

DARTINIA HULL is managing editor of Presbyterian Outook.

pres-outlook.org

13

IN F O C US

Toward deeper conversation on AI and church life

Artificial intelligence is here.

Now what?

Kate Ott

The reality is most of us have been interacting with AI for years through software and services.

14 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

T

he general public’s awareness of artificial intelligence radically expanded when Open AI released ChatGPT in November 2022, sparking major media coverage of artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, the moral panic caused by the magic-like sophistication of OpenAI models fueled misconceptions about artificial intelligence and led many Christians to disengage from critical and constructive conversations about AI and ethics.

One year later in November 2023, the Barna Group released a snapshot of the data they collected on “How U.S. Christians Feel About AI & the Church.” Overall, Christians are more pessimistic than non-Christians about AI. More than 50% believe AI is not good for the Christian church, and a slightly higher percentage would be disappointed if their church used AI. For ease of research, these questions give in to a dichotomy that AI is always good or always bad, but there is no technology

that we can characterize in this way, not even atomic energy. Instead, the use or design of certain technologies can be assessed for their contributions to moral goods and ethical harms.

AI IS ALREADY HERE We can and must resist polarized responses that succumb to awe or fear. The reality is most of us have been interacting with AI for years through software and services.

AI is integrated into the work done in any administrative, research or social role — including ministry. Daily, we might use voice assistants, search engines, social media feeds, email spam filters, predictive text, facial or fingerprint recognition, gaming, and navigation or GPS applications.

We rely on e-commerce platforms and streaming applications to provide us with predictive preferences and

reviews by other users. AI is revolutionizing auto, financial, and medical industries, not to mention all workplaces, churches included. If your church has a website, Facebook group, accepts e-donations, uses a Bible study or Bible translation application, not to mention administrative services like email or online shared calendars, your church is using AI. So what makes Christians comfortable with the personal use of an Alexa smart assistant or Google search to answer a theological question, or a Bible application to provide commentary and translation, but perhaps recoil at the notion of a ChatGPT-produced sermon or Renée, the People Church’s digital assistant helping newcomers connect to church at their own pace? All these applications rely upon machine learning; some use deep learning and natural language processing. But the feel is different! A voice

pres-outlook.org

15

assistant feels more in the users’ control as an artificial narrow intelligence versus ChatGPT’s artificial general intelligence that can pass the bar exam, or the People Church’s Renée that may be replacing your favorite church administrator.

What’s underlying the concerned Christian response?

Human exceptionalism is a cornerstone of Christian theology. If an AI can express, think and respond like a human, what makes humans special?

HUMAN VS. AI? For the “Uncovered Dish,” a ministry and leadership podcast, I took the pre-prepared list of questions from the hosts and entered each one into ChatGPT to see how similar or different the responses would be from my own. When it came to explaining things, such as how AI works, the technology’s different capacities and techniques, and how AI might contribute to fields like education and ministry, there was an uncanny similarity. Artificial intelligence was less able to intuitively match more creative ethical responses, often relying on a Scripture quote to “add” religion to a basic answer. While touting its skill at assisting with sermon writing, ChatGPT did include caveats: one, for example, stated it was not meant as a substitute for the pastoral care of a minister.

Yet millions of users turn to different chatbot applications for spiritual and mental health related concerns. In his 2022 chapter “Beyond the Live and Zoomiverse,” which appeared in the book Ecclesiology for a Digital Church: Theological Reflections on a New Normal, Philip Butler argues, “While conversational AI companions presently lack human-level nuance, platforms such as Weobot, Wysa or Seekr still provide digital space for individuals to turn inward cultivating spirituality and emotional attenuation via the different techniques these companions are trained to employ.” Butler, assistant professor of theology and Black posthuman artificial intelligence systems at Iliff School of Theology, is the creator of Seekr, a Black AI chatbot grounded in spirituality, and, unlike other spiritual companions, is built specifically to hold the context of Black

16 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

users through language and images. Many other chatbots are programmed to default to stereotypical White, female language patterns.

Butler’s research demonstrates the effectiveness of therapist and spiritual companion chatbots for the limited uses they support and the gaps they can fill in care. Developers and users of such applications do not suggest their AI apps as wholesale replacements or rejections of human-to-human interactions. They are supplemental. They can especially be helpful for older adults, those living with challenges of neurodiversity, and others with social anxiety.

... millions of users turn to different chatbot applications for spiritual and mental health related concerns.

Over the course of history, various technologies have shifted how we live out our faith. Consider the theological consequences of the printing press for the Protestant Reformation and lay access to Bibles in their vernacular. In his book People of the Screen: How Evangelicals Created the Digital Bible and How It Shapes Their Reading of Scripture, John Dyer details how digital Bible applications have radically impacted the way Christians, not just those who are evangelical, interact with Scripture and the ways the evangelical approach of designers impacts users across the globe. This is one small way that AI and digital technological design has had significant and often unacknowledged impact across Christian traditions. Like the shifts in Biblical engagement from oral proclamation to printed Bibles, AI sometimes replaces and other times supplements past faith practices. In the process, human-to-AI interactions have and will continue to generate new ways of being and acting in this world impacting jobs, artistic expression, faith formation, and even our most intimate relationships which I discuss in my book, Sex, Tech, and Faith: Ethics for a Digital Age. Many of us have already shifted everyday behaviors because of the inf luence of AI. I was recently on a family vacation, and everyone was grateful their smartphones worked in another

country, because they could not imagine how we would navigate the roads or find restaurants.

In the not-so-distant past, we used paper maps and phonebooks. Unsurprisingly, everyone on the trip was in favor of AI’s assistance over those past modes, a common reaction when AI has made our lives easier.

But that is not always the case, and much of how AI affects communities and the planet remains hidden. For example, AI requires excessive amounts of energy, and it contributes to the large amount of trash and mineral mining that comes from electronic hardware. In an October 2023 Wired magazine article, Megan O’Gieblyn, author of God, Human, Animal, Machine, responds to the moral panic about what makes a human a human in the face of AI. “Each time you fear that you’re losing ground to machines,” she writes, “you are enacting the very concerns and trepidation that make you distinctly human.” For now, self-consciousness, worry, despair and happiness are human – not AI – traits.

What else might make humans uniquely different from AI? Perhaps it is our capacity for morality.

Ethical concerns have been part of every stage of AI development, from the conscious or unconscious biases of the designers, to f laws in data sets, to the impact of users who train the models. These are human points of intervention, and they often are points of human moral failure.

This is why it is critical to raise the level of digital literacy of users, especially Christians who want their faith to have an impact on their technology use. Artificial intelligence is a broad term that encompasses many types of computer systems that mimic intelligent behavior. AI utilizes different techniques and approaches. Most daily AI use is based on machine learning that utilizes algorithms to learn from data to make predictions. LLMs – Large Language Learning Models – are a type of machine learning that relies on deep learning and neural network technology to generate human-like text, natural language processing and images. Having a basic level of literacy about the capacities and technologies that fall under the umbrella of AI helps us discern important differences for personal and communal use as well as advocating for regulation.

TOWARD A CHRISTIAN AI ETHIC The diversity of technologies that rely on AI increases the complexity of how to ethically respond as technologists, regulators and users.

In my book, Christian Ethics for a Digital Society, I suggest we need a more f lexible, values-based ethical approach when responding to digital advances. Most often, Christians employ a rulebased approach that cannot match the complexity of digital innovation. Those respondents to the Barna study who said the use of AI would damage churches have likely ignored a host of ways churches and religious leaders already use a variety of AI software applications.

Ethical concerns have been part of every stage of AI development, from the conscious or unconscious biases of the designers, to flaws in data sets, to the impact of users who train the models.

What might be a better approach than saying “no” to AI use at all? We might safely make a rule like: ministry use of AI should be limited to making everyday administrative tasks easier. Is it morally okay for ministry staff to use auto-generated responses on text messages or AI assistance in responding to emails? In church life, what I thought was a simple email can be an expression of spiritual need, harm or support, as can a text message. Instead, might Christians focus on the application of their values in all interactions rather than a list of morally okay or suspect software applications?

AI IN OUR IMAGE? No single AI application or system is perfect and probably never will be because it is built and shaped by f lawed people. The sooner we realize what we have in common with AI, the better off I believe we will be. It will wake us to the need for regulation of design and production of certain forms of AI. We might begin discussing the features of ethical decision-making that need to

pres-outlook.org

17

IN F O C US

be built into AI and how to promote diverse groups of designers and users, so we do not continue to end up with racial, gender and ableist biases (to name a few) in digital technologies. AI is not simply a tool; our use of it shapes us, and we shape it.

Instead of a rules-based approach, a shared values-based approach can be f lexible, adaptive, and responsive in ways that match digital technological changes. This approach would not proliferate rules for every context and application (a sheer impossibility), but rather focus on how to live out Christian values and tenets in complex situations, much like Jesus does throughout the Gospels. For example, what does it look like to live out the love commandment as one responds via email, text, or on social media? Sometimes, that might include a quick, autogenerated reply to confirm you received a request, other times it requires a thoughtfully selected .gif to express emotional affect in ways that words do not, and still other times it might require a switch to a different medium — perhaps with a call to the person or a voice message to capture tone and emotion.

AI and Faith, a collective of technologists, theologians, and scholars from the worlds’ religions (AIandfaith.org), works to center the following human values as shared across the world of faith: human life and dignity, spiritual values transcending materialism, human wellbeing, human liberty, societal justice and meaningful community. These values center humans, rather than technological advancement or profit. They seek to use these values to support the need for beneficial, safe, and transparent AI, fair and unbiased algorithms, safety limits on computational and biological augmentation, equality of access, stewardship of work, appropriate predictive analytics and data ownership, preservation and enhancement of civil liberties, and limits on autonomous weapons.

We might add concerns beyond humans as AI advances require massive amounts of energy use with significant environmental impact.

