Shaw University’s Innovative AI Degree in Divinity School Aims to Address Moral Implications

Shaw University, established after the Civil War to promote religious literacy for formerly enslaved individuals, is venturing into new territory. The Raleigh, North Carolina-based institution plans to launch a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) in Artificial Intelligence and Moral Agency through its divinity school. With the surge of AI technology assuming roles traditionally performed by humans, Shaw University is seeking to familiarize communities with AI literacy, focusing on social justice and ethics.

According to Mark Harden, dean of Shaw University Divinity School, the institution’s second calling is to foster AI literacy among vulnerable communities. In June, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges granted its approval, with accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools currently in progress.

Chris Meinzer, chief operating officer of ATS, noted that Shaw’s AI degree would be unique within their network, either at the master’s or doctoral level. Other divinity schools have started offering individual courses focused on AI and ethics.

In December, Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and the Common Good received a substantial $50 million from the Lilly Endowment. This donation supports the DELTA network, which aims to provide resources for pastors, churches, and schools to tackle AI-related challenges. DELTA stands for dignity, embodiment, love, transcendence, and agency, representing core Christian values. Meghan Sullivan, philosopher and director of the Institute, emphasizes the growing importance of studying AI’s ethical dimensions in higher education.

Theological schools play a crucial role in exploring AI ethics, Sullivan asserts. These institutions tap into 2,000 years of reflection on human agency within Christianity, offering insights into navigating decisions previously relegated to commercial software.

The significance of AI in the religious sphere received added prominence when Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” addressed protecting human dignity and agency amidst AI’s growing dominance. The pope urged caution against allowing tech firms to dictate AI ethics.

A growing trend of critical engagement with AI continues in divinity schools. Philip Butler, associate professor at Iliff School of Theology, initiated an AI institute in Denver. His course, AI and theology, scrutinizes the intent behind AI development and its impact on different demographic groups.

Reflecting Shaw University’s historical role in the Civil Rights era, the divinity school sees addressing AI issues as a natural progression. Ella Baker, a Civil Rights leader, co-founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee on Shaw’s campus in 1960, contributing significantly to student-led sit-ins against racial segregation.

Around 66 prospective students have shown interest in the doctoral program set to launch in January. Shaw’s divinity school, housing approximately 65 students, currently offers master’s degrees in Theology and Ministry, as well as Divinity. Prospective doctoral candidates must hold a master’s degree and possess five years of professional experience in pastoral ministry or a related field. Due to COVID, Shaw offers all courses online. Harden states that the degree requires three to four years to complete.