Oxford Roundtable on Magnifica Humanitas

In mid-September, the McDonald Centre convened an invitation-only roundtable at Oxford, bringing together researchers from across disciplines, institutions, and traditions to reflect on Pope Leo’s 2026 encyclical Magnifica humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence. 

The discussion explored the encyclical’s place within Catholic Social Thought and connections to broader philosophies of technology, as well as its analysis of the social, moral, and political opportunities and risks associated with AI. Participants explored where the document offers important insights, where its claims might be qualified or extended, and what questions it raises for ongoing research and practice. A particular focus was on how our dialogue around Magnifica humanitas might shape future work on AI and human flourishing.

This roundtable was the first organised as part of the workstream ‘Political Theology, Emerging Technologies, and the Common Life’, led by McDonald Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Samuel Tranter, in collaboration with Centre Director Prof Luke Bretherton. Looking ahead, the next McDonald Centre annual conference will have the theme of ‘AI, Christian Humanism, and Political Theology’ and take place at Christ Church, Oxford on 10-12 June 2027.