A Theologian, A Legislator, & A Computer Scientist Wrestle With AI
Process This: Artificial Intelligence
Hey Theology Nerds!
In this episode of our ongoing Process This conversation series on Artificial Intelligence, Dr. Michael Morelli joins me to delve into the urgent and profound critique of modernity's obsession with technology by Jacques Ellul, a brilliant philosopher, social critic, and Christian anarchist. As the power of technology to shape humanity continues to escalate, Ellul's perspective remains a vital source of insights into our contemporary world. (If you’re a Process This member, you can listen here without ads on Substack or you can listen on all the platforms.)
If you enjoy the conversation, check out his book Theology, Ethics, and Technology in the Work of Jacques Ellul and Paul Virilio.
Rock on!
Tripp
P.S., Scroll down to see more episodes and classes!
Summary of Our Conversation
Jacques Ellul's multifaceted work impresses anyone who dives into it. As Morelli explains, Ellul's first encounter with Marxism provided a framework for realizing the pervasive injustices of his day. Yet, Ellul didn't remain a Marxist; his deeper theological and ethical convictions led him to adopt and critique Marx's work. Central to Ellul's critique is the concept of technique, which he differentiates from technology. Technique refers to the rational process aiming for the most efficient means to any end, whether in work, art, or communication. This drive for efficiency ultimately leads to a restructuring of society that encompasses not just tools and devices but entire ways of thinking and relating.
In Ellul's vision, technology becomes an idol— a false god to which society offers relentless sacrifices. This metaphor illuminates the often unseen dynamics of modern life. Ellul's critique of idolatry reveals how deeply ingrained technology is in our culture, shaping values at the expense of humanity's deeper spiritual and ethical dimensions. The deception of technology, with its alluring promise of comfort and happiness, is a cautionary tale. The widespread belief in technology as a savior brings with it a form of propaganda that obscures its darker sides, driving a wedge between human flourishing and technological progress.
Ellul's analysis delves into how propaganda functions to normalize the sacrifices demanded by technology. It's not just about selling products but structuring societal values. Morelli points out how propaganda molds public perception, seduces through promises of security and prosperity, and ultimately encourages the worship of technological advancements, even when they contribute to warfare and oppression.
Morelli then describes Ellul's form of Christian anarchism as a radical political alternative. Rejecting both the totalitarian tendencies of modern states and the destructive efficiency of technology, Ellul advocates for localism and non-power as vital Christian practices. This means engaging in small, community-based governance and relationships prioritizing human values over technological imperatives. Morelli emphasizes Ellul’s two principal ideas of anarcho-syndicalism and non-power. Rather than seeking a vast governmental overhaul, Ellul envisions a network of locally governed communities, organically working together for the common good. This decentralized approach resists modern techniques' massification and dehumanizing effects, favoring tangible, compassionate action rooted in faith instead.
Despite the grim analysis, Ellul and Morelli do not leave us without hope. Drawing on the narrative of the cross, Morelli asserts that genuine hope arises only after false hopes are dismantled. He describes this as living in a kind of "Holy Saturday," a day of waiting between the despair of Good Friday and the resurrection promise of Easter Sunday. In this space, Christians are urged to engage actively in small, meaningful acts of love and justice, rooted in a steadfast hope that ultimate transformation and renewal are indeed possible.
About Michael Morelli
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.(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.
Recommended Resources from Morelli
What's a popular piece or two on AI that you like to point people to?
First, fiction. Mary Shelly’s book Frankenstein. Whenever anyone asks me what my favorite AI story is, this is the one that immediately comes to mind.
Second, non-fiction.
Nick Cave, Red Hand Files Issue #218
Meghan O’Gieblyn, God Human Animal Machine: Technology, Metaphor, and the Search for Meaning
Megan O’Gieblyn, “The Religious Foundations of Transhumanism,” Tech Won’t Save Us Podcast
Michael Wooldridge, A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence: What It Is, Where We Are, and Where We Are Going
Margaret A. Boden, Artificial Intelligence: A Very Short Introduction
What are a few resources for those going on a deep dive?
Ashley John Moyse, The Art of Living For a Technological Age
Beth Singler, Religion and Artificial Intelligence (forthcoming)
Brent Waters, Christian Moral Theology in the Emerging Technoculture: From Posthuman back to Human
Paul Virilio, Administration of Fear
Jacques Ellul, Presence in the Modern World
What are 3 of your SubStack / Newsletter must-reads?
For what’s going on in tech
To remind us we are human