Global experts reflect on Cyber Ethics and the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Theology, and Faith
Cyberjaya, Malaysia: During the theological reflection on ‘Cyber Ethics’, Dr Bernard Wong, President of the China Graduate School of Theology (CGST) in Hong Kong, urged participants to critically consider how technology shapes moral decisions and social justice.
Dr Wong described cyber ethics as encompassing “data privacy, online bullying and hate speech, addiction, misinformation, bias, the digital divide, and the echo chamber effect,” stressing that modern technology cannot be seen as a neutral tool.
“Technology nurtures habits in its users,” he said, adding that the more pervasive technology becomes, the more it conditions human behaviour and ethical choices. “This relentless pursuit of ‘faster, bigger, sharper’ risks eliminating freedom, justice, and wisdom,” Dr Wong cautioned.
From a theological standpoint, Dr Wong called for resisting the idol of efficiency and recovering humanity’s true purpose.
“Humanity’s purpose is to hear and obey God, to love God and neighbour, and to build just communities where peace and communion prevail,” he affirmed. “Instead of using technology solely to minimise premiums and maximise profits, Christians are called to reframe goals so that technology is directed towards 'minimising diseases and maximising the fair use of medical resources.'” Similarly, when navigating social media, “Christians can cultivate counter-habits that prioritise 'patience over immediacy, truth over affirmation, and face-to-face community over algorithmic connection’”.
Dr Wong concluded with a reminder that cyber ethics is not merely about technical dilemmas but about aligning human choices with Christian values and God’s redemptive purposes.
In the panel session on “Artificial Intelligence, Theology, and Faith: Intersections,” Dr Kelvin Chong, Assistant Professor in the Chinese Theological Department at Singapore Bible College, raised pressing questions about theology’s role in an age dominated by science and technology.
Emphasising the ethical urgency of engaging with AI, Dr Chong noted that “virtue is something we have overlooked for many decades, and today, virtual ethics has proved imperative,” warning that current AI design relies heavily on utilitarian or deontological frameworks, which remain inadequate for guiding moral action.
Dr Chong proposed an ‘ascetic theology’ as a deeper foundation for ethical AI and suggested, “Ascetic practices deal with character, virtue, and spiritual formation. Ascetic theology is the meta-ethic and solid foundation for praxis. It could be the solution to the current issue of ethical AI.”
He outlined a paradigm for AI design aimed at creating “moral character representation” through ethical datasets grounded in ascetic sources such as the Desert Fathers, the Bible, and other classical writings.
Calling for greater collaboration, Dr Chong emphasised, “We need theologians, ethicists, patristic scholars, and universities to join in this effort. Ethical AI design needs more Christian voices.”
Fr Dr Rajesh Kavalackal CMI, a Roman Catholic priest and Professor of Systematic Theology at the Dharmaram Pontifical Athenaeum, urged participants to engage critically and creatively with the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence, not with fear, but with hope and theological depth.
Opening his presentation with the question, “What does theology, which deals with God, have to do with Artificial Intelligence?”, Dr Kavalackal observed that AI raises profound philosophical and theological questions about human identity, creation, and the future of faith. He warned of a looming crisis, noting that as AI systems demonstrate superior capabilities, humanity’s historical uniqueness, rooted in advanced intelligence and self-consciousness, is challenged, prompting the question, “Who am I?”
Dr Kavalackal cautioned against the “idolatry of technology,” emphasising that dehumanisation comes not from technology itself but from valuing things above God and neighbour. At the same time, he affirmed AI’s potential as an expression of human creativity and wisdom, serving human well-being as an extension of our God-given intelligence.
Central to his reflection was the biblical concept of the Imago Dei. “The core question is what does AI tell us about being human? The Christian symbol of the Imago Dei offers a profound response. It is not a what, but a who — a promise of relationship with God that confers ultimate dignity.”
“The challenge is to ensure that AI serves humanity, fosters authentic community, and protects our planet. The task of theology is to continually read the signs of the times and to remind us that the ultimate meaning of life is not found in a machine, but in friendship with God and solidarity with one another”, suggested Dr Kavalackal.
The presenters underscored both the opportunities and challenges posed by AI, and the urgent need to develop a theological anthropology and ethical framework that can redefine human purpose in this new age.
For photos from the second day of the International Consultation, please click here.
