David C . Winyard Sr.

Transhumanism is an emerging philosophical and social movement that aims, through technology, to extend human life and radically expand intellectual, physical, and psychological capabilities. Many of transhumanism’s goals overlap the eschatological hopes of Christians, such as the elimination of sickness and death. Yet observers who see transhumanism and Christianity in monolithic terms often portray them as adversaries. Against this view, I argue that within each community are factions that have comparable, but contested, views on God, the divine attributes, and human origins, responsibility, and destiny. As a result, an emerging dialog between particular transhumanists and Christians seeks to shape the future of humanity by integrating the basic commitments of transhumanism and Christianity.

Bruno Latour’s concept of modes of existence offers a framework for both developing and analyzing diplomacy between and within Christian and transhumanist communities. Specifically, Latour’s work allows for the identification of category mistakes that set the terms of intermodal conflicts and dialog. Some transhumanists and most Christians hold beliefs about the nature and meaning of God. Christians believe in a Trinitarian God that is the preexistent, eternal, and personal creator of the universe. By contrast, elements of the transhumanist movement believe that in the future an artificial God will inevitably emerge as an omniscient and omnipotent supercomputer. The attributes, concepts and purposes of God and, by extension, nature lend a basis for developing diplomatic relationships between factions of transhumanism and Christianity.

Diplomacy between transhumanism and Christianity exists via social media and virtual meeting places. At the forefront of this movement is a new Christian Transhumanist Association that I analyze in some depth. It is only a couple of years old, but its leaders have already attracted international attention. Their strategy of theological minimalism seeks to reduce friction among stakeholders. I show that this strategy sacrifices the insights that Christian theology and philosophy could bring to the development of transhumanism. I conclude that in order to affect transhumanism Christians must find ways to apply their insights into personal creator-creature relationships to the challenges of safely developing artificial superintelligence.

Transhumanism is an emerging philosophical and social movement that aims, through technology, to extend human life and radically expand intellectual, physical, and psychological capabilities. Many of transhumanism's goals overlap the eschatological hopes of Christians, such as the elimination of sickness and death. Yet observers who see transhumanism and Christianity in monolithic terms often portray them as adversaries. Against this view, I argue that within each community are factions that have comparable, but contested, views on God, the divine attributes, and human origins, responsibility, and destiny. As a result, an emerging dialog between particular transhumanists and Christians seeks to shape the future of humanity by integrating the basic commitments of transhumanism and Christianity. Bruno Latour's concept of modes of existence offers a framework for both developing and analyzing diplomacy between and within Christian and transhumanist communities. Specifically, Latour's work allows for the identification of category mistakes that set the terms of intermodal conflicts and dialog. Some transhumanists and most Christians hold beliefs about the nature and meaning of God. Christians believe in a Trinitarian God that is the preexistent, eternal, and personal creator of the universe. By contrast, elements of the transhumanist movement believe that in the future an artificial God will inevitably emerge as an omniscient and omnipotent supercomputer. The attributes, concepts and purposes of God and, by extension, nature lend a basis for developing diplomatic relationships between factions of transhumanism and Christianity. Diplomacy between transhumanism and Christianity exists via social media and virtual meeting places. At the forefront of this movement is a new Christian Transhumanist Association that I analyze in some depth. It is only a couple of years old, but its leaders have already attracted international attention. Their strategy of theological minimalism seeks to reduce friction among stakeholders. I show that this strategy sacrifices the insights that Christian theology and philosophy could bring to the development of transhumanism. I conclude that in order to affect transhumanism Christians must find ways to apply their insights into personal creator-creature relationships to the challenges of safely developing artificial superintelligence.

At the Defense Supply Center Richmond, which is responsible for procurement and supply of almost one million parts for military weapon systems, value improvement opportunities abound, but keeping up with changing national priorities makes it difficult to set and maintain project priorities. By gradually shift its focus from reporting procurement savings to improving the overall value provided to customers, the Center's Value Engineering Program has taken strides toward greatly improved long-term benefits to America's armed forces.

Larry Miles' pioneering work (i.e. Classic VE) provided tools to achieve value improvements in products/systems throughout their life cycles. While VE has the most leverage early in a system life cycle, there are many VE opportunities in aging systems, effectively prolonging their useful service life. Today's value paradigm (i.e. Pop VE) appears to exclude post-design VE, ignoring opportunities to improve value through classic methods in the later phases of many systems. Rediscovery and promotion of Classic VE could produce great benefits in many fields, and much greater VE interest in government/defense circles.

