AI & FAITH

Online • Tuesday, January 13 through February 10 • 6:30-7:30pm • Zoom

AI and Faith explores how Christians can faithfully engage rapidly evolving technologies through the lens of Acts 10. Facilitated by Patrick M. Bell, PhD, this five-session discussion invites participants to move beyond fear toward thoughtful, values-driven engagement with AI. Guided by the principles of Accountability, Access, and Agency, the course offers clear, non-technical insights, theological reflection, ethical discernment, and practical steps for faithful participation in an AI-shaped future.

  • Session 1: Faith, Technology, and Our Shared Values • We begin by exploring how faith can guide our use of technology, introducing three simple principles—Accountability, Access, and Agency—to help us reflect on what truly matters.

  • Session 2: Making Sense of AI Together • This session offers a clear, non-technical introduction to artificial intelligence and invites conversation about how our faith can shape the way we use and respond to it.

  • Session 3: Faith Reflections on AI • Together we consider how Christian wisdom, past and present, can help us think faithfully about new technologies and what they mean for our lives and communities.

  • Session 4: When Technology Causes Harm • We gently name the ways technology can be misused and talk about faithful, practical responses rooted in care for one another and the common good.

  • Session 5: Hopeful Faith in a Changing World • We bring our conversations together, focusing on hope, discernment, and simple next steps for living faithfully as technology continues to change around us.

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Your Facilitator

Patrick M. Bell, PhD, has over 30 years of experience teaching, advising, and evaluating policy at the intersection of government, security, and technology. He has taught at Florida International University, The George Washington University, and the National Defence College of the United Arab Emirates, and most recently accepted an appointment to the U.S. Department of Defense’s National Defense University at the College of Information and Cyberspace. Dr. Bell has held positions within the U.S. Departments of Defense and Treasury and has consulted with governments at every level, from local to international. His current work includes evaluating the impact of generative artificial intelligence through the United Nations Internet Governance Forum’s Policy Network on Artificial Intelligence. In addition to his professional work, Dr. Bell has been an active member of the United Methodist Church for over 40 years, serving as a lay leader in South Florida and on church councils in both Florida and the United Arab Emirates.