Human Becoming in an Age of Science, Technology, and Faith

What does it mean to be human in an age of science, technology, and faith? The ability to ask such a question suggests at least a partial answer, in that however we describe ourselves we bear a major role in determining what we will become. In this book, Philip Hefner reminds us that this inescapable condition is the challenge and opportunity of Homo sapiens as the created co-creator. In four original chapters and an epilogue, Hefner frames the created co-creator as a memoirist with an ambiguous legacy, explores some of the roots of this ambiguity, emphasizes the importance of answering this ambiguity with symbols that can interpret it in wholesome ways, proposes a partial theological framework for co-creating such symbols, and applies this framework to the challenge of using technology like artificial intelligence and robotics to create other co-creators in our own image. Editors Jason P. Roberts and Mladen Turk have compiled eight responses to Hefner’s work to honor his scholarly career and answer his call to help co-create a more wholesome future in an age of science, technology, and faith.

Accelerating technological developments and ever worsening climate changed have raised questions about the meaning of our humanity and scope of human power and responsibility. Philip Hefner has for several decades been at the forefront of those engaging those questions. Happily, in this new volume Jason P. Roberts and Mladen Turk have published recent work by Hefner on his theme of human beings as "created co-creators" and essays by a distinguished set of thinkers. Anyone interested in the religious and science discussion should read this volume.--William Schweiker, The University of Chicago, Philip Hefner's understanding of humans as God's "co-creators" is one of the most exciting ideas to emerge from the twentieth century encounter of Christianity with evolutionary thinking, transforming our notion of God from the Augustinian eternal being beyond time and space to a Creator ever active in the world alongside human beings. It is a joy, as well as deeply humbling, to have Hefner's reflections on a life's intellectual journey, and then to have the sympathetic reactions of his friends - and critics!--Michael Ruse, Florida State University, Creating is our essential humanity. From Gregory of Nyssa to robots to evolutionary theory, climate science, Luther, and more, Hefner and a team of collaborators extend the image of God into all creatures, all creation. This book reads like a love letter, freeing us from dead ends of cynicism and progressivism, to engage in creating--extending God's presence in the world.--Barbara Rossing, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, For several decades now, the created co-creator has inspired people from many walks of life and different cultural backgrounds. It is a concept and a vision that catches the relationality so central to all creation as well as the ambivalence and ambiguity inherent in human existence -- congenial with Lutheran theology and at the same time transgressing confessional borders. So fitting with the new broad exploration of the vision in this volume! In times of crises human becoming of the created co-creator is urgently called for.--Antje Jackelen, Archbishop of Uppsala, Sweden, Hefner's concept of the "created co-creator" has had broad impact across the religion and science field. This compilation extends and expands Hefner's original ideas into new territory that is provocative and exciting. It should be read by students of religion and science; it has implications not only for theology but also for environmental studies, ethics and general biosciences.--Gayle E. Woloschak, Northwestern University

Philip Hefner is a theologian and poet. He is professor emeritus of systematic theology at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Jason P. Roberts is senior lecturer of Christian theology and affiliate faculty of the Sustainability Certificate Program at the University of Georgia, Athens. Mladen Turk is professor and chair of the religious studies department at Elmhurst University.