EPISODE · Jun 15, 2026 · 53 MIN
Megan Explains: AI, The Pope and Gandalf… for the rest of us! (2,11)
from For The Rest Of Us with the Reverend Canon Megan Castellan · host The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York
What happens when a newly elected pope drops an encyclical on AI, human dignity, war, economics, and the future of technology—and then casually quotes Gandalf?This week, Megan and Adam dive into Pope Leo XIV’s first major teaching document and unpack why it’s making waves far beyond the Roman Catholic Church. Together they explore the ethical questions surrounding artificial intelligence, the responsibility of governments and corporations, the hidden human costs behind our technology, and why the pope insists that AI is not something we should simply accept as inevitable.Along the way, they discuss papal encyclicals, democracy, social justice, the future of human creativity, and what it means to remain moral agents in an increasingly automated world.Plus: Pope Leo quotes Gandalf, Megan desperately wants a Stephen Colbert reaction, and Megan and Adam officially invite the pope to become the podcast’s first celebrity guest.Whether you're excited about AI, skeptical of it, or just here for the Tolkien references, this episode asks an important question: How do we talk faithfully and ethically about technology before it outruns us?
What this episode covers
What happens when a newly elected pope drops an encyclical on AI, human dignity, war, economics, and the future of technology—and then casually quotes Gandalf?This week, Megan and Adam dive into Pope Leo XIV’s first major teaching document and unpack why it’s making waves far beyond the Roman Catholic Church. Together they explore the ethical questions surrounding artificial intelligence, the responsibility of governments and corporations, the hidden human costs behind our technology, and why the pope insists that AI is not something we should simply accept as inevitable.Along the way, they discuss papal encyclicals, democracy, social justice, the future of human creativity, and what it means to remain moral agents in an increasingly automated world.Plus: Pope Leo quotes Gandalf, Megan desperately wants a Stephen Colbert reaction, and Megan and Adam officially invite the pope to become the podcast’s first celebrity guest.Whether you're excited about AI, skeptical of it, or just here for the Tolkien references, this episode asks an important question: How do we talk faithfully and ethically about technology before it outruns us?
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Megan Explains: AI, The Pope and Gandalf… for the rest of us! (2,11)
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