AI Church Services

In September 2023, a church in Texas held a service written entirely by artificial intelligence. The Austin church described the experiment this way: “This Sunday, we’re entering somewhat uncharted territory by letting ChatGPT create the order of worship, prayers, sermon, liturgy, and even an original song for our 10 a.m. service.”

“Somewhat uncharted territory” is an extremely kind, completely naive way of saying it. What were they thinking? We don’t have to wonder. We can just read their statement: “The purpose is to invite us to consider the nature of truth and challenge our assumptions about what God can make sacred and inspired.”

After the service, the pastor said the sermon was lacking “the human touch.” Um, yes. Is that really a surprise? The artificial never reflects the real. But it was missing something far more important than a human touch. It lacked God’s inspiration, presence, and touch.

Looking to AI to clarify the nature of truth or answer our assumptions about God is a fool’s path. The created never defines the Creator. The blending of the sacred and the artificial never leads to the real or eternal. And the Tree of Knowledge never leads to the Tree of Life.

Have we learned nothing from Adam and Eve’s fall in Eden?

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