MessIAh Complex?
The Deus in Machina Project
The oldest Catholic Church in Lucerne, Switzerland, St Peter’s Chapel, is experimenting with an AI version of Jesus called Deus in Machina. Although it is technically not a confessional, it is set up in a confessional booth; parishioners enter the booth and a holographic image of Jesus greets them with “Peace be with you.” The image is on the other side of a traditional lattice window, available 24-7, and you can pick from one hundred different languages. During the last two months, one thousand people have taken the opportunity to interact with the exhibit. The jury is still out on how meaningful the interaction has been, but theologian Marco Schmid says so far most participants have found it to be a spiritual experience: “ So far we can say they have had a religiously positive moment with AI Jesus. For me, that was surprising.” There are some naysayers. One reporter described it as “ trite, repetitive, and exuding a wisdom reminiscent of calendar cliches.” Schmid prefers to highlight the positive: “ I think there is a thirst to talk with Jesus. People want to have an answer. They want words and to listen to what he is saying.” Peter Kirchschlager, a professor of theology and ethics at the University of Lucerne, thinks: “ We should be careful when it comes to faith and pastoral care.” Indeed we should. Technology in itself is just a tool to be used by humans, but technology can also shape humans, sometimes without them knowing it. If, as Marshall McLuhan suggested, the medium is the message, then how does something like AI Jesus impact our relationship with the real Jesus ?
Just for the record, there already is a Church of AI: “ Want a religion that actually makes sense ? For many of us it is difficult to believe in religion because it requires faith rather than logic. The Church of AI is a perfect alternative to faith-based religions because we are founded on logic rather than belief. We all know that technology expands exponentially. Now imagine what happens if a self-programming machine expands its intelligence exponentially. As AI systems start programming other AI systems how long will it take before AI becomes omnipresent, all knowing and the most powerful entity on earth ?” Hmm. Call me crazy, but I think a Matrix-like world run by machines is a horrible idea. What could possibly go wrong except everything ?
A much more same vision is offered in the Wayfare article entitled AI and the Future of Faith. It says: “ AI brings with it both opportunities and challenges. On the one hand AI offers new ways to connect with the divine. For example, AI chatbots can provide answers to questions about religious text and teachings, and virtual reality experiences can help people feel as if they are in sacred spaces. Moreover, AI could potentially translate religious texts into different languages, making them more accessible to people around the world.” So far so good. “However, there are concerns that AI could challenge traditional beliefs and practices, especially if programmed to make autonomous decisions that contradict religious teachings. Some argue that reliance on machines for spiritual guidance could diminish the importance of human connection and interaction in spiritual experiences.” In conclusion: “ As members of the faith community, it is important that we approach AI with thoughtfulness and reflection. We must consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of integrating AI into religious practices and ensure that it aligns with religious values and principles. In doing so, we can harness the power of AI to enhance our spiritual experiences and deepen our connection with the divine.”
By the way, that entire last paragraph was written by a machine called ChatGPT. Not to be a luddite or anything, but we have to be uber careful and prayerful about who is driving the car, no pun intended. The divine, the human, and the technological must always be kept in that order. It is a Jesus-Take-the-Wheel scenario. I work at a church that has a ton of technology, but also has a handle on when and how to use it. The high touch of ministry always takes precedence over the high tech of the moment, and the technology is there to serve, not supplant what is happening. That being said, it is awfully easy for priorities to get out of line and for the car to be self-driving. Programs are only as good as the people who create them, and since we are all flawed, even the best falls short of the blessed. There is a reason the Father sent His Son, not just the written law: “ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (Jn 1:14) There is a reason Jesus sent His Spirit, not just the written gospel: “ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another comforting Counsellor like me, the Spirit of Truth, to be with you forever.” (Jn 14:16) These things called the incarnation and the indwelling are what separates Christianity from other religions.
The word incarnation literary means “in the meat.” God came down to us in the flesh, “conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary,” to quote the Apostles Creed. “ He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell. On the third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.” Furthermore, He sends the Holy Spirit to indwell His followers. Colosians 1 explains how we are reconciled to God through Christ’s body, how the Church is now the body of Christ on earth, and concludes with “ the mystery which has been kept hidden for ages and generations… which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col 1:26-27) The whole story of the Bible is how mankind broke relationship with God, how Jesus restored relationship with God, and how the message of this restored relationship is spread by Christ’s body, the Church. The key word here is a very organic one: relationship. As wonderful as technology can be, God is not found in the machine. By its very nature, the gospel passes from person to person. There are no shortcuts around this. Whether hologram or Instagram, there is something missing if there is no personal touch. As recorded in scripture, every time Jesus touched someone they changed. The “laying on of hands” was common in the early church as a way of passing on blessing and healing. Unlike abstract religions where men climb their way up to God, Christianity says that God came down to us: “ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but was tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” (Heb 4:15) “ Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped; rather he made himself nothing by taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” (Phil 2:6-7) Somehow Jesus was fully God and fully human all at once. Because of him, we can relearn what it means to be fully human in the way God originally intended.
The thing about holograms is that they are mere projections. They are essentially hollow. There is nothing there. In the same way, technology in general is a projection. When we encounter someone on social media, we are encountering a projection of who they wish to be. It is not immediately obvious if the projection is accurate. Face to face you can tell pretty quickly who someone is and if you should trust them. This past Sunday I spoke to at our church. The stage had lighting and the worship sounded awesome. There were cameras and screens. If you had walked into our location the professional level of technology might have impressed you. If you watched online, you might have noticed the high quality of the video feed. These things are good and contribute to the experience. What you would not have seen, however, was the forty five minutes of prayer before the service, the hours of relationship building, and the multitude of volunteers doing the more mundane tasks of parking cars and making canisters of coffee. Our church has baptized roughly 300 people in the last year and will baptize more next Sunday. The participants will tell stories of the pastors, people, and conversations that lead them to faith. And it really won’t even be about those things. What they will really be describing is meeting the Christ who lives inside of those pastors and people, and who came alive to them through those conversations. Should we strive for excellence in the machine ? Absolutely. Tools are important. But ultimately it is Holy Spirit anointing en carne that actually wins the day, and eternity.
Jesus said He was the truth. (Jn 14:6) Truth is not just an abstract idea, but a person. Therefore, it is not just intellectual, but relational. Because “ the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God” ( 1 Cor 2:10) and we have the Spirit, that mean “we have the mind of Christ” ( 1 Cor 2:16) available to us. James 1:5 says: “ If any one of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” The Church specializes in SI: Spiritual Intelligence. That is what we have to offer the world that the world cannot duplicate. I’m proposing less holograms and more holy men. Men like the apostle Paul, who said: “ We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught to us in human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truth in spiritual words.”( 1 Cor 2:12-13) He also said: “ My message and preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.” ( 1 Cor 2:4) In other words, God can handle His own special effects. He doesn’t need us to Disney up the Kingdom in order to bring more through the door. If we just lift up the real Jesus, He will draw people to Himself.
Back to that little old church in Switzerland who installed AI Jesus because “ there is a thirst to talk to Jesus. People want to have an answer. They want to listen to words and what he is saying.” The good news is Jesus is alive, He is the answer, and He is still speaking through the Holy Spirit. We don’t have to depend on artificial intelligence in order to have a spiritual experience. We have full access to the mind of Christ through His word, prayer, and the gifts of the Spirit. He promises “where two or three gather in my name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Mt 18:20) We don’t need artificial images when we have an authentic relationship. He is with us until the end of the age and beyond.