In late 2023, a small church in Texas made headlines when it emerged they’d installed facial recognition cameras to track attendance and engagement during services. While the church leadership cited noble intentions—better pastoral care and follow-up with absent members—the announcement sparked intense debate about privacy, consent, and the appropriate use of surveillance technology in sacred spaces. The incident highlights a broader question facing Christians today: How should we approach the rapidly expanding use of facial recognition technology in our daily lives?

 

FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

Facial recognition technology (FRT) uses artificial intelligence to analyse and match human faces across images and video feeds. While its basic purpose seems straightforward, its applications have expanded far beyond simple photo tagging on social media. Today, the technology powers everything from phone unlocking to law enforcement investigations, retail analytics, and even church management systems.

However, the technology’s power carries significant risks. The Clearview AI controversy revealed how easily facial recognition can be misused—the company scraped billions of photos from social media without consent, creating a massive surveillance database sold to law enforcement and private entities. In China, facial recognition has become a tool for monitoring religious gatherings and tracking minority populations, including Christians in some regions.

Potential Misuses to Be Wary Of:

• Mass surveillance without consent or oversight
• Discrimination and profiling based on race, ethnicity, or religion
• Data breaches exposing biometric information
• Tracking of religious service attendance without congregants knowing
• Commercial exploitation of facial data
• Government overreach in monitoring religious gatherings
• Integration with social credit systems

 

BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

To develop a Christian response to facial recognition technology, we must start with biblical principles. Scripture teaches us we’re created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27): it gives us both the capacity for tech innovation and the responsibility to use it wisely. The cultural mandate (Genesis 1:28) suggests technological development is indeed part of our calling. The effects of the Fall, however, mean every human innovation can be twisted for sinful purposes.

Consider how God’s omniscience differs from human surveillance. While God’s all-seeing nature is paired with perfect love and justice, human attempts to replicate this oversight are marred by sin and limited understanding. As Psalm 139 reminds us, God’s complete knowledge of us is a comfort, not a threat—something that cannot be said for most surveillance systems.

 

ETHICAL FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATION

Legitimate Benefits

Facial recognition technology offers several potential benefits that align with Christian values:

• Enhanced security for vulnerable populations: This technology can help protect children in schools and daycares by ensuring only authorised individuals can pick them up. It can also safeguard elderly church members in care facilities by quickly identifying and preventing unauthorised access, fulfilling our biblical mandate to protect the vulnerable in our communities.
• More efficient law enforcement in pursuing justice: When used ethically, facial recognition can aid in locating missing persons, identifying human trafficking victims, and solving serious crimes. This aligns with the Christian pursuit of justice and protection of the oppressed, though it must be balanced with other ethical considerations.
• Improved accessibility for those with disabilities: For individuals with visual impairments or face blindness (prosopagnosia), facial recognition technology can help identify people approaching them, fostering better inclusion and community participation. This technology can help churches better serve all members of the body of Christ.
• Better stewardship of resources through automation: By automating certain security and check-in processes, churches and Christian organisations can redirect staff time and resources toward ministry and community service. This technology can help streamline administrative tasks, allowing more focus on spiritual care and outreach.

Serious Concerns

However, several aspects require careful Christian consideration:

• Privacy and human dignity: As beings created in God’s image, we have inherent dignity that must be protected. Constant surveillance can violate personal privacy and potentially degrade human dignity by reducing individuals to data points. Churches must consider whether tracking congregants’ movements and attendance patterns respects their dignity as image-bearers of God.
• Potential for abuse of power: While technology itself is neutral, human sinfulness means power can be misused. Facial recognition data could be used to monitor and control rather than serve and protect. Church leaders must be especially careful not to use this technology to exercise undue authority over their congregations.
• Data security and stewardship: Churches and Christian organisations collecting biometric data have a serious responsibility to protect it. A data breach could expose sensitive information about church attendance and religious practices, potentially putting members at risk, especially in regions where Christians face persecution.
• Impact on religious freedom: The use of facial recognition in religious spaces could deter attendance and participation, particularly for individuals from persecuted groups or those seeking anonymity while exploring faith. There’s also concern about government authorities potentially accessing church surveillance systems to monitor religious activities.
• Effects on Christian community and fellowship: Over-reliance on technological monitoring could damage the authentic, trust-based relationships essential to Christian community. When people know they’re being watched, they may be less likely to seek help, share struggles, or engage in genuine fellowship. This could undermine the vulnerable sharing and authentic communion that should characterize church life.

