Artificial Intelligence & the Global Church : A Trinitarian Theological Perspective

Sammanfattning

The purpose of this study is to expand understanding of how contemporary Christiandenominations understand and engage with Artificial Intelligence (AI), and how theseperspectives can be interpreted through a Trinitarian theological framework. As theologicalengagement with AI remains at an early stage, the study explores how the global Churchreflects on theological questions related to AI, including themes such as human identity,embodiment, relationality, koinonia and worship. The study is qualitative and explorative in nature, informed by an abductive approach.The empirical data consists of five semi-structured interviews with theologians fromCatholic, Orthodox and Protestant (Lutheran and Baptist) traditions. The analysis draws ontheological literature and existing research on AI and theology, using Trinitarian concepts tointerpret perspectives from the respondents through qualitative text analysis. The findings show that Christian engagements with AI are characterised bytheological discernment rather than simple acceptance or rejection. Across denominations,respondents express concern about reducing human identity to intelligence, efficiency ortechnical capability, instead emphasising imago Dei, embodiment, relationality andcommunion with God and others. The Trinitarian framework proved significant, as it offerstheological language for understanding human existence relationally rather than throughisolated attributes such as cognition or productivity. The concept of the incarnation furtheremerged as central for evaluating AI, particularly in relation to transhumanism, artificialintimacy and technological understandings of personhood. While AI may imitatecommunication and reasoning, respondents argued that it cannot participate in embodiedcommunion, spiritual transformation or the relational life central to theology. Overall, thestudy highlights relationality, embodiment and communion as central dimensions of humanexistence grounded in the Triune God.