What Would Jesus Tech: Recent Episodes
Andrew Noble & Joel Jacob
Two Canadians, a Bible student and a tech futurist, discuss the relevance of the Bible in our technology-filled world. Whether you're working in tech, addicted to tech, or just trying to use tech like Jesus would, we hope you'll learn along with us as we seek to help Christians use tech how Jesus would.
The first big consumer humanoid robot is here! It's called Neo and it is equally impressive as it is frightening. This provokes the big question - how should we as Christians respond? Today, we sit down and approach this topic in a way that is rooted in the Bible.
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
1:53 - Discussion on Neo and Skepticism
4:54 - Criticisms of Robotics
12:26 - The Difference Between Humans and Robots
17:29 - Economic Implications
35:12 - We Test a Live AI Experiment
Resources:
Neo's Official Website - https://www.1x.tech/
Support Us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WWJT
Our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatwouldjesustech/
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/NVtkqDN9
Cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit https://www.whatwouldjesustech.com/
How Should Christians Talk About AI? In this episode, we discuss how to gracefully (in loving kindness) and truthfully (without compromise) approach conversations about AI as Christians. We must seek to be thoughtful, be human, and be like Jesus.
Resources from this Episode
AI Goes to Church: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/ai-goes-church/
AI Shepherds and Electronic Sheep: https://www.amazon.com/Shepherds-Electric-Sheep-Artificial-Intelligence/dp/1540968014/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=186932244416&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.yiAo3cs5Rm3hfJwjP409gg.sm5-TNqA08TbX0uzh3Flq_7W_JA5dWlBf4m8Rj69U4g&dib_tag=se&hvadid=779581857802&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9026810&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=10188755072419422323--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=10188755072419422323&hvtargid=kwd-2407784283755&hydadcr=22592_13821282_8484&keywords=ai+shepherds+and+electric+sheep&mcid=38aa2f2b67a937c4a8a880eabbe5c96f&qid=1762754941&sr=8-1
Robot Theology: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=robot+theology&crid=2A029BHNSV0RD&sprefix=robot+theology%2Caps%2C275&ref=nb_sb_noss
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
0:45 - Welcome and Overview
5:06 - Christian Perspective on AI
21:00 - A Critique and Reflection
39:01 - What is the Current Era of AI?
Support Us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WWJT
Our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatwouldjesustech/
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/NVtkqDN9
Cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit https://www.whatwouldjesustech.com/
Should humans be like God? Of course, yes! In what way? Should we adopt new technologies for the sake of transforming our bodies into a new techno-humanity? Some call this transhumanism, and according to our guest, Wyatt Graham, to understand transhumanism we must understand Fredrich Niche. In this episode we navigate the difference between becoming God and becoming like God, receiving our humanity rather than altering it.
Wyatt Graham is the editor-in-chief for The Gospel Coalition Canada and an Adjunct Professor at various schools, including Redeemer University. Follow him on his Substack: http://wyattgraham.com/
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Transhumanism and Theosis
02:33 Understanding Theosis
03:27 Defining Transhumanism
06:05 The Intersection of Technology and Humanity
10:20 Restoration vs. Augmentation
14:09 The Role of Death in Human Existence
19:13 Theosis vs. Transhumanism
23:27 The Nature of Love and Humanity
28:30 Cultural Implications of Transhumanism
33:11 The Future of Technology and Humanity
Support Us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WWJT
Our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatwouldjesustech/
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/NVtkqDN9
Cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit https://www.whatwouldjesustech.com/
This AI moment isn't exactly the dot com boom, but is it close? Many think so, including people working at leading at AI companies. In this episode, not only do Joel Jacob and Andrew examine the reality of our AI Bubble, and how valuation is outpacing reality, but also the deeper values driving this bubble. We are also joined by a special guest at the end of the episode, who tells us we did an excellent job.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
03:27 Understanding Market Bubbles, Dot Com and Railroads
12:34 Circular Investments
15:47 Spiritual and Existential Inflation
18:40 Evaluating AI's Real Value and Potential Value
32:10 Moving Fast and Breaking Things
36:46 Yes, It's Kind of a Bubble
Support Us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WWJT
Our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatwouldjesustech/
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/NVtkqDN9
Cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit https://www.whatwouldjesustech.com/
The Keller Center (a part of TGC) has conducted an important benchmark of seven leading AI models. These are the seven most used models in the world, and they do not give the same answers to theological questions. In fact, a Chinese model (Deepseek) had the top score.
The Director of the Keller Centre, Michael Graham, joins us in this episode to share how AI models respond to theological questions and the implications for Christians. The conversation touches on the future of AI in pastoral care and the ethical considerations that arise as technology continues to evolve.
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
01:25 - Cultural Apologetics
05:51 - Evaluating AI Responses to Theological Questions
20:27 - Missiological Implications of AI in Christianity for Pastors
31:11 Understanding AI's Limitations and Human Involvement
38:12 Engaging with Silicon Valley: A Christian Perspective
Read the report for yourself: https://christianbenchmark.ai/
Cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Do tech leaders believe in God?
What are the reasons why they tend to believe in what is material, but not what is immaterial? Is there anything beyond matter to an engineer in a secular age? When you've been trained on analyzing the nature of things, you struggle to consider a thing of supernature. Perhaps this is what has happened.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI (ChatGPT), says he views the world as a tech-nerd, and therefore, in his own logic, he does not believe in spiritual things. Elon Musk is similar, as a clip in this episode shows. And just wait till you hear what Steve Jobs said! We all need God. And he's more real than we realize.
00:00 - Intro
3:00 - Why enchantment? What secular age?
14:00 - Sam Altman's lack of belief
20:45 - Elon Musk and the sensus divitatis
31:29 - Steve Jobs, "there must be more"
35:12 - We are NOT less enchanted
We're hiring! If you're interested in becoming the WWJT Podcast Manager, please see job description and application process here: https://x.com/AndrewDNoble/status/1971207236455420089
Books cited:
Charles Taylor – A Secular Age (2007)
The foundational 800-page philosophical work on how belief in God shifted in modernity.
James K. A. Smith – How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor (2014)
A short, accessible summary and engagement with Taylor’s A Secular Age.
Alan Noble – Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age (2018) Applies Charles Taylor’s framework to technology, culture, and Christian witness.
Tony Reinke – God, Technology, and the Christian Life (2022)
A biblical theology of technology; argues all technology should point us back to awe and gratitude toward the Creator.
Joseph Minich – Enduring Divine Absence: The Challenge of Modern Atheism (2017)
Explores the modern sense of God’s absence and how to live faithfully amid it.
Walter Isaacson – Steve Jobs (2011)
The definitive biography of Steve Jobs, including his reflections on death, the afterlife, and transcendence.
Gray Sutanto – A Sense of the Divine: An Affective Model of General Revelation from the Reformed Tradition (2025)
A scholarly work building on Calvin, Herman Bavinck, and J.H. Bavinck on the “sense of the divine” (sensus divinitatis).
Original Music by Abigail Neale. The Thumbnail was created in Sam Altman's and OpenAI's GPT-5. AI audio text-to-speech by ElevenLabs.
What Would Jesus Tech? is cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show, visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Is this trend something to be happy about? Many are seeing psychedelics as an "on-ramp" to pagan spiritualism and to Christianity.
Psychedelics include LSD, psilocybin (found in magic mushrooms), DMT (found in ayahuasca), and mescaline (found in Peyote and San Pedro cacti). While various ethical concerns may be noted, there are also some apparent medicinal benefits. Is there room for nuance here? Or should we, as Christians, reject psychedelics completely?
Phil Cotnoir is a husband, a father of four, an avid reader, and a freelance writer and editor. He recently wrote:
-
The Coming Psychedelic Moment at Mere Orthodoxy
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The Psychedelic Renaissance: A Story of Hype and Hubris at The Gospel Coalition
Keywords: psychedelics, technology, spirituality, Christianity, mental health, conversion stories, tech culture, ethical research, medicinal use, recreational use. Thumbnail generated with the help of ChatGPT.
To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Yes, there is talk of demons controlling AI. Why wouldn't they? Why wouldn't they use Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude to influence humanity?
And yet, we shouldn't go too far when thinking about their control. They are subordinated and limited by God. In this episode, we explore the intersection of spiritual warfare, demons, and artificial intelligence. We get into some personal experiences with demonic influences, and the theological framework needed when thinking about AI demons.
00:00 Intro
01:02 Yes, Demons in 2025
03:06 Limits and Influence of Demons
10:02 Physical Objects
13:51 The Nature of Idols, Demons, and AI
17:39 Cultural Phenomena and Spirituality
23:29 Power and Providence
35:33 Rebuking Demons
Support the show at patreon.com/WWJT
Please send your ideas and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble, Austin Gravley, and Joel Jacob, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Thumbnail: original image created by Colton Sturgeon on Unsplash with edits made by ChatGPT. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Doing AI Right?
Daniel Manary has held various roles in AI, including CTO of PlaySpace, CTO at Kenesense.AI, Machine Learning Engineer at ProNavigator, and CTO at SimulFit Technologies, among others. He is also the host of Artificial Insights, a podcast where he interviews AI Product Leaders to seperate hype from impact.
In this episode, Andrew Noble sits down with Daniel Manary, host of Artificial Insights, for a conversation that blends faith, technology, and the future. Together, they explore the hidden motivations driving AI, the ethical questions we can’t afford to ignore, and the surprising ways AI might reshape human connection. From Daniel’s inside perspective in the AI industry to a distinctly Christian vision for technology, this episode asks: can AI be built with both brilliance and a moral compass?
00:00 - Intro
03:05 - Dan had a dream
05:00 - How you build matters
11:12 - What AI future should we care about most?
17:33 - Optimistic about AI? Why?
20:53 - Current AI Projects and Future Directions
30:00 - Wrap Things Up
Check out Dan's podcast: Artificial Insights: How To Do AI Right.
Connect with Dan Manary on LinkedIn.
Please send your ideas, questions, and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Original Music by Abigail Neale.
To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Our guest today explores what it means to be ourselves truthfully. That is, true to our calling - our true, good, and beautiful callings.
In this episode of What Would Jesus Tech? we delve into the concept of vocation beyond traditional job roles with our esteemed guest, Dr. Karen Swallow Prior. An award-winning author and cultural commentator, Karen shares insights from her latest book, "You Have a Calling," exploring how vocation intertwines with truth, goodness, and beauty.
We discuss the evolving nature of work, the impact of technology, and how to find purpose in a rapidly changing world.
Karen Swallow Prior is an award-winning author and cultural commentator who writes at the intersection of faith, literature, and public life.
Buy her book! Link to Baker Publishing Group. Link to amazon.com.
00:00 - Intro
02:15 - Calling as Vocation
10:30 - Calling vs Passion
18:45 - AI and Job Shifts Due to Tech
27:00 - Integrating Truth, Goodness, and Beauty in Our Work
35:20 - Addressing Modern Challenges and Anxieties in Vocation
Karen's Substack: https://karenswallowprior.substack.com/
Thanks for listening. On behalf of me, Andrew Noble, and the rest of the team, we appreciate you taking the time to think more deeply about what it means to imitate Jesus in our technological age. You can support our podcast by sharing it with friends, writing a review, or going to our Patreon page and becoming a member. I do use Generative AI to help write the episode description and create the chapters. This last paragraph however, was written completely by me. Hence the unnecessary length, incomplete sentences, and abrupt ending.
Smart glasses are in your churches. What should you do?
In this episode, we explore the evolution of smart glasses, the need for churches to have policies in place regarding their use, and the importance of balancing accessibility for individuals with visual impairments against the need for privacy and safety, especially for children. The conversation also touches on the cultural acceptance of smart glasses, the future of this technology, and the necessity for churches to prepare for potential risks associated with it.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Smart Glasses in Churches
04:57 The Importance of Having a Plan
08:47 Privacy Concerns and Policies
16:04 Balancing Accessibility and Safety
22:26 Preparing for the Unexpected
26:00 Conclusion and Call to Action
Images used in the thumbnail include:
- https://www.ray-ban.com/
Join us on Discord - https://discord.gg/P3pMnAkj
Support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/WWJT
We discuss the challenges and joys of being a dad during the summer.
Part two on Patreon.
We explore the balance between technology use and outdoor play, the importance of being present with children, and creating memorable experiences. The conversation emphasizes the significance of presence over perfection in parenting, especially during the summer months when schedules can be more relaxed. (And yes, the thumbnail for this is based on Bluey and created by ChatGPT)
Chapters
00:00 Summer!
03:12 Screen Time
06:07 Balancing Freedom and Structure (Patreon)
09:08 Presence (Patreon)
16:03 Adventures (Patreon)
Support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/WWJT
Have a great summer!
Sam Altman, the founder of ChatGPT, believes we're past the event horizon. We're past the point of no return. The future is an AI future. And, well, Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob mostly agree. But with some important caveats related to AI safety, deterministic versus probabilistic coding, determinism philosophically, and agency amidst rapid technological advancements.
Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:28 AI Defense and Security
07:47 The Gentle Singularity
13:43 The Deterministic vs. Instrumentalist View of Tech
22:46 Probabilistic vs. Deterministic Coding in AI
25:31 Evaluating AI's Performance, Ethics, and Impact
31:34 Finding Hope in the AI Age
Links
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Sam Altman on A Gentle Singularity
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Using GenAI helps consultants:
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ChatGPT May Be Eroding Critical Thinking Skills, According to a New MIT Study
Keywords: AI, Artificial Intelligence, OpenAI, Sam Altman, technology, singularity, ethics, job displacement, security, human values, deterministic, probabilistic
Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/WWJT
"AI is a tool, not a partner."
