Technology, healthcare and the future of humanity
(Fri lunch to Saturday lunch at the Crosslands Winter Conference)
This programme is hosted by Crosslands Forum, and open to all
Speaker – John Wyatt
We are living through a period of unprecedented change and disruption in the nature of healthcare across the world. Technological innovations in genetics, neuroscience, sensors, artificial intelligence, and robotics have transformative potential, offering not only better therapies but also augmentation and enhancement of our very humanity.
How can we relate these mind-boggling possibilities to the historic biblical Christian faith? What will it mean to be a follower of Jesus in healthcare in the coming decades, and will it be possible and desirable to create distinctively Christian healthcare facilities? How can pastors and preachers support healthcare workers and how can we develop and equip a new generation of Christian professionals who will provide thought leadership in these challenging times?
Workshops led by the Crosslands Cultivate cohort
Ambition: What’s the point of second place?
What did you want to be when you were a child? Are you doing that now?
In this seminar we want to think about the role ambition plays in human life. How can we reconcile loving our neighbour with pursuing our personal goals—such as gaining a promotion, securing a book deal, or winning a competition—when our success might come at the expense of others?
We will explore a theology of competition and ambition, beginning with the lens of sport. We’ll examine how we can pursue success without trampling others in the process.
You shall not save the world.
We see in Psalm 104 that we live in a world full of beauty and awe, a “very good” world that displays the glory of God. But despite the world being “the theatre of God’s glory,” we also see the tragic effects of the fall wherever we look. This brokenness not only obscures the glory of God evident in creation, but also harms each one of us, especially the poor and marginalised. In reaction to this, a call has arisen from environmentalists to “save the world”, an intolerable burden to be placed on anyone’s shoulders, but a burden nevertheless that is being embraced by many in society, especially young people. This seminar will explore what our proper responsibilities are towards creation in light of our humanity. We can’t ‘save the world”, but we know the One who can, and with His help, we are able to affect a substantial but limited heal
Jesus and the human quest for healing
The truth in the myths that move us
What do “bodily autonomy”, “technological progress” and “follow the science” have in common? They are all examples of pervasive, formative myths in our (meta)modern world. Myths are not mere lies or detached stories. We all live by an interwoven web of personal and collective myths, stories and narratives that help us to make sense of the world and our place in it. In this seminar we will draw on our personal stories (as well as a few shared ones) to consider how the Bible fruitfully out-narrates and reframes the myths that shape and move us.