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

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 philosopher John Caputo. The conversation occurred at the intersection of artificial intelligence, technology, and theology. They explore the mystical and philosophical implications of AI, reflecting on humanity’s relationship with technology and the future of AI in reshaping our understanding of existence. They also touch on key figures such as Heidegger and Derrida, addressing both the potential and peril of technological advancements. Whether you’re a theology nerd or a curious mind, this interdisciplinary dialogue promises an enlightening exploration into AI and the human future.

John David Caputo (born October 26, 1940) is an American philosopher who is the Thomas J. Watson Professor of Religion Emeritus at Syracuse University and the David R. Cook Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Villanova University. Caputo is a major figure associated with postmodern Christianity and continental philosophy of religion, as well as the founder of the theological movement known as weak theology. Much of Caputo’s work focuses on hermeneutics, phenomenology, deconstruction and theology.



Previous Episodes with Jack



* What to Believe?

* Tillich and a Radical Theology of Culture 

* John Caputo on the End of Religion

* The John Caputo Book Party!

*  the journey form Radical Hermeneutics to the Weakness of God

* Homebrewed Christianity’s 5th Birthday with John Caputo 

* Get Lost in Order to be Saved! John Caputo on Radical Theology

* John Caputo says “GOD…perhaps”

* on the Future of Continental Philosophy

* Why Go Derrida with John D. Caputo

* Caputo Returns

* Stargazing with Nietzsche and Caputo

* Keller-riffic + Caputo Tells Pete the “lack” is BS

In this edition of the Process This: Artificial Intelligence series we are joined by AI pioneer, computer scientist, and theologian Dr. Anne Foerst. Anne offers a deep dive into the fascinating

intersection of AI and theology, urging us to consider the profound ethical, social, and theological questions as we march into an increasingly AI-driven future. As a member of MIT’s earliest explorations of embodied AI, she brings a unique perspective to a conversation increasingly shaped by the emergence of large language models of AI.

Dr. Anne Foerst is a Professor and chair of Computer Science at St. Bonaventure University. She teaches Computers and Society, Cybersecurity Ethics, and other interdisciplinary courses. She is also the director of the individualized major program at SBU. Her research focuses on the theological implications of Artificial Intelligence and the personhood of robots. Previously, she has worked as a research scientist at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was also affiliated with the Center for the Studies of Values in Public Life of Harvard Divinity School. While in the artificial intelligence lab at MIT, she served as theological advisor for the Cog and Kismet projects, two attempts to develop embodied, autonomous social robots that resemble human infants in their ability to learn and develop more mature intelligence levels.

Check out her book God in the Machine: What Robots teach us about God and Humanity.



In the conversation, we discuss…



* Defining Artificial Intelligence

* Anthropomorphism and AI

* Personhood and Ethical Challenges

* AI in Religious Contexts

* Social Robots and Human Development

* Ethical Implications of AI

* AI and Human Evolution

* The Role of Community and Ethics





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





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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!





Follow the podcast, drop a review, or become a member of the HBC Community.