As more people use AI tools like ChatGPT, how should Christian leaders respond? On one hand, there are opportunities to leverage Artificial Intelligence as a tool for human flourishing. But we should also be cautious about its potential to diminish human connection and creativity. They discuss the need for engagement, the importance of community, and the role of the Christian faith despite the allure of transhumanism.
Cohosts Andrew Noble (PhD Student Theology & Technology), Joel Jacob (Principle Product Manager at Splunk), and Austin Gravley (TGC Social Media Manager) discuss a new book by Sean O'Callaghan and Paul Hoffman: AI Shepherds and Electric Sheep: Leading and Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.
Buy the book: AI Shepherds and Electric Sheep: Leading and Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:35 The Journey to Writing the Book
05:41 Engaging with AI as a Tool vs Partner
17:10 Navigating AI in Ministry
32:54 Understanding AI Limitations and Risks
38:14 Reclaiming Our Humanity
Join our discord.
Support us on Patreon.
Keywords: AI, technology, human flourishing, theology, ministry, relationships, creativity, community, digital age, Paul Hoffman
"God purposefully designed humans to have limits and depend on one another." Why is it so hard to believe this?
Theologian Kelly Kapic discusses this with us in his new book, You Were Never Meant to Do It All: A 40-Day Devotional On The Goodness of Being Human.
Cohosts Andrew Noble and Austin Gravley ask Kapic about human limitations, depending on one another, and the balance between work ethic and rest. They discuss the importance of community and the significance of physical touch in a technological age.
Buy the book! Link: https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/you-were-never-meant-to-do-it-all/406045
Earlier episodes with Kelly Kapic:
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discussing Kapic's You're Only Human ("Limits")
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and the Tyranny of Time
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:40 Understanding Human Limits
09:57 "Balance"
15:00 Technology and Human Limitations
21:55 Touch
26:57 Self-Optimization
28:43 Love
31:43 Stress
35:54 Community
42:51 Place
Cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
How should Christians navigate various faith and technology organizations? Some are Universities. Others are non-profits you can volunteer with. The three cohosts chat with Corey Hickson on the intersection of engineering education, technology, and growing your faith.
They explore the role of Christian universities in shaping future engineers, the impact of AI on education and work, and the importance of integrating faith into the tech space, even if you don't work at a Christian company! The conversation also touches on the challenges faced by Christians in technology, the need for community, and the significance of viewing work as a form of worship.
00:00 - Intros and Background to Dr. Cory Hixson of Colorado Christian University
04:25 - Be a generalist! And Christian Universities for Technology?
12:10 - Exploring Christian Tech Orgs & The Ecosystem of Faith and Technology
20:44 Worship Through Work in Engineering
25:30 - You Don't Have To Join a "Christian" Org!
30:15 - Parachurch Tech Orgs?
36:17 - Faith and Work Integration in Tech
39:04 - Supporting Engineers in Their Faith Journey
44:09 - The Future of Technology and Human Interaction
Join our discord: https://discord.gg/u3vMQ45w
Support us: https://www.patreon.com/WWJT
Keywords
engineering education, Christian universities, AI impact, faith and work, technology integration, Christian organizations, future of work, community in tech, worship through work, engineering careers
Cohosted by Joel Jacob, Andrew Noble, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. The image was created with the assistance of ChatGPT. The show notes were written with aid from Riverside's AI. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
In this episode of 'What Would Jesus Tech?', Austin Gravley and Joel Jacob explore clichés in both the tech and ministry worlds. They delve into the implications of phrases like 'let go and let God' and 'everything is a season', as well as tech cliches about the future and scale.
There are pitfalls in overusing such terms. We need to get past the cliches if those in tech and those in ministry are going to do a good job speaking to each other.
00:00 Intro
01:10 Brief update on Robotics
03:13 Digital Transformation
06:20 Tech Bros, Vibe-Coding, Growth Hacking, and More
10:35 "Let Go and Let God"
15:07 Seasons
18:41 Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin
20:30 The Future
26:11 Scaling
29:45 The Importance of Language in Tech and Faith
Join our discord: https://discord.gg/u3vMQ45w
Support us: https://www.patreon.com/WWJT
Keywords: AI, robotics, digital transformation, tech clichés, ministry, Christian clichés, seasons of life, technology future, scaling, pivoting
Cohosted by Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. The image was created with the assistance of ChatGPT. The show notes were written with aid from Riverside's AI. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Austin and Andrew explore the intersection of idolatry and technology, particularly how AI can act just like idols used to. Why is Andrew studying idolatry and AI? How do they connect? How should we take Tertullian's views on idolatry and apply them to today? They explore these questions and more, including the human need for connection and how technology can fulfill or distort that need, drawing on insights from Sherry Turkle's work. Ultimately, Andrew challenges listeners to consider whether their use of technology leads to life or idolatry.
Join the WWJT Discord: https://discord.gg/AdkWsxRZ
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WWJT
00:00 - Introduction to Idolatry and Technology
08:32 - Some History on Idolatry
11:16 - Ethics of AI Development
17:33 - The Search for Meaning in AI
20:25 - The Nature of Life and AI
23:15 - Human Relationships vs. AI Companionship
27:46 - Choose Life
Thumbnail image made by ChatGPT using the following prompt: create youtube thumbnail for What Would Jesus Tech podcast on how AI can be like idolatry. just keep it simple with minimal words and make a beautiful technological image of an idol. Shownotes have some AI input as well, leveraging Riverside.
Cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Keywords: idolatry, technology, AI, Christianity, ethics, biblical theology, human relationships, modern idolatry, Sherry Turkle, meaning
Have Christians historically been innovators in the tech space? At least when it comes to the codex and the printing press, the answer seems to be yes. That's what Wes Huff argued in his video over at Apologetics Canada. We watched that video and discussed its implications, including: the historical context of the writings of the Bible, the emotional impact of technology on faith, and the implications of generative AI for ministry.
We also delve into the balance between innovation and tradition in worship, the role of immersive experiences in understanding scripture, and the trade-offs associated with new technologies.
0:00 - Innovating Faith? An intro.
2:38 - Historical Perspectives: Technology and the Bible
8:13 - Navigating the New Tech Landscape: AI and Coding
10:40 - The Balance, in Worship & Evangelism
16:14 - Immersive Experiences: The Future of Scripture Engagement?
19:00 - Cultural Influences: Fandom and Interpretation of Scripture
21:53 - A Christian Technological Imagination
Please send your ideas, questions, and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. These shownotes were created with the assistance of Generative AI. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
"Just ship it, even if you're 19."
"You can only control your outputs."
In this episode, Andrew Noble, Austin Gravley, and Ian Harber discuss the intersection of marketing, faith, and personal branding. This is our fourth and final public episode of Multiplying the Word. They explore how marketing can be a tool for spreading ideas. We should steward our stories and reputations. Ian shares insights from his journey in writing and marketing, emphasizing the need for authenticity and the value of connecting with an audience. Vulnerability and authenticity don't always mix well. Ian discusses how to appropriately share.
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
02:05 - Is Marketing Dirty?
10:52 - Mind Your Reputation
21:29 - Tactics
29:44 - The Stewardship Journey
32:35 - Navigating Personal Stories and Vulnerability
39:39 - Crafting a Personal Narrative
43:36 - Advice for Aspiring Writers/Creators
Cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/fAqx3WGu
Joel: "AI models are like four years olds."
Andrew: "AI is not a fad."
In this episode of WWJT, Andrew Noble (Theology & AI PhD Student at U of Nottingham) and Joel Jacob (AI & Robotics Product Manager at Splunk) explore the evolving landscape of AI, discussing the differences between various AI models, ethical considerations in their usage, and the implications of AI on daily life. They delve into the importance of user experience, the role of open-source models, and the future of AI in software development. The discussion emphasizes the need for caution in using AI for personal and emotional tasks while also highlighting its practical applications in everyday scenarios.
Chapters
00:00 - Understanding AI Models
11:56 - Some Ethical Considerations
15:05 - Claude vs ChatGPT
21:07 - Open Source vs. Proprietary AI Models
24:17 - The Future of AI in Software Development
27:12 - AI's Impact on Daily Life
33:02 - More AI Dilemmas
Keywords: AI, generative models, ChatGPT, ethics, multimodal models, open source, technology, user experience, software development, machine learning, Christianity, Moral Theology
Cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. The writing of these show notes was assisted by Generative AI. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com.
In this episode of What Would Jesus Tech, hosts Andrew Noble and Austin Gravley chat with Luke Simmons, a lead pastor, discussing the intersection of digital marketing and pastoral ministry. One of our most practical episodes for what churches can be doing!
We explore the role of social media for pastors, the potential harms of digital media, and how to leverage digital tools for local ministry. Luke shares practical tips for creating engaging church communications, overcoming barriers to digital engagement, and navigating the challenges of content creation, including the use of AI. We also address the celebrity pastor culture, and how local-first is the way to build out your digital content as a church.
Follow Luke Simmons on Twitter/X.
FaithfulandFruitful.com (Pastoral and Leadership Resources from Luke).
Takeaways from this episode
- Pastors should consider using social media as a tool for expanding their "word" and discipleship ministry.
- Digital content (like podcasts or social media posts) cannot replace visitation, preaching, and pastoral care, but it can help teach people the ways of Christ.
- Digital media can pose risks, including moral dangers (e.g. lust) and distractions. This isn't for every pastor or every church.
- Digital content creation should be approached with a mindset of iteration and experimentation.
- Utilizing email effectively can significantly increase engagement rates.
- Balancing personal interests with pastoral responsibilities is crucial in communication.
- The use of AI in content creation should be approached thoughtfully and authentically.
Support us on Patreon.
Join our Discord Group.
Chapters
0:00 - Introduction to Digital Marketing for Pastors
2:00 - The Role of Social Media in Pastoral Ministry
3:33 - Potential Harms of Social Media for Pastors
7:03 - Using Digital Tools for Ministry (e.g. podcast)
12:43 - Transforming Church Communication (e.g. emails)
16:42 - Creating & Repurposing Content
27:33 - The Importance of Practice in Communication
28:57 - Leadership and Communication: The Core Connection
30:02 - Choosing Topics & Outlets for Digital Ministry
39:20 - Addressing the Celebrity Pastor Culture
43:01 - Practical Tips for Digital Engagement
WWJT is cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. These show notes were co-created by Andrew and an AI tool. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
In this episode, co-hosts Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob speak with Dr. Glenn Butner about the intersection of theology, economics, and moral formation. They discuss how markets function, the moral implications of economic systems, and the role of trust in transactions. The conversation emphasizes the need for Christians to engage thoughtfully with economic practices and the importance of understanding the complexities of market design. Butner's book, 'Work Out Your Salvation,' serves as a foundation for discussing how faith can inform economic behavior and moral formation.
Support WWJT on Patreon and receive a book! Must sign up before March 31st, 2025.
Buy Butner's book: https://www.amazon.com/Work-Out-Your-Salvation-Formation/dp/1506479413
Read Andrew's review: https://adfontesjournal.com/book-review/work-out-your-salvation-a-review/
Takeaways (AI Generated with Human Oversight):
- Markets are not just economic systems; they are technologies that shape our interactions and form who we are.
- Incentives can significantly alter behavior, sometimes in unexpected ways.
- Christian engagement with economics should be nuanced and informed by scripture.
- The church has a role in shaping economic practices and moral formation.
- A doctrine like Common Grace can help us make sense of how markets can form us in good ways.
- Understanding social sin is crucial in navigating market dynamics.
- Christians should analyze specific markets rather than endorse or condemn entire systems.
- Moral formation can occur outside the church through various societal interactions.
- Every individual has a responsibility to consider the ethical implications of their economic choices.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and We'll Send You A Book!
02:21 Understanding Markets and Moral Formation
06:46 The Impact of Incentives on Behavior
14:52 Theological Perspectives on Markets
23:32 Moral Formation in Secular Markets
28:02 Practical Takeaways?
40:47 Innovative Hiring Practices and Market Design
42:30 The Role of Markets in Social Justice
46:41 Moral Formation and Market Interaction
49:28 Conclusion and Reflections on Agency
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/YskwNchC
How do we navigate content creation in a digital age? We consider this today through the angle of institutions, like media organizations who are trying to spread good resources across varyingly helpful digital outlets.
Joining us is Caleb Wait. He is the Director of Content at Sola Media (the makers beyond multiple top Christian podcasts, including the White Horse Inn, Core Christianity, and Theo Global).
In Multiplying The Word we explore the whats, the whys, and the hows of digital marketing: living in the digital, but not of it.
Welcome to What Would Jesus Tech. A podcast devoted to imitating Jesus in a technological age. We believe deep thinking with biblical theology, courageous building of good technology, and rich reflection on what it means to be human. I am Andrew Noble, I am a Theology PhD Student with a background in AI, I'm joined by our two cohosts, Austin Gravely, Social Media Manager at The Gospel Coalition with a background in ministry and online marketing, and Joel Jacob, Principle Product Manager at Splunk with a background in Robotics, AI, and Engineering
Cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Technology, particularly AI, poses a threat to the necessity of humanity. We see this in students using AI to bypass learning, self-driving vehicles replacing human drivers, AI competing with medical diagnosticians, and tablets which aim to replace traditional teaching methods. The question isn't hypothetical – these developments are already challenging human roles in education, transportation, healthcare, and beyond.
