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Articles

Helping women engage culture in everyday life

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April 12, 2017

Sometimes we struggle to see how tense cultural issues matter to our everyday lives. But it’s increasingly difficult to avoid these cultural debates. For example, a young mom, may not pay close attention to LGBTQ issues—until she takes her children to the playground, finds herself in conversation with a parent of her child’s playmate, and discovers the parent is in a homosexual marriage. Suddenly, the issue is relevant at the playground. Or, a teacher may not think that immigration reform is relevant to her—until she has an immigrant student suffering from anxiety because he fears that his parents might be deported. At that moment, cultural issues are no longer just “issues” but tangible faces, real people.

Yet, when attempting to engage these issues and the people most directly influenced by them, we can often feel inadequate or intimidated. Some of us struggle to have confidence to understand and interact with culturally tense issues from a theological conviction. There can be several reasons for this lack of confidence, whether we feel our education or our knowledge of particular issues is lacking. Sometimes, moms of young children are so consumed with diapers, meal times, and t-ball games that they have little room for desired organized study and discussion. Yet,  as women, we bring a unique voice to cultural issues that our churches and society need. 

A few years ago, I recognized my need to have “iron-sharpening” relationships with other women to help me better engage difficult cultural issues. I decided to meet regularly with a few ladies from various backgrounds and in vastly different career fields. Every single one of these women brings a unique perspective, a thoughtful question, and insightful encouragement to our time together.

Thankfully, you don’t need to start a formal program to have these kinds of relationships for yourself. Though programs have their helpful place in teaching and edifying the church, there are four simple ways to disciple women to be theologically informed about culturally relevant issues in everyday life—whether they’re single, married, career-driven, stay-at-home moms, academically inclined, etc.

1. Teach her to be devoted to God’s Word

If we seek to engage any of these tense cultural issues and the people affected most by them, we must first be devoted to meditating on God’s Word both privately and corporately, as is the case for every believer. The Scriptures are our deepest well of knowledge and truth to draw our theology from, so they should be our first resource to form convictions.

Meditation on God’s Word privately means spending time alone as a student being tutored by the Word through the Spirit. Meditation on God’s Word corporately means being instructed by the teaching from one’s pastor and church. This isn’t a passive action; rather, it’s actively listening like the Jews in Berea: “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men” (Acts 17:11-12). Engaging difficult cultural issues should begin by eagerly receiving and examining the Word.

2. Teach her to get insight

After meditating on the Word, we can read books, journals, or articles as a gateway to receiving a broader perspective on an issue. For example, reading the faith-journey of Rosaria Champagne Butterfield, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey into Christian Faith, gives insight into the joys and hardships of ministering to members of the LGBTQ community.

Likewise, instead of relying on one news outlet to stay current on issues, read three distinctively different outlets to gain comparative perspectives. The point here isn’t to read mass amounts of information, but to read for understanding. There are at least two sides to every issue, and there are often many more than that, so it’s important to heed Proverbs 4:7: “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.”

Not all of us are avid readers, and the thought of reading a book or news articles may be intimidating. Yet, we can be creative with our resources and time. Podcasts and online sermons are also helpful tools to use to gain understanding. We can even listen to these while shopping for groceries, working out, or during kids’ naptimes.

3. Teach her to fellowship and share knowledge

Deep and important insights are gained by studying the Word and seeking understanding. This insight, however, is not meant to be hoarded. It’s essential for us to have regular fellowship with other believing women with the intention of discussing a culturally relevant issue. This can be as simple as a conversation about a book or an article over coffee or while sitting on the back deck.

Having spent time under the instruction of God’s Word and creatively gaining insight on these culturally charged issues, we need to engage in conversation with other believers who can help challenge our thinking on the issue and our theology as well. This does require intentionality, forcing depth and substance in conversation.

4. Teach her to be accountable

Finally, we need to have these conversations with fellow believers for the sake of accountability for our thoughts and actions. It would be better for us to say something heretical in the presence of our Christian brothers and sisters who will lovingly correct us in kindness.

Women, often called gatekeepers who monitor what comes in and goes out of the home, need to be theologically informed and culturally aware in order to fill the void of the uniquely female, Christian voices in society.

Priscilla and Aquila modeled excellent brotherly love toward Appollos in this way: “He began to speak boldly, in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26, emphasis added). Priscilla and Aquila were quick to realize that Appollos lacked knowledge and understanding about the way of God. They didn’t rebuke his passion or fervor, but they held him accountable to the gospel he was preaching and gave him the insight he needed to carry out his public ministry—or, to put it in today’s terms, to engage culture. Opportunities to be sharpened by other believers gives us the encouragement we need to speak boldly with grace.

