Noted theologian and author John Piper has expressed opposition to using artificial intelligence platforms like ChatGPT to compose sermons, saying he was “appalled” by the idea.
In Monday’s episode of “Ask Pastor John,” a couple of listeners asked Piper about using AI platforms like ChatGPT to write a sermon or Bible study.
Piper noted that a key problem with AI is that it lacks an emotional element, saying that God “is glorified not merely by being rightly thought about, logically comprehended, but by rightly being enjoyed, admired, appreciated and valued.”
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“Worship is not simply right thinking, which computers can do. Worship is right feeling about God,” said Piper. “We consider it ludicrous when a machine attempts to rejoice or delight or be glad or stand in awe or be amazed or feel grief or fear.”
“We know that these are the making of the human soul so uniquely that they will not be replaced by machines. The very phrase ‘artificial emotion’ is an oxymoron.”
Piper stated that while he believes ChatGPT can be useful for information, he was “appalled” at the idea of it being used to draft a sermon or a church newsletter, unless ChatGPT was credited for it.
“Don’t have ChatGPT write the first draft of your sermon, which you then check, adjust, and customize. Frankly, I’m appalled at the thought. Appalled!” he reiterated.
Piper cited 1 Timothy 3:2, which lists the qualifications for a church leader to include being “vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality” and notably being “apt to teach.”
“That means you must have the ability, the gift, to read a passage of Scripture, understand the reality it deals with, feel the emotions it is meant to elicit, be able to explain it to others clearly, illustrate and apply it for their edification,” Piper continued. “That’s a gift you must have. It’s your number one job. If you don’t have it, you should not be a pastor.”
“Don’t use it for composition unless you’re going to give credit for it. So, if you’re going to have ChatGPT write your first draft and you’re going to tweak it, then you better say to your people, ‘ChatGPT, artificial intelligence, has composed the word of God for you this morning.’”
In recent years, some churches have looked into using AI platforms in some capacity, from offering information tools for spiritual seekers to writing sermons.
Last year, for example, the Toronto United Church Council’s Innovative Ministry Center and the TryTank Research Institute at Virginia Theological Seminary launched an AI chatbot called “AskCathy” that sought to answer questions about The Episcopal Church.
The Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, executive director at TryTank Research, told The Christian Post in an interview last August that he believed most people using AskCathy see it “as a tool and in no way a replacement for human interaction,” which “can augment the work of The [Episcopal] Church.”
“To be clear, AI should never be used in place of people, and that is not the intent of Cathy. Cathy regularly encourages people to seek further, deeper advice from local clergy or spiritual guides,” he said. “Ideally, Cathy is a tool that can allow us to grow deeper into the Episcopal faith.”
