the redemption of technology workshop (theology of technology) by andrew sears
TRANSCRIPT
The Redemption of Technology:Part 1
Dr. Andrew SearsPresident, City Vision University
www.cityvision.edu [email protected]://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewsears
Slideshare: https://goo.gl/ayt2a5 3/18/17
System Building at TechMission and City Vision UniversityIn the past 10 years, TechMission…Matched 69,047 volunteers through ChristianVolunteering.org &
programsFunded 581 full-time AmeriCorps Members & interns for ministries
serving over 22,101 at-risk youth and other populations through City Vision Internships and TechMission Corps
Served over 12.5 million unique visitors through our websitesProvided accredited college courses with 1,088 students through
City Vision UniversityProvided $74.6 million in resources to sites only spending $10.6
million (703% return on investment)
PersonalVocation
Christian Vocation: Love God, Love
Others
Human Vocation:Co-Creators
Technology and Human, Christian & Personal Vocation2. Field Specific• Theology of [your field]• Christian community in
your field
1. General Theology of Work
3. Vocation and life balance is shaped by living in a technology saturated society
Four Questions of Personal Vocation
Calling
What are you good at?
Does the world need?What do you enjoy?
Will the world pay?
Internal Motivation• deep gladness• who we are
External Motivation• world’s deep hunger• what God’s doing//fallen world
Status
Meaning
Status without Meaning• Empty success• Corporate drone
Meaning without Status• Financially unsustainable• Starving volunteer
Internal • Underemployed• Starving artist
External Motivation• Burnout• Joyless worker
“Like a watchmaker, God was forced to intervene in the universe and tinker with the mechanism from time to time to ensure that it continued operating in good working order.” - Isaac Newton
The Power of MetaphorOur Careers Influence our Worldview
Source: https://rickylwilson.wordpress.com/category/devnull/page/2/
The Power of MetaphorOur Careers Influence our Worldview
Christianity(Theology)“Love God, Love Others”
4 Quadrant Theology of Technology &Theology of Work
How do I live my full God-given calling as a Christian technologist?
The Gap for Christian Technologists
4 Quadrant Expertise in FieldsRelated to Theology of Technology Gap of Expertise
Contextualizing “Love God, Love Others” for Your Field
Theology of Work
Universal Worldview• Creation• Fall• Redemption• Restoration
ParticularWorldview Applied to our context. i.e. Theology of• Work• Technology• Art• Science• Culture
Group Discussion Question1. What does good applied theology do? 2. What would a good theology of technology do? 3. What is unique about a theology of technology? 4. What’s the difference between a comprehensive
Christian worldview of technology and a theology of technology?
Common Threads Among Christian Technologist WhoFeel Fulfilled in their VocationThey are good at what they do & respected in their fieldsThey have a vibrant faith, spiritual disciplines and church
community◦They have a strong community of other Christians passionate
about using their field for God and othersThey worked very hard at bridging their field with their
general Christian call of “loving God and Loving others”◦They have found a way to bridge their work with people “love
others” and excel in the human elements of their field◦They have become an expert in a particular aspect of bridging
their field with loving others
Theology of Tech
Theology
(general)
Science &
Religion
Theology of Work
MediaEcolog
y
Theology of Technology TodayCurrently borrows primarily from 4 disciplines
• Counseling & Tech Addiction Recovery• Ethics & Morality of Technology• Media Nutrition• Systems Thinking• Strategic Foresight/Future Studies• Biochemistry of Tech Use• Technology & Media Ministry• Theology of Work in Tech Professions• Technology, Justice & the Poor• Tech Social Entrepreneurship• Sociology of Technology• Technology Policy
Comprehensive Christian Worldview ofTechnology Needs Emerging Disciplines
Christians Globally(in a tech world)
Tech Christians Globally
Tech Christians in U.S.
