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Who is the new Director of International Justice and Religious Freedom?

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July 13, 2015

Recently, the ERLC was thrilled to announce the opening of an international religious freedom office in the Middle East and the hiring of Travis Wussow as the director of international justice and religious freedom. Travis joins the ERLC team after years of faithfully serving his church and practicing law in Texas. Here are a few more things about Travis that you might not read in a standard bio.

How did you come to know the Lord?

Jesus saved me at the beginning of my freshman year of college at the University of Texas at Austin. In high school, I was an angry young atheist. The summer I left for college, God used two significant things to draw me to himself:

The first was when I stumbled across Park Cities Baptist Church’s homeless ministry in downtown Dallas, Texas. There I met many followers of Jesus that had a joy, peace, and a hope that I knew I lacked. Through the ministry of the men and women at PCBC (and the ministry to me of the homeless in downtown Dallas that PCBC served), God began to show me my sin and reveal the way of redemption.

The second was the Gospel of Mark. I started reading the Scriptures that summer, and when I finished Mark’s Gospel, I had come to actually believe what I had finished reading. The words of the author of Hebrews proved true in my life: his Word is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).

A few days later, a friend invited me to church, and a few days after that, a friend invited me to a Bible study. When the Austin Stone Community Church was planted a few years later, it became my church home.

What are some of your favorite books?

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity – I read this book the summer God saved me, and it remains one of my favorites.

Tim Keller, Ministries of Mercy – Reading this book at the start of my law career, in many ways, initiated a shift that has led me to where I am today. Ministries of Mercy elegantly lays out the biblical mandate to advocate for and minister to the poor.

E.H. Carr, The Twenty Years’ Crisis – This book is a classic in international relations and provides a helpful framework for thinking about foreign affairs. Carr’s assessment of utopianism and realism is as true today as it was in 1939.

Russell Moore, Onward – And if you’ll excuse the shameless plug, I am almost finished reading an advance copy of Dr. Moore’s new book Onward, and it is fantastic. It is essential reading for any believer struggling to understand our role in the world today.

What music is on your iPhone right now?

Austin Stone, “The Reveille, Vol. 2”

Hillsong United, “Empires”

Medeski Martin Scofield & Wood, “Juice”

Sufjan Stevens, “Carrie & Lowell”

Tallest Man on Earth, “Dark Bird is Home”

First Aid Kit, “The Lion’s Roar”

What’s something surprising about you?

When I was in college, I was riding my bike to class and was coming down one of the steepest hills north of campus. Near the bottom of the hill, a young woman was walking to class. Because women are typically impressed by men riding their bikes at high speeds, I decided to eschew my brakes.

A few moments later, I lost control of the bike, launched over the handlebars, broke my wrist and elbow, and separated my shoulder. I still have a screw in my wrist from the surgery that was required a few weeks later.

While I was laying on my back in the middle of the intersection like a dying roach trapped in a bathtub, the young woman ran over to check on me. I told her I was fine. That was not true.

That day—and during the weeks of recovery and physical therapy that followed—I learned an important lesson in humility, self-consciousness and self-forgetfulness.

Tell us about your family

I’ve been married to my wife Katie for eight years this summer. We met at the University of Texas; I was her TA for an undergraduate business class. Don’t worry, we didn’t start dating until three years later, but BA 102 was where the seeds of our love were sown.

My wife is a financial and strategy consultant. She has run her own consulting company for the last four years and is roughly 10 times smarter than me.

Katie and I have two beautiful daughters, Maggie and Jane. I know more about ponies and princesses than I ever thought I would, and I rarely leave the house with at least a little glitter on my clothes.

What do you like to do for fun?

My wife and I both do CrossFit, although you wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at me. I think I have said the phrase “that was truly awful” after every workout I’ve done over the last two years. But for some reason, I keep coming back to the gym. I thought that my days of doing pull-ups were long behind me, but today I’m in the best shape of my life.

I work out at a great gym in Austin called CrossFit Renew. It’s operated by a nonprofit called The For the City Network that is doing vital community development and restoration work in Austin.

What excites you most about your new role?

I long for what the prophet Isaiah calls the “latter days,” when

He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples;and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks;nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:4)

Looking around us, it’s obvious that these latter days are not here yet. But my prayer is that we would be used by God as he brings his Kingdom to Earth, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

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