Is AI really the right place to start your theology of technology?

Developing a theology of technology today can feel overwhelming. You don’t have to look far to find countless opinions on whether or not AI should be used in the church. Like every debate around a new technology, the range of responses is quite dramatic. Some see using AI as simply the next tool in their digital toolbelt, nestled in alongside Instagram Reels and Canva Pro. On the other end of the spectrum, we find those who see AI as playing God in a way that dangerously blurs the line between machine and the divine. It’s an exciting discussion that deserves our attention, but it’s the wrong place to start.

Instead of starting with what’s new, confusing, or even a little scary, maybe we should first look at what we already know – or at least think we know. Take communion, for example. If your church is like mine, you’ve gotten used to the flat, dry, tasteless wafers that sometimes even come as a pre-filled juice-wafer combo. How convenient - and cheap! Let’s compare that to the Passover meal Jesus shared with His disciples. Matzah isn’t exactly known for being a delicacy, but it would have been fresh, probably warm, and definitely hand-made. 

Listen, I know feeding a congregation of 500 with fresh bakery bread isn’t exactly economical. The pre-packaged alternative frees up time for other things, like new initiatives or polishing Sunday’s sermon. But what if we treated the body of Christ with the same care we give that sermon? Imagine a small team of amateur bakers producing a dozen loaves that could be ripped into hundreds of little pieces. Singing songs about Christ as the dough proofed and praying over the bread as they separated each piece into communion plates. The result wouldn’t just be better bread, it would create new space for fellowship and worship.

When we begin to shape a theology of technology, it’s natural to gravitate towards what we don’t fully understand. But you don’t start with sermons co-authored by Gemini; you start with print Bibles, overhead projectors, and stick-to-the-top-of-your-mouth communion wafers. Don't get me wrong, sticking with the cheap wafers isn’t going to hurt anyone. If anything, they’re probably the most hygienic and accessible route your church can take. But what if we paused to reflect on our established routines and the role technology plays in our everyday church practices? Could our pursuit of efficiency be closing the door on opportunities to worship God through the beauty of inefficient labour?