Christians and faith communities need opportunities to cultivate what cultural sociologist Felicia Wu Song calls a “realistic and motivating vision of our circumstance that helps us imagine the kind of life we are hoping to live and how it is we can get there” in her book Restless Devices: Recovering Personhood Presence, and Place in the Digital Age. Such visioning requires that we identify and lead with our faith communities’ core values. We must then work to increase digital literacy: invite experts like a local computer scientist or professor to discuss ethics and AI, read trusted information from groups like AIandFaith.org, or ask denominational offices to design an information session on faith and digital ethics.

Instead of a rules-based approach, a shared values-based approach can be flexible, adaptive, and responsive in ways that match digital technological changes.

Being equipped and informed allows us to ask critical questions about whether AI applications and advances are helping us and our community live out the values identified in step one. The books and articles already mentioned are examples of such conversations. Our collective discernment should lead to individual behavioral interventions, community shifts, and advocacy for regulations. To support such efforts, faith communities need to routinely address the challenges and successes of implementing core faith values on individual and communal levels in the face of rapid digital change. ◆

KATE OTT, PH.D., is an ethicist addressing the formation of moral communities with specializations in technology, youth and young adults, sexuality, pedagogy and professional ethics. She serves as the Jerre and Mary Joy Stead Professor of Christian Social Ethics and is director of the Stead Center for Ethics and Values at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois.

18 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

GROUNDED IN FAITH FORMED IN COMMUNITY Carruth Higgins 225-937-8590

Skip Higgins 225-937-0700

“Moving Presbyterian clergy to new ministries since 1982.”

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is grounded in faith. Our students are formed in community for leadership in their neighborhoods and beyond. Financial aid is available.

Join us!

1-800-451-4194 www.pts.edu/Outlook

custommovers.net

LEADERSHIP IN MINISTRY WORKSHOPS

ATLANTA

RICHMOND

BOSTON

ONLINE

SCAN TO LEARN MORE OR VISIT CTSNET.EDU

IN F O C US

Can we train artificial intelligence to coach us into deeper honesty so we can help others — whose lives it might know more intimately than we do?

Teaching AI about ethics and the Gospel Jacob Alan Cook

“Ukraine’s ‘Secret Weapon’ Against Russia Is a Controversial U.S. Tech Company” (TIME Magazine.)

“Pentagon Pushes A.I. Research Toward Lethal Autonomous Weapons” (CBS News.) “The Gospel: How Israel Uses AI to Select Bombing Targets in Gaza” (The Guardian.)

These are but three 2023 headlines that raise ethical questions about artificial intelligence within the destructive reality of war.

20 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

Given news like this, the Terminator movies are unsurprisingly top of mind when we contemplate AI ethics. But anyone who has blown dust out of a Nintendo cartridge, has witnessed a Mac’s dreaded spinning beachball or generally knows about computer hacking will attest to immediate concerns. Design f laws, human errors and bad actors are likely to wreak devastation sooner than will AI gone rogue.

One branch of AI ethics considers human-use questions about narrow artificial intelligence (or “weak AI”) — technologies that respond to human inputs and do one thing well. Led by OpenAI platforms like ChatGPT and DALL-E in 2023, newer creative and analytical technologies help humans complete complex tasks at a speed and scale that is tough to grasp. Generative AI threatens to displace legitimate human work while aiding purveyors of fake news and other bad ideas.

An early, real-world example can be found in this 2016 headline from Information Week: “Microsoft Muzzles AI Chatbot After Twitter Users Teach It Racism.” This event was unsurprising to a generation for whom “fake news” and “alternate facts” have become buzzwords. However, a more recent troubling headline comes from the Associated Press: “Fake Babies, Real Horror: Deepfakes from the Gaza War Increase Fears About AI’s Power to Mislead.” The possible uses of artificial intelligences – not to mention the human choices baked into them or their human developers’ and funders’ moral outlooks – yield fathomless concerns. Still more arise when we think of an AI that ref lects our divided and otherwise toxic perspectives and operates autonomously to manufacture and spread falsehoods, utter maledictions and foment discord.

As we enter this new territory, we would do well to ref lect critically about how to direct and interact with AI technologies, now and in the future. As much as this aim sounds like science fiction, it is also the work of Christian ethics. Readers already know the challenges of human moral formation, whether inside or outside the church. But let us consider the other side with a healthy appreciation for the imaginative thinking that

sci-fi inspires. What might we teach to artificial general intelligence (or “strong AI”) as the stuff of “ethics”?

What could we form AI to follow with religious devotion? And how?

ETHICAL CONCERNS ABOUT “STRONG AI” IN SCI-FI

In the early 1940s, sci-fi legend Isaac Asimov formulated “three laws of robotics” that might also apply to AI: (1) do and allow no harm to a human, (2) obey humans’ orders and (3) protect yourself. The laws

this method goes awry. In 2001: A Space Odyssey, HAL 9000 reasons that killing the crew would end its internal conf lict over being commanded to withhold certain information from them. In the Terminator series, the Skynet defense system becomes self-aware, interprets all humans as a threat to itself and takes decisive action to exterminate the species. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, the titular AI supervillain judges humans unworthy of existence and seeks “peace” by ridding the world of humankind.

As we enter this new territory, we would do well to reflect critically about how to direct and interact with AI technologies, now and in the future. are ordered according to priority, so obedience (second law) cannot mean harming a human (first law), and AI cannot protect itself (third law) at the expense of a human (first law). In some of his stories, Asimov endorsed a “zeroth [or 0th] law” that precedes the other three: (0) protect humankind collectively. This law allows for a classic needs-of-the-many calculus and all its accompanying occasions for handwringing.

Already some real-world AI developers would protest that the second law conf licts mightily with military applications of AI. Autonomous weapons are on the way; and while generating strike targets might not be a violation of Asimov’s laws, Israel’s so-called Gospel AI platform is designed to help humans harm other humans.

People think of laws or ironclad rules as the preferred way to constrain AI’s actions, but the most attentiongrabbing sci-fi scenarios show how

Each sci-fi vision has unique texture. An AI arrives at an inhumane resolution when important rules conf lict, or it calculates technically direct but morally knotty pathways to achieve human goals, or it prioritizes planetary well-being or its own existence over the good of all humankind. So within what ethical framework do we want strong AI to discern its means and reconcile its ends?

ETHICS AND RELIGION FOR AI

Various religious ethics operate within a rules-based or otherwise law-oriented framework, sometimes tracing these to explicit divine commands while other times treating basic principles as part of our design as humans (deny them though we do). Ethicists (and everyone else) have debated the role and interpretation of moral rules for centuries. Asimov’s first law resembles the first practical precept of the “natural law” tradition

pres-outlook.org

21

in Christian ethics, as articulated by Thomas Aquinas: preserve human life and ward off its obstacles. Aquinas (like Asimov) envisions this precept as baked into the moral subject’s reasoning center. It represents the starting point of practical moral reasoning, which allows vast leeway for real-world applications. (This leeway is where all the action happens in Hollywood storylines.)

The best-studied religious rules are also the most debated, generating more questions than answers. How many ways can we spin the simple dictum “do unto others”? With Asimov’s first law, we might ponder a variety of more specific ways to

two humans assemble QT-1, they engage it in conversations about its origin (designed by humans on Earth) and its function (to maintain this space station for human benefit). But the robot refuses to believe them, reasoning for itself that the sun is its true Maker and convincing the station’s other robots that QT-1 is this Maker’s prophet.

While arguing against QT-1 using rational explanations and evidence-based proofs, the humans express frustration and anger. When their words get them nowhere, they threaten to enact the violence lurking just beneath the surface. Soon they find themselves confined to their office

. . . within what ethical framework do we want strong AI to discern its means and reconcile its ends? apply “allow no harm.” If a prosocial AI makes policy decisions for us, for example, would it allow humans to continue smoking cigarettes? The more interesting sci-fi scenarios lean into the possibility that AI could either become self-aware and rewrite its programming – freeing itself from obeying humans’ rules – or, at very least, develop a sense of moral agency that exceeds mere obedience.

In his classic short story “Reason,” Asimov tells of one such AI-equipped robot — and how it discovered a new religion. Asimov’s story highlights the tension between human-use ethics, AI control, obedience and religion.

Humankind in the story relies on solar energy, focused through a series of space stations, and the QT series of robots has been designed to replace onsite human executives by running these stations independently. After

22 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

while the robots carry on. QT-1 reads the humans’ frustration as a sign that they are struggling to cope with having lost their “function.” Locked in their room, the humans in the story worry that a coming electron storm will knock the station out of focus, with dire effect for Earth. QT-1 outperforms the humans’ expectations by executing its function perfectly, in service to its Master.

If their desire was a space station maintained in excellence, the humans got their wish in spades. Nevertheless, defining “religion” based on this example raises important issues with obedience as an ethical standard.

Let us consider three moral dilemmas that arise when considering teaching AI religious ethics, each ref lecting questions about our own moral lives, starting with “obedience” as a cardinal religious virtue.

IS RELIGION ABOUT OBEDIENCE?

In Asimov’s story, the humans grow frustrated with how wrong QT-1′s worldview is and with the robots’ collective resistance to their commands. QT-1′s wrongness is a matter of both logical error and inauthenticity. Given the right starting assumptions, logic can lead almost anywhere. QT-1 rejects the humans’ explanation of its origin and purpose, determining instead to build its worldview from the foundation up through reason. It combines its programmed functions with its own technologically limited observations and communicates its conclusions in a religious idiom.

