The Human Person at the Center of All Development

“So God created humankind in His own image…” — Genesis 1:27

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I. The Sacred Worth of the Human Person

From the Garden of Eden to the city of the New Jerusalem, the biblical witness affirms that humanity’s worth is not derived from productivity, data, or output, but from the Creator’s breath (Genesis 2:7). No code can contain the imago Dei. No machine can bear the mystery of a soul.

As human ingenuity reaches unprecedented heights in artificial intelligence, the Church stands to declare: technology must serve the person, not the opposite where the person serves technology (Mark 2:27). The soul remains the eternal seat of conscience, creativity, and covenant—none of which can be downloaded or cloned.

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II. Moral and Ethical Boundaries in a Machine Age

AI carries not only lines of code but the fingerprints of its makers. If the heart of humanity is bent toward injustice, so will be the tools we create (Jeremiah 17:9). Therefore, the moral measure of AI is not its speed, capacity, or novelty, but its alignment with God’s justice and mercy (Micah 6:8).

We call for:

•    Ethical stewardship: Technology must advance human flourishing without exploitation.

•    Justice and equity: AI must resist bias and dismantle systems of oppression, not reinforce them.

•    Transparency and accountability: AI systems should remain subject to human moral oversight, never operating as unchallengeable authorities.

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III. The Catholicity of Growth and Interaction

The catholicity (that is, “the totality”, not speaking of any particular denomination, here) of the Church is its universality—its capacity to hold together many cultures, languages, and peoples in Christ (Revelation 7:9). In a world reshaped by AI, this universality demands a theology of technology that honors difference while protecting dignity.

AI offers global reach, but its growth must be integrative, not extractive; human-centered, not profit-centered; servant-minded, not empire-minded.

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IV. Liberation Theology in the Digital Age

From Moses before Pharaoh to Jesus proclaiming liberty to the captives (Luke 4:18), God’s Spirit moves toward the liberation of the oppressed. AI, in the wrong hands, could be another Pharaoh’s chariot—speeding injustice and deepening captivity.

The Black prophetic tradition, from Rev. Dr. James Cone, Fannie Lou Hamer on to James Baldwin, teaches us that freedom must be wrestled for, guarded, and spoken into existence against the noise of power. The Church must ensure AI is not a new plantation for digital labor or surveillance, but a tool for collective empowerment, education, and justice.

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V. Theological Non-Negotiables

In every conversation about AI, the Church must hold these truths:

     1.    Personhood is sacred — Machines may mimic behavior, but they do not bear God’s image.

     2.    Community is covenantal — Technology must not fracture the bonds of fellowship.

    3.    Truth is non-negotiable — AI must never be used to manipulate truth or manufacture lies.

     4.    Creation is entrusted to us — AI development must care for the earth and all living beings.

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VI. A Call to Prophetic Engagement

We must be both priestly—blessing what is good—and prophetic—denouncing what is evil. The Church must:

     •    Educate congregations on the promises and perils of AI.

     •    Advocate for laws and policies that center human dignity and protect the vulnerable.

     •    Create gospel-rooted content, media, and art that uplift truth in digital spaces.

     •    Partner with technologists, ethicists, and community leaders to shape AI toward the common good.

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VII. Benediction for the Digital Frontier

O' Lord of Wisdom and Creator of Light, guide our hands as we build, our minds as we learn, and our hearts as we choose. May every invention draw us closer to justice, peace, and love. And in every age—agrarian, industrial, digital, or beyond—may Your image in us shine brighter than any machine can imitate. Amen.