Emma Berthold
25 October 2025
Transhumanism might seem like a foreign concept, but it’s based on ideas and technologies already in use today. As Emma Berthold, Senior Editor at ISCAST–Christianity & Science in Conversation, discovered, it’s something Christians need to take seriously.
Friends and family were very confused when I told them I was busy editing a series of discussion papers about transhumanism. Conversations typically went like this:
“Transhumanism? What’s that? Like, transgender people?”
“No, transhumanism, as in using technology to enhance and upgrade your mind and body.”
“Oh.” Puzzled silence. “Wait, what?”
Their confusion is understandable. The term “transhumanism” and the wider movement it represents haven’t really made their way into the public consciousness. Most people, when hearing descriptions of the term, think it belongs only in science fiction: microchips in brains, arms that shoot lasers, swapping consciousnesses into robotic bodies.
To be fair, I probably would have thought along similar lines before starting this editing work. But, as I soon learned, while those fictional representations may seem a bit extreme, they reflect elements of modern transhumanism: a real movement, driven by real people, and based on technologies that already exist or are in development now.
What is transhumanism?
Broadly speaking, transhumanism is about using technologies to improve the human condition. ISCAST’s recently published discussion papers, Humanity 2.0? Christian Perspectives on Transhumanism, define transhumanism as:
“The intellectual, philosophical, and cultural movement that affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally improving the human condition, especially by developing and making widely available technologies to eliminate ageing and to greatly enhance human cognitive, physical, and moral attributes.”
Transhumanists often describe the “good life” as one of super-longevity (much longer lifespans), super-intelligence (enhanced memory, concentration, and cognitive skills, possibly even digital consciousness), and super-wellbeing (improved physical and emotional states).
At its most extreme and controversial, some would argue that the “holy grail” of transhumanism is the ability to directly access, copy, and re-create a human mind: to be free of the limitations of our physical bodies. Others, such as Australian philosopher Julian Savulescu, argue that we should screen human embryos to select those with genes linked to the best chance of living a “good life” —and the lowest chances of engaging in criminal behaviour.
And while that may sound like a lot, transhumanism is based on concepts that most of us are already familiar with. We install artificial joints and metal rods to restore function to damaged bones. We implant battery-powered pacemakers to keep hearts beating, and bionic ears to restore a sense of hearing.
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Earlier this year, Noland Arbaugh the first recipient of Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain implant publicly shared how the device has transformed his life. Paralysed since 2016, he can now control a computer with his mind. He can browse the internet, send messages, play games, and connect with the world in ways that sometimes exceed his pre-accident abilities.
We also have technologies for enhancing our bodies by choice, rather than restoring lost function. For those with the desire and the means, a wrinkle-free forehead is just a few Botox injections away. Silicone or saline implants change breast shape. Performance-enhancing drugs like steroids boost athletic performance by increasing muscle mass and strength. These technologies can be restorative as well as cosmetic, but they remain the most familiar examples of body enhancement today.
Why, then, do many of us feel vaguely uneasy at the idea of using technologies to enhance our abilities far beyond what is considered “normal” or restorative?
Perhaps we’ve seen too many portrayals of the downsides and pitfalls of technological misuse in science fiction: any fan of Netflix’s Black Mirror series can attest to the bleak futures it depicts as humans make terrible choices about using new technologies.
But there are also deeper questions to explore about what it means to be human, how much intervention is too much, and what human flourishing should look like from a Christian perspective.
Why should Christians care about transhumanism?
Are transhumanists overstepping the line, interfering with nature and “playing God”? Or are they upholding God’s good design for humanity by using the skills and tools he gave us for the benefit of all?
Christianity calls humans to be stewards of creation, receiving life as a gift and caring for it responsibly. And there is undoubtedly a place for technology to be used in line with Christ’s teachings when it is guided by justice, mercy, and concern for human dignity.
Christian transhumanists argue that, just as Jesus healed the sick and cared for the vulnerable, we too should use modern science and technology to advance human wellbeing: reducing suffering and promoting compassion and abundance in the world today. They believe such tools should support the disadvantaged and help build a more equitable world where all can flourish. Since humans have the capacity to transform and enhance ourselves, they argue that we should use the tools God has given us to continue that transformation into the image and likeness of God. At the same time, adopting new technologies requires responsible stewardship and careful governance to ensure their ethical use.
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However, technological progress often moves faster than our ability to consider its moral and ethical consequences. Many Christians who question the transhumanist vision of limitless progress call for a more cautious approach and to re-examine what it means to be human. They raise concerns about reducing people to mere data instead of fully embodied beings made in God’s image, and remind us that technology cannot solve every problem: genetic engineering cannot undo the Fall, and science cannot free humanity from sin.
Regardless of where we stand on how technology should (or shouldn’t) be used, we need to be aware that these advances are happening now – and we need to start thinking about their implications now, too. As Christians, we have a unique perspective on what it means to be human. That means we are well placed to contribute to discussions about a future where enhancement pushes us beyond our natural state.
How can we make good, wise choices about the best use of new technologies that change our bodies and minds? By carefully considering what it means to be human right now – and having those important conversations as much as we can.
ISCAST’s new discussion papers, Humanity 2.0? Christian Perspectives on Transhumanism, are available to download now.
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