We don't just need to respond. We need a vision. We need direction. We need a New Technology Agenda that values the human person, and there is no value in persons if they have no place in families.
A couple weeks ago, Brad Littlejohn, Clare Morell, and a team of others published A Future for the Family: A New Technology Agenda for the Right. It includes ten principles designed to serve the family.
Add your name: https://afutureforthefamily.org/
The Ten Principles (the original New Agenda as published in First Things).
In today's episode, Andrew and Joel discuss this "New Agenda," how Christians working in technology could adopt it, and a way forward for a kind of limited dynamic innovation in North America.
0:00 - Preamble
2:08 - Intro to Brad and Clare
4:06 - The Principles
8:00 - The Government Against Innovation? For it? How?
17:53 - Children, AI, and Limits
32:33 - "I want to see more dynamic innovation" - Brad
34:20 - Implicitly Christian; Common Sense Values
38:39 - Specific Recommendations?
Other links:
Human Nature Isn't Enough By Brad Littlejohn
The Tech Exit by Clare Morell
Clare Morell's Substack
Brad Littlejohn's Substack
EPPC.org
What Would Jesus Tech is a listener-supported podcast. Support us and receive various perks (some early access to episodes and a bonus mini-episode each month). https://www.patreon.com/WWJT
Today we kick off our new series: Multiplying The Word. We will explore the whats, the whys, and the hows of digital marketing: living in the digital, but not of it. We hope this podcast will help pastors, Christian organizations, and individual believers embrace principles and practices of digital marketing, based on our conversations with leading experts, to multiply the word in our digital world.
We believe you can use social media for good, to share Christian content, for the love of our neighbors and to the glory of God. But how? How can we reconcile all the harms of social media (such as the ways it sucks you into loops of anxiety-ridden dopamine loops) with using it for good?
To help us, we're joined again by Chris Martin. He's written multiple books on the harms of the social internet, and yet he's here to tell you there are ways to use it for good.
0:00 - Intro and Background
3:53 - What's Chris doing? Key insights from his books
10:45 - Reconcile dangerous social media with using it for good?
15:34 - How to build? Audio? Video? Strategies
26:10 - Just post loser
38:20 - Stewardship
53:20 - Navigating different platforms
1:07:40 - Engagement vs Content Engine
Join our Discord here!
To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
In this episode, our two Canadian Christian hosts, Andrew Noble (with a background more in AI and SaaS) and Joel Jacob (with a background more in IoT and robotics), talk through Trump's recent announcements that are pro-AI, pro-crypto, and anti-Canada.
0:00 - Intro
1:26 - CES Trends (Glasses and Robotics & Generalized Tech)
4:30 - 500 Billion for AI
7:46 - Ethical & Environmental Concerns of Massively Scaling AI
14:40 - Canada's Place In All This
21:55 - Tech Oligarchy? Regulation?
Part Two is available for Patreon supporters, including:
27:25 - David Sacks, PayPal Mafia, and Cutting the Red Tape
33:59 - C.S. Lewis' N.I.C.E. Prediction, and How Should Christians Act?
Thanks for your support!
We'd love your feedback for future shows, episode feedback, potential guests, etc..
Reach out at whatwouldjesustech.com
A Christian theology of technology sees both the good and bad in technology; the ways it creates blessings and instills burdens. The Bible has plenty to say about technology. In fact, the bible says that humanity has a technological impulse that began when we were created and will continue into eternity.
To help us unpack Christian Technology Literacy 101, we're glad to be joined by Dr. Keith Plummer. He is the Yoda of Technology & Discipleship with the voice of Darth Vader.
Podcast thumbnail co-created with ChatGPT. (Yes, it's uncanny. We know.)
To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show, visit whatwouldjesustech.com . To join our discord: https://discord.gg/HK2umKDd
AI Agents, Robotics, VR/AR, Crypto and more! While we don't discuss every potential technology shift that could happen in 2025 (Andrew regrets never mentioning self-driving cars and online sports betting), we do go through some of the expected changes that are coming to the world of technology, as well as how those shifts may impact Christians.
0:00 - Intro
2:29 - 2024 Predictions Recap
8:25 - Rise in AI Agents
13:28 - Increasing Tech Polarization
20:37 - Honey Scam and Changing Revenue Streams for Content Creators
24:48 - Crypto will Continue to Grow
34:03 - AGI gods by 2028
35:17 - Continued Growth in AR and VR Tech
41:57 - Impact of Haidt's Research/Book. Momentum in Anti Big Social Media Movement.
50:57 - Closing Thoughts
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/AhCyjHD8
Subscribe to Grandview Church's Thinking About It podcast going through the New City Catechism on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Support WWJT at https://www.patreon.com/WWJT
The digital age isn't that new, argues Jeff Bilbro in his latest book, Words for Conviviality: Media Technologies and Practices of Hope. In this episode of What Would Jesus Tech, we ask him about the book, its thesis, the value of metaphors, the potential pushback from Barba-Kay, how the printed word is not necessarily the more moral medium and more.
0:00 - Intro
5:15 - Print to Digital Thesis
13:30 - Media Metaphors
22:50 - Walking
31:21 - Is Digital Different?
36:09 - Not Nostalgia. Postman Was Wrong (sometimes).
42:57 - Conviviality, Friendship, and Podcasting
You can get a copy of Words For Conviviality, and potentially even a discount code, through Jeff's website here: https://jeffbilbro.com/books/words-for-conviviality/
You can join the WWJT Discord here (invite expires in seven days): https://discord.gg/mrA3W6Jm
WWJT is a listener-supported production. We'd love your support. Sign up here: https://www.whatwouldjesustech.com/
How might we be misunderstanding anxiety and mental health? Is it really an addiction crisis rather than a mental health crisis?
This episode is a far-ranging conversation with WWJT co-host Andrew Noble (PhD Candidate, Nottingham University) and Matthew LaPine, author of The Logic of the Body (PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School). We dive into different visions for viewing human persons, how science might inform our understanding, and Matt's own growth and challenges amidst his work.
0:00 - Intro
05:35 - Undoing the "anxiety as sin" paradigm and The Logic of the Body
15:30 - Is the mental health crisis really a digital addiction crisis?
20:05 - Embodiment and Neuroplasticity
27:10 - Loneliness
30:15 - PhD Experience and Challenges
Matthew LaPine (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is the Christian Education Director at Citylight Omaha. His book, The Logic of the Body, was a finalist for Christianity Today's book of the year in 2022.
Andrew briefly references a tiered Thomistic Anthropology: https://www.whatwouldjesustech.com/all-episodes/a-thomistic-case-for-ai-souls (see links in that episode)
To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
The God of the Scriptures has revealed himself in various ways, but which way does He prefer? In this episode, we have a far-ranging conversation with an expert in Scripture who has also studied media ecology. We dive into why God might prefer some mediums over others, tech criticism and wise adoption, tech in worship, the technology of the book, and even Andrew's new favorite subject, technology and idolatry!
Alastair Roberts (PhD, Durham University) works for both the Theopolis Institute and the Davenant Institute. He participates in the Mere Fidelity and Theopolis podcasts, writes at The Anchored Argosy, tweets at @zugzwanged, and sails the blue sky at zugzwanged.bsky.social.
0:00 - Intro
2:30 - God's Preferred Medium
33:50 - How Should Christians Adopt Technology? New Mediums?
39:24 - Is there a "Christian" tech criticism?
52:32 - Idolatry and Technology Similarities
We reference John Dyer's People of the Screen a few times. We recorded an episode with John discussing his book here.
Read Meditations On Moloch here.
Within the last week, Bluesky has grown in popularity with many Christian authors and pastors announcing that they are moving to the new platform. Some have even considered deleting Twitter altogether.
We hope this episode helps Christian leaders consider whether or not to use Bluesky, as well as better consider how the social internet is changing overall.
In this episode we discuss: What is Bluesky? Why did it grow now? We discuss how the idea of link impression isn't new. It's the new ecosystem of the internet. Bluesky may buck the trend of that ecosystem, but that won't change the internet. Or will it? Is decentralized social media the solution to billionaire control? Or is just another media fad?
Thanks for listening. Note: ChatGPT was used to create one of the background images for the YouTube thumbnail.
Support us at whatwouldjesustech.com
We discuss the results of the election as Christians and technologists.
How impactful were podcasts in this election? Is society moving on from woke rhetoric? What will happen to Elon Musk? To Bitcoin and associated companies? To Christians? To Canadians? This is a wide-ranging conversation between three Christians: Andrew Noble (Technology and Theology PhD Student), Austin Gravely (Social Media Guru), and Joel Jacob (Tech Futurist).
0:00 - Intro
0:59 - Surprised?
3:04 - Voting, Social Media, Podcasts Making The Difference
18:12 - Bitcoin, Regulation, and Internet Culture IS THE CULTURE
26:08 - Tired Woke Rhetoric and Young Men
36:39 - Build Things
39:23 - Impact on Canada
Previous Episode: Internet Culture Is Culture
White Horse Inn's breakdown of Elon Musk's ideology.
Jake Meador's article on The Doug Election and America After the Great Dechurching.
Link to join our Discord. Note: link will expire after 7 days.
Cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Are we underestimating just how radical the upside of AI could be?
Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, recently wrote a five-point essay to outlines how great the benefits of AI might be based upon recent history, current AI technologies, and the potential future of work.
Joel Jacob, Andrew Noble, and Austin Gravely discuss the valuable insights that Amodei offers, as well as the shortcomings.
Link to his essay: https://darioamodei.com/machines-of-loving-grace
We can better understand “internet culture(s)” by examining three categories: fraternity, fandom, and fantasy. We explore Austin Gravely's article in this latest episode.
Join our new Discord server here!
As Austin wrote, "Internet culture is, for most people, the most attractive thing to do at any time of the day or night. Even if you personally participate little in internet culture, your neighbors are likely being reshaped on internet culture’s terms without even realizing it. Sooner or later, you will encounter the formative effects of internet culture in your life. Are you prepared to share the Gospel, defend the Christian faith, and make mature disciples of Christ against a backdrop of the fraternity, fandom, and fantasy that internet culture provides?"
Austin's article at Endeavor: When Internet Culture Becomes the Culture
0:00 - Culture Merges With The Internet
15:50 - Fraternity, Fandom, and Fantasy
28:35 - Digital and Physical Worlds Keep Merging
33:00 - Should Christians Be On The Internet MORE?
Cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
What if we understood the human person, body and soul, in the way of Thomas Aquinas (13th-century AD Christian Theologian) or Aristotle (5th-century BC Greek Philosopher)? Why not both?
Timothy Jacobs is a Thomistic scholar who teaches at The Davenant Institute, an organization that retrieves the riches of classical Protestantism to renew and build up the contemporary Church.
In this episode, we discuss how the body and soul relate. In Thomistic thought (which follows Aristotle), there are five primary "Powers" (which can sometimes each be called "Souls" - which can be confusing). Each of these powers has an important role. Some actions within each power (such as memory within the sensitive power) can be replicated by a machine. Other actions cannot be properly said to be done by a machine, no matter how advanced the AI.
0:00 - Intro & Tim Jacobs
6:15 - Thomistic Psychology Overview
21:00 - Mind and Soul Dualism, "Souls" as Thomistic Powers
35:00 - What about organic substrates? Advanced AI? Pikachu?
47:00 - Knowing God (humans) vs Knowing About God (machines)
Tim Jacob's handout on Thomistic Psychology:
Tim's website: https://www.tljacobs.com/
Tim's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCcF_QqLWOatOO5vHHlzK_Hw
Cohosted by Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
In response to our technological age, many want to adapt a set of disciplines. Many of these disciplines are good. But what if, upon reflection, we realized that our solutions are embedded within a deeper technological problem? What if we are reducing persons to inputs and outputs and expecting machine-like productivity instead of recognizing what it means to be human? In this episode, Andrew, Austin, and Joel are joined by theologian and writer Kirsten Sanders. The article that led to this conversation was: What's the deal with "Rules of Life"?
Also referenced in this episode:
Tending the flame
Modern Mothers
For more of Kirsten's writing, please visit her Substack: In Particular.
0:00 - Intro
3:12 - Quick Questions (Writing, Feedback, Fav Tech, Teen Tech Restriction, Aspiring Theologian Advice, Aspiring Writer Advice)
8:52 - "I think sin, and its opposite, grace, is the chief misunderstanding we are having in our technological age."
20:04 - Beyond the self-correcting impulse
28:00 - Technological concerns
33:50 - Insecure Christians and doing "Enough"
45:00 - Is your life a project?
What Would Jesus Tech is cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show, visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Meta launched a new product. But this is about more than putting Augmented Reality into glasses. This is about mana, power, the blocking of reality, and the myth of progress.
0:00 - Are Glasses The Next Platform?
5:19 - Reasons to be Skeptical
12:14 - Creepy Hidden Cameras
16:28 - S-Curve of Technology Growth
20:58 - Is Progress Good?
25:28 - What Motivates Companies Like Meta?
35:16 - Distracting From Real Human Connection
38:50 - Benefits of AR Glasses
47:13 - What We're Working On
Episode on Neo-Calvinism and Herman Bavinck with Jess Joulstra.
Our first episode on Mark Zuckerberg and the Meaning of Life.
Our episode on Apple Vision Pro.