Personal Use

On a personal level, Christians should approach facial recognition technology with thoughtful discernment rather than passive acceptance. This means taking time to understand the implications of clicking “agree” on apps and devices that use facial recognition, and regularly reviewing privacy settings on our digital devices. We must also consider how our individual choices about using this technology might impact our family members, church community, and particularly vulnerable populations within our sphere of influence.

Church Implementation

For churches considering facial recognition systems, the priority must be maintaining trust and authentic community while respecting member privacy. Before implementing such technology, church leadership should explore less invasive alternatives, develop clear policies about data collection and usage, and ensure complete transparency with the congregation about how their biometric data will be protected. Remember: while technology can support ministry, true Christian community is built through relationships—never through surveillance.

Civic Engagement

In the broader civic sphere, Christians have both an opportunity and responsibility to shape how facial recognition technology develops in our society. This includes staying informed about proposed legislation affecting biometric data collection, engaging in public discussions about ethical guidelines, and advocating for privacy protections that safeguard religious freedom and human dignity. Through thoughtful civic engagement, Christians can help ensure facial recognition technology serves the common good while protecting fundamental rights.

 

CONCLUSION

Facial recognition technology, like many modern innovations, presents both opportunities and challenges for communities. While we can embrace its beneficial uses, we must remain vigilant about potential misuses that could undermine human dignity, privacy, and religious freedom. The key is finding a balance that allows us to benefit from technological advancement while remaining faithful to biblical principles.

As we navigate these waters, we shall do well to remember our ultimate security comes not from surveillance systems but from God’s sovereign care. Our goal should be to use technology in ways that honour both God and our neighbours, promoting justice while protecting dignity and freedom.

 

Facial Recognition—Related FAQs

What are our key learnings from the Clearview AI controversy, and isn’t this problem likely to recur? The Clearview AI controversy revealed how easily personal data can be harvested without consent, as the company scraped billions of photos from social media to create a massive facial recognition database. The incident demonstrates how technology companies can exploit legal grey areas to commodify personal information, raising serious questions about data ownership and privacy rights. While various jurisdictions have fined and restricted Clearview AI, similar challenges will likely emerge as the technology evolves, highlighting the urgent need for both robust legislation and ethical corporate governance.

• What are some of the most high-profile misuses of facial recognition technology in recent times? Beyond Clearview AI, concerning cases include China’s use of facial recognition to monitor religious minorities and track church attendance, leading to persecution. In the US, several cities have banned law enforcement use of facial recognition after studies revealed racial bias in the technology and cases of wrongful arrests. The IRS’s controversial attempt to require facial recognition for tax filing access in 2022, which was later reversed after public outcry, shows how even well-intentioned implementations can threaten privacy and equal access to essential services.
• Is it ethical to use facial recognition technology for evangelism and outreach tracking? While technology can support ministry efforts, using facial recognition to track potential converts or monitor outreach success raises serious ethical concerns. Our call to make disciples should be carried out with respect for human dignity and free will, not through surveillance. The Great Commission is fulfilled through genuine relationships and the work of the Holy Spirit, not technological monitoring.

Should we accept facial recognition payment systems that are becoming common in some countries? This requires careful discernment between convenience and complicity in potentially problematic systems. While using biometric payments isn’t inherently wrong, Christians should consider whether such systems could enable unjust social control or discrimination. The key is evaluating whether participation compromises our ability to live faithfully or potentially harms our neighbours.

• Does using facial recognition technology show a lack of trust in God’s protection? Using technology for security and efficiency doesn’t necessarily indicate a lack of faith, just as using locks on doors doesn’t show distrust in God’s providence. However, we must guard against placing our ultimate trust in technological solutions rather than God’s sovereign care. The key is viewing technology as a tool for wise stewardship rather than a source of ultimate security.
• What unique considerations should missionaries and Christian workers in restricted countries have regarding facial recognition? Christians serving in restricted areas must exercise exceptional wisdom regarding facial recognition systems that could compromise their ministry or endanger local believers. In some contexts, avoiding facial recognition technology might be necessary for protecting the church and its members. Mission organisations should develop clear protocols for technology use that prioritise the safety of workers and local Christians.

How should we approach facial recognition in home security systems? Home security systems with facial recognition can be a legitimate tool for protecting our families and exercising stewardship over our resources. However, we should carefully consider privacy implications for visitors, neighbours, and household members. The technology should be used in a way that maintains hospitality and doesn’t create an atmosphere of suspicion or fear.

 

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