Between Babel and the Imago Dei: The Theological Implications of AI

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked intense debate across disciplines, and theology is no exception. Discussions around AI often swing wildly between utopian optimism and dystopian fear. Ethics, agency, and what it means to be human are at the heart of those debates.

What we're really dealing with in AI right now is not artificial sentience but a very advanced form of pattern recognition and data synthesis—a compiler, not a creator. That distinction forces us to reconsider assumptions about intelligence, creativity, and our place in an increasingly automated world.

The term "artificial intelligence" is actually pretty misleading in everyday conversation. AI today is a statistical model that takes in huge amounts of data and generates responses based on probabilities. It does not possess self-awareness or genuine understanding. Hubert Dreyfus argued that human intelligence is embodied and deeply rooted in our surroundings and lived experience. While AI lacks this embodied intelligence, it does raise the question: if AI can generate creative works—poetry, music, art—what does that imply about the presupposed uniqueness of human creativity? If intelligence and creativity are markers of the Imago Dei, does AI’s apparent creative capacity challenge our understanding of what it means to bear God's image? Or does it instead reinforce that true creativity involves intention, relationality, and moral discernment—things AI fundamentally lacks?

Interestingly, AI shares similarities with the way medieval scholars compiled knowledge. Theological insights in Jewish midrash and Christian scholasticism often emerged through interpretation, commentary, and reorganisation of inherited wisdom rather than pure originality. In this sense, AI may not be a completely new phenomenon but an acceleration of an existing intellectual process—albeit one devoid of ethical accountability, divine inspiration, or true human agency.

Theological Considerations

While the Bible does not speak directly to artificial intelligence (I hope that’s obvious?), it raises profound questions about knowledge, wisdom, and the role of human agency.

1. Genesis 1:26-28 – The Imago Dei: “Then God said, ‘Let us make people in our image, after our likeness…’”
   Does AI challenges or distort the Imago Dei. If human uniqueness is defined by rationality, creativity, or dominion over creation, does AI undermine these attributes? Or does it instead clarify that intelligence alone is not the full picture of God’s image—that relationship, moral agency, and spiritual discernment are equally crucial? If AI one day mimics human intelligence more convincingly, this question will only become more pressing.

2. Ecclesiastes 1:9 – Nothing New Under the Sun: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”
   While AI presents novel challenges, the theological questions it raises—human autonomy, ethics, and the boundaries of knowledge—are not new. The pursuit of artificial life, from the golem of Jewish folklore to the automata of early modern science, reflects humanity’s longstanding fascination with creating intelligence in its own image. We just can’t help ourselves! The temptation is not just to build tools but to create something that mirrors—or even replaces—human agency.

3. Proverbs 9:10 – The Fear of the Lord as True Wisdom: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
   AI systems can process and generate knowledge at an unprecedented scale, but they do not possess wisdom. Theological traditions distinguish between gnosis (knowledge) and sophia (wisdom); the latter is bound to divine reverence and moral insight. AI’s inability to engage in self-reflection, ethical reasoning, or spiritual awareness underscores the fundamental difference between data processing and true understanding. However, if AI is increasingly used for spiritual tasks—writing prayers, offering religious advice, or even preaching—what safeguards should exist to ensure it supports rather than supplants human spiritual leadership?

Theological Risks and Ethical Concerns

1. The Authority Illusion: AI models produce responses that sound authoritative, but their conclusions are probabilistic and shaped by human biases. In church contexts, AI must be used with discernment so that it supplements rather than replaces theological engagement. If congregations begin to rely on AI-generated sermons or pastoral advice, this could have real impact on spiritual formation and discernment.

2. Automating Ethics: AI is being used in decision-making systems from criminal justice to healthcare, but it lacks moral reasoning. Can we outsource ethical judgments to non-human agents? Biblical justice, as seen in the prophetic tradition (e.g., Mic. 6:8), requires relational accountability—something AI cannot provide. Christians must also ask whether the way AI is developed and deployed reflects biblical ethics. Who would be ultimately responsible if AI-based decisions leads to harm?

3. Idolatry and the Posthuman Temptation: Some transhumanist circles see AI as a step toward a new form of intelligence—even a superintelligence. This, I think, might echo Babel (Gen. 11), where humanity sought to transcend its limits and ‘become like God.’ Christians must guard against a misplaced trust in AI as a substitute for divine wisdom or human responsibility. However, we must also ask if AI is increasingly integrated with human cognition (such as brain-machine interfaces, or BMIs), does this challenge theological anthropology? Would an AI-enhanced human still bear the Imago Dei in the same way?

Moving Forward

From the standpoint of practical theology, using AI requires both caution and ethical awareness.

• AI as a Theological Tool: AI can supplement human reflection rather than replace it, much like theologians have historically used printing presses, databases, and digital libraries to aid theological inquiry. If critically evaluated, AI could assist in comparative theology, language analysis, and sermon preparation—while keeping human wisdom at the forefront.

• Christian Leadership in AI Ethics: Religious organisations and churches should not merely react to AI but shape its ethical development. This includes ensuring accountability for biases, transparency in AI-assisted decision-making, and upholding human dignity in technological progress. We should be part of the conversation!

• Discipleship in the Digital Age: Theological education must prepare leaders to address AI’s societal impact. This includes equipping clergy and laypeople to navigate issues of truth, moral agency, and reliance on technology.

AI as a Mirror, Not a Mind

AI lacks agency, organic creativity, and wisdom; instead, it reflects the structures, assumptions, and biases ingrained in its training and programming. In this way, AI is more of an escalation of longstanding philosophical and theological issues than a radical break from the past. The task of theology is not merely to respond to AI’s existence but to guide its use in a way that aligns with biblical wisdom, ethical responsibility, and a vision of human flourishing. AI may generate knowledge, but humans—who are made in God’s image—must supply the wisdom.