Austin's article on internet culture.
Andrew's article on how headphones block reality and love.
Cohosted by Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Have you heard of §230? Section 230 of the Communications Act? It's been giving social media companies a free pass ever since the 1990s. But it's all about to change.
The Federal Court (specifically, the federal 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals) recently released an opinion which questions 230 since algorithms in the 2020s aren't like those in 1990s. We break it all down in this episode. Here's a pdf link to the legal document of Anderson vs TikTok (Bytedance, Inc.) that we reference.
0:00 - Intro
0:45 - A girl died: Background to the Federal Court appeal
4:07 - Section 230
8:52 - Control without Responsibility (and Culpability) and Grey Area
18:12 - Morality, Theology, and Technology
27:43 - Regulating Markets and Sharing Responsibility
Please send your ideas, questions, and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley at our website, where you can also support our podcast: whatwouldjesustech.com
In this special edition of What Would Jesus Tech, we are sharing a sermon that Andrew Noble preached at Heritage Grace Church in Kitchener, Ontario. We will be back with more episodes in mid-September.
Please send your ideas and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Cam Pak made Faith Tools: https://faith.tools/
Faith Tools is the best place for Christians to find apps.
But who is Cam Pak?
This is a story all about how Cam Pak's life got turned upside down. So I'd like to take a minute, keep listening here, and Cam Pak will tell you all about his dev & Jesus journey.
0:00 - Who is Cam Pak?
9:10 - Software to Serve the Homeless
20:02 - The Story Before Faith Tools; Sabbath, Sickness, and Solace
38:35 - What is Faith Tools?
45:17 - The Future of Faith Tools?
52:14 - Andrew's Feedback and Ideas for Faith Tools
Please send your ideas and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
What will our future look like and how should we prepare? In this episode, we talk with Adam Graber about his new newsletter, Christianity Tomorrow, and he gives us his four top predictions and one prescription for what Christianity should know going forward.
Adam Graber helps Christian leaders align emerging technologies to their ministry strategy. He is a professional consultant for Christian ministries, a writer for various outlets, including Christianity Today, and the host of the Device & Virtue podcast.
Subscribe to Adam's newsletter.
0:00 - Intro & Banter
3:45 - Prediction 1: We Will Realize Disembodiment Is A Myth
14:23 - Prediction 2: GenAI will even the playing field, drive groupthink, and isolate employees
25:20: Prediction 3: Tech Entrepreneurs Will Keep Using People With Disabilities as a Trojan Horse for Their Disruptive Innovations
36:42 - Prediction 4: GenAI is big. A bigger shift is coming with Big Data and our interaction with computers.
45:28 Prescription: We Must Ask, What Do We Want The Future To Look Like?
As Austin has joined our team, it was time to get to know him. From Pest Control to Apple Computers to Social Media Management, we learn a little about Austin and how God has used him.
0:00 - Intro
2:21 - Conversion
4:55 - Early Optimistic Days in Technology, Church Planting, and Gaming
18:45 - Mentorship
22:15 - RTS
26:48 - Podcasting, Substack, Socials
37:50 - Finding a Tech Balance
45:05 - Spiritual Formation Despite Occupational Hazards
51:02 - Should TGC get off of Twitter since it's so bad?
1:03:00 - Austin's Hopes and Goals
Please send your ideas and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Can we steward God's creation while still making money? What are some ways we should think and act in relation to our planet's resources? Today, cohosts Austin and Andrew speak with Bruce Taylor, who is the founder and President of Enviro-Stewards Inc., which is a social venture that has been selected by B lab as one of the Best Companies for the World by the UN Global Compact Network Canada for their Sustainable Development Goal award.
Enviro-Stewards’ projects for Tim Hortons, Andrew Peller, Southbrook Winery, Dextran, Maple Leaf Foods, Maple Lodge, Campbell Company of Canada, and a food loss project at 50 Food Processors have each won Clean50 national sustainability awards.
0:00 Intro to Topic and Guest Bruce Taylor
1:47 Bruce’s Story
8:34 Why Should Christians Care About the Environment?
12:57 Our Local Bias To Environmental Activism
17:23 Effectiveness vs Impact: Credible, Affordable Journey
22:11 Concepts We Need To Reconsider
25:55 Asking “Why?” to Solve the Real Problem
31:43 Stakeholder Engagement: Understanding Culture
36:06 Enviro-Stewards’ Business Model (https://bthechange.com/business-as-unusual-forging-a-new-model-while-protecting-the-earth-1d0aa1d0489d)
41:30 Bruce’s Opinion On Missions Trips (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBB3CkuRb7E&t=3s&ab_channel=TEDxTalks)
Please send your ideas and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble, Austin Gravely, and Joel Jacob, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Recorded in Ontario, Canada. Original Music by Abigail Neale. Video and sound editing by Peter Behnke. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
The latest Apple ad will be referenced in tech criticism for the next several years. It was so bad that Apple has since apologized for it. But what was so bad? Can there be any good in iPads?
Also, we have a new co-host! Austin Gravely is the former host of the podcast Breaking the Digital Spell and is currently the Social Media Manager of The Gospel Coalition. He is also the Executive Producer of Mending Division Academy, and he works in Youth Ministry at Redeemer Christian Church in Amarillo, Texas.
0:00 - Intro and NEW co-host!
2:02 - Intent and Impact of the Apple Ad
8:35 - Destroying Nature & Misguided Marketing
12:55 - Good in Everything
17:45 - Who Wants an iPad?
22:17 - Tears of Joy in Apple Products
27:16 - Tools Vs Devices
33:15 - Responsibility
39:50 - Would Jesus Use an iPad? Forms of Godliness vs the power of Godliness.
Please send your ideas and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble, Joel Jacob, and Austin Gravley, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Kevin Tuer received his doctorate in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo in 1994, and went on to a number of strategic leadership roles, including VP of Engineering at Control Advancements, Co-founder of Handshake VR, the founding Managing Director of the Candian Digital Media Network, and he currently serves as the Cheif Technology Officer at Communitech.
Today we have a wide-ranging conversation related to Kevin's new initiative, the Good AI program. Good AI helps startups strengthen the development, understanding and implementation of ethical AI. They're helping to build actionable strategies to enable Canada's tech founders to create trustworthy AI products and services, and build a brand that customers know they can trust.
0:00 - Into and Background
6:09 - The Tension Btw Innovation and Responsibility
12:45 - Collectively Working On Ethical AI
20:30 - Innovation as Stewardship
25:10 - Who Do We Hold Responsible for AI Failures?
33:55 - Ethics by Design
41:29 - All Ethics Under God
Please send your ideas and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Recorded in Ontario, Canada. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
What does it look like to listen, to truly listen, in a noisy world?
Today we're joined by Jay Y. Kim, author of Listen, Listen Speak: Hearing God and Being Heard in a Noisy World.
Some Christians emphasize listening as the ultimate form of love, which can lead to passivity. Others emphasize the courageous proclamation of truth, which can lead to arrogance. Jay encourages us to listen and speak and tells us how.
0:00 - Intro
2:01 - Jay's Background
4:47 - Digital Informs, Analog Transforms
8:34 - Are Churches Behind in Using Tech?
16:14 - Fixating on the future vs Prayer
20:45 - Headphones in Grocery Stores
29:05 - Cacophanies, Distress, and Reason
36:53 - Speaking Up On Controversies
48:43 - Awkward Silence on Elevators and WWJD?
Please send your ideas and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Recorded in Ontario, Canada. Original Music by Abigail Neale. Video and sound editing by Peter Behnke. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show, visit whatwouldjesustech.com
A core theme in the movie Everything Everywhere All At Once is how we experience a disconnected, anxious, and nihilistic technological world. The movie was about social media, the Internet, and how the digital age has disembodied us, making us feel like we have access to a multiverse via the World Wide Web.
But now, we have AI. The stability that remains is shifting. In this episode, we recap some of the changes we're seeing in the AI space. We also discuss some key aspects of AI "wrappers" and RAGs (Retrieval-augmented generation), which are being used to increase the accuracy of generative AI models with facts fetched from external sources.
Basically, AI is rapidly changing. This episode tells you what those changes are.
To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech or to support the show, visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Sources/references in this video:
Devin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjHtjT7GO1c
Groq - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UzW_AGX68g
Sora AI - https://openai.com/sora
OpenAI's CTO with a non-answer on where the training data comes from - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAUpxN-EIgU
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Tik Tok Ban https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68556540
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Elon Musk suing Open AI https://www.reuters.com/legal/elon-musk-sues-openai-ceo-sam-altman-breach-contract-2024-03-01/
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Klarna AI Assistant replacing customer reps https://www.klarna.com/international/press/klarna-ai-assistant-handles-two-thirds-of-customer-service-chats-in-its-first-month/
Please send your ideas and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Recorded in Ontario, Canada. Original Music by Abigail Neale. Video and sound editing by Peter Behnke.
What is philosophy? How does it help us in our pursuit to understand how to live in our world? And how does living in our technological world, or "technoculture," affect our beliefs in God? Today we're joined by Dr. Joseph Minich, the author of Bulwarks of Unbelief: Atheism and Divine Absence in a Secular Age.
There are two main parts to this episode. In the first half, we discuss ancient philosophy and it's significance to techies. In the second half, we dive into the thesis of Minich's book, and how our sense of God's existence has changed in our modern secular age.
Minich's Books:
- Enduring Divine Absence
- Bulwarks of Unbelief: Atheism and Divine Absence in a Secular Age
- He is also the co-author of various other works including Protestant Social Teaching: An Introduction, Philosophy and the Christian: The Quest for Wisdom in the Light of Christ, and People of the Promise: A Mere Protestant Ecclesiology.
Other resources referenced:
- Jesus the Great Philosopher: Rediscovering the Wisdom Needed for the Good Life by Jonathan Pennington
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
2:30 - What is Philosophy and Why is it Important for Christians?
7:25 - Joseph Minich's Journey into Philosophy
13:45 - Retrieving Older Philosophical Traditions
19:18 - Retrieving Older Philosophical Traditions
26:54 - The Impact of the Technological Age on Belief in God
35:16 - The Loss of Agency in Modern & Future Labor
45:42 - Reframing Work, Reclaiming Agency, and Finding Purpose
Please send your ideas and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Recorded in Ontario, Canada. Original Music by Abigail Neale. Video and sound editing by Peter Behnke. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
As CES24 proved, robots are on the rise. But is this like an IoT (Internet of Things) fad, or is AI on legs here to stay? Andrew learns from Joel, as he unpacks some of the new technologies making it easier to feel like you're in the same room as someone else. And Joel asks Andrew to assess this theologically as well as practically, for "virtual church" and for each imitator of Jesus.
0:00 - Intro & Background
1:45 - IoT vs Embodied AI - just another trend?
5:40 - CES24, Apple Vision Pro, MetaVision, AR & VR
9:30 - Holotiles, Simulating Smell, and New Tech
11:20 - Don't Underestimate Physicality
17:35 - If The Tech Gets Better Though...
25:33 - What Makes Virtue Church Unacceptable?
31:15 - Would Jesus Use Embodied AI?
Things & Books Referenced
- Figure 01, a humanoid robot being built by a startup called Figure
- Video on disembodied AGI- Sanctuary AI company (shows robot control)
- Video of Disney’s HoloTiles Full Original -
- Lex/Zuck Interview
- Simulating Smell
- Analog Church - Jay Y. Kim
- The Life We're Looking For - Andy Crouch
- What God Has To Say About Our Bodies - Sam Alberry
- Cultural Mandate, Grey Sutanto - Themelios
- Grace Restores Nature - Grace In Common Podcast
- One Assembly - Jonathan Leeman
- What Is A Church? The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith
Please send your ideas and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Recorded in Ontario, Canada. Original Music by Abigail Neale. Video and sound editing by Peter Behnke.
To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show, visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Will Robotics have its ChatGPT moment? Will Elon Musk become a Christian? Will the 2024 elections be overcome by artificial images? From multi-model AI to deepening embodied desires, Joel Jacob (Product at Splunck) and Andrew Noble (Pastoral Ministry at Grandview Church) predict what they think might happen in 2024.
0:00 - Intro
1:45 - Cisco bought Joel's company. Is he out of a job?
4:02 - 2023 trend: increasing mental health concerns for teens
5:45 - 2023 trend: rise of AI
6:45 - Prediction 1: Multi-modal AI & Robotics
9:30 - Prediction 2: The Increasing Artificiality of the Internet (and a pull to embodied relationships)
12:25 - Prediction 3: Small Uptick in "Metaverse" Adoption (AR & VR traction via Apple & Meta)
18:09 - Prediction 4: A Big Tech Leader Will Become A Christian (and conversely, the rise of techno-religion)
27:36 - Prediction 5: The Inflection Point For Robotics
31:19 - Prediction 6: A New Analogue Dating App Is Coming (wildly specific prediction from Andrew)
35:06 - Prediction 7: The Crypto Winter Ends (it will become harder to mine Bitcoin again in April 2024)
Links:
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Rex Woodbury's 2024 predictions
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What Would Jesus Tech website
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Support us on Patreon
Complete our listener feedback survey! Link: https://forms.gle/pmi9jWf65cjGFn2TA
What happened at OpenAI? And why does it matter? How should Christians prepare for a world increasingly mediated through Artificial Intelligence?
In this episode, we brought on the author of the Church and AI Substack, Dave Betts, as well as The Gospel Coalition's Austin Gravely.
