Whenever I read a book, and there are no footnotes at the bottom of the page with citations or references or attributions, I assume that what is written, and the arrangement of expression, are coming from the author’s own mind. (Notwithstanding the technicality that every author’s mind and heart has been shaped, informed and inspired by the books they’ve read and minds they’ve previously engaged with.) If the content is particularly good, it evokes admiration and appreciation in my heart for the writer.

Now with much material composed by AI, my reading takes on a note of suspicion as to whether what I’m reading has been written by someone who has done the hard work to generate the original thought, or whether the material is simply an algorithmic regurgitation of existing online material, but expressed in words that have been scrambled and rephrased to hide their source.

How refreshing then to read this great sentence in Paul’s great letter to the Romans. After discussing the wisdom and knowledge of God, Paul breaks out in this word of praise: ‘For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.’ In other words, our God is not guilty of lazy nor borrowed composition. There are no attributions regards the story of creation. There are no citations regards the plan of redemption. There are no references regards the plans for the end of the world. Just this one and only credit: God.