Artificial Intelligence

We need to ensure and safeguard a space for proper human control over the choices made by artificial intelligence programs: human dignity itself depends on it. Pope Francis1 BACKGROUND [1] Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have been around for a long time, but in the past five years they have become nearly ubiquitous, thanks […]

[1] To describe the concerns raised by artificial intelligence (AI) would require us to speak of a broad swath of concerns: the environment, energy supply, human rights, privacy, employment, the future of the arts, and scholarship. While those who aim to profit financially from AI focus on its potential, which does indeed seem remarkable, other […]

[1] “If we open up ChatGPT or a system like it and look inside, you just see millions of numbers flipping around a few hundred times a second, and we just have no idea what any of it means….We built the computers, but then we just gave the faintest outline of a blueprint and kind […]

[1] Earlier this year, I was asked to serve as a co-investigator on a research project aimed at demonstrating the effectiveness of spiritual care in helping emergency trauma nurses cope with experiences of moral injury in their work experiences. As I am currently serving as a chaplain, I eagerly accepted the invitation to participate. However, […]

[1] We are living through a technological watershed driven by artificial intelligence. Since the arrival of early generative Large Language Models (LLMs) in 2017, billions of dollars, years of research, and instruments of state power have all been used to reshape our world to better accommodate the next generation of AI models.[1] These technologies are […]

[1] The topic of artificial intelligence has moved from science fiction to science and business. The essays in this issue raise topics for discussion that relate to spirituality and the church.  The following is a brief discussion guide to help congregations think through the issues presented in this edition of JLE. [2] The essay by […]

[1] There is a lot of talk about artificial intelligence. As there is a rush to market the uses of AI, there is a need to create guardrails and guidelines for the use of AI in order to protect intellectual property, safeguard personal data, and reign in the energy consumption of AI.  Here at Journal […]

[1] In the aftermath of the 2024 United States Presidential Election, Christians are wrestling with more constructive ways of living out their faith-life and civic duties. Unfortunately, political discourse of late has created a gulf within the church catholic in the United States as Christians are drawn into the culture wars and hyper-partisan politics. There […]

[1] Karen L. Bloomquist’s latest book, Moving Beyond: Toward Transformative Theologizing, is not intended to be a scholarly work; it is a call to reevaluate traditional approaches to God-talk in an attempt to create a more engaging and transformational model. Building on her previous work[i], Bloomquist draws on her personal journey in order to present […]

[1] No doubt economics plays a role in our polarization and social fragmentation.  Harvard Law School Deputy Dean John Coates has authored a cutting edge book on economic trends that Lutheran ethicists need to address and that we all need to master in order to educate the Lutherans we serve to the new realities of […]