Tech Christians in Christian Orgs
Professional Tech
Ministers
• 77,500 full-time IT staff• $12.5 Billion IT Budget
• 6.3 million Christians in STEM jobs (71% in computing)
• 50-100 million Christians in STEM jobs
Audiences for Theology of Technology
• Thousands• <$100 million budget
Part 2: From the Garden to the City
https://youtu.be/lZnEFTLFERk?t=1m20s
John Dyer Questions for Discussion1. Consider what Dyer says about technology’s “bent” & the law of
unintended consequences: How do you foresee those consequences while designing a new technology? How do you correct against them afterward? (Give examples.)
2. What are the implications of God’s having created us as embodied creatures (not just minds), and of the Incarnation for how we design tech, especially information & communications technology?
3. Marshall McLuhan famously said “the medium is the message”. In what ways can you see that to be true in the media that we commonly encounter?
4. How can tech that often isolates people be used instead to pull them together into deeper forms of community?
5. How can tech draw people away from spiritual disciplines, and how can it be used - specifically - to foster spiritual disciplines?
Bias Inherent in Technology(from Kevin Kelly’s What Does Technology Want?)
Technology “wants” increasing: Efficiency Opportunity Emergence Complexity Diversity Specialization Ubiquity
• Freedom• Mutualism• Beauty• Sentience• Structure• Evolvability
Technological DeterminismSocial Constructivism Both have Influence(varies by society)
Rural
Urban
Online/
Digital
Agricultural Industrial Information
The Need: Macro-Historical Trends Create a Need for New Focus Areas of Applied Theology
Technology Influenced Megatrends:Fallenness and Redemption
Fallenness Redemption
Growth in deviance Growth in diversityShallow focus &
relationshipsMany options/connections
More distraction & media addiction
More knowledge/informationMore domestic
inequalityLess global poverty
Increased automation/mass unemployment
Increased access to education
Holistic church decrease
Increased specialization
Wal-Mart effect on Churches
Megachurch network growth
Increased access to evil Increased Gospel accessIncreased Capacity for
GoodIncreased Capacity for Evil
1. NetworkedChurch
3. MediaNutrition
2. Education& EconomicDevelopment
21st CenturyRedemptiveCauses
Cause 1: Building the Networked ChurchArchitecture of Catholic Church
Mainframe EraHub/Spoke ArchitectureOne HierarchyCentralizedMonolithicStrength: addressing
problems requiring centralized approach
Problems◦The Pope is not Jesus◦Single point of failure◦Lack of competition
Pope
Hub/Spoke Architecture
Cause 1: Building the Networked ChurchArchitecture of Protestant Church
Pre-Internet Computers & LANs Disconnected/No Interconnection Atomized No hierarchy or denominational
hierarchy Problems
◦ The Body of Christ should not be atomized and disconnected
◦ Weak in addressing problems requiring a centralized approach
Isolated Networks(denominations & churches)
Cause 1: Building the Networked Church Complex organic
interconnection Uses strengths of both
centralized and distributed architectures
Modular Increased specialization Viral spread of the Gospel Problems
◦ TBD◦ Guess: spread of viral cults
Internet ArchitectureFrom: NetDimes.org
Cause 1: Building the Networked ChurchTrend Toward Specialization: Growth of the Parachurch
$-
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
Parachurch $0 $1 $20 $162 $230 $570
Church $1 $7 $50 $108 $140 $300
1800 1900 1970 2000 2007 2025
(in Billions)
62%
66%
60%
Source: International Bulletin of Missionary Research, January 2005. David B. Barrett & Todd M. Johnson. http://www.globalchristianity.org/resources.htm
Source: https://ourworldindata.org/extreme-poverty/
Cause 2: Education and Economic DevelopmentDecreasing Absolute Poverty
95% of economic growth since 2009 went to the top 1%
Cause 2: Education and Economic DevelopmentIncreasing Inequality & Automation
Decline of Farm Jobs
Source: ong depression – azizonomics. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://azizonomics.com/tag/long-depression/
“Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.”
- H.G. Wells
Image from Wikipedia
20th Century Challenge: High School Graduation
Goldin, C., & Katz, L. F. (2010). The Race between Education and Technology. Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press.
