‘We must not fear AI’

The Very Rev Albert Bogle says the church needs to be open to the potential and limitations of artificial intelligence.

THE remit for this column is to talk about things digital and how we in the Church of Scotland can develop and grow our digital mission. In the light of the continuously growing research relating to future communication technologies, congregations and presbyteries would be foolish not to consider the power and effectiveness of a digital mission plan. Indeed, every presbytery should be considering this strategic area, as they try to work out how we can reach every part of Scotland with the gospel of Jesus.

In the past few columns I’ve been hinting at the importance of a thoughtful and ethical use of technology. However we need more. We need to be aware of the changes that are happening all around us with the growth and development of artificial intelligence (AI). AI will help us share our digital mission but it can never shape it. It is God’s mission from beginning to end and we in the Church are called to be his agents of mission.

AI is challenging all aspects of our lives. In an article composed solely by AI, published on the website ‘Love and Logic’ on January 10 2023, the potential disruptive power of AI to replace designers and other creative professionals is discussed. It is worth reading. Everything from telemarketing to writing computer code is being targeted by AI. There is no doubt all this will affect our economy and in turn the way we live, and it will influence how we prepare our church services and how we organise church.

It would appear the first artificially created service led by four AI pastors took place on June 23 2023. Around 300 people attended the service. The experimental ChatGPT powered service took place in St Paul’s church in the Bavarian town of Fürth, Germany.

The liturgy included prayers, music, and a sermon, with 98% of the service attributed to AI. The service was created by Professor Jonas Simmerlein from the University of Vienna. The Professor wished to bring to the attention of the German Evangelical Church Conference, the advances that have come about in AI and to show that there are things we do in church that could be recreated by artificial intelligence.

We must not fear AI, for nothing can separate us from the love of God. We are told this in Paul’s letter to the Romans. We need to remind ourselves, AI is not alive or even intelligent. It is interesting to note that of the AI liturgy I mentioned above, it was the human 2% that gave it meaning. Indeed it is not the words of the liturgy or the order of the content, or the notes of the music that create worship. It is only when hearts and minds are joined together by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, bringing all of their lives, all of themselves, as a response in faith to the grace of God that worship becomes what was known for years as ‘Divine Worship’.

New technologies will arise just like previous advances in technology, and it will be disruptive. Jobs that seemed secure from automation will also be under fire. As with smartphones, email and social media, humans will develop new ways of interacting. But AI is not conscious, selfaware, or able to completely replace what humans do in an act of worship.

In today’s climate within the Church of Scotland, I know it’s getting more difficult to keep writing inspirational articles about the renewal of the church when so many feel the present presbytery plans are based on financial propriety rather than missional risk. Of course it suits some to jump on this bandwagon, especially if it justifies the lack of missional risk that is being taken by local congregations and presbyteries. However if we wish to be completely inspirational in our mission strategy we need to be Holy Spirit led risk takers, and that is something I think AI will never be able to replicate.