Jason Crawford is a very good writer about a very important topic, and I’m a big fan. My own pet phrase for the phenomenon he describes is “the exploration and exploitation of the space of technological possibilities.” It’s one of the most important themes in human history, a great force for the betterment of the human condition, and to accelerate it should occupy a high rank among the priorities of human endeavor. When thinking about public policy, the question, “will this policy accelerate technological progress, or slow it down?” should never be far from our minds. When considering career paths and other personal choices, talented people with elite connections should regularly circle back to the thought: “Is this the best way I can contribute to the betterment of the human condition through technological progress?” Few causes are worthier to be the object of human ambition. Kudos to Jason Crawford for championing that message so well!

Having said all that, Jason doesn’t understand the relation of Christianity to technological progress. He cites one London minister objecting to a vaccine in the 18th century and makes a general point about such “fatalism” undermined the impetus for progress. And the title of the post is “The Surrender of the Gods,” as if “the gods” (presumably including the Christian God) were the primary impediment to progress.

Balderdash. Christian societies have been the most technologically progressive in history. It’s true that Christians see a providential design in the world, and often look for some silver lining of divine plan amidst the most horrific disasters, but that has never really stopped Christians from doing the best they can to prevent disasters and mitigate suffering. You could hardly ask for a better warrant for technological progress than Genesis 1:28:

“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.””

There’s a risk that Jason will needlessly alienate Christians by setting up his “techno-humanism” in opposition to them. As far as I can tell, he hasn’t done so thus far. The anti-Christian vibe in this and other posts of his that I’ve read is pretty slight. Yet I still think it’s a missed opportunity. Christians are commanded to love their neighbors as themselves, where their neighbors include the stranger, the enemy, and the poor. Why not help them to see that one of the best ways to love your neighbor is to invent the technologies that can make him healthier, better-fed, longer-lived, and more capable of learning and dreaming and doing? Why not champion the Christian technologist?