Links:
-
Listener feedback survey: https://forms.gle/pmi9jWf65cjGFn2TA
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https://www.churchandai.com/
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https://digitalbabylon.substack.com/
Please send us your ideas and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Recorded in Ontario, Canada. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
We need to get serious about what social media is doing to teenagers without throwing out technology altogether. That's what this episode is about.
Right before American Thanksgiving, a redacted lawsuit between a coalition of 41 US states and Meta (Instagram) was made public. This lawsuit outlines exactly how Instagram has knowingly harmed teens and lied about it to the public. As msn.com put it, "Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta could protect teen girls but puts $270 profit from each of them first: suit."
In this episode, we talk with a veteran youth pastor John Perritt, who is the dad of a few teenagers himself as well as the Director of Resources at Reformed Youth Ministries. We are also joined by Erica Bechtel: mom of three, Instragram influencer (@doityourself_mom), and a volunteer at a local youth ministry.
Together, we aim to support teens and the supporters of teens in this special episode of What Would Jesus Tech.
John's book: Social Media Pressure: Finding Peace Alongside Jesus
Other links mentioned:
Digital Liturgies by Samuel James
Teaching kids how to code with Swift Playgrounds
Chris Martin: Instagram Addicted Your Teenager Because She's Worth $270 to Them
Jason Kint's 20 tweet summary here: X link.
The full 233 page lawsuit between the states and Meta: pdf link.
Please send us your ideas and feedback to the cohosts, Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob, at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Recorded in Ontario, Canada. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
What were the similarities in the last two technological revolutions? How might this affect us in our current age? And how do we make disciples? In this episode, we chat with Jake Meador, the editor-in-chief of Mere Orthodoxy, an online magazine covering the Christian faith in the public sphere. Jake wrote What Are Christians For?, which led to some of our questions, while others (especially related to futurism and C.S. Lewis) were more curiosity-based. We hope you enjoy this episode!
0:00 - Intro
3:30 - Speed Round Questions
7:30 - The Discipleship Gap
11:30 - Similarities In The Industrial And Sexual Revolutions
17:10 - How The Digital Revolution's Placates Analysis Paralysis
22:57 - Could We Have Gone Through The Revolutions More Faithfully?
28:55 - But Won't Future Technology Correct Our Current Problems?
33:02 - Take Advantage of Tech With Mere Orthodoxy?
37:55 - Growing Embodied Communities
44:31 - A Tech Futurist Hypothetical
47:29 - Read C.S. Lewis' Space Triology! Here's why.
Books/Links:
- What Are Christians For?: Life Together at the End of the World by Jake Meador
- In Search of the Common Good: Christian Fidelity in a Fractured World by Jake Meador
- Pandora, AI Girlfriends, and “Reborn” Babies by Nadya Williams
- The Air We Breathe: How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality by Glen Scrivener
- A Quiet Mind to Suffer With: Mental Illness, Trauma, and the Death of Christ by John Andrew Bryant
- Tools for Conviviality by Ivan Illich
- Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology by Neil Postman
- The Space Trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis
Please send us your ideas and feedback to Joel Jacob and Andrew Noble whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com. Recorded in Ontario, Canada. Original Music by Abigail Neale. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Matthew Chan was born in San Francisco, raised in Hong Kong, and is now on a journey that only God knows in full. He's written code for Francis Chan, built apps for The Bible Project, and now he and his friends at Basil Tech are about to launch a brand new product. Matthew is an inspiration for technologists looking to build technology for Christians.
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BasilTech: https://www.basiltech.org/
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BibleDojo: https://www.enterthebibledojo.com/
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ReadScripture: https://www.readscripture.org/
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WeAreChurch: https://wearechurch.com/
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ScriptureLabs: https://www.scripturelabs.com/
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Streetlights Bible: https://www.streetlightsbible.com/
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Larry Hurtado: Destroyer of the Gods
-
WWJT Episode on Dating Apps: https://www.whatwouldjesustech.com/all-episodes/11-yes-christians-should-use-dating-apps-with-ruth-cuthbert
Your comments, questions, and ideas are welcome! Send them our way at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com
Co-hosted by Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob in Ontario, Canada. Original Music by Abigail Neale. Website Design by Zeke Gancena. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
After being laughed off in 2022, the idea of the metaverse is coming back thanks to improvements in AR, VR, and AI. Not only that, but some new chatbots on Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram are concerning.
In this episode, we are joined by digital technology writer Ian Harber to make sense of all these changes. We focus especially on Mark Zuckerberg's latest announcements and products only available in the past week. How should the church respond? What is real? And just how good or bad are these new AI Chatbots?
Ian Harber: https://substack.com/@ianharber, https://twitter.com/ianharber
0:00 - Intro
10:15 - Fast-Paced Change
17:25 - When Will The Metaverse & Metachurch Arrive?
31:52 - Recreate A Dead Relative? What is real?
38:12 - Meta Chatbot Deepdive
Links:
Ian's Deconstruction Story
How To Prepare For The Metaverse
Destroyer of The Gods by Larry Hurtado
Co-hosted by Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob in Ontario, Canada. Original Music by Abigail Neale. Website Design by Zeke Gancena. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Andrew and Joel continue their journey reconciling their love of technology with their love of Jesus. In this episode, they reflect on what they've learned, discuss their future careers in technology and theology, and announce that they'll write a new ebook to help equip local churches to discover a Christ-centered approach to the technologies of our day.
0:00 - Intro
0:45 - Meta Metaverse Updates
3:13 - What is the goal of What Would Jesus Tech?
6:17 - What has Joel learned through WWJT?
12:41 - Joel's future building technology?
18:40 - Will Andrew write a book?
26:05 - New Idea For WWJT
34:48 - Share Your Feedback
Co-hosted by Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob in Ontario, Canada. Original Music by Abigail Neale. Website Design by Zeke Gancena. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
The social internet is shaping us, but how? Samuel D. James says, "Habits create habitats for our hearts; they shape our identity and train our desires." Today we speak with Samuel and learn how our digital habits are even more than habitats, they're liturgies.
Enter to *win a free copy of Digital Liturgies book by following and sharing our posts on social media:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatwouldjesustech/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/WWJTech
- Winner will be selected on September 20th, 2023.
0:00 - Intro
2:44 - Speed Questions - Kids, Church, Writing, Blocking/Distraction App Called Freedom
5:16 - What is Digital Liturgies about?
5:48 - How The Shallows Shaped Samuel
7:35 - Why "Liturgies"?
10:27 - Our Doing Shapes Our Thinking?
15:27 - The Internet Shapes Gender?
21:42 - Wait... what's the "internet" we're talking about?
25:45 - Reading Hyperlinks & Ebooks Shape You
28:45 - The Future With AI
31:03 - Anxiety, The Failure of Therapy, and The Social Internet
43:48 - Magic Wand To Change Things?
48:59 - The Gospel Changes How We Use The Internet
53:05 - Equipping People To Think Theologically About Technology
Books/links referenced:
- Digital Liturgies: Rediscovering Christian Wisdom in an Online Age
- Digital Liturgies - Samuel's Newsletter
- You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit by James K.A. Smith
- The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr
- Terms of Service: The Real Cost of Social Media
- The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling Audio Documentary
- WWJT interview with John Dyer
- People of the Screen: How Evangelicals Created the Digital Bible and How It Shapes Their Reading of Scripture by John Dyer
- Jonathan Haidt's research on After Babel
- iGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood--and What That Means for the Rest of Us
- Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents—and What They Mean for America's Future
Co-hosted by Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob in Ontario, Canada. Original Music by Abigail Neale. Website Design by Zeke Gancena. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
This is a two-part episode. This audio here on the podcast is part one, so listen in to hear more about Luke Miller and why he left his job as a Teaching Pastor to go join a startup.
Part two is over on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/RW\_Ou6jKeWI
This was an amazing conversation, and you'll surely learn something from this episode from Luke Miller, our guest.
Is there a way to use AI to be more present with your local church, rather than less, and improve our digital spaces at the same time? The founder of PulpitAI, Michael Whittle, thinks so. In this episode, Joel and Andrew question Mike on the usefulness and positioning of PulpitAI, going from media ecology critiques to asking about Christian Venture Capitalists.
The announcement Mike first made on Twitter has more than 150,000 views and more than a handful of hate-tweets. But there's more to this story.
PulpitAI is a tool that takes sermon audio, analyzes it, and then creates oodles of content from devotionals, small group discussion questions, social media posts, blog posts, and more.
- To learn more about PulpitAI, visit: https://pulpitai.com/
- You can dunk on Michael's tweets here: https://twitter.com/michaelwhittle
0:00 - Intro
2:29 - Mike's Story
5:54 - The Story Behind PulpitAI?
11:01 - Is this just ChatGPT? (it's not...)
13:30 - Why not help prepare sermons?
16:28 - How does PulpitAI reconcile the value of an embodied sermon with the detriments of social media?
22:08 - Engaging the social media space | People may not like their pastor using AI
28:28 - Mike's hesitation with PulpitAI
31:33 - Don't Trust The Headlines
33:36 - Giving AI an Orthodox Worldview
45:00 - The Christian VC Space
53:05 - The Wrestling With Theology & AI
54:25 - Would Jesus Use PulpitAI?
We feel buried, overwhelmed, crushed, or stretched... why? It is because we feel that something is being done TO us. We live in a new age, an anxious age, and it is (at least partially) the result of a preoccupation with time in our modern moment. Dr. Kelly Kapic has researched this topic and shared his insights earlier this year at Grandview Church.
To watch Kapic's full talk visit: https://www.grandviewchurch.ca/christinculture
Direct YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K24LJtAIzl8&ab_channel=GrandviewChurch
0:00 - Intro
3:14 - Time & What We Feel
5:25 - Contextual Time
9:03 - Clocks and Their Original Transcendent Purpose
16:25 - Cultural Time
22:35 - Efficiency and Godliness
32:15 - Time and Anxiety
33:00 - Joel and Andrew Reflect
Co-hosted by Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob. Original Music by Abigail Neale. Website Design by Zeke Gancena. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
Threads is the fast-growing app ever. Will the hype last? What will this latest algorithm do for us? What will it do to us? And how should Christians and Social Media Managers respond?
In this special episode, we brought in Chris Martin, author of Terms of Service and The Wolf In Their Pockets, along with Wyatt Graham, Executive Director of The Gospel Coalition Canada, to discuss the release of Threads.
0:00 - Intro
1:22 - What's the big deal about Threads?
6:15 - Zelda Master Sword
6:52 - What is Threads in its current form?
11:55 - What's the product roadmap? Impacts? Virtues?
30:40 - Should Christians Use Threads? Should Social Media Managers use Threads? Is it good to be an influencer?
54:01 - Social Media is more real than real life
Co-hosted by Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob. Original Music by Abigail Neale. Website Design by Zeke Gancena. This is episode 32 of What Would Jesus Tech. To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
We can't just critique the effects of technology; we need to cast a vision for embodied life in our technological age. Can we do this in a way that appreciates the goodness of technology? How important is our food? Would Jesus promote food that has been processed through technology? This is episode 31 of What Would Jesus Tech.
Special thanks to Hungry Theologian for joining us on this episode! Be sure to check out and subscribe to his YouTube channel!
0:00 - Intro
7:32 - A theology of food
10:45 - Food at tech company - fake or fortune?
15:14 - Does technology help or hurt our food?
25:48 - Future of food tech & what should we do?
29:30 - Gardening is virtuous but...
32:35 - Joel's history of diets
39:12 - Narrowing Of Modern Diets
43:55 - 3D Printed Food? Impacts?
Resources references:
A Technological Society - Jacques Ellul
Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life: A Philosophical Inquiry - Albert Borgmann
Power Failure: Christianity in the Culture of Technology - Albert Borgmann
God of All Things - Andrew Wilson
Our guest today has written A Christian Field Guide to Technology for Engineers and Designers.
How do we build technology as Christians? What are the principles? Where are the goals the same and where are they different? Derek Schuurman speaks with us today about how we can imitate Jesus in how we build and design tech.
Derek C. Schuurman is a professor of computer science at Calvin University. Prior to arriving at Calvin, he worked as an engineer and taught for many years at Redeemer University. He is a fellow of the American Scientific Affiliation and an Associate Fellow of the Kirby Laing Center for Public Theology. He is the author of Shaping a Digital World: Faith, Culture and Computer Technology (IVP, 2013) and a co-author of A Christian Field Guide to Technology for Engineers and Designers (IVP, 2022).
0:00 - Intro
2:54 - PSpice and Electric Cars
4:48 - Canada vs USA (and Christian education)
7:33 - Egbert Schuurman relation?
8:33 - Design Biblically: Parapets
10:10 - A book FOR engineers and designers? Why?
17:15 - Design Norms - SO KEY!
28:36 - Holistic Worldview With Bavinck and Concern on Agile Development
34:58 - "Redemptive" technology?
36:00 - Applying Design Norms
49:25 - Dreams and Science Fiction
- Links
- A Christian Field Guide to Technology for Engineers and Designers by Derek C. Schuurman
- Shaping a Digital World: Faith, Culture and Computer Technology by Derek C. Schuurman
- Christian Worldview by Herman Bavinck
- Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil
- You Are What You Love - James K. A. Smith
- IEEE - Ethics - https://www.ieee.org/about/ethics/index.html
- AIforGood - https://aiforgood.itu.int/
- DataForGood - https://dataforgood.ca/
- AIandFaith - https://aiandfaith.org/
Co-hosted by Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob
Original Music by Abigail Neale
Website Design by Zeke Gancena
To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com.
