Religious leaders across the United States are incorporating AI into their religious practices, from sermon writing to theological research. According to an article by Eli Tan in The New York Times, clergy members are testing various AI applications while grappling with ethical considerations.
Rabbi Josh Fixler of Congregation Emanu El in Houston created “Rabbi Bot,” an AI system trained on his previous sermons that can generate and deliver new sermons in his voice. Pastor Jay Cooper in Austin experimented with ChatGPT to create an entire church service, including songs and sermon content. Companies like Pastors.ai are developing specialized AI tools for religious institutions, offering services from simple chatbots answering questions about service times to more complex theological discussions.
While many religious leaders embrace AI for research and administrative tasks, others express concerns about its use in core spiritual functions. The Pope has warned that machines cannot replicate human wisdom in spiritual matters. Religious leaders acknowledge both benefits and limitations of AI, with some worried about the technology’s potential to generate false religious quotes or reduce the authentic development of sermon-writing skills. The trend reflects a historical pattern of religious institutions adapting to new technologies, from the printing press to radio and television.