Christianity, as the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds define it, holds to essential doctrines of God and the natural order. Among these doctrines are the Trinity: God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; ex nihilo creation; the imago Dei; sin and its effects; the incarnation; salvation through Jesus Christ; the resurrection of the body; divine judgment; and finally, eternal life. Notwithstanding differences in how these biblical doctrines are understood, Christians live in relationship with God, with Jesus Christ preeminent.

In contrast, secular transhumanism aspires to eternal life without reference to Christian thought. Rationalism and materialism are its presuppositions. The origins and history of human life are irrelevant compared with its destiny. Science and technology are transhumanism's means of salvation. The goal is complete freedom from natural limitations, including morphological freedom: the ability to shape our bodies at will, or to eliminate them completely through some form of virtual existence.

Some Christians have sought to integrate their faith with transhumanism. To do this, fundamental Christian doctrines are minimized or denied, the gospel of Jesus Christ among them. Christians can and should uphold traditional biblical Christianity, the Apostles' and Nicene creeds, and the value of special and natural revelation without elevating science and technology to the status of idols.

Progress in science and technology raises the possibility that essential elements of human life could be transformed and enhanced by applications of science and technology. Transhumanism is a philosophical and social movement that believes that such transformations are both possible and desirable.

In several respects, transhumanism’s goals overlap with the hopes of Christians, who long for a Second Coming of Christ and the subsequent elimination of sin, suffering, and death for all eternity. Based on Bruno
Latour’s work, I analyze the superficial similarities between transhumanism and Christianity to argue that diplomacy between Christians and transhumanists is both possible and potentially beneficial.

In developing this argument, I examine a new Christian Transhumanist Association, its leaders, and their diplomatic strategy of “theological minimalism.” I argue that this strategy is flawed because it does not apply the rich insights of orthodox, biblical theology to the most vexing problem of transhumanism development: the threat that an artificial superintelligence could be hostile to human life.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU) is a Christian, co-educational, liberal arts, teaching institution based in the Wesleyan-holiness tradition. In fall 2014, MVNU added a new class to its General Education Core: Science and the Modern Mind. This two-credit class, which is required for all graduates, “explores science from philosophical, historical and cultural perspectives, examining both the robust character of scientific inquiry and its limitations.” Drawing on resources from science, history, and theology, it examines the question: “How do—and how should—science and faith relate?”

To date, several members of MVNU’s School of Natural and Social Sciences have taught Science and the Modern Mind using a number of different approaches. In spring 2016, yet another method employed When God and Science Meet, a National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) booklet produced in 2015 with American Scientific Affiliation support. MVNU’s experience launching and teaching this class, and its use of the NAE booklet, provide insights into the challenges Christian universities face developing students that are prepared to live out their faith in today’s technoscientific world.

Max More, an atheist philosopher and President of Alcor, the leading cryonics organization, describes transhumanism as “a reason-based philosophy and a cultural movement that affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally improving the human condition by means of science and technology.” Through a convergence of technosciences later this century, transhumanists anticipate that a new posthuman species will eventually emerge, one without the limitations of our biological bodies and minds. But for many transhumanists, the technological aspirations do not stop with merely transcending Humanity, Version 1.0. Religious forms of transhumanism are proliferating, with one group declaring its intent to “create God.”

What accounts for the emergence of religious transhumanism? What distinguishes it from “traditional” varieties? What kind of God would transhumanists create? How might this would-be deity compare with the God of the Bible? Exploring these questions can illuminate the issues Christians will confront as enhancement technologies mature and make their way into everyday life and culture.

Transhumanism is a philosophical and cultural movement based on the emerging convergence of several technologies: biotechnology, nanotechnology, information and communication technology (ICT), applied cognitive science, and robotics. Its opponents regard transhumanism as one of “The World’s Most Dangerous Ideas.” Its advocates hold that technological enhancement of human beings is both feasible and beneficial, allowing human beings to transcend our biological constitutions.

As with other controversies, personal choice is often invoked as the primary political means of settling these radical differences. But if choice is the answer, what is the question?

Modern society has traditionally viewed science and technology as progressive, assuming that its products are universally positive. This contrasts with abundant evidence that scientific progress has been accompanied by problems. In some cases, those problems threaten our very existence: weapons of mass destruction, runaway global warming, environmental degradation, and growing social disunity. Hence, belief in mythic science and technology reveals itself as a religious faith, one that goes against scientific reason.

To escape from the circularity of religious faith in science requires that science-religion dualisms be set aside. In their place, it is critical that religion be recognized as an indispensable source of values that allow people to distinguish between good and bad choices offered by science and technology, to decide whether a technological choice is likely to enhance or diminish. Using religious values to make decisions restores the social dimensions of choices, including those at the heart of transhumanism. Most importantly, religious communities are better prepared than individuals to weigh the growing array of choices, and to maintain core human values in the face of technological uncertainties.

