Christian Hope and the Promise of Transhumanism

Hope is a theological virtue, and a great human need as well. In the Christian sense, it is an expectation of the ultimate fulfillment of human desires in God. In turn, the promises brought to man by technological development, which leads to the stage of transhumanism, where man in his human condition will be modified and even replaced by a machine, are a certain form of fulfillment of human hopes. In consequence, due to interference with its nature, the human body will become stronger, healthier, less susceptible to the effects of time, and resistant to injuries. Moreover, an expanded set of senses will enable man to receive more fully the wealth of impressions from the environment in which he lives. However, the promise of transhumanism does not fall within Christian hope, nor does it constitute the implementation of its goals. Instead, it stems from the boundless belief in the progress of man who is completely enclosed in a horizontal perspective. Christianity, in contrast, perceives the fulfillment of human hopes through a personal relationship with the risen Christ.