This is episode 30 of What Would Jesus Tech.
Apple has just launched a brand new product that they say is as revolutionary as the iPod or iPhone, the Apple Vision Pro. It will certainly change the meta of the metaverse (pardon the pun) and is sure to impact humanity in a variety of ways. As is typical of our tech-heavy episodes, Joel Jacob shares his excitement while Andrew Noble shares his concerns.
What Would Jesus Tech is a podcast where two Christian friends think together about how Jesus would use technology if he lived today.
0:00 - Intro
1:14 - How big of a deal is this?
4:30 - Will Apple succeed where others failed?
8:30 - Eye-tracking and more cool tech
14:12 - Use case and questions of isolation
20:40 - Christian Twitter Takes?
25:30 - Contemplating the use and nature of this tech
Show notes:
-
See episode 2 of the What Would Jesus Podcast - Episode 2, Morality of the Metaverse
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The Life We're Looking For by Andy Crouch
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Microsoft HoloLens 2
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MagicLeap
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Meta Quest 3
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Tesla Demo
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PS2 Eye-Tracking
Co-hosted by Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob
Original Music by Abigail Neale
Website Design by Zeke Gancena
To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
We will soon live in a world where cars drive themselves, brainwaves can be connected to prosthetic legs, and where robots shake your hand. Are you ready for it? Do you see the introduction of more and more technology as a good thing for our society or does it deprive us of opportunities to love God with all our strength? These are the questions we consider in this episode of What Would Jesus Tech. Thanks for listening.
Outline:
0:00 - Intro
1:45 - Quick Questions (Robots, Self-Driving, Idols)
1:41 - Why talk about robotics?
9:35 - What are humanoids? Why?
13:02 - Boston Dynamics - Spot
14:34 - Tesla Bot - Optimus
16:30 - Ameca Robot
17:40 - Love God with all your strength or let the robot do it?
20:01 - The economic argument for building robots
26:50 - Anticipating the future
WWJT Show Notes and Things We Discussed (full links at whatwouldjesustech.com):
- Boston Dynamics
- CNET Highlights coverage of Tesla Optimus Robot
- K-nex Roller Coaster by Chris Bennett on YouTube
- Tesla Self Driving Car vs Everyday Roads by Marques Brownlee on YouTube
- Connect ChatGPT to Boston Dynamics Spot Dog by StucBot on YouTube
- Ameca Robot by Engineered Arts.
- WWJT Episode Quoting Andy Crouch was back in episode 2 on the metaverse NOT the Smart Home episode.
- For Herman Bavinck on the Image of God, see book by Cory C. Brock and Nathaniel Gray Sutanto, Neo-Calvinism, or listen to their podcast, Grace in Common.
- For Augustine on the Image of God, see his book called Confessions.
- For a helpful look at industrialism and its impact, see Jake Meador's book What Are Christians For?
- Evangelical Statement of Principles on Artificial Intelligence
- WWJT episode with Jess Joustra on all things are religious and glorify God -
- FaithTech
- Figure AI
- Sanctuary AI
Co-hosted by Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob
- Original Music by Abigail Neale
- Website Design by Zeke Gancena
To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and to support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
How do we protect our digital possessions? What are some of the underlying technologies used by companies to protect user data? In what way should Christians protect their digital possessions and in what sense might they want to share them with others? In this episode, we tap into Joel Jacob's cybersecurity background, share password tips, and discuss how Christians might want to "keep things safe" today.
0:00 - Intro and thanks
00:55 - Current state of digital security
8:18 - Make Good Passwords
11:12 - Choose Reputable Companies
12:22 - Assess Risk
14:25 - Password Manager Guidance
17:55 - Audit your password use & ask companies to delete your data
19:15 - The Bible says no passwords amongst Christians?
22:05 - Personal private property in Scripture?
26:55 - Security of others?
28:56 - Getting practical, physical and digital security
34:50 - ... guns?
37:00 - Pulling it all together & updates
What Would Jesus Tech is a podcast helping Christians use technology as Jesus would if he were to live today. WWJT is co-hosted by Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob. Original Music by Abigail Neale. Website Design by Zeke Gancena.
To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and support the show visit whatwouldjesustech.com
For too many of us, a sense of rest is merely aspirational whereas digital addiction is a reality. The "platforms" are built by intelligent minds to serve specific purposes. In the same way scientists once explained the negative impact of cigarettes, in this episode we unpack how digital devices entrap us in their trance, and how to get out. Or at least, how Joel Jacob and Andrew Noble are trying to get out, use technology for good, and find our rest in God.
0:00 - Intro
2:10 - How Tech Is Designed
6:15 - How We Get Addicted
10:35 - Social Media Companies Aren't Evil (necessarily)
14:30 - Joel gets called out for not changing routines
22:15 - Getting out of the digital addiction spiral
Notes:
The Power of Habit - Charles Duhigg
How To Start a Startup - Tarun Agarwal
Haggai 1 in NET
You Are Not Your Own - Alan Noble
You're Only Human - Kelly Kapic
To learn more about What Would Jesus Tech or to support the future of WWJT, please visit https://www.whatwouldjesustech.com/
There is "tool tech" such as shovels, violins, and 3D Printers, and then there is "drool tech," which pervades digital space. How do we raise our children well in the midst of these devices fueling distraction and depression? How do we promote creativity over consumption? How do we help our kids live from the hope they have in the gospel rather than for the hope offered in screens?
Nathan Sutherland is the founder of Gospel Tech, an organization that helps parents who are feeling outpaced and overwhelmed as they raise children in a tech world. He joins us today to help us understand the difference between tool tech and drool tech, how to set hudges (not walls) with our kids, and how the gospel changes the way we parent.
Check out Nathan's website, and download free resources today at: https://www.gospeltech.net/
0:00 Intro
1:10 - The Story of Gospel Tech
3:35 - Tool Tech vs Drool Tech
7:00 - Operant Conditioning
12:30 - How to audit tech use with RESET
17:03 - Gospel Tech Parenting
20:00 - Lack of tool tech, AI, and the next generation
34:02 - Building a Hedge
46:32 - Best websites to learn about the appropriateness of certain movies
47:20 - Best websites to learn about the appropriateness of certain video games
48:55 - Bible verses to talk about tech
50:08 - What do you do if you've made a parenting tech mistake?
Notes:
- The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge
- The Mind and the Brain by Jeffrey M. Schwartz and Sharon Begley (not "Schwab")
- Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal
- Andy Crouch's The Life We're Looking For
- Tony Reinke's God, Technology, and the Christian Life
- Andrew Noble's article on parent settings and apps for phone monitoring.
- Apps to monitor a child's screen: Bark, Net Nanny, Qustodio, OurPact, FamilyTime, and MMGuardian
- Common Sense Media
- Plugged In Media
- Entertainment Software Ratings Board
- Haidt, J., & Twenge, J. (ongoing). Social media and mental health: A collaborative review. Unpublished manuscript, New York University. Accessed at tinyurl.com/SocialMediaMentalHealthReview
Thanks for listening to What Would Jesus Tech, co-hosted by Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob. To learn more about the podcast or to support us financially, check out https://www.whatwouldjesustech.com/
Joel Jacob is a Tech Futurist, an early adopter, and an eternal optimist when it comes to new tech. Andrew Noble is a ministry leader, a late adopter, and a tech skeptic. Andrew told Joel it's time to work through our differences and find common ground as two Christians trying to use technology as Jesus would if he lived today. We spend a lot of time thinking about ChatGPT as an example but the question applies more broadly: should Christians have a positive disposition towards embracing new technology?
0:00 - Intro and our default stance toward tech
3:15 - Why technologists feel churches don't support their work
8:05 - In the technology world but not of it
10:04 - AI, the ChatGPT letter, and the future
22:05 - Practically, should we adopt new tech like AI?
28:40 - Technology is an idol
33:10 - The Unpredictability of AI Technology
39:09 - Would Jesus "lean in" to technology?
Links:
- Gary Marcus on A.I. hitting a wall.
- Jay Kim's Digital Church
- The Gospel Coalition Good Faith Debate on Embracing New Technology.
You can join Team WWJT through our website: https://www.whatwouldjesustech.com/
Social media consultant and author Chris Martin joins us on this episode of What Would Jesus Tech to discuss his latest book, The Wolf Their Pockets: 13 Ways the Social Internet Threatens the People You Lead. We dive into the ever-present anxiety that comes with social media, the impact it makes on friendship, and what churches, parents, and leaders should do about it.
- 0:00 - Intro
- 1:17 - The Funnies
- 3:17 - Bird Watching
- 5:36 - Why "Wolf In Their Pockets"?
- 14:40 - Friendship and Social Media
- 20:20 - The Metaverse and Friendship
- 23:35 - Anxiety And How Social Media Erases The Backstage
- 28:25 - How Can The Church Provide Backstage Presence?
- 35:30 - Should A Youth Pastor Post on Social Media?
- 42:45 - Should you give your teenager a phone?
- 46:02 - Thoughts on podcasts?
- 52:50 - The Future of Social Media
Show notes:
Subscribe to Chris Martin's weekly newsletter called, Terms of Service, here: termsofservice.social
Chris Martin's two books:
https://www.moodypublishers.com/the-wolf-in-their-pockets/
https://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/products/terms-of-service-2/
Support WWJT
We've launched a Patreon to give our listeners the opportunity to help us cover the costs of the show. If you sign up, you'll immediately receive access to two bonus mini-episodes on ChatGPT-4 (released March 20, 2023) and Silicon Valley Bank (released March 17, 2023).
Visit https://www.whatwouldjesustech.com/ to join us. And as always, thanks for listening!
How do we imitate Jesus in 2023? There is a growing interest in a particular theological tradition and it helps us answer this question in our modern age. This is not the Calvinism of memes, but the Calvinism of Herman Bavinck and Abraham Kuyper. Our regular hosts, Andrew Noble and Joel Jacob, spoke with Dr. Joustra about this history, the story behind WWJD bracelets, the different ways of answering, "What Would Jesus Do?" and how everything (including technology) is religious.
Dr. Jessica Joustra is one of the leading scholars in this area. She is an Assistant Professor of Religion and Theology at Redeemer University, an Associate Researcher at the Neo-Calvinist Research Institute, and is currently in the midst of translating Herman Bavinck's final volume of Reformed Ethics.
- 0:00 - Intro
- 3:00 - Why study church history?
- 7:15 - Part of the "catholic" church?
- 9:50 - Neo-Calvinism For An Age Like Ours?
- 21:10 - The Story Behind WWJD
- 23:30 - Should we really ask WWJD?
- 33:58 - How Do We Really Imitate Christ?
- 43:25 - How To Imitate Christ In Tech?
- 49:09 - Recommended Resources & Tech In Heaven
Recommended books referenced:
Calvinism For A Secular Age - edited by Dr. Jess Joustra and Dr. Robert Joustra
Reformed Ethics - by Herman Bavinck
The Catholicity of Christianity and the Church - by Herman Bavinck (pdf link)
Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport by Richard J. Mouw
A Secular Age by Charles Taylor
Bavinck: A Critical Biography by James Eglington
Mere Morality by Lewis B. Smedes
Creation Regained by Albert Walters
Christian Field Guide To Technology by Derek C. Schuurman
Modernism and Orthodoxy in On Theology: Herman Bavinck's Academic Orations, Editor / Translator: Bruce R. Pass
When The Kings Come Marching In by Richard J. Mouw
Common Grace by Herman Bavinck (pdf link)
Neo-Calvinism: An Introduction by Cory Brock and N. Gray Sutanto
Digital technology is changing the way we access the Word of God. But this isn't the first time Bible technology has changed. Special guest John Dyer unpacks some of the key findings of his latest book, People of the Screen, including how evangelicals are shaping Bible apps with Hopeful Entrepreneurial Pragmaticism and how Bible apps are shaping us.
Link to all things John Dyer: https://j.hn/
Link to People of the Screen.
Link to From the Garden to the City. (You can hear a great podcast interview with John on this book over at the TheoTech podcast.)
In this episode of WWJT:
- 0:00 - Intro to John Dyer
- 3:05 - Y'all Version (https://www.yallversion.com/)
- 4:40 - The ethics of http://bestcommentaries.com/
- 7:37 - "Tech is neither good or bad, nor is it neutral"?
- 11:00 - A history of the technology of Scripture
- 17:45 - The NAB Version
- 19:28 - How John Studied Digital Bible Use
- 21:53 - What was learned of the differences between book and screen?
- 24:40 - Why do print readers say God is more judgmental?
- 30:40 - The positives of using digital Bibles?
- 32:15 - Why are evangelicals "People Of The Screen"?
- 43:00 - "Hopeful Entrepreneurial Pragmaticism" and evangelicals
- 49:52 - What is the future of Bible engagement? VR? AR?
- 53:27 - What Bible Tech Would Jesus Use?
- 54:15 - Recommended reading
- 58:19 - How to enter for a chance to win People of the Screen
Should Christians be scared of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)? How might we use ChatGPT as a co-pilot to aid us in giving glory to God? How might ChatGPT limit us from discovering truth? Co-hosts Joel Jacob and Andrew Noble hash it all out in this shortened - but deep - version of What Would Jesus Tech.