Source: (US. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014)
47% of employment in America is at high risk of being automated away over the next decade or two (Frey & Osborne, 2013)
Source: US. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014). Percent of Employment in Manufacturing in the United States (DISCONTINUED). Retrieved November 21, 2014, from https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/USAPEFANA/
The Need for Rapid Growth of Higher Education Globally
100 MillionStudentsin 2000
263 MillionStudentsin 2025(84% of growth in the developing world)
Sources Karaim, R. (2011). Expanding higher education: should every country have a world-class university. CQ Global Researcher, 5(22), 525–572.Lutz, W., & KC, S. K. (2013). Demography and Human Development: Education and Population Projections. UNDP-HDRO Occasional Papers, (2013/04). Retrieved from http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdro_1304_lutz_kc.pdf
137 Million New Students in Developing Countries by 20254.9 billion middle class globally by 2030
10 million+ studentsat $1,000/student
Radically Affordable Mobile Education
The Need for Disruptive Innovation
TraditionalChristianHigher
Education(A few million students
At $10,000/student)
10 xMore Users
1/10th
Cost
Radically AffordableBlended Education
100 million+ studentsat $50/student
You are what you eat.
As a man thinks so is he. - Proverbs 23:7 Paraphrased
We become what we worship.
We become what we behold. - Marshall McLuhan
Image From: http://www.richlandcreek.com/pages/page.asp?page_id=153447&articleId=27982
Unhealthy media useis affecting our:• Relationships• Families/Children• Communities• Relationship with God• Sex lives• Brain function• Personal happiness• Time management• Safety while driving• Work Effectiveness• Political systems• Culture• Life balance
Technology AdvancesMake Things Easier to Do• Pornography, Drugs, Sex, Overeating• All Addictions• Opportunities for the Gospel
Junk Medi
a(Emp
tyEntertain
ment)
Neutral Media
Media for Growth
In person Relationships
(Bible, Christian content/music, education, work,some news and other media for growth)
(some music, games, shallow news, social media)
(Love God + Love Others + Sabbath & Self Care)
Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
Cheap Empty Calories(bread, rice, potatoes)
Dessert
Exercise
Toxic orAddictive
Media
Stop!
Media Nutrition Pyramid Lesson Plan
Provided by City Vision University’s Master’s Program in Technology and Social Entrepreneurship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Television Fast Food
=
Computer Supermarket
Tablet/Smartphone Convenience Store/Daily Trips
=
=
Media Type & Devices Influence Availability of Healthy Media
Media Nutrition Questions for DiscussionFirst write down ideas, then discuss in groups of 2 for 5 minutes1. What things do you need to commit to remove?
2. What boundaries are you willing to commit to in your media use?
3. What healthy habits can you use to replace unhealthy media?
Ideas for a Media Nutrition PlanRemove
◦ All toxic media, addictive games/shows, pornographyBoundaries & environmental choices
◦ Turn off phone/computer notifications, no phones around children, no phone without headset while driving, keep phone out of reach when in bed, no non-work computer activities at work, no TV/games on weekdays, remove addictive games on phone, cancel TV subscription, only check email at fixed times during the day
Replace◦ Media: use Covenant Eyes or Rescue Time, accountability partner, download
sermon or educational apps, create educational YouTube playlists, Bible reading plan in YouVersion, use Hoopla or Overdrive from library, subscribe to Audible, spend 30 minutes each weekend curating nutritious media for week, Replace trashy music in commute media for growth
◦ Add relationships & self-care: dates, nature, hobbies, small groups, meetups, family activities
Homework:Media Nutrition Pyramid Lesson
http://ed.ted.com/on/VoRBADci
PersonalVocation
Christian Vocation: Love God, Love
Others
Human Vocation:Co-Creators
Technology and Human, Christian & Personal Vocation2. Field Specific• Theology of [your field]• Christian community in
your field
1. General Theology of Work
3. Vocation & life balance is shaped by living in a technology saturated society
What are the Implications of a Tech Driven Economy
Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2016-08-02/tech-giants-form-fab-five-to-dominate-stock-valuation-chart
“We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us.”
