BPCIS Update
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE VS BIBLICAL WISDOM
If the Internet has revolutionised our way of life, something bigger has come. Patrick Miller, AI specialist serving with The Gospel Coalition, warns, “AI is an unparalleled technological phase shift so titanic that it’ll make the widespread adoption of the internet look like a skiff [sampan].”
The quote was highlighted by Timothy Weerasekera, our guest speaker at last Saturday’s Annual Presbytery Meeting (21 Sep) when he addressed the 40 presbyters (pastors and elders) and ministry leaders gathered at Emmanuel BP Church. He pointed out, however, that despite AI’s mind-boggling capabilities, it can only dispense knowledge but not wisdom, certainly not biblical and godly wisdom. You may browse his PPT slides “AI: Impacts & Opportunities” available at BPCIS website: bpcis.org.sg
In his response, Ps Ng Zhiwen calls on pastors and leaders, facing the AI challenge, to disciple our people to value and practise what is human (over what is non-human or transhuman), relationship (with real people over what are virtual characters), and truth (over what is false pretending to be true). The full script of his Pastoral Response (first part generated by AI) is also available on our website.
While the frightening capabilities of AI may alarm some, the following assurance by John C. Lennox in his book “2084” (echoing George Orwell’s “1984”) sets things in perspective: “The benefits of good technological progress represent magnificent work in the spirit of a Creator Who has made humans in His image to be creative themselves.” As long as AI remains a tool, and not the master, it can be a good gift from our Creator.
RELIGIOUS HARMONY VS THEOLOGICAL UNIVERSALISM
The visit of the Pope to Singapore over several days (instead of hours,
as with another Pope) surely does honour to our nation. His commendation of the religious harmony which exists in our multi-racial and multi-religious society is well deserved, though President Tharman was quick to point out that such harmony was achieved only through much effort and cooperation over the years.
Christian leaders and those of other communities have been meeting socially and regularly over meals and discussions, fostering bonds of friendship. Such is in line with the prayer urged by Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1-5, “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” For such peace and absence of conflict, we are grateful.
The apostle goes on to say: “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…” A stable and secure society allows us to share about God who desires all people to be saved through the one mediator, Jesus Christ.
Here is where the Pope digresses from Paul when he asserts that “every religion is a way to arrive at God,” adding, “All religions are paths to God. I will use an analogy; they are like different languages that express the divine.” In speaking thus, is he also departing from the Catholic faith?
Dr Roland Chia of Trinity Theological College points to the document Dominus Iesus (2000) which categorically states that “it must therefore be firmly believed as a truth of Catholic faith that the universal salvific will of the One and Triune God is offered and accomplished once for all in the mystery of the incarnation, death, and resurrection of the Son of God… Hence, those solutions that propose a salvific action of God beyond the unique mediation of Christ would be contrary to Christian and Catholic faith.”
Religious harmony is not the same as religious or theological universalism. While the former holds that despite our differences in beliefs, we respect one another, the latter holds that there is no difference in what we believe and eventually we all believe the same thing. Such a position may be politically correct but not biblically or theologically so.
Finally, this is the last update of BPCIS for the year. By the grace of God, we saw a few “firsts” in 2024, as I reported at our Annual Presbytery Meeting. I also shared about challenges faced by our churches disrupted and relocated by major church redevelopment and weaker churches needing urgent help. Again, you can access my report on our website: bpcis.org.sg
Ps David Wong
General Secretary, BPCIS
