Techno-Theology: a Theological Algorithm for Being Human in a Technological Age
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Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations 2-2020 Techno-Theology: A Theological Algorithm for Being Human in a Technological Age Daniel Passini Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin Part of the Christianity Commons GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY TECHNO-THEOLOGY: A THEOLOGICAL ALGORITHM FOR BEING HUMAN IN A TECHNOLOGICAL AGE A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY DANIEL PASSINI PORTLAND, OREGON FEBRUARY 2020 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of Daniel Passini has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on February 19, 2020 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Semiotics and Future Studies Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Phil Carnes, DMin Secondary Advisor: David McDonald, DMin Lead Mentor: Leonard I. Sweet, PhD Copyright © 2020 by Daniel Passini All rights reserved. ii DEDICATION To Amber and Soren, my jewel and my grace. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The past few years have been a tremendous undertaking. First and foremost, all thanks belong to the Lord for his guiding hand in both my life and this work. I pray the fruit of this labor brings honor to him. I would like to thank the staff of Portland Seminary for their help every step of the way. From the application process to graduation, they made this journey a joy. Phil Carnes, your role in this journey has been invaluable to my growth and success both as a student and as a person. You have encouraged me and spoken words of life along this entire excursion. I am thankful the Lord has allowed our paths to cross, and I now have the honor to call you friend for the rest of my days. To Leonard Sweet, I have shared this with you previously, but you are a da Vinci of the divine, pulling together all realms of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics (STEAM), and theology in order to point us to a greater understanding of Jesus. You are an optometrist of the soul, helping us to study and see the Light of the world with fresh eyes. My life, faith, and family are forever changed because of your influence. I am honored to call myself your student, and more importantly your friend. Amber, my darling, none of this would be possible without you. You have stood beside me and encouraged me along the way, pushing me to continue when I wanted to quit. You have been my constant inspiration, and your words along the way have helped shape my thinking and being. Thank you for putting up with late nights, early mornings, and long days of reading and writing. Your sacrifice over the last few years is beyond measure, and my gratitude overflows for you. I would not be who I am or where I am without you. I love you. iv Table of Contents DEDICATION .............................................................................................................. III ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................. IV LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... VII ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................... VIII CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................... 1 The Algorithms That Control Our Lives .................................................................... 3 The Science and Religion Dichotomy ........................................................................ 6 Non-Overlapping Magesteria ................................................................................... 10 In Summary ............................................................................................................. 12 CHAPTER 2: DISRUPTIONS TO OUR CURRENT ALGORITHM ........................... 15 Three of The Greatest Hurdles ................................................................................. 15 Galileo And the Heliocentric Model ....................................................................... 16 Darwin’s Origin of Species .................................................................................... 17 The God of The Gaps ............................................................................................. 21 The Tension Against Change ................................................................................... 24 Our Language Determines Our Reality .................................................................... 26 Hollywood’s Impact on Our View of Technology .................................................... 28 Escapism Theology.................................................................................................. 31 Instrumentalism and Determinism ........................................................................... 35 Living in The Tension.............................................................................................. 39 In Summary ............................................................................................................. 42 CHAPTER 3: THE IMAGO DEI AND THE SUBROUTINE OF CREATIVITY ......... 43 A New Algorithm .................................................................................................... 44 Made in the Image of God ....................................................................................... 46 A Launching Pad ..................................................................................................... 50 The Subroutine of Creativity .................................................................................... 52 Created Co-Creators ................................................................................................ 56 Scientists Who Were Christians ............................................................................... 59 Conserve and Conceive ........................................................................................... 62 In Summary ............................................................................................................. 64 CHAPTER 4: THE SUBROUTINE OF REASON ....................................................... 65 Social Media ............................................................................................................ 67 Artificial Intelligence ............................................................................................... 70 Genetic Testing and Editing ..................................................................................... 79 Proclivity to Sin and the Socio-Economic Divide ..................................................... 83 Technological Sabbath ............................................................................................. 88 In Summary ............................................................................................................. 90 CHAPTER 5: THE SUBROUTINE OF REGENCY ..................................................... 94 A Better Way ......................................................................................................... 105 Radical Life Extension and Sustainability .............................................................. 109 v Christ And the Cosmos .......................................................................................... 114 In Summary ........................................................................................................... 118 CHAPTER 6: THE SUBROUTINE OF RELATIONSHIP ......................................... 120 Who Is Your Neighbor in A Virtual World? .......................................................... 123 Brain Emulation .................................................................................................... 129 The Incarnation...................................................................................................... 134 In Summary ........................................................................................................... 142 CHAPTER 7: THE FUTURE NEEDS US .................................................................. 144 Idols and Icons....................................................................................................... 145 The Future Does Need Us ...................................................................................... 147 BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................... 153 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 — Earth System Trends ..................................................................... 101 vii ABSTRACT In a world with rapidly changing technology that challenges our understanding of what it means to be human, our dealings with the biosphere, and our social interactions, many pastors and Christians do not have an adequate theology of technology. Our current narraphors have been influenced by our linguistics, popular culture, and an escapism theology that prevents us from interacting with technology in a theological way. Techno- theology is the algorithm necessary to understand humanity’s role in a technological age through the matrix of the imago Dei. Using humanity’s ability to reason, their regency over creation, and their ability to be in relationship as the primary subroutines, techno- theology explores