In an era where materialism is refined in various ways, what does it mean for theism to live with this era? Rather, as progress in understanding materials coincides with technological prosperity through materials, material-centered worldviews such as posthumanism and new materialism are increasing in breadth and depth. However, when this question is transposed into the space of university liberal arts education, the question changes as follows: Can the teachings of Christianity still be relevant in the era of artificial intelligence? This essay attempts to explore an answer to this question. Three reflective approaches are needed for this attempt. First, reflection on where the teachings of Christianity are positioned within university education. Second, reflection on the era of techno-capitalism represented by artificial intelligence. Third, reflection on Christian teachings for university liberal arts education, considering both the Christianity’s position within the era and the characteristics of the era of artificial intelligence. The conclusions for each reflection will suggest Christian literacy, challenges posed by artificial intelligence, and the necessity of Christian teachings in university liberal arts education through the reinterpretation of spirituality. The proposed argument is that, in terms of position, it is Christian literacy rather than Christian missions; in understanding the contemporary situation, it is the two challenges posed by artificial intelligence to humanity; and in facing these challenges, the direction of education should be spiritual education through the reinterpretation of spirituality. The goal of this essay is to present the actuality of this reinterpretation through the methodological concept of transversal traversing. By doing so, it aims to imagine one theoretical alternative on how Christian literacy in the era of artificial intelligence can be applied in the field of university liberal arts education.
Ick-Sang Shin, Assistant professor, Department of Graduate School of Theology, Sungkonghoe Univ.,
Seoul, Korea.
Ph.D.
Журнал “Journal of Contextual Theology”, 2023.