Rev. Molly Jane Layton writes for The Living Church’s Covenant blog on the use of Artificial Intelligence for sermons. She argues that even using AI for preparation is the same as using it for generating full sermons. Technology should not be used as a replacement for either wrestling with the text or the needs of the intended congregation:
If AI provides all the content a preacher studies before she speaks the words to her people, I would argue that it is not different from having it write the text. Engaging with other people’s ideas is important in sermon preparation. Nevertheless, using AI is inherently different from reading a commentary or listening to a sermon podcast or having a conversation with a colleague. These options require the preacher to sort through ideas, consider a range of interpretations, and select a way to move forward. Most importantly, in this whole process the preacher is sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit through prayer and is interacting with the words of others who have also relied on the Spirit in their work. The one who shortcuts this process by relying on AI’s synthesis of the text or suggestion of a main idea is in danger of denying the leadership of the Spirit.