Homebrewed Christianity Podcast Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister

On this episode, I am joined by a leading Jacques Ellul scholar, Dr. Michael Morreli, as we unpack his reflections on technology, idolatry, modernity, and Christian Anarchism. If you enjoy the conversation, check out his book  Theology, Ethics, and Technology in the Work of Jacques Ellul and Paul Virilio.

Michael Morelli is Assistant Professor of Theology & Ethics and Program Manager, Life-Long Learning at Northwest Seminary & College (a founding member of ACTS Seminaries, and affiliate of Trinity Western University). He holds a PhD in Theological Ethics from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, is the author of Theology, Ethics, and Technology in the Work of Jacques Ellul and Paul Virilio: A Nascent Theological Tradition (2021), and editor of Desert, Wilderness, Wasteland, and Word: A New Essay by Jacques Ellul and Five Critical Engagements (2023). He publishes and presents on a variety of topics within the fields of theology, morality, culture, politics, and technology. He has also worked in local church ministry and continues to serve the church in a lay capacity.

Follow Michael’s work on Twitter: @mchlmorelli





* 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Dr. Morelli

* 04:31 Michael Morelli’s Academic Journey

* 14:03 Jacques Ellul’s Background and Influences

* 19:25 Understanding Technique and Its Implications

* 32:28 The Idol of Technology and Its Consequences

* 37:09 Power Dynamics and Non-Power in Modernity

* 46:54 The Dark Side of Innovation

* 47:12 War and Technology: A Chilling Connection

* 48:04 Propaganda and Political Power

* 51:29 The Seduction of Technology

* 54:39 The Role of Idols in Modern Society

* 57:42 The Ethics of War and Political Decisions

* 01:00:38 The Future of Technology and Society

* 01:14:16 Christian Anarchism and Local Governance

* 01:22:47 Hope and Despair in Modern Times

* 01:36:26 Upcoming Projects and Final Thoughts



Join our upcoming class!



Join us at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19, 2024!





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I am thrilled about this episode in the ongoing Process This series on Artificial Intelligence. In this episode, my series co-host and author of God-Like: A 500-Year History of Artificial Intelligence in Myths, Machines, Monsters, Kester Brewin, is joined by Lord Tim Clement-Jones. He is one of the leading voices in the UK House of Lords on AI regulation and online safety. He served as the Chair of the House of Lords Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence and co-founded the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Artificial Intelligence. He is the Liberal Democrat House of Lords spokesperson for Science, Innovation and Technology and is a founding member of the OECD Parliamentary Group on AI and a former Consultant to the Council of Europe’s Adhoc Committee on AI (“CAHAI”).

He brings great wisdom, passion, and wit to the debates he’s participated in. His book Living with the Algorithm – Servant or Master? – is a very clear-sighted explanation of why and how AI should be regulated, and what progress is being made.



About the Book

The rapid proliferation of AI brings with it a potentially massive shift in how society interacts with the digital world. New opportunities and challenges are emerging in unprecedented fashion and speed. AI however, comes with its own risks, including the potential for bias and discrimination, reputational harm, and the potential for widescale redundancy of millions of jobs. Many prominent technologists have voiced their concern at the existential risks to humanity that AI pose. So how do we ensure that AI remains our servant and not our master?

Our purpose in this book is to identify and address these key risks looking at current approaches to regulation and governance of AI internationally in both the public and private sector, how we meet and mitigate these challenges, avoid inadequate or ill considered regulatory approaches, and protect ourselves from the unforeseen consequences that could flow from unregulated AI development and adoption.

Join us at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19, 2024!





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After 16 years of online theological exploration, Homebrewed Christianity is leveling up. I am joined by David, the HBC tech-guru David, to let you in on a few new projects we just launched and let you know a bit about what’s on the horizon.







Class and Bring the Ivory Tower to Your Screen!



After almost 2 years of work behind the scenes, I am thrilled to announce the launch of Theology Class!







Almost 10 years ago, we started doing online classes & the supporting members of the HBC community (Elders & Bishops) had access to them after they wrapped up. With 45 classes it got extremely difficult to organize them and make them easily accessible to the community. To remedy this, we dreamed up the Theology Class platform. It will make it easy for the community to see all the classes we’ve done and access them when and where they want, giving you the power to learn at your own pace and convenience. It is hard to describe how much work we put into this, but for those of you who have been supporters of HBC or joined any of the classes, thank you for making this possible!







* Get access to seminary-level classes.

* Learn from top scholars.

* Dive deep into what interests you.

* Go at your own pace.

Process This Substack

How does Process This work?



Process This: The central Process This feed will feature posts, often including video and audio, of my own curated intellectual journey, touching on different intellectual interests of mine. They will tend to hover around the intersection of religion, philosophy, science, and culture since that’s where my research, writing, and teaching end up.





