Technology and theology

THE way the world is evolving today, it is getting increasingly imperative that all of us equip ourselves adequately by taking care of our continuing education and formation, and that our formation should be as integral and complete as possible. We should be wary when our education gets stuck at a certain level or aspect only.

Our education and formation actually never ends. There’s always something to learn and re-learn. And because of our wobbly human condition, because of the endless challenges before us and the persistent weaknesses and temptations we are exposed to, there’s also something to unlearn.

We have to understand that our education never stops with our graduation from school. Rather, that graduation always marks the beginning of a new chapter in life. And after that chapter, there’ll be another, then another, till we die.

We need to give serious thought on how we can go on with our life-long education and formation. Especially with the complicated and confusing times we are entering right now, we cannot take this duty for granted.

We need to reexamine our dispositions toward this need, and the skills, plans, programs and structures required for this purpose. We have to be serious and professional in this grave concern, which is not only personal, but also social, since this concern affects not only the individual person but also the whole of society.

We have to rouse ourselves from a certain state of lethargy in this regard, because this state of complacency is, I’m afraid, quite widespread and embedded in the world today. We need a paradigm shift here.

We might be living in some sleepy, rural areas, but this should not mean that we be indifferent to the developments around. Everyone of us has to learn to flow with the tide of the world, without losing our identity, sense of purpose in life and our sense of what is right and wrong, absolute and relative.

We seem to be reactive, not proactive in our attitude in this regard. We just wait for things to happen, banking only on our current stock of knowledge, instead of making plans and setting goals for the future, acquiring the pertinent go-go attitude, skills and competence that the changing times of our life demand.

Of course, we should not compromise the basic, non-negotiable things of our life, derived from our nature and dignity as persons and children of God, even as we cruise and adapt ourselves to the different waters of life.

Education and formation that flow with our evolving life should enhance, not undermine, the core of our humanity. That’s why there’s need for continuing catechesis of basic doctrine not only for the young ones, but also for the old ones who can be affected through osmosis by the confusion around.

At the same time, we should feel the need to expand and grow our knowledge of things. While we have our own field of specialization, we should be concerned to reinforce an integral, over-all knowledge of things, observing a certain sense of priorities.

We have to aim at wisdom that unites all branches of knowledge, so we can know the truth properly and as completely as possible. We have to be wary with partial, fragmented if not fractured knowledge.

Very important in this regard is the effort to reinforce our faith, the primal source of our beliefs and truths that guide us in the entire course of our life and that ultimately give us the whole picture of our life.

Thus, we should not only get stuck with technology, but try our best to blend it with theology, our economy with philosophy, our sense of practicality with morality. In the end, we should be concerned not only with the short-term, but also the long term, not only the material and temporal, but also the spiritual and eternal.

This ideal corresponds more fully to our human and Christian dignity. We have to find ways, always reinforcing them, to link the above pairs together. This is the challenge we have today, because we often fall for one and neglect the other.

In the end, we should not only be users, but also and mainly lovers—of God, others and the world in general.

The technological revolution we are having today should be used properly in this regard. That’s why it has to be given direction. Remember our People Power? It was also a kind of revolution, but without direction and proper education, it has fizzled out and is abused by those with certain privileges. What a pity!