On March 16, Tseung Kwan O Methodist Church hosted a lecture titled "When Church Meets AI," which explored the intersection of AI and faith and examined both the opportunities and challenges AI presents to the church.
Rev. Kin-Leung Lau, one of the the two speakers who humorously referred to himself as a "mini AI pastor," framed AI not as a distant technological abstraction, but as an imminent and powerful force destined to become as pervasive and influential as the mobile phone. He argued forcefully that the church must move beyond simply debating the theological and ethical implications of AI. Instead, he advocated for a proactive embrace of AI's practical applications in church life, such as from streamlining administrative tasks to enriching sermon preparation, discipleship programs, and even evangelistic outreach.
Rev. Lau proceeded to give a detailed tour of his personal AI toolkit, showcasing how he leverages these technologies in his day-to-day ministry. He spoke about his reliance on speech-to-text tools like OpenAI's Whisper, Google's Gemini, and Claude to dramatically increase efficiency. He also highlighted his use of image generation platforms, such as Adobe Firefly and Midjourney, for creating visually compelling materials. He demonstrated how AI could rapidly generate promotional posters, Sunday school illustrations, and even entire PowerPoint presentations for sermons. Furthermore, AI is able to create realistic animations and virtual characters based solely on textual descriptions, opening up exciting possibilities for engaging with different audiences. He further elaborated on AI's utility in handling routine tasks like meeting minutes, scheduling, questionnaire design, and even drafting correspondence, freeing up valuable time for pastoral care and other core ministry functions.
Looking to the future, Rev. Lau shared his vision of how AI could further transform church life. He envisioned AI-powered systems that could provide personalized congregational care by analyzing individual needs and offering tailored support. Virtual assistants may be able to handle administrative burdens and even offer preliminary spiritual guidance, facilitate personalized spiritual growth plans, and enhance online worship experiences. With AI serving as a catalyst for deeper connection and more effective ministry, the church will be empowered, not replaced, by technology.
Professor Shui-Man Kwan, the other speaker, then took the stage, shifting the focus to a more contemplative exploration of AI's implications for faith, consciousness, and the very nature of the soul. He readily admitted to being an "AI enthusiast," dedicating a significant portion of his daily work to exploring AI's capabilities in research, teaching, and creative projects. He echoed Rev. Lau's mention of tools, but his presentation centered on the deeper philosophical questions raised by AI's rapid advancement. Examples of his own AI-generated creative works were shown, including a synthesized video of himself singing in Korean, featuring AI-generated representations of prominent theological figures.
Professor Kwan's core argument addressed the fundamental question of whether AI could ever truly achieve consciousness or possess a soul. He acknowledged the provocative claims made by some, including a Google engineer, that AI had already reached a level of sentience. However, he carefully dismantled this notion, drawing upon the classic "Chinese Room" thought experiment and other scientific theories of human consciousness. He convincingly argued that current AI technology, while incredibly sophisticated at mimicking human responses, operates on fundamentally different principles than the human brain. It simulates, rather than replicates, the processes of thought and understanding. He underscored that the current trajectory of AI development is driven by commercial interests, not by a quest to create artificial consciousness.
Professor Kwan then broadened the discussion to encompass the wider societal impact of AI, with particular attention to the challenges facing the church. Acknowledging the inevitable disruption of certain job sectors, he also pointed to the concurrent emergence of new opportunities. The speaker championed the concept of "co-intelligence," a collaborative partnership between humans and AI, where AI serves as a powerful tool under human direction, rather than a replacement for human agency. He specifically cautioned against the uncritical acceptance of AI-generated content, particularly in matters of faith. He stressed that, for example, while AI might produce a flawlessly structured sermon, it could never replace the authentic spiritual connection and discernment that comes from a pastor's personal relationship with God, warning of the potential dangers of over-reliance on AI, including the risk of cognitive biases being amplified by a limited number of powerful tech companies, the proliferation of misinformation, and the potential for misuse in areas like warfare.