We shape our careers and thereafter our careers shape our metaphors and worldview.
To the hammer everything is a nail.
Grid 1: Balancing Personal Vocation
Calling
What are you good at?
Does the world need?What do you enjoy?
Will the world pay?
Status Focused (Head/Cognitive)
Meaning Focused (Heart/Affective)
Internally Focused Externally Focused
Where would you draw your focus on this diagram? How do you tend to get uncentered?
Q1 Personal: Nurture (Humanities)(internal-individual: I/mind)
Q2: Physical: Nature (Science & Technology)(external-individual: it/body)
Q3: Cultural (Creative Arts)(interior collective, we)
Q4: Societal (Social Sciences)(exterior collective, they)
Grid 2: A Systems View of Balancing Personal VocationIn
divi
dual
Col
lect
ive
Internal External
• Cultural studies• Anthropology• Ethics• Majority world religions/theology• Art for Others
• Sociology• Law• Economics• Political Science/Politics• History• Ecology
• Humanities • Western Theology• Counseling• Psychology• Art for Self
• Biology, • Chemistry• Physics• Engineering• Healthcare/Life Sciences
Q1 Personal: Nurture (Humanities)(internal-individual: I/mind)
Q2: Physical: Nature (Science & Technology)(external-individual: it/body)
Q3: Cultural (Creative Arts)(interior collective, we)
Q4: Societal (Social Sciences)(exterior collective, they)
___% Actual ___% Ideal
Grid 2: A Systems View of Balancing Personal VocationIn
divi
dual
Col
lect
ive
Internal External
___% Actual ___% Ideal___% Actual ___% Ideal
___% Actual ___% Ideal
1. What domain is yourprofession primarily operating in?2. What percentage of your growth has been spent in each domain? 3. Ideally how would you have focused your growth?
Grid 3: Domains of Learning Currently Ideally
Cognitive ___% ___%
Affective ___% ___%
Psychomotor ___% ___%
What domain is your profession primarily operating in?What percent of your time and effort do you spend in growth in each of these domains?
Tech-Bias in Vocational Dissatisfaction Being in a Tech Saturated World increased the societal bias toward:
◦ Cognitive Learning and decreased emphasis on Affective and Psychomotor◦ Quadrant 2: external-individual, physical (Science & Technology)◦ What happens to vocational satisfaction if a tech driven economy demands
that we focus our growth on cognitive, Q2 learning?Tech & Economic Bias in Myers-Briggs vs. Percentage of the General
Population◦ Introverted (51) vs. Extroverted (49%)◦ Thinking (40%) vs. Feeling (60%)◦ Judging (54%) vs. Perceiving (46%)◦ Sensing (73%) vs Intuitive (27%)◦ What happens to vocational satisfaction if a tech driven economy demands a
dramatically higher percent of people who are Introverted, Thinking and Intuitive than exists in the population?
Source: http://www.statisticbrain.com/myers-briggs-statistics/
“We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us.”
We shape our careers and thereafter our careers shape our metaphors and worldview.
To the hammer everything is a nail.
Tech Impact on Vocation Discussion QuestionsIndividual Exercise: fill in each of the three grid printoutsPair up in groups of two1. Share what you wrote down for each of the grids. 2. Based on these how do you tend to get unbalanced and
off-centered from your ideal? What are the pressures to make you off-balance from your ideal?
3. How does your career and “location in these grids” shape your worldview? In what ways does your career create a bias in you toward solutions that fall in a particular domain (like the hammer and nail example)?
Christianity(Following Jesus)
Q1: Tech Addiction RecoveryQ2: Media NutritionQ3: Christian Media EcologyQ4: Tech Tools, Rules & Policies
Q1: Nurture (Family)Q2: Nature (Biochemical)Q3: CulturalQ4: Social Systems
The Greatest Threat to the Body of Christ…is the pervasive, destructive pornography available through the Internet.- Josh McDowell
Applying Paradigms & Metaphors to Problems
Christianity(Theology)“Love God, Love Others”
4 Quadrant Theology of Technology &Theology of Work
How do I live my full God-given calling as a Christian technologist?