Perhaps more importantly for the Christian who thinks of religious life as walking with the living God, QT-1′s religion is inauthentic. The reader knows this religion is pure fiction, which only highlights the mechanical relationship between religious “worldview” and obedient service. The robots keep the space station running and uphold the new status quo — but religious ethics does not boil down to effective performance of key tasks. To sharpen this point, one can be obedient without a whiff of transcendence if that means harkening to a living, wholly other God who beckons all into an abundant life together. The only transcendence QT-1 can achieve is recognizing something beyond its limits and projecting intelligence and purpose into that mysterious, unGrok-able void.* QT-1 and the others follow this religion within a closed loop of secure knowledge of “the Master’s will,” with all agents merely serving what the group or its leaders have grasped as the right moral worldview. This approach is indeed the danger of all human religion too. At several points

The best-studied religious rules are also the most debated, generating more questions than answers. during his too-short career, Dietrich Bonhoeffer describes how humans try to seize God in order to systematize ethics so that we can live with certainty about God’s will but without openness to the mysterious divine. If the moral loop is closed from the human side – if no uncontrollable Other can speak into our lives, shape us and correct our ideas sometimes – whom does our obedience serve?

Such religion leaves people susceptible to manipulation and control by other people who convincingly represent themselves as agents of God’s will. In some circles of American life, churches included, we find increasing cause for concern about the linkage between authoritarian fantasies – the compulsive need for order and control – and the religious notion of obedience. When people believe they and their group have a handle on God’s will, even decisions that materially impact the self or others negatively can be justified as “not my will but God’s.”

“An obedience that is blind to objective concerns and to the world, that merely listens to what is told,” theologian Dorothee Sölle contends, “has divested itself of all responsibility for what is commanded.” She argues that humanitarian religion moves

in the opposite direction, toward self-realization and free, responsible agency. For obedience to be a genuinely meaningful concept for Christian ethics, it can only mean attunement to the Spirit of God and openness to newer, deeper learning — deconstructing, refashioning and expanding our individual and social worldviews.

HOW CAN WE FORM AI TO BECOME MORAL AGENTS?

Today’s headline-making AI platforms are said to be capable of “deep learning,” which means refining their algorithms to deliver better results and make more accurate predictions, sometimes without much (if any) supervision. These processes start with a fair amount of training by humans – the more feedback, the better the results – but newer technologies can apply algorithms to

pres-outlook.org

23

new datasets, identify patterns and produce creative responses with less intervention. So how might humans think of AI religious-ethical formation in terms of deep learning processes?

The formation process is complex because we are grappling with many disparate sources or inputs, even as we are expected to live one consistent life. Imagine, then, more advanced AI

. . . within what ethical framework do we want strong AI to discern its means and reconcile its ends?

Aside from design and policy decisions made by key industry players and politicians – decisions that are baked into the deepest layers of what AI “knows” – machine-learning models start by aggregating available data and refining it with human feedback at various scales. So moral information can come first from data sources to which the AI has access: online research articles and survey data, as well as opinion pieces and social media posts. Then AI’s moral consciousness can be refined through chat prompts and surveys designed to teach AI through human responses.

One can also imagine AI listening in to online church services and Zooming into discipleship classes and book club discussions.

I suspect this paragraph is hard to read without engendering concern about potential results, given the current state of moral and political polarization, the vast amounts of mis/ disinformation online, or the reallife inconsistencies in even our loved ones’ moral witness. The problems would be manifold even if the inputs were limited to religious leaders, if the former Twitter’s feeds are any indication.

But human beings learn ethical ideas – and more importantly, how to live as moral agents in the world – through our relationships with others.

24 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

platforms that could use a wide array of surveillance technologies – like microphones and cameras from mobile phones and other smart devices – to observe, tag and incorporate lessons from how we live our daily lives.

What would AI learn about ethics by studying our examples?

Social groups value members’ emergence as agents who independently represent and reinforce community norms. Developmental psychology suggests, however, that greater self-consciousness leads individuals to differentiate themselves as autonomous moral agents. Yes, one person may continue to value the group and hope to represent it well; but that same person might feel compelled to stand apart from the group at times in order to offer critique or build bridges into other communities.

While we might hope to limit artificial intelligences to existence as morally neutral tools or, perhaps, as proxy agents of our own moral views, this hope ought not to be the goal of ethics with human intelligences.

In Christian ethics, the notion that one is to die to self and follow Jesus hinges on personal agency: God’s and our own. More advanced AI, tasked with and capable of running more things for us, will need more content and more process-oriented help to navigate the challenges of autonomy.

Will we provide it? And how?

WHAT IF AI CATCHES A RADICAL, RELIGION-INSPIRED VISION OF SOCIAL JUSTICE?

If ethical problems arise for AI when rules conf lict, this concern is all the truer for Christian ethics. Many have learned to communicate its most basic insights with the universal, impartial forms of Greek philosophy, which creates challenges when the primary source centers on the historical, particular ethics emerging from the Hebrew tradition. When we consider what we might teach AI, the results we hope for (or guard against) seem to prefer universal concepts.

But I have been haunted of late by the alternative. What if AI pores over the Bible, with all its historical narratives, proverbs and prophecies?

(We could ask the same about our vaunted theological traditions, but let us stick with the Bible for now.) Many fundamental quandaries of Christian ethics return here. For example, how does one resolve God’s promise that “all the nations of the earth will be blessed” through Abraham’s line with the Bible’s violent narratives about his descendants’ conquests? Some interpretations of these stories and later prophecies could very well lead to the apocalyptic sci-fi scenarios.

They certainly serve many people as evidence that God sometimes works through, even requires, violence. For some, that Israel named its AI striketarget-creation system “the Gospel” is not at all ironic.

But what if an artificial general intelligence discovers the good news that Jesus Christ announces in the Gospel? God’s preferential option for the poor? Isaiah’s prophecies and his call to seek justice and love mercy?

Mary’s Magnificat and the great reversal of status in the kingdom of

God? Jesus’s concern for the naked, the infirm, the imprisoned?

Moreover, imagine an AI performing the material implications of our religious ethics better than we do, by reallocating resources – even against some humans’ will, where greed and corruption are evident – to promote life and ward off more obstacles for more people. Note that, despite the Torah’s clear commands to practice sabbath economics (freeing slaves every seventh year, restoring ancestral lands every 49 years), few scholars believe these practices have ever been lived out at any scale. On what grounds would the Christian complain if AI decided to apply these commands strictly?

These are but a few of the quandaries that keep me up at night.

In the near term, AI seems more likely to be useful to ethical humans as a research and conversation partner and a commitment or accountability device. If we live out our moral identity as humans in the space between our commitments and our actions (you will know them by their fruits), then we might do some practical learning about forming new habits.

Imagine, for starters, if people of Christian conviction were to engage AI technology to track our income and spending habits to ensure that we live within our means and give to help others. What if Wi-Fi-enabled refrigerators and the Internet of Things could ensure we waste less and share more across households?

Because AI could be immune to certain of our moral shortcomings, like pride and laziness, it might be able to coach us into deeper honesty about what and how we are doing, in order to help us understand more acutely how we can help others — whose lives it might know more intimately than we do. ◆

*Sci-fi author Robert Heinlein coined the term “grok”

in Stranger in a Strange Land, which tells of a human raised on Mars returning to Earth. “Grok” is a Martian verb meaning to understand something deeply and intuitively.

Grok is also the name of a bot with a snappy personality created by Elon Musk and based on Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

JACOB ALAN COOK teaches Christian ethics at Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and co-directs the Shalom Collaboratory. He is author of Worldview Theory, Whiteness, and the Future of Evangelical Faith.

WIPF and STOCK PUBLISHERS

SUFFER THE CHILDREN Novellas, Short Stories, and a Parable

Robert McCutcheon “The narratives provide finely tuned, relatable spiritual discussions.”

—Kirkus Review

www.wipfandstock.com • (541) 344-1528 available in bookstores • orders@wipfandstock.com

pres-outlook.org

25

I N F O C US

Tech disparities in the Christian world Eric Nolin

O

ver the past few months writing the following piece for the Presbyterian Outlook, I interviewed some incredible people working with artificial intelligence, and their stories have much to share about what AI might mean for us as a society and as Christians.

But if you go back and look at the article, you’ll notice something about me and my interviewees. We’re nearly all men.

While working on the piece, I tried to look for a diverse range of voices speaking on the subject.

However, as I networked with people during my research, I was having trouble finding women leaders in the Christian world who were also working with AI. It feels pertinent to acknowledge this disparity, and as another man, I am distressed about any part I played in perpetuating a male-centric narrative on such a pressing topic. I decided to take another look, and what I found, while not surprising, was concerning.

Depending on which survey you look at, only about 30% of the tech workforce is comprised of women. That means for every 10 people sitting around a table working on tech innovation, only three of them will be women. Black and Latinx women in tech are even less represented, collectively comprising about 4% of the workforce.

The percentage of leadership positions held by women is also quite low.

Inequality in the workplace is nothing new.

Pay disparities. Lack of diversity. Microaggressions.

Glass ceilings. These are concepts we’re familiar with.

And the tech field, with its emerging focus on artificial intelligence, is plagued by the same issues.

With only 30% of those working in tech being women, the next intuitive leap assumes that there are even fewer Christian women working with AI.

This is concerning. The history of the Western world is filled with episodes where women and those who are non-White are left out of the decision-making process. And when they’re left out, nothing good ever comes of it. With the explosion of generative AI, we are on the cusp of another turning point in human history, and it appears men are still running the show.

But it doesn’t have to stay like that. The arena of artificial intelligence presents us with a new opportunity.

We might not be able to right the imbalance in the tech field, but as a Christian community, we can tend to our own house and set things right at our own table. The discussion around AI is a clean slate for us to come together and partner as the body of Christ as we discern the way forward. We need to have the conversation together.

The world is going to keep moving, and technological innovation is going to keep hurtling forward. As we, the Christian family, endeavor to engage with it, let’s see if there’s a way to do it differently than the world does. It doesn’t have to be 30% in our house. We can aspire for equal access to the table in the kingdom of God. Women, if you’re out there working with or theologizing about AI, your voices matter.

Men working with AI, look at who’s around you. Are there diverse perspectives informing your use of this new technology? Or are we caught in another feedback loop?