In this episode:
00:00 - Intro (Andrew Noble)
00:21 - Does Joel Jacob build AI?
01:30 - What is ChatGPT? Should we be scared?
04:30 - Is AI getting "smarter"?
08:20 - Revolutionary but limited; co-pilot not command centre
10:49 - ChatGPT is made in our image
13:04 - Responsibility and moral agency
15:55 - Spirit, soul, and mind
19:00 - New website! whatwouldjesustech.com
Links:
- Logic Of The Body by Matthew A. LaPine
- Compatibilism - Don Carson
- Following Jesus in a Digital Age - Jason Thacker
- The Singularity is Nearer - Ray Kurzweil
- John Calvin and Free Will - Matthew Barrett
- ChatGPT Is A Blurry JPEG Of The Web - Ted Chiang
Please rate our podcast to help support the show! Learn more about What Would Jesus Tech and contact us at https://www.whatwouldjesustech.com/
In the world today, there are more people that play video games than there are who say they're Christians. Is gaming causing a "boy crisis? Is there any good in playing video games? Would Jesus play video games?
To help us on this episode, we spoke with Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, senior writer and faith-and-work editor for The Gospel Coalition. She is also the coauthor of Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age and editor of Social Sanity in an Insta World. She believes that social media should come with a warning label and she recently wrote something that caught our attention, saying, "Let’s play video games under the lordship of Christ and before the face of God."
Check out her original piece on "Gaming Alone" here: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/gaming-alone/
- 0:00 - Intro to Sarah Zystra
- 4:30 - The similarities between social media and gaming
- 6:46 - The Gaming Gender Gap
- 10:18 - How Gaming Is Getting Worse And Better
- 14:50 - Shouldn't We Panic?
- 17:49 - How To Know If You're Addicted?
- 20:03 - A Theology of Play
- 24:21 - Parenting & Video Games
- 29:00 - Parenting, Getting Immersed, and Learning
- 32:14 - A Christian Kind of Video Game?
- 38:42 - Would Jesus Play Video Games?
- 41:05 - Why did Sarah leave Social Media?
Notes & link:
- Listen to TGC's Recorded podcast episode on Gaming Alone: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/podcasts/recorded/gaming-alone/ - (you can find the statistics that Sarah referenced here).
- TGC's Recorded podcast episode on Social Media: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/scrolling-alone/
- Statistica Gaming Gender Gap - https://www.statista.com/statistics/232383/gender-split-of-us-computer-and-video-gamers/
- The Rise of Chess - https://www.chess.com/blog/CHESScom/chess-is-booming-and-our-servers-are-struggling
- FaithTech's "Missional Tech Trends" brief on Video Games - https://faithtech.com/product/video-gaming/
- John Dyer's People of the Screen - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/people-of-the-screen-9780197636350?cc=ca&lang=en&
Joel Jacob joins the podcast today right from CES, the Consumer Electronics Show. He and Andrew Noble show off fifteen innovations and reflect on whether Jesus would ever go to such a consumeristic event. This one has some visuals, so watching on YouTube may be preferable for you. Audio-only will work too!
0:00 - Intro to CES
2:01 - Is CES a religious experience?
4:51 - Smart Baby Carseat
6:37 - Autonomous lawn mower & snow blower
8:53 - A bike that fits in a suitcase
9:18 - The Truth Brush
10:28 - ADHD Test Kit
12:40 - New Cars TV News, multi-colored car
13:41 - Sony and Honda launch electric sedan
14:00 - A Flying Car
15:45 - Smart Oven
16:22 - Smart Shower
16:47 - Personal Infinity Pool
17:05 - The Ring Smart Products
17:45 - Age Technology
18:15 - Smart Urinal
20:00 - Smart Pen
22:48 - Reflections after the conference
24:20 - Does the tech industry only care about rich people?
28:00 - Would Jesus Go To CES?
31:05 - Funding good works, open source, philanthropy etc.
Links and resources referenced:
- Stock video footage from https://www.cesbroll.com/
- Smart Baby Carseat - https://www.babyark.com/
- Autonomous lawn mower & snow blower - https://www.yarbo.com/
- A bike that fits in a suitcase - https://ca.e-scooter.co/icoma-tatamel/
- The Truth Brush - https://www.truthbrush.com/#/
- ADHD Test Kit - https://www.ces.tech/innovation-awards/honorees/2023/honorees/a/adhd-bank-(adhd-genetic-testing-kit).aspx
- Multi-coloured car - https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/04/bmw-unveils-dee-prototype-the-next-level-of-human-machine-interaction/
- A Flying Car - https://www.cnet.com/tech/a-flying-car-futuristic-screens-and-the-tesla-of-the-sea-ces-must-see-highlights/
- Smart Oven - https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/brava-glass-smart-oven-ces/
- Smart Shower - https://www.kohler.com/en/products/smart-home/shop-smart-showering
- Ring Smart Home - https://ring.com/
- Smart Urinal - https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/smart-home/ces-2023-sees-the-launch-of-two-smart-toilet-sensors/
- Smart Pen - https://nuwapen.com/
- Gospel Patrons - https://www.gospelpatrons.org/
- Henry Zoo - Open Source -https://henryzoo.com/
- Timothy Keller's How To Reach The West Again - https://redeemercitytocity.com/reachthewest
What made headlines this year? What technology news should Christians be aware of?
Joel is back! He and Andrew Noble each made a list of their top tech stories. The unpack each story for the uninitiated and discuss the implications from a Christian perspective.
What Would Jesus Tech is a Canadian-made, reformed podcast helping Christians use technology as Jesus would. Send us your ideas and feedback at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com
- 0:00 - Intro, Joel's product update, and Tech layoffs
- 3:02 - Andrew's #1 Story - Twitter Takeover
- 9:20 - Joel's #1 Story - ChatGPT and AI Progression
- 19:52 - Andrew's #3 - Facebook's Struggle Due To Apple's Privacy Changes and Metaverse Flop
- 24:41 - Andrew's #4 - Censorship and Bill C-11
- 28:23 - Joel's #2 - Nuclear Fusion
- 34:20 - Joel's #4 - "Nothing-burger" year's for Crypto, IoT, and Robotics
- 38:24 - Andrew's #5 - Government Hacking
Which is more commended by Scripture?
A) A daily 15-minute quiet time with Bible reading.
B) A throughout-the-day reflection on Scripture.
In this post, Andrew Noble answers that question and describes how to meditate on Scripture, the ways of reminding ourselves of Scripture (according to Deut. 6), and how technology can be leveraged to better take-in Scripture. The Israelites used doorposts to remember Scripture. We should use digital doorposts.
Note:
Joel Jacob is away again but will be back soon.
The first 8 minutes of this video are transcripted here (with links and references included): https://andrewnoble.substack.com/p/the-neglected-practice-of-bible-meditation
The final portion of the video is transcripted here (with links and references included): https://andrewnoble.substack.com/p/228ca664-9c82-4efd-948d-8b8828cedac7
Why does it feel like the Christian world and the tech world speak two different languages? If there's a senior software developer at your church, is the best use of their giftings to click next on the PowerPoint slides? FaithTech exists to bridge the gap between faith and technology. This week Andrew Noble speaks with James Kelly about the story behind FaithTech, how Christians should approach technology, and how Christians can work toward a better world through tech. (Joel Jacob was away on vacation this week - he'll be back soon!)
Outline
0:00 - Intro
0:57 - Story of FaithTech
9:05 - The Three Kinds of Tech
15:45 - Should Tech people leave their companies if they have moral disagreements?
20:10 - What keeps James going through the challenges of leading FaithTech?
26:00 - What did James' wife think of James starting FaithTech?
27:10 - How has the culture's view of tech changed?
32:15 - Digital Sabbath
36:10 - What are strategies for Christians to live counter-culturally with tech?
41:30 - Sabbaticals for all?
43:30 - Some really funky audio
Show notes:
-
FaithTech.com
-
The FaithTech Podcast https://faithtech.com/podcast/
-
Andy Crouch's Tech-Wise Family https://www.amazon.ca/Tech-Wise-Family-Everyday-Putting-Technology/dp/0801018668
James K.A. Smith's You Are What You Love - https://www.amazon.ca/You-Are-What-Love-Spiritual-ebook/dp/B012H10K3G/
- "The Age of Social Media is Ending" - https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2022/11/twitter-facebook-social-media-decline/672074/
Would Jesus use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? How should Christians approach AI with neither fear nor naivety; neither pessimism nor blind futurism? How might we be both innovative with AI and wise to its risks? What does the future hold?
In this episode, Joel Jacob goes deep into one of his personal passions, discussing with Andrew Noble the allure of AI and the essence of this AI technology that may bring robots to life.
For feedback and ideas, reach out to us on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, or send us an email at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com
01:04 - No really though, what is AI?
06:10 - How does AI learn? Intro to Neural Networks.
11:00 - The bias that AI brings
14:58 - The wild future of AI
20:49 - Are AI people, too?
30:30 - Will God reconcile robots to himself?
Show notes:
- Algorithms to Live By by Brian Christian & Tom Griffiths
- The Age of AI - by Jason Thacker
- The Evangelical Statement on Artificial Intelligence - https://erlc.com/resource-library/statements/artificial-intelligence-an-evangelical-statement-of-principles/
- The Singularity Is Near by Ray Kurzweil
Twitter affects us all, even if you never use it. It is shaping what we think of as "public opinion" as traditional news networks increasingly rely on it. It serves as a forum for discussion, and Andrew & Joel discuss the pros and cons of Twitter's approach.
On the user side, the Bible never talks about Twitter but it does talk about how we ought to speak to one another. What is your speed of listening? Is it quick? What is your speed of speaking? Is it slow? When you use Twitter, do you see evidence of the fruit of the Spirit displayed? For some, they need to delete it since it's destructive. For others, tweet more since we need more Christians in this online version of the public square.
0:00 - Intro
1:13 - What's going on with Musk and Twitter?
5:30 - Twitter Future & Past
9:05 - Lack of Context
13:45 - Challenges of Social Media Management
16:05 - Sort By Latest! (and why)
22:30 - How Important Is News?
30:00 - If you deleted, what would happen?
34:34 - Would Jesus Use Twitter?
Links to things, books, and articles referenced:
-
Alastair Roberts on how Social Media lacks context - https://youtu.be/PsVR6vpRFgo
-
Analogue Christian by Jay Y. Kim - https://www.amazon.com/Analog-Christian-Cultivating-Contentment-Resilience/dp/1514003163
-
Neil Postman on Telegraphy - https://andrewnoble.substack.com/i/79295626/a-longer-history-of-substack
-
C.S. Lewis on why schoolboys shouldn't read the newspaper - https://www.afterall.net/quotes/c-s-lewis-on-newspapers/
-
Chris Martin's book "Terms of Service" - https://www.amazon.com/Terms-Service-Real-Social-Media/dp/1087738377
-
Evidence of the harms of social media (meta-analysis by Jonathan Haidt) - https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1vVAtMCQnz8WVxtSNQev_e1cGmY9rnY96ecYuAj6C548/mobilebasic#
-
Research on what happens when you deactivate Facebook - https://www.nber.org/papers/w25514
-
WWJT episode with Wyatt Graham on Working Through Our Tech Differences - https://youtu.be/dkPcO3vnRiA
-
John Dyer's From The Garden To The City - https://www.amazon.com/Garden-City-Redeeming-Corrupting-Technology/dp/0825426685
-
Andrew's controversial tweet - https://twitter.com/nobullnoble/status/1582808738922012672?s=20&t=s3U5MxixTi_1eMPWoW62SA
Working in tech is hard. Our last episode focused on using dating apps and this episode focuses on building them. Burdens can be a good thing, but they weigh us down; we need to encourage one another to work well in this stressful world. We need to work out of our rest that we can find in Christ.
Guests:
Hayden Mills is a Lead Product Manager at a Dating App company.
Dr. David Deepwell is a Software Developer at the University of Calgary.
0:00 - Intro
2:49 - Figma Acquisition
4:05 - How do you bring your Christian identity into the workplace?
7:25 - Why should Christians reflect more on their identity at work?
8:14 - Faithful Presence not Christian Nationalism
10:11 - A Story of Hayden at Work
13:58 - Christian Ethics & Influencing Dating App Development
16:25 - How Do Tech Companies Handle Ethics?
18:41 - We're in Phase Two of the Internet
20:10 - Recognizing The Risks of Rushing Ethical Decisions
23:22 - Understanding the dating space
24:32 - The Dating Algorithm Will Not Save You
27:13 - An Ethical Framework For Building Tech:
27:41 - #1 Build Tech While Loving God & Loving People
34:03 - #2 Working out of rest, rather than for rest
40:41 - #3 Bring Your Full Self To Work - Live By Biblical First Principles
Notes:
Wall Street Journal article about Facebook's algorithm - https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-algorithm-change-zuckerberg-11631654215
Let's get over our dating app stigma and start swiping right to the glory of God. Single Christians should do this, if they so desire and if their conscience allows it, as long as they do so with Biblical principles in mind. We're joined by Ruth Cuthbert, who shares her wisdom on navigating the world of Christian & non-Christian dating apps.
- 0:00 - Intro
- 1:30 - Dating Apps Are...
- 4:10 - Ruth's Experience & Single Stigma
- 7:20 - Joel's Experience & Single Stigma
- 14:50 - How should Christians navigate dating apps?
