Dr. Stephen Andes Presents at Roman Symposium 

EUGENE, Ore. — Over the summer, Bushnell University professor Stephen Andes attended an academic symposium at the University of Notre Dame Rome, located next to the Roman Colosseum. He was not only enjoying the sights of the ancient city – he was also reflecting on our place in history. His research focuses on global studies, especially Latin American history. Yet he was also considering more recent issues that have arisen with the rise of artificial intelligence, which was a focus of the symposium. 

The Pope’s First Encyclical 

Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, nearly every community, industry, and organization has had to reckon with the alluring power of generalized AI chatbots and other generative AI programs. Addressing the dramatic rise of artificial intelligence and related technologies, Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, this May. He makes clear that the primary challenges of our time revolve around recent technological innovations: how we use them, how we regulate them, and how we see ourselves in light of them.  

He notes that “it has become increasingly evident how rapidly and profoundly digitalization, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are transforming our world” and, therefore, that we must “ask God for the wisdom to interpret” this prominent trend. “Where are we going? Toward what goal do we wish to orient ourselves? What direction should we choose as a people and as a human community?” These are the questions we must ask in order to use these technologies in ways that uplift, rather than degrade, humanity. 

With the Pope’s profound message in mind, Andes attended the Roman symposium on Modern Catholic Social Teaching in the American Anthropocene. As he puts it, “This conference was trying to think about the historical and theological resources of the Church’s social doctrine as we face new crises at present.” Several officials who work for the pope even attended some sessions. 

Connecting Movements through Film 

Andes, who has a D.Phil from Oxford University, presented on the connections between Catholic liberation theology in Latin America and Protestant Black theology in the United States in the early 1970s. His presentation focused on two films that were produced in very different places yet address very similar issues.  

In the Chilean film Enough Praying, a priest confronts poverty and a public health crisis, deciding to use “any means necessary to liberate his parishioners,” Andes shares. The Atlanta-based documentary Let the Church Say Amen! focuses on a young Black seminary student trying to discern how to serve in ministry during an era of political violence and a rising Black power movement. 

Andes explained how scholarly treatments of the connections between Catholic liberation theology and Black liberation theology tended to focus on the extent to which “the other side had left out either class or race in their analyses of systems of domination in the Americas.” He notes that “film is an excellent way to see past the race-class binary, as well as an interesting angle for understanding the Christian left, both Catholic and Protestant.” That is, in focusing on films with overlapping themes, Andes highlighted the interconnectivity of people in different placesfighting for justice and hope against systems of domination. 

Growing Together in Community 

This message echoes that of the encyclical, in which Leo XIV calls for shared discernment and the rejection of occupying positions of power. “The truth is a gift to be shared, not a possession to be monopolized,” he writes. “The truth of the Gospel is not imposed from above, but grows over time within the concrete interweaving of lives, communities and cultures. This is not a truth that fears diversity, but instead welcomes and guides it. It does not eliminate conflicts, but transforms them, reuniting that which history tends to scatter.” he continues. 

Andes’ commitment to drawing connections between present-day America and the histories of other peoples helps us see how we are all interrelated. “It was an honor to participate and learn from the broader Christian and Catholic communities on how we can promote the gospel in era of change,” he shares.  

Bushnell University is proud of Dr. Andes’ work and shares his passion for promoting the gospel. To learn more about Andes and check out his work, including his forthcoming book Chasing Speedy: The Secret History of America’s Fastest Cartoon Mouse. To learn more about Bushnell University’s History program, visit the program page.