In this century, human creativity could reach its ultimate expression in transhumanism: a philosophical and cultural movement based on the belief that technological enhancement of human life (i.e., exceeding therapeutic purposes) is both feasible and desirable.

Transhumanists anticipate a technological convergence (especially in biotechnology, nanotechnology, robotics, information and communications technology, and applied cognitive science) that would overcome the inherent limitations of biological bodies and minds. In their view, these efforts would eventually produce one or more new species—posthumans—having altered (i.e., non-biological) physical and intellectual constitutions and practical immortality.

Christian perspectives on transhumanism vary; some theologians are strongly supportive, but others are strongly opposed. As the technologies of transhumanism mature and converge, Christians must consider what is at stake, the issues that transhumanism will present, and scriptural arguments for and against transhumanism.

Disasters tend to highlight a wide range of natural, social, political, economic, religious, and technological phenomena. When disasters are big enough to attract international attention, large-scale Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR) operations kick in, and the resulting culture clashes complicate the logistics of bringing in and distributing relief supplies.

Expert logisticians from developed countries must avoid the appearance that they exercise authority over local officials. However, they alone may be qualified to manage the processes and technologies involved, especially in developing countries. In addition, those involved in preparing for HA/DR logistics missions must deal with these cultural complications, including the occasional need to act Outside Authority in order to save lives.

This presentation describes the unique challenges of HA/DR logistics: the stakes, the many cultures involved, and the ways in which logisticians and those who support them operate in the absence of clear lines of authority. Lessons learned from major international relief efforts will be described, along with plans to overcome the cross-cultural difficulties through technology.

When U.S. military forces deploy, they require logistics support to achieve their goals, including a wide range of supplies provided by DLA, the military services, contractors, coalition partners, and other agencies. Unfortunately, during the opening phases of recent military deployments, including Operations Desert Shield (1990), Enduring Freedom (2001), and Iraqi Freedom (2003), there were serious problems and delays in setting up distribution infrastructure and processes. To prevent a reoccurrence, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)—in partnership with the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM)—developed the Node Management and Deployable Depot (NoMaDD) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD). The ACTD program is conducted by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Advanced Systems & Concepts.

NoMaDD’s Node Management component seeks to improve the visibility of the flow of materiel through the distribution pipeline, providing accurate and actionable management information to requisitioners, transportation and distribution node operators, and distribution pipeline managers. For demonstration purposes, this will be accomplished through development of Information Technology tools to run on a proven tactical computer system, the Army’s Battle Command Sustainment Support System (BCS3). Web-enabled capabilities will be demonstrated on the USTRANSCOM's Intelligent Road Rail Information Server (IRRIS).

NoMaDD will support regional Combatant Commander (COCOM) physical distribution requirements through development of a Deployable Distribution Center (DDXX) operated by trained personnel and providing consolidated shipping, receiving, cross-docking, storage, communication, and order processing capabilities. The Deployable Distribution Center will be suitable for rapid deployment and operation anywhere in the world.

DDXX demonstrations in Korea and Japan will allow USPACOM to assess the military utility of NoMaDD capabilities. Modeling, simulation, and analysis is expected to illuminate operational issues associated the employment of NoMaDD during a major military deployment.

Review of Religion and the Technological Future: An Introduction to Biohacking, Artificial Intelligence, and Transhumanism, by Calvin Mercer and Tracy J. Trothen. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2021. 266 pages. Paperback; $43.93. ISBN: 9783030623586.

BACKGROUND: From antiquity, all sorts of people have wrestled with questions of truth and how it can be established, and Scripture has much to say on the subject. Concluding his interrogation of Jesus, Pilate asks "What is Truth?" but he does not wait for an answer (John 18:38). Earlier, when Thomas asked the way to heaven, Jesus replied (John 14:1-6) "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." And today, epistemology, the philosophy of knowledge, remains an issue of great importance in many fields, including science and theology.

Robert Boyle is best known as a major figure in the launch of the scientific revolution. He was also, with others, a father of modern chemistry. As a committed Christian, Boyle pursued natural philosophy in order to expose the wonders of creation and glorify God. Recent scholarship suggests that Boyle's legacy is broader than previously thought, going beyond experimental science to encompass the way contemporary society is organized.

Paraphrasing Jesus’ pastoral prayer in John 17, “How can a Christian be in the world, but not of the world?” H. Richard Niebuhr's classic book Christ and Culture examines five ways Christians have answered this question through history. Today, believers can benefit from an understanding of Niebuhr's typology as they seek scriptural principles to guide their cultural relations.