Preview

Web 3.0 reveals its power and utility through decentralization and proof of digital ownership of any property. Web 3.0 juxtaposes against the current tech giants such as Facebook, Google, Twitter and YouTube, who both massively monetize private information and can “cancel” voices at any time. In this segment, conference speaker Darren Chiu explains how Web 3.0 platforms are decentralized and confirm digital ownership—with the individual—of virtually any asset. The secret to Web 3.0 is that the platforms are established and held up by the community themselves. They amplify the “trustless” revolution that blockchain is ushering in, where trust is forged precisely because the code allows you to not have a person or entity over it who has to be trusted.

There is a dearth of association among individuals that can be directly linked to our ever-increasing centralized society. In this preview of his Catholic/Crypto Conference presentation, the Acton Institute’s Michael Mathison Miller cites Alexis de Tocqueville to explain man’s natural rite of association. According to Michael, associations more than mere gatherings; they are functional, autonomous, problem-solving, mutual aid societies.   In the face of increasing commercial and governmental centralization, he says we need social decentralization and a multiplicity of private, functional, and autonomous associations that enable people to flourish and work together to solve problems. Michael also says that if used for good, new technologies like blockchain or decentralized ledger technology will bolster communities and eliminate the breakdown of society. “If the state wants to increase individualism [read: isolation] and it’s in cahoots with large tech companies, it limits the social power of subsidiarity.”

Human beings have an unimaginable destiny. In this short segment, Dr. Kelly Anderson explains how we are destined to be “god-like,” sharing in God’s very divine nature and ruling over the cosmos with him in eternity. This is not some New Age concept but historic Christian teaching.

And it is utterly amazing when we think about it! Just as God is bringing about a divine restoration from our broken relationship with him, Sunday sabbath rest is intended to be restorative. In this preview to her conference talk, “Sabbath Rest as a Key to Human Flourishing,” Dr. Anderson explains that God calls us to a weekly sabbath—a break from life’s toils to free us from self-imposed slavery. This call to sabbath requires trust in God and his grace, which he gives freely.

The founders of the Catholic crypto initiative, Crescite, Karl and Eddie explain that technology’s purpose is to help us solve problems and that these new technologies offer unique accountability and transparency, two blessings for the Church and humanity. They explain that a decentralized internet “puts control back in the hands of the individual” and offers greater ability for peer-to-peer interactions and a Cura personalis (care for the entire person). Perhaps most important is their assurance to be not afraid, “[We should] immerse ourselves in this new technology and help shape it.” Karl and Eddie will lead a few talks and conversations at the Catholic/Crypto Conference 2022.

Bitcoin has grown from a most unique vision to a worldwide phenomenon that has the potential to alter the very foundation of money, economic freedom, and humanitarian and social justice efforts. In this conference preview, bitcoin advocate Lisa Hough explains why bitcoin is unlike any former form of economic value in history, in its ability to preserve wealth over generations. It is already providing financial strength and extraordinary property rights to both persons of means, and those who live in third-world countries. Many believe it could easily become the base layer of global financial commerce due to its unparalleled financial properties, most notably “scarcity”, with its finite supply of 21 million digital coins.

Cryptocurrency, using blockchain technology, materialized largely because of a desire for economic freedom from traditional banking and a more efficient peer-to-peer exchange of value. The 2008 economic recession highlighted banking’s instability, spawning much discussion about “sound money” over the ensuing 13+ years since. Dr. Stephen Barrows, from The Acton Institute, will present “Sound Money and Society: Could Cryptocurrency Make a Difference?” at the Catholic/Crypto Conference 2022. In this conference preview, we learn about the Church’s position on economic systems, why weak monetary systems disproportionately hurt the poor, and how sound money strengthens culture, society, and human flourishing.

Acclaimed investor and new technology advocate Mark Yusko explains “the time is now” for Catholic leaders to boldly explore the new technologies of blockchain and crypto. Mark compares current technological opportunities with the parable of the talents, explaining that Catholic leaders and all fiduciaries are charged with bearing fruit. He then draws analogies to the printing press and the internet, explaining how, respectively, they broke the mold of education and communication in the Middle Ages and the monopoly of the Big Three television networks in the 1990s. Discover  the opportunity blockchain offers to immutably lock down and transmit truth. Point by point, Mark explains  how technological innovation offers exponential reward as opposed to risk, while amplifying all forms of traditional investment. Surely, this is an exciting time to be Catholic; we have a unique opportunity to use modern tools to affect the trajectory of society and abet the Church’s mission to bring more souls to Christ. 

In this five-minute preview overview, Xavier Ducuyper, of the YouTube channel “Simply Explained”, gives a brief but clear explanation on what cryptocurrencies are, what a blockchain is, what smart contracts do, what decentralized finance (DeFi) is, and how each of these can be used. Xavier will deliver two presentations at the Catholic/Crypto Conference 2022: An Introduction to Blockchain and An Introduction to DeFi (Decentralized Finance).

In this conference preview, Matt Pinto speaks to technologist (and Catholic deacon) Rich Napoli. Rich was the CEO of a 1,200+ person tech company. These seven technologies are converging in business and the culture right now, and will be transformative. Can they be used by Catholic parishes and ministries for the proclamation of the Gospel, to ultimately serve the Common Good? Absolutely.

These seven—artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain/crypto/NFTs, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), API Economy, 3D printing, data analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT)—will cause us to rethink what our businesses and ministries offer, how we engage our patrons, and the mechanics of how we deliver services.

Rich Napoli will unpack these more at the Catholic/Crypto Conference 2022.

God became man in the person of Jesus Christ. This truth also affirms that the created world is a God-given “good.” This includes new technological creations. But how should Catholics approach a forthcoming “metaphysical-only” world like the metaverse? Or will the metaverse end up being primarily an accent to our lives, like the computer and internet are today? In this segment, Matt Pinto speaks to technologist and Catholic convert, Kailash Duraiswami, on how Catholics should consider and approach a brave new world where human “communion” could be diminished by an augmented reality. Matt Pinto is the founder of the Genesis Group, Ascension Press, author of more than a dozen Catholic books and resources, and has been at the forefront of leading Catholic initiatives for over two decades. He will also be the host for the first-of-its-kind Catholic Crypto Conference this fall that brings together crypto experts, tech experts, and Catholic theologians to shed light on these relevant questions of our time.