The Episcopal Church has launched a chatbot called ‘AskCathy’, designed to generate theologically accurate answers about the church.
‘Cathy’ stands for ‘Churchy Answers That Help You’. The technology uses ChatGPT, with a database specialising in Episcopal and Anglican beliefs.
The Chatbot was created by Toronto United Church Council’s Innovative Ministry Centre, and the TryTank Research Institute at Virginia Theological Seminary. It will help to draft sermons, give theological answers and even generate prayers.
Rev Lorenzo Lebrija, chief innovation officer of the project, told The Christian Post: "As we built Cathy, we realised that the tool could do much more than we originally thought.
“People can chat with Cathy and find out about church canons or appropriate hymns and even creating a specific prayer for a very specific occasion.”
However, questions are being raised about the authenticity of spirituality. A recent poll by the Barna Group reveals that a majority of Christians (51 per cent) do not believe AI would be good for the Church in comparison to a quarter of those surveyed who believed it would be good for the church.
Lebrija insists AskCathy should not replace human connection in the church, but should streamline research into the faith: “AI should never be used in place of people, and that is not the intent of Cathy. Cathy regularly encourages people to seek further, deeper advice from local clergy or spiritual guides.”
Peter Phillips, Director of the Centre for Digital Theology at Spurgeon’s College and Methodist minister, Circuit told Premier Christian Radio: “Why not make use of AI to ask: ‘Would you like to know more about service times? Would you like to speak to the minister?’ Those answers can be given using a simple chatbot.
“What AI can’t do is replicate the love of Jesus.”