Need to teach the holy trinity? Just use ChatGPT.
A Methodist church in North Austin, Texas turned to such technology as an “unorthodox” way to teach the good book along with the impacts of artificial intelligence two Sundays ago.
Violet Crown City Church Pastor Jay Cooper fiddled with the language learning model to do the lord’s work by having it write not only sermons, but prayers, and a song as well.
“The initial reason we offered this, admittedly unorthodox, service was to inform our congregation about AI and to understand its potential and its limitations,” he told Media Drum.
“The idea to create an AI-generated worship service came from my belief that the church should not only be aware of the most pressing issues of our world, but also to actively engage in them…AI is definitely one of those issues.”
A Methodist church in North Austin, Texas used ChatGPT to make an AI sermon. Getty Images/iStockphoto
The tech-heavy mass was at Violet Crown City Church. mediadrumimages/Violet Crown City Church
Violet Crown City Church Pastor Jay Cooper fiddled with the language learning model to do the lord’s work by having it write not only sermons, but prayers, and a song as well. mediadrumimages/Violet Crown City Church
The technologically teachable text, albeit received by many as “shallow and generic” according to Cooper, ultimately created a much more human discussion among parishioners.
“What it actually became was a meaningful conversation about how we as followers of Jesus are to seek the sacred in every person, place, and situation in our life, for scripture reminds us that when we seek God, we will find God,” he said.
“The purpose is to invite us to consider the nature of truth and challenge our assumptions about what God can make sacred and inspired.”
“The initial reason we offered this, admittedly unorthodox, service was to inform our congregation about AI and to understand its potential and its limitations,” he said. mediadrumimages/Violet Crown City Church
“The idea to create an AI-generated worship service came from my belief that the church should not only be aware of the most pressing issues of our world, but also to actively engage in them…AI is definitely one of those issues.” mediadrumimages/Violet Crown City ChurchHowever, Cooper plans to keep his sermon on the motherboard to a one-time experience only, at least for now.
“It was missing the most important component of worship, which is heart and the human spirit of joy and authenticity,” the pastor added.
“Never say never, I suppose, since it’s possible AI may yet be of use for us in some way in the church, but for now we won’t be using it again to generate any components of Sunday morning worship services.”
“Never say never, I suppose, since it’s possible AI may yet be of use for us in some way in the church, but for now we won’t be using it again to generate any components of Sunday morning worship services.” mediadrumimages/Violet Crown City ChurchSeveral religious leaders across various faiths began experimenting with ChatGPT as a writing tool when it became immensely popular last winter as well.
Though, as Cooper and other clergymen previously pointed out, you can’t get soul from syntax — yet.