Women, often called gatekeepers who monitor what comes in and goes out of the home, need to be theologically informed and culturally aware in order to fill the void of the uniquely female, Christian voices in society. This doesn’t require a commitment to a class or a formal program. It requires time in the Word, a love for wisdom and insight, regular fellowship with other believers, and intentional accountability for one’s thoughts and actions when wading through these murky cultural waters. On the playground, in the classroom, or in the grocery story, these practical steps will help us encourage one another to be more confident in “the way of God” and less intimidated by “the way of the world.”

This article originally appeared here.

Laura Thigpen

Laura Thigpen is a pastor’s wife, mom, freelance writer, and an adoption and pro-life advocate. She and her husband, Joseph, serve City Church in Tallahassee, Florida. She has helped start women’s discipleship initiatives, and she writes on these and other topics occasionally for various outlets. Read More by this Author

Article 12: The Future of AI

We affirm that AI will continue to be developed in ways that we cannot currently imagine or understand, including AI that will far surpass many human abilities. God alone has the power to create life, and no future advancements in AI will usurp Him as the Creator of life. The church has a unique role in proclaiming human dignity for all and calling for the humane use of AI in all aspects of society.

We deny that AI will make us more or less human, or that AI will ever obtain a coequal level of worth, dignity, or value to image-bearers. Future advancements in AI will not ultimately fulfill our longings for a perfect world. While we are not able to comprehend or know the future, we do not fear what is to come because we know that God is omniscient and that nothing we create will be able to thwart His redemptive plan for creation or to supplant humanity as His image-bearers.

Genesis 1; Isaiah 42:8; Romans 1:20-21; 5:2; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2 Timothy 1:7-9; Revelation 5:9-10

Article 11: Public Policy

We affirm that the fundamental purposes of government are to protect human beings from harm, punish those who do evil, uphold civil liberties, and to commend those who do good. The public has a role in shaping and crafting policies concerning the use of AI in society, and these decisions should not be left to those who develop these technologies or to governments to set norms.

We deny that AI should be used by governments, corporations, or any entity to infringe upon God-given human rights. AI, even in a highly advanced state, should never be delegated the governing authority that has been granted by an all-sovereign God to human beings alone. 

Romans 13:1-7; Acts 10:35; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 10: War

We affirm that the use of AI in warfare should be governed by love of neighbor and the principles of just war. The use of AI may mitigate the loss of human life, provide greater protection of non-combatants, and inform better policymaking. Any lethal action conducted or substantially enabled by AI must employ 5 human oversight or review. All defense-related AI applications, such as underlying data and decision-making processes, must be subject to continual review by legitimate authorities. When these systems are deployed, human agents bear full moral responsibility for any actions taken by the system.

We deny that human agency or moral culpability in war can be delegated to AI. No nation or group has the right to use AI to carry out genocide, terrorism, torture, or other war crimes.

Genesis 4:10; Isaiah 1:16-17; Psalm 37:28; Matthew 5:44; 22:37-39; Romans 13:4

Article 9: Security

We affirm that AI has legitimate applications in policing, intelligence, surveillance, investigation, and other uses supporting the government’s responsibility to respect human rights, to protect and preserve human life, and to pursue justice in a flourishing society.

We deny that AI should be employed for safety and security applications in ways that seek to dehumanize, depersonalize, or harm our fellow human beings. We condemn the use of AI to suppress free expression or other basic human rights granted by God to all human beings.

Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 8: Data & Privacy

We affirm that privacy and personal property are intertwined individual rights and choices that should not be violated by governments, corporations, nation-states, and other groups, even in the pursuit of the common good. While God knows all things, it is neither wise nor obligatory to have every detail of one’s life open to society.

We deny the manipulative and coercive uses of data and AI in ways that are inconsistent with the love of God and love of neighbor. Data collection practices should conform to ethical guidelines that uphold the dignity of all people. We further deny that consent, even informed consent, although requisite, is the only necessary ethical standard for the collection, manipulation, or exploitation of personal data—individually or in the aggregate. AI should not be employed in ways that distort truth through the use of generative applications. Data should not be mishandled, misused, or abused for sinful purposes to reinforce bias, strengthen the powerful, or demean the weak.

Exodus 20:15, Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:13-14; Matthew 10:16 Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 1:7 

Article 7: Work

We affirm that work is part of God’s plan for human beings participating in the cultivation and stewardship of creation. The divine pattern is one of labor and rest in healthy proportion to each other. Our view of work should not be confined to commercial activity; it must also include the many ways that human beings serve each other through their efforts. AI can be used in ways that aid our work or allow us to make fuller use of our gifts. The church has a Spirit-empowered responsibility to help care for those who lose jobs and to encourage individuals, communities, employers, and governments to find ways to invest in the development of human beings and continue making vocational contributions to our lives together.

