Theological Anthropology Progressing through Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence can act as a catalyst for progress in theological anthropology in respect to questions about human distinctiveness and the image of God. The chapter starts by assessing what kind of progress is possible in theology, suggesting that progress is possible at the level of theological theory, but likely not at that of doctrine. The advent of evolutionary theory prompted a redefinition of human distinctiveness in non-substantive terms, and ultimately led to richer and deeper interpretations of the divine image: functional, relational, and eschatological. Similarly, engagement with AI can trigger a refinement of theological discourse around imago Dei. Contemplating what might still render humans distinctive in a hypothetical scenario of human-level AI leads to an appreciation of the phenomenological dimension of human nature, and it points to our unique relationship with God as the most fundamental aspect of imago Dei.