DELTA

A Faith-Based Framework for a World of Powerful AI

As artificial intelligence becomes more powerful, Christian institutions must look beyond an “ethical floor” of safety, privacy, and transparency. The DELTA framework proposes a deeper, faith-informed approach rooted in enduring Christian values: Dignity, Embodiment, Love, Transcendence, and Agency. We need, as Pope Francis put it, a growth in human responsibility, values, and conscience that is proportionate to the advances posed by technology.

Learn more about the DELTA framework in this short video:

DIGNITY

Every human being possesses inherent worth—not because of productivity, intelligence, or economic value, but because they are made in the image of God. As Pope Leo XIV reminds us, “The person is not a system of algorithms.” In an age of comparison to machines, we must reaffirm that human dignity is non-negotiable. This includes how we design and regulate AI in ways that honor the dignity of workers, learners, patients, and users.

EMBODIMENT

We are embodied, relational, and mortal beings—our lives unfold in space, time, and community. Christian ethics centers the Incarnation: God takes on the vulnerability of human flesh. While AI can extend capabilities, it must not obscure the sacredness of human presence or diminish authentic experience. Policies must guide appropriate use of AI in healthcare, education, and other areas where embodied life matters most.

An illustration of a deep red adult figure gently embracing a rosy pink child-like figure. Both have closed eyes and serene smiles, set against a light pink background.

LOVE

Christian ethics begins with love: a radical, unconditional call to see and serve others in their full humanity. AI may simulate care or companionship, but cannot replace the messy, mutual, and grace-filled nature of real relationships. From social media to chatbots, we must evaluate technologies based on whether they foster compassion—or distort it. Emerging adults, in particular, need space for genuine formation and human connection.

TRANSCENDENCE

Not everything of value can be created, optimized, or sold. Wonder, beauty, truth, and gratitude draw us beyond ourselves to rejoice in the gifts that God gives us. As AI unlocks new forms of creativity, Christians must resist the temptation to confuse innovation with ultimate meaning. We must nurture practices—like worship, contemplation, and awe—that root us in something higher than the digital.

AGENCY

To flourish, humans need to pay attention and exercise freedom and moral responsibility. The Christian tradition teaches that agency is not just task completion, but the capacity to choose truth and good. As AI systems suggest, filter, and even act for us, it is vital to guard the kinds of decisions only human consciences should make. Discernment and virtue must be taught alongside technological fluency.

The DELTA framework was created by Meghan Sullivan, and launched at the Notre Dame Summit on AI, Faith, and Human Flourishing in September 2025.

A smiling woman with graying hair and black glasses, wearing a black dress, holds a clicker. Behind her, a screen reads "DELTA Faith-Based Ethics in a World of Powerful AI." — Meghan Sullivan, Wilsey Family College Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, and director of the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good and the Notre Dame Ethics Initiative

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