[1]NASHVILLE (BP) – The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) has released a new practical guide [2] for churches on the topic of ministry in the age of artificial intelligence.
The free guide, titled “The Work of Our Hands: Christian Ministry in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” [2] offers real-life scenarios and information about how Christians should leverage emerging technologies in ways that honor God’s design and uphold a biblical worldview.
Jason Thacker, director of the ERLC’s research institute and senior fellow for life and other bioethical issues, served as the primary author of the guide.
“Pastors and ministry leaders are increasingly navigating complex ethical issues related to emerging technologies, but often do not have the margin to get up to speed and think about how to best shepherd our people in the age of AI,” Thacker said.
“This guide is designed to be a practical tool for leaders to think biblically about the nature of technology and how it is shaping us, especially with the challenges with AI and vital questions of human dignity.”
RaShan Frost, ERLC director of research and senior fellow, helped develop and contribute to the guide to explore AI’s impact on discipleship, education, family and the fundamental question of what it means to be human.
“We are living in an age where our technological advances are outpacing our understanding of them and at times how we think about the moral and ethical implications of arriving technologies,” Frost said.
“Thankfully, God’s Word provides us with timeless insights, commands and principles to draw from to guide us in all aspects of life and faith. We want to take God’s Word, and from it draw out theological and ethical principles to help us navigate a world with artificial intelligence. Not only that, we want to take those principles and think through practical scenarios that pastors, lay leaders, staff members, and congregants may experience. I pray this guide will help our churches as we seek to live for God’s glory, love our neighbors and share the gospel in this technological age.”
The guide lays out a theological and ethical framework for addressing the topic of artificial intelligence and then offers answers to 12 different practical scenarios ministry leaders may face in their churches.
The theological and ethical framework presented contains the following six points:
- God, as our sovereign Creator, is the ultimate source of all truth, goodness, and beauty.
- God made humanity in his very image, setting us apart from the rest of creation.
- God has given us a distinct calling as human beings to cultivate and steward all of his creation for his glory and the good of our neighbors.
- As image bearers of God, we are designed for and called into a rich, authentic community with God and others.
- AI is not a neutral tool as it subtly, yet distinctly, shapes our understanding of God, ourselves as human beings, and the world around us.
- Discipleship and spiritual growth are not simply about transferring information, but transformation of the whole person.
Some of the practical scenarios addressed include the following:
- A group of church planters in a cohort you are leading have differing opinions about various ways to use AI in sermon preparation.
- A youth pastor overhears students in the youth group talking about using AI to plagiarize and/or cheat on homework assignments.
- A member of your church has been using various AI chat features to fill loneliness or an emotional/relational need.
- Volunteers in your church are asking you about the use of AI-generated materials/lessons for Bible studies.
- A member of your church has been sharing AI-generated misinformation on their social media.
The ERLC and the SBC as a whole have been at the forefront of faith groups addressing developing technologies such as AI.
The ERLC released the first faith-based statement on AI ethics in 2019 titled “Artificial Intelligence: An Evangelical Statement of Principles.” [3] The statement was signed by over 70 faith leaders from various sectors of society.
In 2023, Southern Baptists adopted the first denominational statement on AI as a resolution titled “On Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies.” [4]
Both statements are included as appendices in the guide.
“The ethics of AI are not questions that we can keep at arm’s length any longer, and we need to cultivate a posture of wisdom and virtue as we stand for God’s truth and the immeasurable worth of every person,” Thacker said.
“The decisions we make today will have lasting effects on our churches and communities. Our hope is that this guide is used by God to equip the Church with the questions she is already facing, cultivate wisdom for the ones on the horizon and also to be part of the larger conversations about AI ethics already taking place in our society.”
The full guide can be downloaded here. [2]
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