From our Rector

I have a lot to tell you. I don’t want to use paper and ink, but I hope to visit you and talk with you face-to-face, so that our joy can be complete.

– 2 John 1:23 (CEB)

One of my “carry over” responsibilities is with the American College Theatre Festival, a group of colleges and universities who built a relationship in 1969 to celebrate academic theatre production and training. During my decades at Gannon University, we entered countless productions, and even had several invited to be showcased at the regional festival. This week, I was invited to SUNY Oswego to attend an original play, THE APPLIANCE DEPARTMENT, written by Buffalo native, Dr. Bella Poynton. As often happens when I have an opportunity to attend live theatre, my imagination was sparked and connections with faith were cascading!

The play was about a technology store where robots (played by actors) were on display. A new model, an upgrade to the others, is brought in. However, along with its enhanced abilities, it has developed an independent thought process that has instilled a desire for freedom. Throughout the play the robots go through a series of discoveries about how much they want to be free, in opposition to how much they want to fulfill the purposes for which they have been designed and programmed. As with most speculative fiction, the imaginative world is a reflection of our own challenges and questions. The student audience was completely engaged, and the talk back sessions, first moderated by a computer science faculty member from SUNY Oswego and then my own theatrical assessment with the cast and crew.

As I drove home, loving the beautiful New England foliage which is unmatched anywhere else in the world, I thought about the nature of AI and robotics and how it will be impacting our world. I first thought of live performances, with human actors. For the past century, there have been entertainment and media prophets who have decried that film and television (and now streaming platforms) will make live performance obsolete. However, we see that attendance at live plays and musicals is at an all time high, with more and more people looking for that personal connection. The same is true with live musical performances; I have always loved listening to rock and roll recordings (on vinyl and now digital devices), but nothing has ever matched cheering for U2 with 90,000 other fans, or cheering for Bette Midler on the Radio City Musical Hall stage!

Likewise, I have been moved by broadcast religious services or radio shows that have bolstered my faith – as I kid I enjoyed the Billy Graham Crusades, and I defy anyone to hear the BBC Lessons and Carols and not be brought to tears by the soprano singing the first verse of “Once In Royal David’s City.” However, nothing compares to our in person moments of ministry and worship – our own Renewal of Ministry, with our bishop present and our church’s mission affirmed, was inspiring.

I believe that each time there is a singularity in our cultural history, where new technology is introduced, anxiety over how it will be managed and how it will impact our lives is also introduced. It is natural for us to feel the threat of anything that changes the way we live. Still, being the Poly-Andy that I am, I feel less fear and more curiosity at how things may be enhanced, how my life will be made easier, and how time will be freed up for me to do the things that are closer to relationships and less about work.

We have been, are, and will always be engaging in conversations about how new things are impacting our world. My mantra recently has been, “Change is the only constant; chaos is the only thing you can count on!” The most important tool we can develop is adaptability in all aspects of our lives – communication, relationships, religion, and technology – and while our tools and processes may change, one thing that should never change is our promises of faith: love God, love neighbor, treat others as we wish to be treated.

I cannot wait to see what tomorrow will bring – and how we will embrace our future!

Peace,

Father Shawn