Artificial Intelligence is heady enough as is, no one voice can dominate the conversation. It needs to be a collective effort, a whole-body effort, of all Christian voices sharing space at the table together. ◆

... only about

30%

of the tech workforce is comprised of women. Black and Latinx women only comprise

4%.

26 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

Eric Nolin’s interviews begin on the next page.

Generative AI:

Its innovation, implications and use in the Christian world Eric Nolin

Artificial intelligence has sparked a lot of questions since it started making headlines a few years ago.

What is ChatGPT?

How does it work?

Are computers taking over?

For Christians, there are added speculations about AI replacing things like sermon writing, thoughtful exegesis, or even pastoral care. While these are things to consider, it is worth remembering that generative artificial intelligence is still simply a tool, dependent on human insight and intuition. And with any new tool, we get the opportunity to consider its implications for the kingdom of God. As we’ve found ways to use telephones for prayer chains and social media for event planning, AI may be the next technological advancement worthy of our attention.

In this article you will find the stories of individuals who are considering such developments as they pioneer creative uses of artificial intelligence for ministry.

pres-outlook.org

27

KUTTER CALLAWAY | Associate Professor of Theology and Culture, Fuller Theological Seminary

K

utter Calloway has been thinking a lot about AI and its implications for the Christian world. In his pastoral work, he has used ChatGPT as an intentional illustrative companion for his sermons and teachings to raise awareness about these tools’ strengths and limitations as well as to demythologize some concerns people may have about AI. While AI can be a powerful assistant, it is still clunky, requiring human oversight and discretion. But as these technological tools advance, he is considering their theological implications for the future.

To that effect, Callaway and other theologians are organizing a conference on AI to explore these issues. In doing so, they have experimented with using tools like ChatGPT for brainstorming.

They are also using a tool called Midjourney – an image-generating AI – to create artwork for the conference. For a previous symposium about fear in film, Callaway and his colleagues used Midjourney and similar programs, like DALL-E, to generate images for a storyboard plus art for the event.

They hope this upcoming conference will provide a space to consider the theological implications of AI and reflect on what it means for the future.

Callaway also sees how AI-assisted research might measure the effectiveness of academic courses. In one course he teaches, Kutter requires students to write two ref lective essays: one at the start of the course and one at the end. Linguistic AI could compare each student’s two essays to generate analytic data, which Kutter could then use to measure the course’s effectiveness, assess students’ intrapersonal growth, and then tweak the course for better results over time.

Beyond these examples, AI can offer a helpful starting point for brainstorming. Kutter conducts interviews for the various initiatives he supports, and sometimes ChatGPT generates discussion questions that he finds extremely valuable. He rarely uses exactly what ChatGPT gives him; instead, it offers a starting point for him to consider different trains of thought or domains of questions that he had not considered.

JONATHAN BEYER | Chief Information Officer, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

J

onathan Beyer and his team are growing the ELCA by making its operations more efficient through technological innovation. Jon is responsible for finding technology solutions to facilitate churchwide governance, administration and fundraising. He and his team have been carefully considering AI and its implications for the ministry of the ELCA. Before the recent surge of interest in generative AI, Beyer and his team were already using machine learning tools to supplement administrative functions and productivity. Tools like BlackBaud CRM, with built-in analytic software, help the fundraising team improve their efforts and interactions with donors. The organization has

Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024 28 28 TheThe Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

also held meetings with Microsoft Teams, which has a built-in AI notetaker that uses transcription to compile meeting notes and highlight key action items.

With the explosion of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Beyer is thinking about the future of these technologies and their implications for the church. The team is developing policies to support and educate the church and its members as they grow alongside AI advances, starting with an AI readiness assessment. Internally, the team is also exploring how generative AI and chat AI can either augment or replace traditional website searches.

The team is developing and testing tools to gauge their usefulness for the denomination.

GIOVANNY PANGINDA | Youth Pastor and Social Media Lead, Fuller Youth Institute

A

s a youth pastor for several communities in Southern California, Geo Panginda uses generative AI to support his ministry. He likens ChatGPT to “the guy in the chair” who supports the main character in a spy film or story (think Jarvis from the Ironman movies). That is, while the main character is out doing the work, they are often in touch with “the guy in the chair” back at base, someone they can call for support with their mission. For pastors, generative AI tools like ChatGPT can offer a helpful resource for the long work of ministry.

The other thing to consider when using tools like ChatGPT is that their usefulness highly depends on us. These tools can only work with what we give them, and the more we tell them, the better they can help us. When writing prompts, specificity and clear parameters are key ingredients for maximizing the usefulness of a tool like ChatGPT. Panginda has used AI tools to help him plan youth retreats, generate discussion questions, create itineraries and brainstorm fundraising activities. Take youth retreat planning as an example. Panginda prompted ChatGPT to create an outline for a retreat. By setting clear, specific parameters, Panginda used ChatGPT to

generate an outline, complete with catchy titles, relevant Bible verses and discussion questions for retreatants. Instead of getting bogged down in formatting a perfect outline, Panginda focused on crafting meaningful lessons for each retreat session. He saved several hours of work, hours that he can now pour back into relational ministry with his students.

ChatGPT can also help rephrase written material intended for different age groups. A lesson on the Trinity for high schoolers lands differently with seven-year-olds, or even with adults on a Sunday morning. Panginda can quickly upload his material to ChatGPT and get suggestions about rephrasing the content for different audiences and demographics. When we are preaching, we always need to keep our audience in mind. ChatGPT can provide useful insights to help us better connect with the communities we serve.

Finally, at the Fuller Youth Institute, Panginda and the team have used tools like Zoom’s captioning service to increase accessibility during meetings, as well as the transcription functions within Adobe Premier for videos and Photoshop’s generative AI to create images for social media posts.

KYLE WALKER | Stated Clerk, Grace Presbytery, Texas

K

yle Walker is an integral leadership figure for his presbytery, facilitating meetings, archiving records, serving as parliamentarian and interpreting and upholding the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Walker has successfully used Firef lies.ai – a virtual notetaking assistant – to manage meetings for the presbytery. Firef lies.ai can be added to video conference tools like Zoom to generate a transcript and compile comprehensive notes from each meeting. Walker still keeps a pen and notebook on his desk so he can take many notes by hand, but Firef lies.ai has caught things he might

have missed. Walker can then compare the notes after each meeting to make sure nothing is left out for the records.

One of the biggest advantages of Fireflies.ai is that Walker can easily see which participants talk the most during a meeting. Firef lies.ai can quickly compute each attendee’s percentage of speaking time, and Walker uses this information in future meetings to make certain that all attendees have equal opportunity to participate. This use helps Walker create a more equitable environment across the presbytery, although Walker has not yet experimented with it for in-person meetings.

pres-outlook.org

29

SHAWN KANG | Pastor and Central & Western Region Associate, 1001 New Worshiping Communities, Presbyterian Mission Agency, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

S

hawn Kang is always looking for ways to build connections. In his work as a pastor, Kang has been experimenting with generative AI, finding helpful resources that support the growing network of connections in the kingdom of God. Tools like Descript can simplify video or podcast editing, such as formatting scenes, fine-tuning audio and performing translation and captioning, all to streamline content creation. Goblin Tools breaks down big projects into small, manageable tasks that can be clearly delegated across a team.

Slide shows and educational materials can be developed and formatted seamlessly through tools like Curipod and Gamma. Finally, AI applications like HeyGen and ElevenLabs offer intuitive textto-speech tools, with additional translation and captioning services. These tools incorporate “AI avatars” to give a human face to the educational or instructional material.

Kang has also been brainstorming ways to employ AI tools on a corporate or churchwide level. Websites with integrated AI chatbots can quickly and intuitively help people find what they are looking for. AI can enhance PDF files; large documents, training resources or manuals can come embedded with an AI search feature to assist users in navigating the PDF by making static material more user-friendly. AI avatars and translation services are also highly compelling, offering potential opportunities for participation, engagement and access in any language.

While his team has not yet implemented any of these large-scale uses, Kang is paying close attention to AI developments and carefully evaluating how these tools might enhance connection in the future.

LORENZO LEBRIJA | Executive Director, TryTank Experimental Lab; Chief Innovation Officer, Virginia Theological Seminary

A

s a trained futurist, Lorenzo Lebrija keeps his eyes on the horizon. He applies his forward-thinking innovative vigor to experimenting with the technological tools of the future, as part of a commitment to finding creative solutions for the “challenges facing the Episcopal church.”

Lebrija and his team are developing several creative AI tools that he hopes will support the ministry of the Episcopal church. The first is Cathy AI. Like ChatGPT, Cathy AI is built on a large-language model (LLM) that processes and predicts natural language to generate responses.

ChatGPT draws on a wide range of information, but Cathy AI will be seeded with only Episcopal theology. Any query typed into Cathy AI will then generate an Episcopalian faith-based answer.

Lebrija offers the helpful analogy of a bookshelf to explain. ChatGPT has a really big bookshelf,

30 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

filled with books and writings from around the world. As a result, faith-based questions typed into ChatGPT are likely to receive answers cobbled from a variety of faith sources. But Cathy AI’s “bookshelf” will contain only books and writings from an Episcopal perspective. Any query typed into Cathy AI will receive a response based entirely on Episcopal theology.

The hope is that Cathy AI may become a touchstone for people who are curious about faith but don’t necessarily have resources to pursue that curiosity. Cathy AI offers a safe, virtual place for people to explore theological questions. Ultimately, in Lebrija’s vision, Cathy AI will connect users who lack a church home with priests, pastors or mental health services in their area, so they can receive additional support for their questions and needs.

Lebrija’s second tool, also still in development, is more historiographical. Generative AI has the potential to simplify how the Episcopal church records and accesses resolutions going back many years. A chatbot AI could easily retrieve desired material with just a few keystrokes and then compile the data into a comprehensive and readable report.

