The Image of God in the Age of AI (w/ Tomer Persico)

The Image of God in the Age of AI (w/ Tomer Persico)

Author: DZ Kalman June 18, 2026 Duration: 52:14
The idea that human beings are created in the image of God is a central part of both Jewish and Christian theology, and with the rise of AI it has become perhaps the best example of how ancient religious wisdom can regulate modern technology by reminding us of what we value most of all. If human beings are created in the image of God—if we have something in us that separates us from animals—then we have an idea to rally around, a way to articulate that humanity’s special status needs to be preserved at all cost. The problem is, this theological idea is a lot more unstable than we’d like to admit. I talk to Tomer Persico, research fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute and author of In God's Image: How Western Civilization Was Shaped by a Revolutionary Idea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a world often framed by conflict, Belief in the Future explores the surprising and fertile intersections where our oldest spiritual questions meet our newest technological realities. Host David Zvi Kalman guides conversations that move beyond simple debate, delving into how faith traditions adapt to artificial intelligence, how ritual lives alongside digital life, and what ancient wisdom might offer to our most modern dilemmas. This isn't about proving one side right, but about listening deeply to the nuanced ways people are actually navigating these realms. Each episode offers a thoughtful space to consider how the tools we build and the beliefs we hold shape our humanity, for better or worse. Released every other week, this podcast from Sinai and Synapses, with support from Templeton World Charity Foundation, invites you into a long-running conversation that feels more urgent than ever. You'll hear from theologians, engineers, artists, and philosophers, all contributing to a richer understanding of our collective path forward. Tune in for a series that finds connection in the places we least expect it.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 27

Belief in the Future
Podcast Episodes
Does AI Need History? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:07
The Greeks dreamed of automata, the Jews of golems, and now we've coded bots into powerful servants. Can our ancient quest for artificial life reveal our ethical obligations to today’s creations? Guest Speaker: Elly Trui…
Should I Use the Plagiarism Machine? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:45
In this crossover episode of Belief in the Future with Responsa Radio, host David Zvi Kalman dives into whether using generative AI systems like ChatGPT and DALL-E is a form of theft, drawing comparisons to the Jewish tr…
AI and the Baptists [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:31
What does evangelical Christianity have to say about AI? Quite a lot, according to Jason Thacker. As Director of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), he oversaw the creation o…
Ghost in the Machine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:09
Death isn't always an elegant ending. When Muhammad Ahmad, a research scientist with a doctorate in machine learning, learned his father’s diagnosis was terminal, he began to create a text-based AI simulation. Host David…
The Two Lamp Mystery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:40
Two religious communities invented the same lamp. Why? In our first episode David Zvi is joined by Lindsay Ems, an expert in the sociological impacts of technology on religious communities. Through the lens of Amish tech…
Belief in the Future - Trailer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:27
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