An Inquiry: Emerging Technologies and Their Role in the Surge of Christian Nationalism

An Inquiry: Emerging Technologies and Their Role in the Surge of Christian Nationalism

With Insights and Warnings from Thomas Merton, Marshall McLuhan and Jacques Ellul

Dominican University Palmer Hall March 22, 2025

Father of Media Studies Marshall McLuhan, philosopher of technology Jacques Ellul, and Trappist monk and theologian Thomas Merton wrote presciently about the benefits and perils of emerging technologies. Artificial intelligence, social media, and mass communication are having a profound impact on our society.

Dominican University Siena Center, in collaboration with the Chicago Chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society, will offer a workshop to explore these pressing issues from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 22, 2025, at Palmer Hall, Dominican University, 7900 West Division Street River Forest, IL 60305.

The first session will feature Iona University Cox Colbert Teaching Scholar in Residence, Vaughn Fayle, OFM, discussing, “Redeemed and Unredeemed Technology and its Technocrats: The Cautious Wisdom of Thomas Merton and Jacques Ellul.”

The second session will feature Emerging Technology Strategist and Techno-public Philosopher, Richard Putz, whose talk is entitled, “Thomas Merton and Marshall McLuhan Discuss the Rise of Christian Nationalism in America.” The two morning sessions will include time for questions, with a panel discussion following lunch.

Cost of the programs is $15, with lunch provided. Free parking is available, and Palmer Hall is handicapped accessible. Pre-registration is recommended. For more information, contact Siena Center Director Rachel Hart Winter, rhartwinter@dom.edu, (708) 524-6607, or Chicago Merton coordinator Mike Brennan, cc.itms@gmail.com, 774-447-3989.

Description

According to Fr. Vaughn, “Merton was one of several voices that spoke against the influence of technology in our lives and society. What was the cause of his concern, and how can we understand it today when technology gives us so many benefits? Could it be that we need to hear Merton cautioning us against a technological addiction that could derail our political, intellectual, and spiritual growth?”

Richard Putz offers this observation: “As Christian Nationalism gains ground in the US, it’s crucial to understand its roots and implications and grasp the medium’s meaning, message, and culture. McLuhan’s ‘Laws of Media’ and ‘The Medium is the Message’ are instrumental in shaping our understanding of emerging technologies, like Artificial Intelligence, and their role in the surge of Christian Nationalism. These ‘media laws’ significantly influence cultural interpretations of society and standards, often leading to the acceptance of Christian Nationalism. Merton’s insights into Christian Nationalism and its relationship with media and technology are equally significant. “We should ask ourselves, ‘How do the McLuhan laws and Merton’s thinking, speaking, and writings amplify or enrich the core message of the gospel in the world, education, and politics?'”

Christian Social Teaching, he says, is the Antithesis of Christian Nationalism.

Biographies

Fr. Vaughn J Fayle, a Franciscan friar, is the Cox-Colbert teaching scholar in residence at Iona University. He also serves on the Sr. Kathleen Deignan Institute staff at Iona University and teaches in the departments of Religious Studies, Music and Philosophy. Before coming to New York, he was an assistant professor in Rome, and taught as visiting professor in Zambia, Malawi and South Africa. He will be the summer visiting professor at Cavendish University in Lusaka, Zambia, this May, 2025. Between 1990 and 2012, he was also director of Philosophy Studies at Catholic Theological Union and before that, at the Oblate School of Theology in SanAntonio, TX.

With a life-long interest in the humanities and their social and global impact, Fr. Vaughn received the Shannon Fellowship Scholarship from the ITMS in 2007 for his study of Merton’s poetry set to music, with an emphasis on the compositions of Alexander Peloquin. He is currently working on a book on the social ethics of labor in the French mystic and philosopher, Simone Weil.

Richard Putz, an AI and Emerging Technology Strategist and techno-public philosopher, is deeply committed to his field. His academic background in cultural history significantly influences his roles. Richard’s undergraduate and graduate studies at Saint Meinrad College and School of Theology have shaped his understanding. He is an active member of the International Thomas Merton Society, the International Bonhoeffer Society, the International Cardijn Institute, and the American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature. His career is dedicated to understanding emerging technology and societal change, and he has served as an executive for leading technology companies such as Oracle, C-Bridge, PwC, and American National Insurance.

Throughout his career, Richard has been a vocal advocate for innovation and collaboration, delivering more than 450 keynote addresses and workshops for the Global 2000 and various industry associations across Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia. His passion for these principles has inspired many to contribute to the future of technology.

Richard focuses on guiding people, organizations, and businesses to recognize that ‘Innovation, Education, and Collaboration’ are the keys to the greater good for People, Planet, Purpose, and Prosperity. He firmly believes that technology must be critically examined and that a lack of understanding of cultural history in the context of technology is akin to the blind leading the blind.