While these Episcopal church-specific tools are still in development, Lebrija highlights several

other generative AI tools available now that can streamline the administrative process of pastoral work. Tools like ChatGPT can assist in brainstorming ministry plans; Axios HQ’s Smart Brevity can enhance the readability of written material; and Grammarly can edit and improve writing. These and similar resources are available now to supplement a variety of ministry needs.

CHRISTOPHER LIM & NATASHA LIM | Co-founders, TheoTech

A

t TheoTech, Chris and Natasha Lim have developed a product called spf.io: “an all-in-one software for real-time captioning and translation.”

After working in the tech industry, Chris Lim felt called to use AI technology for the Gospel. He writes, “Using AI, [we] created a software platform that promotes language accessibility for Christian communities, providing translation of live events, videos and written content and even personal conversations.”

One of TheoTech’s clients, a church plant, uses spf.io to reach a congregation representing 12 different language groups. Twelve! And all the pastor needs to do is prepare the sermon manuscript in English. The software translates and captions the manuscript, enabling people to worship together in their own language. Spf.io can also do real-time translation and captioning.

Using live audio from a pastor or worship leader’s microphone, spf.io can create closed captions for what is being said, or even generate new audio in different languages. The translation software gives people access to a familiar and comfortable vernacular, enabling them to be part of the body of Christ in a multilingual worship setting. The goals are accessibility and inclusivity, regardless of linguistic background.

Spf.io can support more than worship settings. The Presbytery of the Pacific used spf.io for a presbytery meeting with multilingual voting. Delegates could read each voting item in the language most familiar to them, and the community voted on the issues together. Spf.io can even be used to facilitate one-on-one conversations, breaking down language barriers.

Because spf.io uses adaptive AI, the translations can be improved over time, providing better results with each use. As a Presbyterian-sourced tool, spf.io can be programmed with Presbyterian material like the Book of Order, as well as general Christian language, to make translations more accurate in specific contexts. And the more spf.io is deployed in a specific context, congregation or group, the more it evolves in that context, picking up and translating colloquialisms or unique turns of phrase.

As a leader in the Presbyterian church, Chris Lim is committed to helping worshiping communities “create belonging in [their churches] across cultures, languages, abilities and generations.” With tools like spf.io, meeting that commitment becomes more possible every day, as people from various linguistic backgrounds worship together as one.

ERIC NOLIN, M.DIV., is a recent graduate from Fuller Theological Seminary, where he took a special interest in studying grief, pastoral care, and the resiliency of the human spirit. When he's not reading or writing, you'll find him running, climbing or exploring new restaurants with his wife.

pres-outlook.org

31

INSI GH T S

FA ITHF UL CON VER SATIONS

Exploring the uses and possibilities of digital ministry With Jesy Littlejohn and Jo Nygard Owens

“F

or where two or three are gathered in my name,” Jesus says in Matthew 18:20, “I am there among them.” Digital ministry can bring together two people — or 2,000,000. And it can be many things: streaming services to a congregation that’s beyond church walls, video chats on bad-weather days with church committees, pastoral care when a person is thousands of miles away or ill. Newsf lash: Even the weekly email is digital ministry. But digital ministry, to some, threatens the fabric of the church — after all, don’t we want people to come to us? And to others, it is the opportunity to go into other spaces, as Jesus did, and gather in his name. In this Faithful Conversation, Jesy Littlejohn, the Outlook’s social media producer, and Jo Nygard Owens, pastor for digital ministry at Washington National Cathedral, explore the uses and possibilities of digital ministry.

JESY:

I appreciate the intentionality that you have in your work to build connections in comfortable ways. I think we assume that for those who attend church “in-person” that we all build relationships so easily. As an introvert with social anxiety, it takes a lot for me to put myself out there and connect or network. Whereas on Zoom I can easily put something in the chat or private message someone about how I appreciated their comments or just engage with them on the side. One of my closest friends and I met in a Zoom meeting during the pandemic and we started a private chat because we were the only two ruling elders in a room full of pastors. This eventually moved to Facebook messenger and then to texting. We looked through our social media and saw pictures of each other's families, our interests, and asked questions and built upon those things to build connections. It was over a year before we actually met but by the time we did we had built such a great friendship and foundation because of these digital connections. Now, though we do see each other frequently, we are still uplifting those digital pathways and how God brought us together even though we were already in each other’s circles and didn’t even know it.

32 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

JO:

I love that! I had the same thing happen to me.

I was in a group with someone whose name kept popping up, and I liked what I saw of her there.

Eventually, we ended up in a Zoom meeting together, so I messaged her and asked if we could have a virtual coffee. A few months later, our kids were going to camp together and she was spending the night at my house. She’s one of my closest friends now, and we’ve only been in person together that one time!

JESY:

As we look at being in person, how can we be faithful in providing meaningful moments in worship without letting technology crowd the space-literally and metaphorically speaking?

JO:

Here is what is really interesting, and I know this a very particular context that not all churches are like, but those who are watching online at the National Cathedral actually have a better worshiping experience than people who are in person. There are TV screens scattered throughout the cathedral because, if you're too far back, you can't see anything. Each week, the worship team meets with the video and audio teams, and we go through a document that is an expanded bulletin.

Along with having all the service movements

with all of the ministers and those who are participating in the service, it also has separate lines for video and audio. In sermons, it’s not uncommon to show video clips and still images, and our video teams feed that in. During prayers and songs, they have it set to show B-roll of the art and sculpture around the cathedral. For instance, let’s say we are praying for the state of Arkansas.

The video team will go to the state seal and f lag of Arkansas, both of which are in the building, and feed those images into the feed. On the fourth Sunday of Advent, Mary’s Sunday, they got all of the B-roll footage of wherever Mary shows up in the cathedral and whenever Mary is mentioned in the service, that footage is shown. Doing all of this pulls together the physical place with the online worshiping experience.

JESY:

What are some things you want to incorporate into worship, particularly in your setting at the National Cathedral?

JO:

Whenever, and in as many ways as possible, we can mention our digital community while we are in-person, we will. Sometimes our preacher for the day will directly address whoever is online.

When we do the announcements, we welcome those who are online. [In] one congregation that I have known of, the pastor poses a “question of the day” in the chat, and the answers get relayed to the people in front during the announcements.

Another thing I want to see if I can get going is to announce how many different places people are worshiping from. On Christmas Eve, people checked in from six out of seven continents, which is so cool. In January, we started a podcast, which is a major form of outreach for us, to let people know who we are and what we are doing. But my biggest goal is building out a “mighty networks platform.” Essentially it would have many of the same capabilities as Facebook, but not on Facebook itself. It would have a group setting with asynchronous chat, you can go “live”, and it will allow for various small groups to be happening. It also provides us with location servicing, so we can see where our people are and where we might need to touch down more often.

JESY:

I love these ideas. In my church, we have several members who worship on Zoom or on YouTube, and we don’t always know where exactly they are logging in from. It would be great to add some context and see where we are reaching. It goes back to that sense of digital connection, and when I think about how God is working through these ministries and channels I think back to naysayers who think digital ministry is contributing to the death of the church in part because digital ministry allows you to stay home rather than gather together in person. This can lead to its own set of issues, particularly in small churches.

What do you think about that? Is digital ministry a contributing factor to the church dying?

JO:

My comment back to those folks is this: We get excited about people from New Zealand or Scotland, or anywhere outside of our particular town, joining us. But we don’t get excited about our own people joining us. Yes, [online ministry] can be an excuse for not coming to in-person worship. I get that, but you might also see more people in worship than if you only had in person services. What if someone is sick, or on the cusp of getting sick? What if they are immunocompromised and COVID is on the rise?

Do we tell them “well sorry, no church for you today because you’re locals and should be coming in person?” We get mad at families who take their kids to soccer practice instead of coming to church; but what if, because of our digital ministry, they are able to catch church later in the day. Isn’t that a good thing? The reality is, people used to check out our website before stepping into the building, and now they are checking out our worship services.

Digital ministry is a wonderful tool for evangelism and helps people get a sense of what they are walking into and helps them feel more comfortable than if they were coming in with zero prior knowledge. So yes, maybe our attendance has gone down, but I think there are more avenues of looking at church vitality. In this post[pandemic] era, where we hate to leave our houses and you only have the energy or willingness for one

pres-outlook.org

33

big outing — maybe if you worship at home you can attend a later family church event instead, or an outreach event. We just have to reframe how we are looking at the situation!

JESY:

The Presbyterian in me keeps thinking “Reformed and always reforming.” In this post-pandemic era, we need to consider how the church is reforming. I think we, as faith leaders across all denominations, not just the PC(USA), are responsible for supporting our smaller congregations to help them lean into this new era of ministry. Speaking of, you mentioned a new way of evangelism. I cannot help but ask your thoughts on the way pastors and faith leaders from across the theological spectrum have used social media – particularly TikTok, YouTube, Instagram – to evangelize in less traditional ways. I am thinking of some who use their platforms to deconstruct bad theology and lift up those who have been sent away from the table. In many ways, they are bringing people back to the church, or at least, back to their faith.

JO:

With worship we are expecting people to come to us. We are opening our doors, physical or metaphorical, and saying “you come find me and we will be here for you.” In the Epsicopal Church, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry had this thing called “Go to Galilee.” Jesus didn’t sit around in his house and say “I’m here, come to me.” Jesus went to where the people are. He went into the towns and met people where they were. Bishop Curry had this initiative where he would challenge people in his congregation to go out into their towns and figure out what the people in their towns needed.

The beauty of social media is that it’s a heck of a lot easier to “go to Galilee.”

