This post is part five of a five-part series reflecting on each session of a conference hosted by Notre Dame University. It was led by Christopher Watkin (Associate Professor of French Studies at Monash University, Melbourne). The goal of the conference, and goal of these reflections, was to engage thoughtfully with AI from a Christian perspective, consistent with our vision at Barker as a Christian leader in education.

Artificial intelligence promises a future of remarkable possibility. A 2024 Microsoft Copilot advertisement presented a vision of almost limitless human capability, suggesting that technology can help us achieve whatever we desire. The implicit question in the commercial is intoxicatingly simple: With no boundaries, ‘What do I want to do next?’

Yet there is another set of questions that technology cannot answer: What must I receive today? What kind of wisdom cannot be automated? What forms of excellence still require patience, apprenticeship, and submission to reality? (Those of us participating in school life will immediately jump to education and learning as one example of a form of excellence requiring “patience, apprenticeship, and submission to reality”.)

In his final session Christopher Watkin explored three ways human beings relate to the world.

The first is poiesis (making), where the world becomes raw material to be shaped according to our desires. This outlook is increasingly reflected in AI culture, where flourishing is defined by our ability to generate, optimise, and scale.

The second is mimesis (imitation), where we seek models and ideals to copy. Social media trends such as "looksmaxing" illustrate this instinct, encouraging people to imitate admired forms of beauty, success, or influence.

The third is methexis (participation). Rather than creating reality from scratch or merely copying others, methexis invites us to participate in a reality that precedes us and will continue after us. We are not autonomous creators. We are participants in God's world.

According to Watkin, modern people often oscillate between poiesis and mimesis, attempting to be both sovereign creators and imitators at the same time. The result is a fragmented vision of human flourishing. The biblical alternative is participation.

This distinction is crucial for thinking about AI.

Artificial intelligence can generate content (poiesis) and mimic human communication (mimesis) with astonishing effectiveness. What it cannot do is participate (methexis). AI does not inhabit the world, form relationships, bear responsibility, or share in the joys and sacrifices that give human life meaning.

Participation requires limitation. Our finiteness forces us to make choices, accept trade-offs, and embrace sacrifice. Ironically, these limitations are not obstacles to meaning but one of its primary sources. A holiday is precious because our work is limited. Relationships matter because our time is finite. Sacrifice carries weight because our lives are not infinitely repeatable.

The Bible describes humanity's role as one of active reception. In Genesis, Adam and Eve are called to rule and cultivate creation, but always as creatures receiving God's world as a gift. Human beings are neither passive observers nor sovereign masters. We receive meaning and purpose from God and actively participate in his creation.

This posture is essential as we navigate the age of AI. Job 28 celebrates human ingenuity and technological achievement, yet it asks a deeper question: "But where can wisdom be found?" The answer is that wisdom cannot be engineered, purchased, or automated. It begins with God.

The fear of the Lord reminds us that we are creatures, not sovereigns; that reality is given, not merely constructed; that power is accountable; and that our actions ultimately stand before God.

As AI becomes increasingly powerful, the greatest challenge (and opportunity) is not found in technological capability but wisdom. The future will demand more than intelligence. It will require communities that receive the world as a gift, love their neighbors, and seek wisdom before power.

In an age captivated by artificial intelligence, these may be the most human practices of all.

Click here to return to Part 1 of this five part series.

Rev. Craig Tubman

Craig Tubman serves as the Community Chaplain at Barker College. He has been in School’s Ministry for 17 years, serving previously as Senior Chaplain at St Andrews Cathedral School and The Cranbrook School. He is the Chair of the Sydney Anglican Schools Ministry Association (SASMA) and on the Sydney Anglican Diocesan Policy Statement on Education Review Committee. He is currently completing a Theological Research Masters on the topic of the role of the Chaplain in a Sydney Anglican School.