“As AI and humanoids grow, the boundary between the real and virtual might collapse, and the Church cannot avoid changes in pulpits and pews”, cautions Korean Christian ethicist Yong Sup Song

Cyberjaya, Malaysia: South Korean Christian ethicist and systematic theologian Rev. Dr Yong Sup Song cautioned that as AI and humanoid technologies continue to advance, the boundary between the real and virtual worlds may begin to collapse, and the Church cannot avoid the changes awaiting both pulpit and pew. He noted that the Church may soon confront the unsettling reality of AI-driven preaching or humanoid robot pastors leading worship and delivering sermons, a possibility already glimpsed in experimental settings in parts of the world.

At the concluding session of the CCA International Study Consultation on ‘Artificial Intelligence and Posthumanism: Ethical and Theological Perspectives,’ Rev. Dr Yong Sup Song, Professor of Christian Ethics and Systematic Theology at Seoul Christian University, reflected on how the Church in Asia can respond to the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence in faith and society.

In his presentation, ‘The Role of AI in Churches and Christian Witness in Asia,’ Dr Song noted that AI has become inseparable from modern life, shaping human emotions, cognition, moral reasoning, and even faith formation. He cautioned that “the space for theologians, pastors, and laypersons in Asia to intervene in AI’s development is still very limited, yet its influence on human life is serious and far-reaching.”

From a Christian ethical perspective, he explored the motives behind AI’s creation and questioned the Church’s responsibility in this new era: “What are the fundamental motives driving the development of AI, and what should the Church in Asia do in the age of AI?”

Referencing thinkers such as David F. Noble and Robert M. Geraci, Dr Song traced the historical link between Christian theology and humanity’s enduring ‘desire for transcendence’. He noted that “from the earliest times, humanity’s longing to ‘be like God’ has been intertwined with the development of technology.” Even the medieval Church, he explained, viewed mechanical inventions as reflections of divine inspiration and the imago Dei, signs of participation in God’s creative work.

Dr Song further noted that this same longing for transcendence continues in the modern age through transhumanism. He said, “Transhumanists such as Ray Kurzweil and Hans Moravec regard AI as the decisive means to transcend human mortality. In their vision, the virtual world becomes a digital heaven, and AI the pathway to salvation,” a view that echoes Judeo-Christian apocalyptic thought on overcoming death and attaining perfection.

Turning to the present and future implications of AI, Dr Song described how developments in multimodal and mixed-reality technologies are rapidly blurring the line between the real and the virtual. Yet he did not present this future with despair; rather, he highlighted opportunities for Christian witness in the digital sphere, noting that virtual and mixed-reality environments could become powerful tools for worship, pastoral counselling, and moral education.

Dr Song urged Asian churches to take proactive, collective action and to draw on theological and cultural resources unique to their contexts. “Faith literature and digital materials produced by Christian communities can contribute to AI’s training,” he explained. He also suggested collecting indigenous stories and folk wisdom to integrate into AI development, ensuring that “Christianity is not again misused as a tool of Eurocentric colonialism, nor technology as a tool of technological colonialism.”

According to Dr Song, “The moral character of future AI systems will mirror the ethical quality of their human creators. If we hope for human–AI interactions that lead to a good society, we must redouble our efforts in cultivating virtue and faith in our communities for a better AI here and now. Our current data will shape the characteristics, morality, and faith of AI in the future, ultimately determining the destiny of humanity and the Church.”

“It is all the more urgent that today’s churches in Asia seek alternatives collaboratively, generate faithful resources, and nurture mature Christians both in the new missionary space of the virtual world and in pastoral ministry on the ground,” Dr Song concluded.

For photos from the fourth day of the International Consultation, please click here.