Pillar 2: Redeeming Technology

While Pillar 1 is all about Christian living at its simplest. Sex, money, relationships, power and technology are all the same in many ways in the sight of God. Live with love and simplicity. 


But, we implement this way of living in different ways in different areas of our lives.


My interest in technology and faith is motivated in part by the 3 big tectonic plates of global economic, social and environmental changes that are colliding at present. Technology is the fault lines between these plates - more on this in a later blog.


But because of the nature of technology and what is happening at present we can focus on technology in the different dimensions of:


A- Harmony with the Creator: .... spiritual transformation

B- Harmony with our Being:    ... psycho-social transformation

C- Harmony with Others:         ... socio-political transformation

D- Harmony with the Creation:... economic-ecological transformation

Harmony with the creator - as the new book From the Garden to the City http://fromthegardentothecity.com/ makes clear that creating things is part of who we are as creating beings. Expressing creativeness in line with a Christian worldview an appropriate calling.


 Harmony with our Being - the use of technology can be valuable to how we live and it can also be damaging. We need to become more aware of how the use of technology changes us for good and bad.


Harmony with Others - Again we can use technology in a way that abuses power or gets in the way of relationships. Rosie's blog - http://faithandtechnology.org/blog/ often deals with issues of living well with technology both with ourselves and others.


Harmony with the Creation:... economic-ecological transformation


This is probably the aspect that where I can make the most insightful comments. Technology has both improved the quality of life for millions over the last 50 years and more progress is possible. However, as lifestyle improve so does resources use. We desparately need technologies that enable us to reduce consumption. Additive manufacturing for example will greatly reduce waste but on the other hand it will have literally unimaginable effects on the global economy.


This four way structure is great way of focusing and thinking more clearly about our relationship with technology and particularly directions for creating postive aspects of technology.