We deny that human worth and dignity is reducible to an individual’s economic contributions to society alone. Humanity should not use AI and other technological innovations as a reason to move toward lives of pure leisure even if greater social wealth creates such possibilities.

Genesis 1:27; 2:5; 2:15; Isaiah 65:21-24; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-16

Article 6: Sexuality

We affirm the goodness of God’s design for human sexuality which prescribes the sexual union to be an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman in the lifelong covenant of marriage.

We deny that the pursuit of sexual pleasure is a justification for the development or use of AI, and we condemn the objectification of humans that results from employing AI for sexual purposes. AI should not intrude upon or substitute for the biblical expression of sexuality between a husband and wife according to God’s design for human marriage.

Genesis 1:26-29; 2:18-25; Matthew 5:27-30; 1 Thess 4:3-4

Article 5: Bias

We affirm that, as a tool created by humans, AI will be inherently subject to bias and that these biases must be accounted for, minimized, or removed through continual human oversight and discretion. AI should be designed and used in such ways that treat all human beings as having equal worth and dignity. AI should be utilized as a tool to identify and eliminate bias inherent in human decision-making.

We deny that AI should be designed or used in ways that violate the fundamental principle of human dignity for all people. Neither should AI be used in ways that reinforce or further any ideology or agenda, seeking to subjugate human autonomy under the power of the state.

Micah 6:8; John 13:34; Galatians 3:28-29; 5:13-14; Philippians 2:3-4; Romans 12:10

Article 4: Medicine

We affirm that AI-related advances in medical technologies are expressions of God’s common grace through and for people created in His image and that these advances will increase our capacity to provide enhanced medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions as we seek to care for all people. These advances should be guided by basic principles of medical ethics, including beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice, which are all consistent with the biblical principle of loving our neighbor.

We deny that death and disease—effects of the Fall—can ultimately be eradicated apart from Jesus Christ. Utilitarian applications regarding healthcare distribution should not override the dignity of human life. Fur- 3 thermore, we reject the materialist and consequentialist worldview that understands medical applications of AI as a means of improving, changing, or completing human beings.

Matthew 5:45; John 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Galatians 6:2; Philippians 2:4

Article 3: Relationship of AI & Humanity

We affirm the use of AI to inform and aid human reasoning and moral decision-making because it is a tool that excels at processing data and making determinations, which often mimics or exceeds human ability. While AI excels in data-based computation, technology is incapable of possessing the capacity for moral agency or responsibility.

We deny that humans can or should cede our moral accountability or responsibilities to any form of AI that will ever be created. Only humanity will be judged by God on the basis of our actions and that of the tools we create. While technology can be created with a moral use in view, it is not a moral agent. Humans alone bear the responsibility for moral decision making.

Romans 2:6-8; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Peter 1:5-8; 1 John 2:1

Article 2: AI as Technology

We affirm that the development of AI is a demonstration of the unique creative abilities of human beings. When AI is employed in accordance with God’s moral will, it is an example of man’s obedience to the divine command to steward creation and to honor Him. We believe in innovation for the glory of God, the sake of human flourishing, and the love of neighbor. While we acknowledge the reality of the Fall and its consequences on human nature and human innovation, technology can be used in society to uphold human dignity. As a part of our God-given creative nature, human beings should develop and harness technology in ways that lead to greater flourishing and the alleviation of human suffering.

We deny that the use of AI is morally neutral. It is not worthy of man’s hope, worship, or love. Since the Lord Jesus alone can atone for sin and reconcile humanity to its Creator, technology such as AI cannot fulfill humanity’s ultimate needs. We further deny the goodness and benefit of any application of AI that devalues or degrades the dignity and worth of another human being. 

Genesis 2:25; Exodus 20:3; 31:1-11; Proverbs 16:4; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 3:23

Article 1: Image of God

We affirm that God created each human being in His image with intrinsic and equal worth, dignity, and moral agency, distinct from all creation, and that humanity’s creativity is intended to reflect God’s creative pattern.

We deny that any part of creation, including any form of technology, should ever be used to usurp or subvert the dominion and stewardship which has been entrusted solely to humanity by God; nor should technology be assigned a level of human identity, worth, dignity, or moral agency.

Genesis 1:26-28; 5:1-2; Isaiah 43:6-7; Jeremiah 1:5; John 13:34; Colossians 1:16; 3:10; Ephesians 4:24