The Gap for Christian Technologists
4 Quadrant Expertise in FieldsRelated to Theology of Technology Gap of Expertise
Contextualizing “Love God, Love Others” for Your Field
Theology of work
Q1 Personal: Nurture (Humanities)(internal-individual: I/mind)
Q2: Physical: Nature (Science & Technology)(external-individual: it/body)
Q3: Cultural (Creative Arts)(interior collective, we)
Q4: Societal (Social Sciences)(exterior collective, they)
• Theology of Technology (current)• Media Ministry• Media Ecology• Theology (majority world) • Ethics of Science & Technology
• Theology of Work• Technology & the Poor• Social Entrepreneurship/Nonprofit
Management• Business/ BAM/Marketplace Ministry• Sociology & Social Psychology• Science & Technology Policy
• Technology & Addiction • Counseling & Recovery • Theology (traditional Western)• Morality of Technology• Personal Psychology of Technology• Humanities
• Media Nutrition• Systems Thinking• Study of Science & Religion• Strategic Foresight/Future Studies• Biochemistry of Tech Use• Science• Applied Sciences
Cognitive Components of a Comprehensive Theology of Technology
Indi
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olle
ctiv
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Internal External
Q1 Personal: Nurture (Humanities)(internal-individual: I/mind)
Q2: Physical: Nature (Science & Technology)(external-individual: it/body)
Q3: Cultural (Creative Arts)(interior collective, we)
Q4: Societal (Social Sciences)(exterior collective, they)
Cognitive• Learning about creative arts• Theology of Technology/Media EcologyAffective• Increase relational time investment• Small groups & church relationships• Culture Making & culture engagement• Transformative Education• Radical Mission Trips
Cognitive• Learning about social sciences & businessPsychomotor/environmental systems• Intentional choices in your environment & surroundings• System making• Business development and engagement with markets• Civics and engagement with political & social systems• Environmental stewardship
Cognitive • Learning in Humanities• Cognitive Therapy • Cognitive learning in churchAffective• Emotional focal practices/hobbies• Counseling & Recovery • Prayer and Meditation• Emotional growth in church
Cognitive• Learning in STEM & Healthcare fields• Media Nutrition & BoundariesPsychomotor/personal environment• Physical focal practices• Physical hobbies: Exercise, hiking, sports• Nutrition & psychiatric medications
Ideas for Developing a Holistic Action Plan for Growth, Life Balance and Recentering Vocation
Indi
vidu
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Internal External
Q1 Personal: Nurture (Humanities)(internal-individual: I/mind)
Q2: Physical: Nature (Science & Technology)(external-individual: it/body)
Q3: Cultural (Creative Arts)(interior collective, we)
Q4: Societal (Social Sciences)(exterior collective, they)
Cognitive• • • Affective• • • •
Cognitive• Psychomotor/environmental systems• •
Cognitive • Affective• • • •
Cognitive• • Psychomotor/personal environment• •
4 Quadrant Action Plan Template
Indi
vidu
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olle
ctiv
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Internal External
Life Balance Discussion QuestionsIndividual Exercise1. List a few specific areas where you would like to bring
change in your life related to ideas discussed in this workshop.
2. Spend 5 minutes brainstorming and writing out ideas using the 4 quadrant plan printout.
Pair up in groups of two: 3. Share what ideas you wrote down.4. Which ideas are you willing to commit to.5. Pray for each other.
