Church of England theologians and policy experts are urging a nationwide conversation about artificial intelligence (AI) and its growing impact on employment, warning that unregulated technological progress could deepen inequality and undermine human dignity.
Their appeal follows a motion adopted by the Church’s General Synod in February 2024, which recognized the transformative influence of AI and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Synod affirmed that work must remain both purposeful and dignified, and that technology should advance the common good rather than serve profit alone.
The October issue of Crucible journal expands on these ideas through a series of essays exploring how automation, data tracking, and algorithm-driven management are reshaping working life — from gig platforms to remote jobs.
Becky Plummer, parliamentary researcher for the Bishops of Lichfield and Newcastle, wrote that work remains central to human identity. “Without meaningful work,” she noted, “we risk losing a sense of purpose and belonging.”
Contributors use biblical principles and Christian social thought to ask what just and humane labor should look like in an age dominated by intelligent machines.
Among them are technology ethicist Rev Dr Simon Cross and Rev Dr Kathryn Pritchard, co-editor of Crucible and co-director of Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science.
Dr Cross discusses the ethical problems of the gig economy, stressing that “technology is not value-neutral.” He argues that the way tools are designed and used reflects social values and calls for policies that promote fairness and dignity for workers.
Dr Pritchard focuses on the risk that AI systems could reinforce gender bias if women’s experiences are absent from training data. “Passivity in the face of such rapid change is not theologically defensible,” she writes. “The future of women’s work in an AI age is not yet written.”
Co-editor Will Fremont-Brown said that both the Church and society must think critically about AI’s impact. “We should avoid both blind optimism and fearful rejection,” he said. “Our task is to guide technology toward serving the common good.”
Their reflections align with broader global concern. Soon after taking office, Pope Leo XIV described AI as “one of the defining issues of our time,” warning of its potential to threaten human dignity and fairness in work.
The editors hope the Crucible essays will help churches, policymakers, and citizens engage thoughtfully with these questions. As Dr Pritchard concluded, “We can’t remain on the sidelines. We must act with hope, ensuring that every person’s dignity is respected in the future of work.”
Adapted from Christian Today UK.