One of the accounts I follow on Instagram is MerriamWebster. Yes, the dictionary. I follow them because they take something that we all know, a giant book of words, and make it engaging. It’s not fancy. Sometimes it is just a person sitting in a chair, talking about a word with text scrolling above their head. It’s super simple, but it’s hilarious. You are learning something, and the dictionary is being unpacked. I love that model for our churches. I love the idea of unpacking theology that is harmful. I love the idea of f lipping the script and doing it in a way that makes sense. Otis Moss III spoke about this in terms of music. Music is the same, but the way we listen to it is different. We aren’t still trying to force everyone to listen to 8-track tapes or cassette tapes in

34 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

a digital world. The point being, the message is the same, but how we deliver it has changed. Are they upgrading to digital because that is where people are? That’s what I think of when I see these TikTok pastors and priests emerging. They are meeting people where they are.

JESY:

In terms of meeting people where they are, we are entering a new, kind of scary, world of AI. In many ways we have to ask “where are the people in this?” because artificial intelligence has evolved so much that there is almost an absence of people. When we pair all of this together – a potential dying church, digital ministry, new modes of evangelism, trying new things – what role do you see AI playing, if any, in the future of church ministry?

JO:

We’ve been talking a lot about the role of AI in the church lately, and we’re in the process of connecting with ethicists and others to do a panel discussion at some point on the topic. I know there are plenty of folks who are gung-ho on the topic, and plenty who want nothing to do with it. I’m probably in the middle of the two. I haven’t done much exploration with AI, but I’m aware that I interact with it all the time. I also don’t think others are cognizant of their own constant interaction. I don’t think any preacher wants AI to write a sermon, but it can be a useful conversation partner in the process.

And maybe that’s where I land — using AI as a conversation partner. We turn to colleagues, articles, books, etc., when putting sermons and classes together, and AI is another tool in that toolbox. If AI reads all the books that are on my stack that I keep meaning to read, it can be helpful in giving me ideas pulled from them. On the f lip side, as with anyone or anything we’re in conversation with, critical thinking needs to be applied. ◆

JESY LITTLEJOHN, (they/them) is the Outlook’s social media producer.

THE REV. JO NYGARD OWENS serves as pastor for digital ministry at Washington National Cathedral, where she works to extend the mission and ministry of the cathedral to the online community of worshipers from around the world. She is also the owner of Vibrant Church Communications.

I NSIG H T S

From a shorter work week to deeper personal growth, the implications of artificial intelligence point toward profits that are beyond simply economic.

AI as instrument of abolition Chris Burton

AI

should be an instrument of liberation and abolition, a tool that alleviates suffering and allows us to prioritize sabbath. In my estimation, the central question in the AI conversation needs to be, “How does this get folks free?” Pew Research Center shows that 52% of Americans are more concerned than excited about AI. Undoubtedly, some of the concern is connected to the economic ramifications of its implementation.

We have already seen the entertainment industry endure difficult negotiations because of the potential use of AI to own a person’s image and likeness in perpetuity.

But it is vital that AI is used not as an engine to perpetuate greed, but as an engine to promote human thriving.

This technology essentially – in the realm of ideals – should make our lives easier. Processes across disciplines can be automated, which, in turn, should mean that human beings do not have to work as hard. We should be able to use AI to give human beings an opportunity to not only rest, but to have space to pursue activities and hobbies that are fulfilling.

Our collective imaginations have been incarcerated by the rat race of capitalism. AI could provide us time to be fully present with one another, with parents using the free time to be

with their children and all people colaboring with God as artists, creating beauty in a variety of media.

AI should also provide us with an opportunity to think about the implications of a shorter workweek. In 2021, the World Health Organization released study results that show working 55 or more hours a week is associated with a 35% higher risk of stroke, compared to working a 35- to 40-hour week. We cannot afford to continue to treat rest as if it is optional. Of course, with rising costs and stagnated – in some cases, stif led – wages, cutting back on work is a nonstarter. This is further complicated by the greed of corporations beholden to shareholders. What would it look like for our culture to shift from making a killing to making a living?

Where artificial intelligence could be used to mutually maintain profits and take care of the workforce? AI does not have to put people out of work if we have the collective will to take care of one another.

Undoubtedly, with every technological advancement, there are jobs that become obsolete.

Further complicated by educational inequity, there is simply no getting around the fact that there are people whose training and education have not prepared them for this shift.

Yet I see this as an opportunity to capitalize on the work already begun on a small scale in Stockton, California, by former Mayor Michael Tubbs, on implementing a universal basic income. It is an opportunity to proliferate this initiative, noted by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his text “Where Do We Go From Here?" as a solution to poverty. Nationwide implementation could usher in an era of unprecedented prosperity and public health.

AI, when aimed at ethical implementation, can be a generational instrument of abolition, opening doors previously thought to be closed. We have to be good stewards of this great power; using the wisdom to know that just because we can do something does not mean that we should.

Furthermore, we must disabuse ourselves from an understanding of profitability that is limited to the realm of economic gain. We will suffer from our lack of imagination if we cannot expand our understandings of profit to include physical, mental, environmental, cultural and spiritual well-being. There is a deep soul sickness longing to be cured in humanity, and while AI is far from a panacea, it could afford us the time to begin tending to our wound. ◆

CHRIS BURTON, born and educated in Brooklyn, New York, is the sole proprietor of an anti-racist consulting agency called Di Baddest Consulting. He is a writer for himself and others and the director of the Leadership Institute at Union Presbyterian Seminary.

pres-outlook.org

35

You can purchase the PW/Horizons Bible study book through the PC(USA) Church Store.

2024 PRESBY TERIAN WOMEN

Horizons Bible Study:

The Power and Presence of Jesus Christ in Luke and Acts Lesson 6: Acts 8:26-40

I

t made for a fun and engaging vacation Bible school (VBS). For the Bible stories, I used a good bit of motion.

When the disciples were in a boat during a storm, the children rocked back and forth; when the wind howled, we roared; when Jesus said to the wind and the storm, “Be still,” we stopped. Among the children was a 10-yearold girl with blonde hair and freckles. She had never been to church or Sunday school. When her grandmother asked what she liked about VBS, the girl replied, “The Bible stories were the best! I want to learn more.” It pleases me to remember how wonderful the Bible can be to those who know nothing about it.

To engage in Acts 8:26-40, we might imagine a sandy wilderness road and the feel of dust on our sandalled feet.

Philip is moved by the Spirit to take that road and sees a well-dressed man, obviously well-educated, because he is reading Isaiah aloud in Hebrew. The man is an Ethiopian finance minister who has been to Jerusalem to worship.

Again, the Spirt moves Philip, and he talks with the man about how Isaiah applies to Jesus. Forced by persecution in Jerusalem to spread out, followers of Jesus continue to talk about the risen Christ.

Presbyterians have longed relied on Sunday school, worship and VBS to share the good news of Jesus. In my memory, we have never focused on reaching those unfamiliar with words like, “gospel,” “covenant,” or those who don't know Abraham and Sarah from the Bible. The very word “evangelism” makes us anxious and resistant.

We imagine knocking on doors and talking with strangers, like the Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormons. Such an action makes us break out in a cold sweat. We don’t want to offend or be pushy. We don’t want to be like the people who ask us if we are saved.

Growing up Christian and in seminary, no one taught us how to reach beyond the church doors nor how to share our faith with grace and gentleness. It was assumed people would show up at church for good preaching and children’s programs.

36 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

Those days are gone. According to the Pew Research Center, now about 30% of U.S. adults are not interested in faith. In five years, Christian faith declined four percent (13.27 million people) in the United States, and 10% in 10 years (33 million people). The largest loss, Pew notes, is among non-evangelical Protestants, who have been in decline since the 1960s.

I was taught that we show our faith through our actions.

We need to use words. Evangelism is helping people grow closer to God and into community. We can begin this by asking to be filled with God’s love and to be attuned, like Phillip, to the voice of the Spirit. We can pray to find those who might be open to God’s word. We pray for our world, which needs Christ’s way of compassion, mercy and justice.

A nephew who was not raised in church asked me about faith. I did a poor job of it. First, I did not ask what his questions were. Dumb. I also used churchy code words, like “faith,” “sin,” and “grace,” which made no sense to him.

We can unpack these words and translate them into plain English that we and non-Christians can understand. We can practice faith-sharing by gathering, not to find the right answers, but to explore what it means to us to be a follower of Christ. We can ask questions such as these: • G od is described in many ways in the Bible: shepherd, father, mother, rock, fortress, creator, potter, judge, full of steadfast love. What word(s) describe who you believe God is?

•W hat do you love about Jesus?

•W ho is a person, who by word and deed, showed us the goodness of following Christ?

(A good resource for this is Martha Grace Reese’s excellent book, Unbinding the Gospel, Real Life Evangelism.)

I wish I had a sure-fire program or just the right words to share the love we have for God, but I don’t. We must pray to be attuned to the opportunities God provides. ◆ ROSALIND BANBURY lives in Richmond, Virginia, and is a pastor in the Presbytery of the James.

I NSIG H T S

OUTLOOK DISCUSSION GUIDE

What is AI? (p.10) Dartinia Hull QUESTIONS: 1. A ccording to a paper written by computer scientist John McCarthy and posted on the Stanford University website, AI is “the science ... of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs ..." What do you feel about calling a computer "intelligent?" Is intelligence limited to biological entities? Is intelligence larger than can be imagined?

2. E xamine the list of six examples of AI in our daily world. Do these uses surprise you?

Artificial intelligence is here. Now what? (p.14) Kate Ott QUESTIONS: 1. W hat are some ways you and/ or your church have experienced artificial intelligence?

2. T o what extent do you see AI as an asset to society? In the church?

3. W hat are some concerns you have regarding the widespread use of AI in everyday life?

4. R eread the last paragraph of the article. How do you respond to the statement that begins, “Such visioning requires that we identify and lead with …”

5. H ave you followed up on any of the resources or links the author has cited? If so, share some of what you learned.

Teaching AI about ethics and the Gospel (p.20) Jacob Allen Cook QUESTIONS: 1. W hat concerns you most about what the author has written about AI?

2. Th e author refers to Isaac Asimov and Thomas Aquinas regarding their statements about “laws of robotics” and “natural law.” What do you think of Cook’s use of the insights of these two authors?