- 19:30 - What NOT to do & ghosting
- 24:56 - Vulnerability, taking breaks, and checking your heart
- 27:40 - How to go from texting to friends to dating to marriage
- 35:22 - Predictive AI and Dating Apps
- 39:31 - Setting expectations for the "ideal" spouse
- 45:00 - Bots and Final Advice
Links:
-
How To Get A Date Worth Keeping - https://www.amazon.ca/How-Get-Date-Worth-Keeping/dp/0310262658
-
Andrew's former employer - Plum - https://www.plum.io/
-
Skepticism about eHarmony's predictive algorithm - https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/science/skepticism-as-eharmony-defends-its-matchmaking-algorithm.html
-
Modern Romance - https://www.amazon.ca/Modern-Romance-Aziz-Ansari/dp/0143109251
-
Research on how starring for 5+ minutes increases attraction - https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/style/modern-love-to-fall-in-love-with-anyone-do-this.html
-
Tim & Kathy Keller interview #1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ0AcJU4wAo&ab_channel=GordonConwell
-
Tim & Kathy Keller interview #2 - https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/podcasts/gospelbound/tim-and-kathy-keller-share-the-secret-of-a-great-marriage/
Social media is constantly changing. BeReal has entered the scene as an alternative to unmanageable Facebook, algorithm-heavy TikTok, and over-polished Instagram. So would Jesus add his disciples on BeReal if he had lived today?
- 0:00 - Intro
- 1:35 - Did Joel get fired?
- 2:24 - What is BeReal?
- 6:40 - How TikTok is different from BeReal
- 11:20 - Positives of BeReal
- 14:30 - Authenticity is good but overrated
- 16:50 - Why authenticity is overrated
- 21:45 - Expressive individualism & the Lord's Prayer
- 24:30 - Creating social media apps in the midst of economic struggle
- 30:40 - Would Jesus use BeReal?
Links:
-
Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow (system 1 vs system 2) - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11468377-thinking-fast-and-slow
-
Kranzberg's Laws of Technology - https://andrewnoble.substack.com/p/book-review-following-jesus-in-a
-
Luke 12 (fear God rather than man) is the passage Andrew spoke to around 15:00
-
Tim Keller on authenticity - https://youtu.be/R_IBHXVfVeA
-
Brian Rosner on how The Lord's Prayer is an Antidote to Expressive Individualism - https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/prayer-antidote/
-
Chris Martin on What's The Deal With BeReal - https://www.termsofservice.social/p/whats-the-deal-with-bereal
-
BeReal Captures Our Nostalgia for a Time When Social Media Was Boring - The New York Times... https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/24/magazine/bereal-app.html
-
Stratechery - Instagram, TikTok, and the Three Trends - https://stratechery.com/2022/instagram-tiktok-and-the-three-trends/
August 30th, 2022, marks the official release of Jason Thacker's latest book, Following Jesus In a Digital Age. We spoke with him about the so-called neutrality of technology, sharing truth in a post-truth world, and navigating everything digital from TikTok to conspiracy theories.
If we're honest, too many of us are digitally addicted. We think we use social media but social media uses us. Thacker believes that the Bible's wisdom has something to say so that we might better love God and our neighbor.
Outline:
0:00 - Intro
1:40 - Jason Thacker's interest in tech
6:45 - Are technologies good, bad, or neutral?
8:30 - How is technology discipling us?
14:05 - What does it mean to follow Jesus in "a digital age"?
20:44 - How do we navigate platforms like TikTok?
29:18 - Pursuing truth in a post-truth world
38:09 - Could new tech prioritize truth?
45:49 - Being responsible for our digital actions
52:45 - Should Christians do a better job building tech?
55:46 - Rapid fire questions (Twitter, pods, & books)
Links:
https://jasonthacker.com/
Following Jesus In a Digital Age by Jason Thacker - https://www.amazon.com/Following-Jesus-Digital-Jason-Thacker/dp/1087754593/
The Age of AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity - https://www.amazon.com/Age-AI-Artificial-Intelligence-Humanity/dp/0310357640/
Jason's podcast Digital Public Square Podcast: https://jasonthacker.com/digital-public-square-podcast/
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari - https://bookshop.org/books/homo-deus-a-brief-history-of-tomorrow/9780062464347
Top books by Herman Bavinck, ordered from young adult reading level to college-educated:
1) What is Christianity? - https://www.amazon.com/What-Christianity-Herman-Bavinck/dp/1683074203/
2) Guidebook for Instruction in the Christian Religion - https://www.christianbook.com/guidebook-for-instruction-the-christian-religion/9781683072997/pd/072997
3) The Wonderful Works of God - https://www.christianbook.com/wonderful-instructions-christian-according-reformed-confession/herman-bavinck/9781733627221/pd/27221X
Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death - https://www.amazon.com/Amusing-Ourselves-Death-Discourse-Business/dp/014303653X/
A podcast is not a sermon. It's not a lecture. And it's certainly not a book. But it is something like a friendship. The very medium of a podcast is personable and intimate - you literally hear a podcast inside your own head thanks to the earplugs most of us use. But we should never settle for consuming friendships, we need to cultivate our own. In this episode, Joel and Andrew reflect on podcasts and friendships and how they make sense of each other.
- 0:00 - Intro + banter
- 4:25 - Tony Reinke's description of podcasts & what makes them unique
- 7:25 - Why podcasts are like friendships
- 15:55 - Why do we produce a podcast?
- 17:40 - Why creating something is important
- 25:20 - The rise of loneliness
- 27:40 - Cultivating friendships
Links:
-
This episode was inspired & heavily influenced by a tweet from Tony Reinke. See here: https://twitter.com/TonyReinke/status/1528010723107819522?s=20&t=S_k5yehGcJSFglYBkQkglQ
-
C.S. Lewis' The Four Loves - https://www.cslewis.com/four-types-of-love/
-
Bloom's Taxonomy - https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/
-
The Trellis & The Vine - https://www.amazon.com/Trellis-Vine-Ministry-Mind-Shift-Everything-ebook/dp/B09CZFTLCC
-
James Kelly's FaithTech podcast - https://anchor.fm/faithtech-podcast
-
Brad East on loneliness - https://www.bradeast.org/blog/four-loves-loss
-
Tim Keller's sermon on friendship HIGHLY RECOMMEND - https://youtu.be/8Tc4VIQrXdE
Two years ago, the proliferation of a certain technology threw the world into a heated debate. Some wore masks. Others didn't. Many called the other side ignorant. And in the church, some even went so far as to call the other side sinful and apostate due to their masking (or lack of masking). Rather than focusing on the technology of masks themselves, in this episode, we work through a Biblical approach to moral decisions and how Christians should work through disputable matters. This is not easy! But for the good of the church, theologians like The Gospel Coalition's Wyatt Graham have pointed to Romans 14 (and 1 Cor. 8-10) to help church leaders navigate this tension. Joel and Andrew picked his brain on the topic with questions ranging from using the Old Testament for moral instruction to using masks and whether more invasive technologies like masks and Neuralink still fall under the category of "Christian Liberty."
- 1:00 - Romans 14:1-9
- 2:25 - Intros
- 6:17 - Why should people use the Bible for morality?
- 8:50 - Why should Christians use the whole Bible for morality?
- 12:45 - In what ways does the Old Testament apply to us today?
- 17:05 - In what ways is the Bible is misapplied?
- 19:58 - How should Christians apply Scripture today?
- 21:30 - Life isn't simple! We need to be more humble.
- 22:59 - What is this idea of first principles for moral reasoning?
- 26:55 - Does Paul use first principles for moral reasoning?
- 33:50 - How does the idea of "Christian freedom" interact with moral judgement?
- 36:55 - How did the reformation view Christian freedom?
- 38:54 - What are the categories - first principles and secondary matters?
- 43:02 - Should we wear masks for the sake of others?
- 50:01 - What about more intrusive technologies like NeuraLace and Elon Musk's Neurolink? Are they matters of Christian liberty too?
- 57:05 - What is Wyatt's theology of technology? And so how then should we use it?
Links:
Wyatt Graham | Twitter, @wagraham | Facebook, /wyatt.graham1 | https://wyattgraham.com/
Wyatt Graham's TGCC article on Romans 14 - https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/detrinitate/how-romans-14-helps-us-to-work-through-our-differences/
Calvin's Institutes - Chapter 19 - Of Christian Liberty - https://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.v.xx.html
The Gospel Coalition Canada Confererence - Nov. 17-18 - https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/tgcc22/
What we attend to is what we value. We cannot live a life of merely avoiding distraction because we will always be giving attention to something. By definition, a distraction is something that takes our attention away from something else. So what do we value? Do we value scrolling social media newsfeeds? Do we value the ding notifications in the midst of trying to do work? Why are we on our phones so much?
In this episode, we work through what distractions are, how to think about our "attention economy," and how to live a life where our attention is not distracted.
Links:
Alan Jacobs' Habits of Mind in an Age of Distraction
L.M. Sacasas' We Are Not Living in a Simulation, We Are Living In the Past
Andy Crouch's The Life We're Looking For
L.M. Sacasas' Your Attention is not a Resource
Michael Goldhaber's 1997 Wired Essay on Attention Economy
Carl Trueman's The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self
Carl Trueman's Strange New World
Andrew pokes holes in the very product that Joel helped build: a smart thermostat. The smart devices that we increasingly place in our homes have ecological impacts that are hard to assess and harder to predict. First, Joel recaps smart thermostats (1:05), and we discuss whether a so-called "smart home" makes your life easier or worse, including security vulnerabilities (15:00), the allure of big data (21:00), and how personalized optimization impacts family life (31:00). Then we try to bring it all together with the question of whether Jesus would use a smart home (37:30).
We welcome your comments and feedback! Email us at whatwouldjesustech@gmail.com
Things cited:
- Article which references Wendell Berry's argument of extensive (quantity and speed) vs intensive (quality and care).
- The Wendell Barry essay itself.
- Ecobee
- Alastair Roberts on The Ecological Effect of Technology
- John Dyer's From The Garden To The City
To understand a Christian view of tech we must unpack a Biblical view of money.
In this episode, Joel (the Tech Futurist) brings Andrew up to speed on the history of money (2:30) and Bitcoin (8:50). Then we dive into: what Jesus says about money (17:55), not letting money dictate the mission (24:40), giving to your local church (28:30), and the parable of the talents (32:22). Sorry for the slight delay - we both got sick (mild COVID).
Links:
Alastair Roberts' Gospel of Matthew commentary
NIV Audio Bible from Biblegateway.com
Gospel Patterns by John Rinehart
A Historical Survey of how Christianity has viewed Money - Christianity Today
God created us with limits and they are good. As creatures, we do not function in predictable, meaningless motion as a machine would - nor do we exist in every place at once with knowledge of all things as God does. No, we are only human. In this episode Andrew Noble and special guest Scott MacLellan discuss Kelly Kapic's book, "You Are Not Your Own" as well as Scott's job as Director of Engineering at Vidyard and leadership (starting at 27:00) and his work in helping distribute Bibles to 100,000+ people across the world (starting at 32:10).
Links mentioned:
FaithTech
You’re Only Human, by Kelly Kapic
Kelly Kapic interview with Mere Fidelity
Kelly Kapic interview with Collin Hansen on Gospelbound
None Like Him, by Jen Wilkin
Jen Wilkin on Why It’s Good News That God Is Not like Us
Vidyard
The Making of the SHAREBIBLES App (video)
ShareBibles
There are many promises of the Metaverse - promises of connection, engagement, and experience - but will the Metaverse make us more or less like the humanity God created us to be? It comes down to tradeoffs. The Metaverse offers significant improvements compared to current technologies (that most Christians already use!) but will their ease of use be one of their downfalls? Will they perpetuate the problems with consumerism and expressive individualism?
In this episode, Andrew and Joel define what the Metaverse is (1:00), how it may just be like yet another place that Christians will inhabit (9:30), how Christianity prioritizes in-person gatherings (15:00), Andy Crouch's perspective on what it means to be human (20:00), and finally, how the church might engage with the Metaverse (39:55).
Show notes:
Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash
Grace in Common podcast How To Be A Modern Christian
Andy Crouch's The Life We're Looking For
Andy Crouch interview with Good Faith Podcast
Biblegateway Audio Bible 1 Corinthians 5
Brad East Tech for normies article
9marks Ministries and their argument against multi-site podcast.
The CEO of Meta (Facebook) was recently asked, "what is the meaning of life." In this episode of WWJT, we explore his answer. The Bible teaches us that God created us to create, that every person has a purpose, and that even the activity of doing good work can give God great glory.
Links to things referenced:
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Lex Fridman interview with Mark Zuckerberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zOHSysMmH0&t=654s&ab_channel=LexFridman
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Tim Keller sermon on "Made for Stewardship" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHIuteKTQy0&
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Genesis chapter 1 in KJV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiXQmeuHTOY&ab_channel=tmantz625
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Genesis chapter 2 in NIV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY_ydB-6aqY&ab_channel=RyanMorgan
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Tabletalk article on doing work to God's glory: https://tabletalkmagazine.com/article/2018/09/working-unto-the-glory-of-god/
We'll be back with another episode every two weeks. In the meantime, use tech, find rest and give God glory.
A brief introduction to Andrew Noble - Bible student - and Joel Jacob - tech futurist - and what to expect from What Would Jesus Tech, a podcast that explores how the Bible helps Christians navigate a technology-filled world. Welcome to WWJT!