An Open Enrolment Course
Wednesday evenings September 9th, 16th and 23rd, 7:00pm to 8:30pm, online.
Artificial intelligence is transforming our world at a remarkable pace, raising profound questions about human dignity, work, truth, freedom, community, and the future of society. How should Christians respond?
This three-session Big Course explores “Magnificent Humanity,” Pope Leo XIV’s landmark 2026 encyclical on safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence. Written for Catholics, Christians, and “all people of good will,” the encyclical offers a theological and practical reflection on the opportunities and dangers presented by AI and other emerging technologies. At the same time, it addresses much more than technology, inviting readers to consider questions of economic justice, education, political life, peace, human relationships, and the common good.
This course will provide an accessible introduction to the encyclical and its major themes, and ask what guidance it offers Christians for living in an AI age. No prior knowledge of Catholicism, artificial intelligence, or church teaching is required. Along the way, we will also situate “Magnificent Humanity” within the broader tradition of Catholic social teaching, tracing how generations of Christian thinkers and church leaders have reflected on the social challenges of their day—from the Industrial Revolution to the digital age.
Designed for people who want to connect faith with the pressing issues of contemporary life, this course offers an opportunity to engage one of the most significant Christian responses yet to the challenges and possibilities of our technological future.
Two sentence course description for website course menu (can be the same as course slug): An introduction to Pope Leo’s AI encyclical “Magnificent Humanity” and its vision of human dignity, work, truth, freedom, and the common good in a rapidly changing technological age.
Instructor: The Rev. Dr. Jesse Zink is principal of Montreal Diocesan Theological College and the author of several books about Christian faith in the 21st century, including A Faith for the Future and Faithful, Creative, Hopeful (2024).