ChatGPT’s Church Sermons Draw Mixed Reactions from Preachers

ChatGPT is beginning to change the world by using AI to simplify tasks. It can write essays, make medical diagnoses, create recipes, code software, and even have realistic conversations.

Its outputs are remarkably human-like. There is growing interest among users on the ever-expanding ability of these chatbots, albeit among concerns are the extent of their intelligence.

It has come to light that preachers are now harnessing the power of these artificially sophisticated chatbots to write sermons.

This has caused controversy in the religious ranks as some members are strongly against it, claiming that even though AI can develop a moderately good sermon, it cannot replicate the passion of proper preaching.

Can ChatGPT write a sermon? Yes — sort of — say a growing number of faith leaders.

Can it preach with heart and soul? The answer, so far: "Absolutely not!" https://t.co/P7Pxhf62R7

— The Associated Press (@AP) February 15, 2023

Mainly devout pastors and preachers carried out this opinion. They believe in the traditional method of evangelism. They are firmly convinced that any artificial creation should not write a sermon.

But instead, it should be a result of inspiration from prayer and communing with God.

Can ChatGPT Write a Sermon?

Hershael York, a dean of the school of theology, a pastor in Kentucky, and a professor of Christian teaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, expressed, “It lacks a soul – I do not know how else to say it.”

Religious leaders use sermons to impart biblical knowledge and spiritual and moral guidance to their followers, which is usually the main event of any religious gathering.

York added, “Lazy pastors might be tempted to use AI for this purpose, but not the great shepherds, those who love preaching, who love their people.”

“A chatbot can research. A chatbot can write. Perhaps a chatbot can even orate.

But a chatbot can’t preach.”https://t.co/7k8QQUVkqp

— Christianity Today (@CTmagazine) January 27, 2023

Another scenario was visible in New York, where Joshua Franklin, a rabbi, told his congregation that he would deliver a sermon addressing issues like trust, vulnerability, and forgiveness.

When he finished, he asked the congregation to guess who wrote it. The church was baffled, but he eventually revealed that the writer was ChatGPT in response to his request for a 1,000-word sermon relating to the week’s lesson from the Torah.

The congregation applauded, but Franklin responded, “Now, you’re clapping — I’m deathly afraid. I thought truck drivers would go long before the rabbi regarding losing our positions to artificial intelligence.”

He explained that Artificial Intelligence was incapable of human emotions, which include empathy, compassion, and love, and could not build relationships and community.

“ChatGPT might be great at sounding intelligent, but can it be empathetic? And that, it can’t. Not yet, at least.” “Those are what brings us together,” he said in a final note.

ChatGPT AI robots writing church sermons causing hell for pastors https://t.co/TKiTiOlNB3 pic.twitter.com/oqDAB8icXL

— New York Post (@nypost) February 17, 2023

What Other Preachers Think About ChatGPT

Franklin was not the only preacher to put the AI’s ability to the test. Todd Brewer, a New Testament scholar and managing editor of Mockingbird, a Christian website, wrote in December about an experiment he carried out. He asked the chatbot to devise a Christmas sermon.

He requested a sermon based on Luke’s narrative, with references from Karl Barth, Martin Luther, Irenaeus of Lyon, and Barack Obama. That is as specific as it can get if you ask me.

Brewer commented that he was not expecting the results he got from the chatbot as it provided a piece that met his criteria. He said it “is better than several Christmas sermons I’ve heard over the years.”

“The AI even seems to understand what makes the birth of Jesus genuinely good news,” Brewer remarked. He wrote that the ChatGPT sermon “lacks any human warmth. The preaching of Artificial Intelligence can’t convincingly sympathize with the human plight.”

The ability of this artificial intelligence impressed a lot of people. Still, most hold onto the opinion that the vitality of a sermon lies in its human connection.

It also leads to the passion and fellowship between preacher and follower, something the AI does not possess.

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