The Pacific School of Religion (PSR), a progressive and interdenominational theological seminary, has announced its 2024 Earl Lecture Series titled “Disruptive AI, Christian Nationalism, and Democracy,” which will commence on September 17. Given the rapid development of AI and the increasing prominence of the Christian Nationalism movement, PSR seeks to provide spiritual leaders, activists, and professionals with the necessary tools to effectively engage with these critical intersections.
Featured speakers Dr. John Robichaux, Executive Director for UC Berkeley’s Coleman Fung Institute, and Dr. Susan Abraham, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of PSR, will explore the relationship of AI and religion, the risks each poses to democracy, and the potential of both for marginalized and faith-based communities.
The free and public four-week series will be held both in person and online. It will feature lectures and a screening of the documentary film, “Bad Faith: Christian Nationalism’s Unholy War on Democracy.” This series continues the 157-year legacy of PSR’s commitment to social justice. It is a continuation of the historic Earl Lectures, which have featured public figures such as Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, Elie Wiesel, and Theodore Roosevelt.
“At Pacific School of Religion, we’re called to engage with these current issues through the frameworks of redemptive social justice,” said Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy, President of PSR. “With AI raising contentious debate of ethical and moral concerns and the backdrop of rising Christian nationalism, our aim is to outline the possibilities that religion and technology offer for leveraging human capacity to create a world where all can thrive.”