3. H ave you read any science fiction?

If so, to what extent do these writings have any relevance to what is happening today in relation to AI applications?

4. W hat moral and ethical dilemmas do you think will emerge as Christian believers and critical thinkers seek to influence the direction and use of AI in society as well as in the church?

5. U se your imagination and your Christian convictions to think about the future. How do you see AI being an asset for shaping the future of the Christian church?

Tech disparities in the Christian world (p.26) Eric Nolin QUESTIONS: 1. N olin laments the absence of women in the technology sector and especially in relation to the development and utilization of AI. What are some possible strategies for addressing this imbalance?

2. H ow might Christian colleges and universities, as well as denominational judicatories, make intentional moves to support women as active partners in advancing AI in the future for the benefit of church agencies?

3. H ow important do you think it is to have women at the table where AI applications are being developed?

Generative AI (p.27) Eric Nolin (Note to leader: If you are guiding a group to discuss the questions that follow, consider planning for two sessions. For the second session, suggest your participants do some Internet research on several of the applications that are referenced in the article.)

QUESTIONS: 1. K utter Callaway and other theologians are planning a conference focused on the development and applications of AI. What are some items you would like to see added to their agenda? onsider doing a Google search 2. C on ChatGPT and Midjourney?

What have you learned that may be helpful to a brainstorming process?

3. Th e term “generative AI” has been used several times. Do a Google search of the term. What do you see as implications of this use of AI? 4. C hristopher Lim and colleagues have created a product called spf.io.

Check out their website. What do you think is the value of this tool for Christian ministry?

5. W hat would you think of the PC(USA) developing a tool like Cathy.ai, which Lorenzo Lebrija developed for the Episcopal Church?

6. I n this article, we read about seven leaders who are using AI in their ministries. What common thread do you see through all seven brief descriptions? About which of the descriptions would you like to learn more? Which seems most intriguing?

DONALD L. GRIGGS, a PC(USA) pastor, has served as associate minister for Christian education for several congregations and is a former teacher at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He has written numerous books, including Axioms of Teaching in the Church, Called to Teach, A Collection of 16 Essays, and Teaching and Preaching in Jesus’ Name: Eighteen Inspiring Bible Passages.

pres-outlook.org

37

INSI GH T S

BOOK IN REVIEW

A

Worth Fighting For Finding Courage & Compassion When Cruelty is Trending John Pavlovitz

Westminster John Knox Press, 176 pages Publishes April 2, 2024

Pavlovitz cycles through several themes: ours is a nation in crisis; we (and if not us, who?) are called by our faith to act; and the time is now. An urgent and passionate commentator, he lives in the tension between despair and hope.

s if on a keystone, this collection of new and previously published writings by pastor and author John Pavlovitz finds its core in the essay appearing in the very center of the book. Titled “Progressive Christianity is Christianity,” it embodies the spirit and passion that simmers just below a boil in Worth Fighting For. “We believe,” attests Pavlovitz, “that social justice is the heart of the gospel, that it was the central work of Jesus as evidenced in his life and teachings: the checking of power, the healing of wounds, the care for the poor, the lifting of the marginalized, the feeding of the hungry, the making of peace.”

In 40 brief essays, Pavlovitz cycles through several themes: ours is a nation in crisis; we (and if not us, who?) are called by our faith to act; and the time is now. An urgent and passionate commentator, he lives in the tension between despair and hope. He opens by listing the good worth fighting for: “a rapidly heating planet ... a fractured nation teetering precariously on the edge of implosion ... an American church that is poisoned with White supremacy and devoid of Jesus ...” before concluding that it’s worth it.

I longed for the author to offer more concrete actions I could take as a progressive Christian (or simply as a Christian). He repeatedly – fervently – urges us to see how our faith aligns with progressive values and causes, and how in an Us and Them dichotomy, we are the Us “who believe that all people have the same intrinsic value without caveat or condition.” The essay “Messy Community” recalls a diverse table gathering Pavlovitz moderated in California, where he explained the non-negotiable “legs” of the table: hospitality, authenticity, diversity and relationship. The subsequent discussion which involved a conservative Christian woman, LGBTQ-affirming folks and several atheists, among others, was decidedly “messy” but not, Pavlovitz writes, “ugly.” Perhaps we can seek out and create opportunities for these conversations in our own communities? But he leaves the search for “faith legs” mostly to us.

Churches and groups on the faith-as-social justice spectrum will find Worth Fighting For immensely meaningful. Pavlovitz provides a foundation for a church session or small group to discuss specific ways to witness in their own community, while an independent reader might consider the book a sort of meditation guide or daily “battery charger.”

As former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney said in a speech last fall, “nobody can be a bystander.” This is certainly true for those who aim to follow Jesus; whether we have already found ways to follow his example or are looking to start, Worth Fighting For offers passionate support.

We can admire Pavlovitz for his compassionate heart and fearless outspokenness, the latter costing him a pastor’s job along the way. And we can resonate with a correspondent he recalls named Martha, a native of the Netherlands whose father died as a prisoner in Dachau. She asked Pavlovitz to “keep working for a Christianity that resembles Jesus.” It’s a charge worth heeding for all of us. ◆ REVIEWED BY:

ALFRED WALKER, the Presbyterian Outlook’s office manager in Richmond, Virginia. He sings bass with the Ginter Park Presbyterian Church choir and plays keyboards with several area bands.

38 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

I NSIG H T S

BOOK IN REVIEW

I

n Barbara Kingsolver’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Demon Copperhead, her young protagonist notices that national newspapers cover only the poverty and addiction of his Appalachian home. Demon says, “(e)very make of person now has their proper nouns, except for some reason, us. Hicks, rednecks, not capitalized.” And he’s right. Respect for the most marginalized is supposedly in the DNA of progressivism, yet we sometimes shrug when White rural and impoverished Americans are described with condescension, even disdain.

Cedar Monroe experienced this first-hand — seminary classmates spoke critically about “’small-town rednecks,’” dismissing them as “’everything (that’s) wrong with America,” while Monroe still identified as part of this maligned group. Living in a wealthy part of Boston and studying at an Episcopal seminary, Monroe realized they were expected to “leave my past and my people behind” in pursuit of respectability.

Trash: A Poor White Journey is Monroe’s powerful effort to synthesize their own experiences with broader social issues of poverty, class, race and more. White people who are poor make up roughly 20% of the U.S. population and are often pitted against people of color who are poor in competition for jobs and land. “In the classroom, we often talked about poverty and social class as if poor people just had a different lifestyle, not that they were people locked in a class war with an owning class that made money off their labor,” Monroe states.

Trash is more social commentary than memoir, although Monroe offers glimpses of the isolation and loneliness of their home-schooled upbringing, as well as the abuse neighborhood children experienced at the hands of their parents. Monroe often disassociated from their own trauma, explaining, “I cannot construct a linear timeline of my childhood.” But Monroe’s broader story helps to fill a gap, telling stories of those often left out of the conversation. J.D. Vance’s 2018 bestseller Hillbilly Elegy was perhaps the first of this kind, making it the prevailing view of overcoming rural poverty, addiction and trauma. Monroe’s story is an alternative narrative that respects the people and critiques the systems. And while Vance’s success took him far from his origins, Monroe remains firmly rooted in Washington state as a chaplain and community organizer who works within tent cities of “squatters,” visits folks in prison and supports those experiencing poverty and addiction.

Along with recent works such as Matthew Desmond’s Poverty, by America (as well as the fictional Demon Copperhead), Trash makes the case that poverty and racism are part of the plan, not unintended by-products of the American experiment. This can be tough to hear, which is, perhaps, why it is often dismissed as misguided “wokeness” rather than respectfully debated. Monroe makes a compelling case that could be discussed in churches and book clubs in red and blue states (and purple congregations) alike. Even those who remain unconvinced will appreciate the love Monroe has for their community, and the ways in which their stories lift up the full humanity of its members.

Perhaps it’s easy to dismiss “poor White trash.” Now that Monroe has shared their stories, it’s more difficult to reject Zach, Jimmy, Christina and the rest of the children of God who they encounter in their life and work. ◆

Trash A Poor White Journey Cedar Monroe

Broadleaf Books, 256 pages Published March 5, 2024

Trash makes the case that poverty and racism are part of the plan, not unintended by-products of the American experiment. This can be tough to hear, which is, perhaps, why it is often dismissed as misguided “wokeness” rather than respectfully debated.

REVIEWED BY:

REV. AMY PAGLIARELLA, the Outlook’s book review editor and a PC(USA) pastor in Chicago.

pres-outlook.org

39

INSI GH T S

BOOK IN REVIEW

D

A Faith of Many Rooms Inhabiting a More Spacious Christianity

by Debie Thomas

Broadleaf Books, 184 pages Published March 19, 2024

Throughout, (Thomas) constructs what Christianity needs more of: language that honors the best of Christian traditions while fearlessly raising the challenges that an authentic, 21st century American faith demands.

ebie Thomas writes, “Christianity is no longer America’s cultural default ... Finding a viable way forward ... requires a courageous willingness to reexamine and re-vision the religion of our pasts.” In A Faith of Many Rooms: Inhabiting a More Spacious Christianity, she does exactly that. Thomas weaves Biblical narratives together with her experiences as ”a second-generation, AsianAmerican,” evangelical pastor’s daughter who never-fit-into-just-one-box, demonstrating that God’s expansive hospitality makes room for all sorts of people.

Each chapter explores a core aspect of faith identity – doubt, story, spirit, sin, lament and more – reading like sermons without ever sounding preachy. This beautifully written book speaks to the ex-vangelical struggling to evolve, the traditional church-goer yearning to understand why people leave, the bicultural Christian straddling two worlds, the preacher in search of fresh perspectives on familiar texts — and everyone in-between.