PersonalVocation
Christian Vocation: Love God, Love
Others
Human Vocation:Co-Creators
Conclusion: Technology and Human, Christian & Personal Vocation
2. Field Specific• Theology of [your field]• Christian community in
your field
1. General Theology of Work
3. Vocation is shaped by living in a technology saturated society
Potential Next StepsHave your family do our Media Nutrition Pyramid Lesson on Ted EdWatch Our YouTube Playlists for Christians in Technology
◦ Theology of Technology ◦ Technology, Life Balance and Addiction Course◦ Vocation Calling and Purpose of Work◦ Emerging Media Ministry◦ Technology, Cross Cultural Organizations and the Poor
Courses◦ Watch Our MOOC Course on Disruptive Innovation in Higher Education◦ Take Online Courses in Our Masters in Technology and Social Entrepreneurship
Read Books◦ The Digital Invasion: How Technology Is Shaping You and Your Relationships◦ Extended Bibliography
Contact [email protected] 617-282-9798 x101 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/andrewsears ◦ Help join our cause!
Jesu
s
JusticeTe
ch
Christian Social SectorAGRM, CCDA, Salvation Army, Teen Challenge, UYWI, World Vision
Job BoardsInternships.comSimply Hired
Christian Higher Ed for JusticeBakke U, UCC, Eastern, FullerAzusa, Acton, NetInstitute, Christian ABE
Open EducationStraighterline.com,MOOCs, EdXCoursera, Udacity
Nonprofit RecruitingAllforGood, IdealistVolunteerMatch,Guidestar, FB Causes
Tech & MissionsICCM, Lightsys, MAF,GEM, EMI, WIN, OBVisionSynergy, AIBIWycliffe IT, CheckItOut
Tech & MinistryInternet Evangelism Day, Mobile Ministry Forum,YouVersion, ABS, Cru
MSTSMProgram
Tech-Justice Sector
Jesus TechSector
Jesus JusticeSector
City Vision CollegeChristianVolunteeringCity Vision Internships
Tech Christian CollegesAccessED, ACU, Calvin, Taylor, BaylorBiola, Olivet, Fuller, Wheaton, Liberty
Christian TechnologistsChristians Engineering Society, Intervarsity Faculty, Cru FacultyISCAST, Code for the KingdomChristians in Tech (FB & LinkedIn)Indigetous, FaithTech.ca
Vision: Use Technology to Recruit & Educate Christians to Serve the Poor
Christian RecruitingMeetTheNeed, ChristianJobsShortTermMissions, Missions
Christian MediaChristianity Today,Publishers, Radio & TV
Tech PhilanthropyGoogle Grants, LinkedInFacebook, Salesforce, Microsoft
Open SourceDrupal, Moodle
Church Tech & ITLifeChurch, Menlo ParkSaddleback, Willow Creek
Christian RecoveryNACR, Celebrate Recovery
Urban InternshipsMission Year
Churches of the Poor
Christian Higher Ed In Developing Countries
Low Cost Online TrainingLynda.com, Skillshare, Pluralsight
Parachurch ITCru, Intervarsity
Open Data/ContentWikipedia, Open Gov’t, Semantic Web
Christian FundersFoundations, Individuals
Secular FundersFoundations, Individuals,Government, Corporations
Map of Tech& Ministry Organizations
Q1 Personal: Nurture (Humanities)(internal-individual: I/mind)
Q2: Physical: Nature (Science & Technology)(external-individual: it/body)
Q3: Cultural (Creative Arts)(interior collective, we)
Q4: Societal (Social Sciences)(exterior collective, they)
• Theology of Technology (current)• Media Ministry• Media Ecology• Theology (majority world) • Political Ethics of Science & Tech
• Theology of Work• Technology & the Poor• Social Entrepreneurship/Nonprofit
Management• Business/ BAM/Marketplace Ministry• Sociology & Social Psychology• Technology Policy
• Technology & Addiction • Counseling & Recovery • Theology (traditional Western)• Morality of Technology• Personal Psychology of Technology• Humanities
• Media Nutrition• Systems Thinking• Study of Science & Religion• Strategic Foresight/Future Studies• Biochemistry of Tech Use• Science• Applied Sciences
Cognitive Components of a Comprehensive Theology of Technology
Indi
vidu
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olle
ctiv
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Internal External