The series will begin with Dr. Stephen Scharper, who will address one of the most significant crisis in our world today, in a lecture at 3 pm on Sunday March 8th entitled: AI, Ethics, and the Fate of the Earth: An Emerging Spiritual Crisis.
In an era of climate anxiety and technological advancement, the conversation surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) frequently centers on productivity, effectiveness, competitiveness, and innovation. Yet an urgent question is not what AI can do, but what it is doing to us—to our planet, our sense of morality, and our relationship with the sacred.
With reference to sacred stories, and touching upon the Hebrew prophets, Latin American liberation theologians, and the work of Thomas Berry, Dr.Scharper will explore sundry ethical dilemmas, environmental consequences, and the spiritual challenges posed by AI, touching on the very question of what it means to be human.
“In a changing and complex world, we want to explore the issues that keep us up at night,” says priest of the parish, Susan Spicer. “We are delighted to have Dr. Stephen Scharper offering the first lecture. He is a thoughtful and engaging speaker, and we feel certain that he will bring much appreciated clarity and wisdom to our understanding.” There will be time for conversation with Dr. Scharper over very good food.
All are invited to attend and supper is on the house. Please register so that we can prepare enough food for everyone. The event is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. To register or to learn more: contact us at (705) 944-5350 or stjohnsida@nexicom.net or visit the church website at www.stjohnsida.com.
Dr. Stephen Bede Scharper is a professor, author, editor, award-winning columnist and public scholar with a special focus on social justice and the environment. He is also Associate Professor at the School of the Environment at the University of Toronto and the Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto at Mississauga. Dr. Scharper’s research and teaching are in the areas of environmental ethics, world-views and ecology, religion and ecology, liberation theology, sustainability ethics, as well as nature and the city.
Dr. Scharper strives to embody the values of public scholarship and a deep commitment to public engagement with environmental and social justice issues. A prolific writer and scholar, he has contributed over 500 reviews and articles to various academic and popular journals, and served as president of the Religious Education Association of the US and Canada, and editor with Orbis Books and Novalis Publishing. Dr. Scharper, a Senior Fellow at Massey College, has taught at McGill University, Prescott College, the University of Waterloo, the University of Vermont, and the University of Notre Dame, where he held the John A. O’Brien Chair in Ethics as a Visiting Professor. His biography appears in Who’s Who in Religion? and Who’s Who in Canada?
The second lecture will be held on Sunday April 19th,when Greg Kennedy will address the climate crisis. He will preach at the 10 am service and offer an afternoon mini-retreat on the climate crisis. The next two lectures will focus on Youth and the crisis of mental health, and changing geo-political realities in our world, all from a Christian faith perspective.
For more information, contact Rev. Canon Susan Spicer at (705) 886-0057.