That’s the kind of thinking that can prompt both excitement and argument. Some Christians might find the prospect of AI-assisted translation exciting. Others might question the use of technology in a process that is inherently spiritual, not just academic.

Birch Champeon of unfoldingWord has considered some of these exact issues. unfoldingWorld engages in challenging Bible translation work that is both rewarding and arduous.

unfoldingWord provides tens of thousands of notes to churches to help assist in translation. While many of their projects have seen successful translations of the New Testament, many languages still need to see successful translations of the Old Testament.

With all the work unfoldingWord has already done, they’ve generated something else: data points.

“Because we have so many thousands of data points and work that’s already been done by Greek and Hebrew experts, we can actually use AI to assist us in the initial drafts of those resources,” Champeon says. “These experts can take a written note that the AI has assisted us in building, then edit it and format it.”

It’s an application that unfoldingWord has considered for some time, but so far, the technology has actually slowed down the process. It’s only now that translators and consultants report that the AI is more useful than hindering.

Obviously, this is a conversation that goes deeper than usefulness. Is AI-assisted Bible translation ethical?

“Bible translation is both a technical work and a spiritual work. In that process, we can apply technology to the technical part of this ministry, but because it’s a spiritual work, we don’t want that technology to actually give the wrong answer or to distract from the truth.”

To that end, the best way to think about AI in Bible translation is as a starting point.

“It is, at its core, what we would call a prediction engine, which means it’s making educated guesses,” Champeon says. “Because we have many things written about Scripture, […] we can compare the answers that the artificial intelligence is giving and see if the answers agree with resources that we know to be good. That is a necessary part of releasing this technology and making it actually useful for translators so that they can trust it.”

It’s all about using the technology rather than letting it control the project.

“We want to make sure that it stays in that assistant role, that the AI is serving almost as a very junior translator or helper or the translator himself or herself, and that they are actually in charge of what goes into the translation.”

If you want to support the work of unfoldingWord, you can give at this link. Sign up for the unfoldingWord prayer calendar here.

Header photo courtesy of Unsplash.

In the current COVID-19 crisis, each hospital is approaching the situation differently. Some say it’s first-come, first-served when it comes to life-sustaining ventilators. Others are directing the most resources towards patients who have the best chance of survival. Still others are taking additional factors into account such as how many children a patient has or the essential nature of a patient’s occupation.

(Photo courtesy of Jonathan Borba via Unsplash)

Such decisions are striking different moral chords, and no one envies the agonizing situations these doctors and other frontline workers never wanted to face.

But it is also making society as a whole examine the broader question: What determines the worth and value of a human life?

Eric Verstraete, president and CEO of Life Matters Worldwide has a few thoughts: “At the end of the day, life comes from God, life starts at conception, and life is valued all the way until natural death. That’s what we believe.

“Whether we’re old or we’re young, we all are made completely in the image of God. That’s where we gain our value — not from our skills or from our abilities. Are those skills and abilities that people have, are they coveted at different times in our history and different times in our world? Absolutely. But that does not make someone more or less valuable.”

In the midst of a pandemic, what does it mean for believers to be the Church and affirm the value of life at this time?

“I saw one meme the other day that says, ‘The churches aren’t empty. The Church has just been deployed,’” Verstraete says. “I loved that statement because, yes, we can’t be meeting together but I think…true intentionality works within the Church to be able to build those relationships so that people don’t have to live in fear.”

Ultimately, this is a rare opportunity for the Church to reach out and show people their value in Christ.

“We can be reaching out to the people…who we know are the more vulnerable people. If someone needs them to go and get some groceries for them and just leave it on their front doorstep so that they can have what they need, that’s important; reaching out through video chats or even just cards or phone calls.”

Verstraete knows from experience how important it is at this time to be intentional with relationships. “My mom is in a senior living facility that’s basically on lockdown and I know that we try to video call with her a couple of times a week if we can. She loves that. So I think it’s trying to stay as connected as we possibly can to show people how important they are in our lives.

“I think this intentionality that we’re forced to have right now will make the congregational gatherings…much sweeter because of the roots that are being developed from this forced intentionality that we are having right now as the Body of Christ.”

Please pray for people who are solitary shut-ins to still feel connected and loved. Ask the Lord to be near families and friends who have a loved one in the hospital. Pray for people to turn to Jesus in this crisis.

Verstraete also asks, “Pray for those who are on the front lines. We pray for the doctors and the nurses who are on the front lines right now because this is an army that’s getting tired right now. So we can be praying for them.”

Click here to learn more about Life Matters Worldwide.

Header photo courtesy of Marcelo Leal via Unsplash.

The Hague Convention approval is necessary for international adoption to continue
for Bethany.  In fact, all U.S. adoption agencies will need it by April 1, 2008 to continue adoptions outside the U.S. The convention was created in 1993 as an international treaty that protects children adopted internationally.

Families already in the process of adopting internationally will not be delayed in their process as a result of this accreditation.

This reflects Bethany's high standards for protecting children, providing customer service and implementing their practices ethically.