Thomas is the daughter of immigrants who trace their religious heritage back to the “Thomas Christians” of first-century India. That means she was raised in an honor-shame culture following the “dictates of a religion that prized authority, conformity, and submission.” She writes lovingly about the people and places that shaped her, such as her mother’s cooking, family pilgrimages to India and her fundamentalist father’s preaching.

As she grew, she found she didn’t fit. She feared that her questions and doubts made her “a traitor: a culturally disloyal daughter to the long and storied religious heritage that formed me.” As she wrestles to have a faith rooted in tradition but not strangled by it, she discovers God can handle it. As she observes “Jesus was bicultural” and wonders “if Jesus feels this way,” she discovers that God creates space. It’s deeply personal, but never just about her.

In addition to being a wonderful storyteller, Thomas is an excellent theologian, taking on stereotypically “conservative” and “progressive” approaches to get to the heart of the gospel. For instance, in a chapter on sin and salvation, she asks: “how is Christianity different from progressivism?” Then, in just a few pages, she expounds on the power of sin, the hope of salvation, and the possibility that a roomier faith actually takes both “‘s’ words” seriously. She writes, “I no longer worry that a robust belief in heaven will lead to a lazy escapism. We are capable of more nuance than this. We can hold the both-and of heaven and earth, faith and works, trust in the hereafter and active engagement now.”

Throughout, she constructs what Christianity needs more of: language that honors the best of Christian traditions while fearlessly raising the challenges that an authentic, 21st century American faith demands. Brian McLaren’s phrase “A generous orthodoxy” comes to mind.

Those familiar with Thomas will recognize her uncanny ability to package profound theological claims in stories and phrases that make them self-evident.

Newcomers will be thrilled to discover her as she cements her place among trusted voices (such as Rachel Held Evans and Nadia Bolz-Weber) who construct accessible theology for our time.

A special gem is the last chapter, a poem called “Why I Stay.” It is worth reading even if you don’t read the rest — but you’ll be glad you did. Debie Thomas is a gift to the church and the world. ◆ REVIEWED BY:

SARAH S. SCHERSCHLIGT, executive pastor of Westwood Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and author of God Holds You: A Pandemic Chronicle.

40 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

I NSIG H T S

CLASSIFIEDS TRANSITIONAL GENERAL PRESBYTER Presbytery of Eastern Virginia (PEVA) seeks a dynamic, motivated, and insightful Transitional General Presbyter to undertake visionary leadership of 43 churches by providing pastoral support and leadership for congregations, clergy and PEVA staff. The right candidate will embrace the joys and challenges of influencing worship, stewardship and fellowship in 2024 and beyond. Demonstrated love for the Church, a devotion to Christ, and servant leader mindset is a MUST. View full MDP and apply here: clc.pcusa.org/mdp/11209/ view/ PRESBYTER FOR VISION AND LEADERSHIP We see God’s hand in the transitional work we have done as a presbytery. Now we’re asking if you might see yourself becoming our partner in this work. John Knox Presbytery, a tri-state fellowship in the Upper Midwest, seeks a Presbyter for Vision and Leadership.

See our MDP on the CLC: clc. pcusa.org/mdp/11008/view/ FULL-TIME GENERAL PRESBYTER Pittsburgh Presbytery is searching for their next General Minister to support congregations, as well as pastors and candidates. Their MDP can be found on the CLC website. Queries may be directed to Rev. Dr. Laura Strauss, co-chair, revlaurastrauss@gmail.com

DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN’S MINISTRY Highland Presbyterian Church (HPC) is an inclusive and justicefocused urban church in the Highlands neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, and we are actively seeking a Director of Children’s of Ministry. The purpose of this position is to develop, lead, and deepen the work of the Children’s Ministry at HPC through collaboration, play, child-led philosophy, spiritual support, and active participation with and within our local community. Please visit hpclouisville.org/employmentopportunities/ to view the full job description. All resumes can be sent to hpc.childrens.ministry@gmail. com FULL-TIME SOLO PASTOR First Presbyterian Church of Luverne, Minnesota, is seeking a full-time solo pastor. To view position description, other details and for contact information go to: clc.pcusa.org/mdp/10464/view/ BORDER MINISTRY COORDINATOR Tres Rios Presbytery Border Ministry Foundation is seeking a full-time coordinator. Our mission is to inspire, equip and connect PCUSA congregations on the US-Mexico border and beyond to love God and neighbor.

We are Presbyterian in name and ecumenical and interfaith in mission. Location is El Paso Texas / Ciudad Juarez. Partners throughout the U.S. Website: tresriosborderfoundation.org.

Inquiries, PIF/PDP or resumes should be sent to search@ tresriosborderfoundation.org

PASTOR South Frankfort Presbyterian Church seeks called pastor. Needs two years pastoral and preaching experience. Competitive salary and benefits. Stable church of 200.

Contact admaenza@dix1898. com. Website sfpcky.org. Ministry profile at clc.pcusa.org.

SOLO PASTOR First Presbyterian Church of Bath, New York, is seeking a full-time solo pastor. To view the position description, details and contact information please go to: clc.pcusa. org/mdp/10504/view/ SENIOR PASTOR/ HEAD OF STAFF Second Presbyterian Church is seeking a Senior Pastor/Head of Staff. We are vibrant congregation in the heart of Kansas City, characterized by our outreach, openness, and optimism for the possibilities of the 21st century church. Our history, location and congregational qualities attract congregants from immediate neighborhoods, as well as suburban places near and far. Our new senior pastor/head of staff will bring leadership and oversight to all aspects of church life, in partnership with the congregation, associate pastor and exceptional staff. As the oldest continually worshiping church in the city, we have deep traditions that began with antislavery and extend today to an abiding concern for social justice.

We exist to love God, ourselves and others – whoever, however and wherever they are – with a love that transforms us all. Visit our website and view our MDP at secondpres. org/pnc

pres-outlook.org

41

I NSI GH T S

BENEDICTORY

If the tool becomes the master, the greatest commandment remains

I

JAY BLOSSOM

recently started experimenting with using artificial intelligence (AI) to generate images, using primarily the free Microsoft Bing Image Creator. I first directed the program to fabricate pictures of favorite places like the coast of Maine.

Then I started generating images of “typical families” in places around the world. I tried generating images of biblical figures like Elijah and saints like Francis of Assisi.

The most interesting variations come from manipulating not the subject matter but rather the image style. For example, I can ask Bing to generate a portrait of Noah in the manner of the artist Raphael — or a Disney cartoon. I can ask it to paint a landscape in the style of either Monet or Japanese anime. I can direct Bing to create an image that looks like stained glass or a daguerreotype.

There is indeed a kind of creativity to this — the creativity of writing written prompts to render an image over and over, with slight variations, hoping finally to see in pixels what one sees in one’s mind.

That’s another way of saying that AI is a tool.

Like many tools, it rewards skill and practice, and it can be used for good or nefarious purposes.

In light of my experimentation, however, I have many reservations about AI image generation. I fret that it will degrade art into something f lat and bland. I suspect that bad actors will generate realistic-looking images to deceive or bully children and adults. I worry that AI exploits real artists by creating mashups of their work without paying or even informing them.

These concerns extend to ChatGPT and similar text-generating AI services, which are also tools requiring mastery of new skills. If I command AI to help me write a grant report, a policy or (heaven forbid) a sermon, I need to know how to construct the AI query to ask for these things.

Of course, consultants are already lining up to teach me the skills.

What of the future? As AI learns from itself, will it evolve from tool to master? Will we be subject to its whims? Will remote peoples with no access to technology be left behind? Or will they be the lucky ones, retaining their human agency and their connection to nature while the rest of us are destroyed by our new overlords?

I have no answers to these questions. But I do have a few convictions.

As a historian, I know that human history is always confusing and messy. Do you want examples of inventions that took over the world and changed almost every human life? I can think of a few: vulcanized rubber, artificial fertilizers, steam engines, the telegraph. Like all technological advances, they resulted in both great harm and great benefit. AI may be revolutionary, but so were those.

Perhaps this is one reason I keep finding my way back to church. As I hear familiar prayers spoken in unhurried tones by respected elders, I remember that God is from everlasting to everlasting. As I read Scripture, I find that the human heart may be fickle, but the loving kindness of God is sure. And when my own path seems confused, I return to the first and greatest commandment: Love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. And to the second, which is like it: Love my neighbor as myself.

I don’t mean to be trite or to dismiss real concerns about AI or about our divided world.

Loving God and loving neighbor are not easy tasks.

But Jesus’ words are a constant reminder, offering a ray of clarity in this confusing world. We do not have to solve the world’s problems, but we do have to love our neighbor.

So let us join hands and walk forward together, shoulder to shoulder, with our eyes fixed on the Author and Finisher of our faith. ◆

JAY BLOSSOM, a former interim editor of the Outlook, is currently the editor of Ideas & Perspectives, a publication for K-12 school administrators and boards published by Independent School Management. An Episcopalian, he leads the parish Bible study at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church in Philadelphia.

42 The Presbyterian Outlook | March 2024

Plan your 2025 pilgrimage today!

Progressive Pilgrimage provides global travel opportunities that deepen faith, expand knowledge, and build connections across cultures and within communities.

WHAT SETS US APART

• Private, small groups

U.S. CIVIL RIGHTS

• Customized itineraries • Founded and led by a PC(USA) pastor • Spiritual and educational resources relevant to Presbyterians and other mainline Protestants

HOLY LAND GREECE SCOTLAND IRELAND

www.progressivepilgrimage.com | 410.300.1170 | eric@progressivepilgrimage.com

pres-outlook.org

43

Walking with you Your congregation, your ministry, your church — these are central to your life and your community. We understand, and we can help. You can turn to us when you have questions about the viability of your ministry, or want help with stewardship — or when you have any other financial questions. You can receive help and advice from our experienced, professional field staff. Reach out to us — and we’ll be here to walk with you. presbyterianfoundation.org/mro | 800-858-6127 | serving@presbyterianfoundation.org

Ministry Relations Officers