* Podcasts: There are also channels for two different podcasts. Homebrewed Christianity is the podcast I started in 2008 and features interviews with scholars across the disciplines. The goal is to bring the wisdom out of the ivory tower so more people can reflect, wrestle, and work through their questions of faith with deeper resources. The Theology Nerd Throwdown is a show I do with one of my best friends, Rev. Bo Sanders, and in it, we have fun nerdy conversations about something God-ish.

* Process This Guides: As things get going, an important intention for Process This will be developing resource guides on the more engaging topics. Think of these as digital bibliographies that curate books, articles, interviews, videos, and framing questions to help the interested reader understand the conversation in the academy. A perk of having such a nerdy community will be bringing together what I have found with what y’all bring.

* Process This Themes: I have conversations with scholars in different disciplines with various research interests, so we will intentionally help you connect the dots by having a series on specific themes. Each series will have a unique community member episode at the beginning and end, with opportunities to engage and contribute. At the end of a series, we hope those on the journey have a more integrated exploration than individual episodes alone can provide. Join our first conversation on Artificial Intelligence!



You can check out our film The Road to Edmond



Join us at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19, 2024!

Brian Zahnd returns to the podcast to discuss his fresh book The Wood Between Worlds. In the conversation, we discuss his kaleidoscopic theopoetics of the cross, the glorious metaphor of the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings, Trump’s ability to channel the speech of Mordor, and his mission to evangelize Christians smitten with empire religion. After you hear this, you will want to grab your ticket to Theology Beer Camp so you can hang out with BZ in the flesh!

Renowned for his intellectually stimulating sermons and his deep-rooted respect for the church’s rich history, Brian Zahnd provides a platform for pastors to interact with leading theologians and is a sought-after conference speaker. His literary contributions, including When Everything’s on Fire, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God, A Farewell to Mars, and Beauty Will Save the World.

Check out his new book The Wood Between Worlds

If you haven’t heard Andy Serkis read The Lord of the Rings, do yourself a favor and be transformed by peak narration.



Previous Episodes with BZ



* God, Violence, Empire, & Salvation

* Learning to Pray & Change in the Pulpit

* Talking Tolkien with BZ



Join us at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19, 2024!





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In this episode of Homebrewed Christianity’s Process This series on Artificial Intelligence, Tripp is joined by Noreen Herzfeld, a professor of science and religion, about the intersections of AI, ethics, and theology. They discuss the relational aspects of human existence often overlooked by technology, the theological perspectives on embodiment and relationship in the context of AGI, and the ethical challenges AI poses in caregiving and military decisions. Additionally, the episode highlights the significant environmental costs of AI technologies, with startling statistics about server farm energy consumption, and examines the Vatican’s stance on ecological issues and AI’s sustainability. Religious wisdom is emphasized as crucial in navigating the ethical and ecological questions posed by AI.



Noreen L. Herzfeld is Reuter Professor of Science and Religion at St. John’s University and senior research associate with ZRS Koper. A theologian and computer scientist, she is the author of several books, including The Artifice of Intelligence: Divine and Human Relationship in a Robotic Age and In Our Image: Artificial Intelligence and the Human Spirit.

Join us at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19, 2024!





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Step into the interactive world of the inaugural ‘Process This‘ series, a journey into the realm of Artificial Intelligence and the human future. Kester Brewin returns to the podcast to set up a series of interviews with scholars across the disciplines, all helping us wrestle with the reality of AI and how it is reshaping humanity and our future. This episode dives into the technological, ethical, spiritual, political, and economic questions surrounding AI. Unearth the historical evolution of societal views on slavery, the implications of AI on the workforce, and the significant role of films, literature, and myths in shaping our perception of technology and social issues. Engage in lively discussions with renowned scholars and experts and contribute to the conversation through shared resources and suggestions for future topics.

To listen to the series of interviews and participate, engage, and get extra content along with a growing collection of related resources, head over to our new substack – Process This!



Kester Brewin is an author, speaker, 25-year veteran of the classroom, and now Head of Communications at the Institute for the Future of Work, a research charity exploring how AI impacts the UK labour market. His most recent book, God-Like: a 500-year History of AI, is not only a powerful telling of humanity’s ongoing relationship with technology and a reflection on the current questions surrounding AI, but it is also a powerful and compelling work of radical theology. 

Previous Episodes with Kester



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Adult VBS with Walter Brueggemann, Kester Brewin, and Kristen Howerton



*

Let Sleeping Gods Die w/ Kester Brewin



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Plundering Religion with Kester Brewin, Peter Rollins, & Barry Taylor #Mutiny



* Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Religion



 







Join us at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19, 2024!





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