AI’s Divine Intervention: A Deep Dive into Faith and Technology

Click Here by Recorded Future News explores the intriguing intersection of faith and technology in the latest episode titled "AI’s Divine Intervention," released on April 8, 2025. Hosted by Dina Temple-Raston, the episode delves into the personal journey of Joe Suh, a seasoned Silicon Valley professional, and his innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) to bridge his spiritual life with his tech expertise. This comprehensive summary captures the key discussions, insights, and conclusions drawn throughout the episode.

1. Introduction to Joe Suh

Dena Temple Raston opens the episode by introducing Joe Suh, a Silicon Valley veteran with two decades of experience in tech giants like Samsung and Intel. Despite his professional success, Joe faced personal struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a spiritual dry spell.

• [00:34] Dena Temple Raston: "Joe had spent two decades in Silicon Valley and most of his life as a practicing Christian."

Joe reveals that although the pandemic brought financial stability after selling his own tech company, it also exacerbated his mental health and familial issues.

• [01:06] Joe Suh: "But, yeah, I had some personal struggles, struggles in, like, with family life and mental health. And a lot of it was Covid as well."

2. Rediscovering Faith Through Menlo Church

Amidst his struggles, Joe felt the need to reconnect with his faith. This journey led him to Menlo Church, a Presbyterian congregation in the San Francisco Bay Area, drawn by the teachings of Pastor John Ortberg.

• [01:49] Dena Temple Raston: "So we started church shopping and eventually found Menlo Church."

Joe admired Pastor Ortberg for his ability to blend theological depth with practical, accessible teachings.

• [02:06] John Ortberg: "So I want to say hi to everybody that's in this room and everybody joining us at all of our campuses, people tuning in online."

3. The Birth of a Virtual Pastor

When Pastor Ortberg unexpectedly stepped down amid controversy, Joe found himself adrift once more. Determined to maintain his spiritual guidance, Joe devised a unique solution: creating a chatbot trained on Pastor Ortberg's extensive library of sermons.

• [03:05] Joe Suh: "My prayers aren't answered?"

The chatbot, aptly named "John Ortbot," provided Joe with scripture-based responses and frameworks to ponder theological questions without judgment.

• *[07:07] Joe Suh: "It's not going to give you a yes or no response. It's going to give you some things to think about. It'll give you some biblical references. It'll give you kind of a framework to think about it. And that was all very helpful."

4. The Renaissance of Christian Tech

Joe’s innovative approach sparked a broader renaissance within the Christian tech industry. Former Harvard Divinity School cultural anthropologist Heather Milquist Leto highlights the longstanding relationship between religion and technological advancements.

• *[07:34] Heather Milquist Leto: "Religion has always been leading kind of the mainstreaming of technological change throughout American history."

From the printing press to televangelism and now AI, churches have continually adapted technology to spread their message and engage congregants.

5. Opportunities and Innovations with AI in Churches

Joe expanded his AI endeavors beyond personal spiritual guidance. Recognizing the potential for broader application, he developed a platform that repurposes sermons into diverse media formats such as newsletters, Instagram reels, podcasts, and multi-language video sermons.

• *[14:11] Joe Suh: "But what the churches want is, okay, the individual homily or sermon. Take that recording, run it through your AI algorithms, and spit out some new resources for us to send to our congregation between Sundays."

Kenny Jang, founder of AI for Church Leaders, emphasizes the rapid innovation and practical applications AI brings to church operations, including content creation and donation management.

• *[17:23] Kenny Jang: "AI for church leaders started as a group, it's now, I don't know, it's on its way to 7,000 people."

6. Ethical and Theological Concerns

Despite the promising advancements, the integration of AI into religious practices raises significant ethical and theological questions. Concerns about AI "hallucinating" or providing inaccurate information pose risks of misleading congregants.

• *[15:12] Joe Suh: "A very common concern and objection we get from pastors is, how do I trust this thing? Is this thing going to hallucinate?"

Heather Milquist Leto discusses the delicate balance between leveraging technology and preserving the sacredness of religious practices.

• *[19:04] Heather Milquist Leto: "There was really an interesting case in Finland actually, where someone sued the Jehovah's Witnesses because they were concerned that the door to door visits by the Jehovah's Witnesses was collecting information and a violation of their privacy..."

7. Expert Insights on Technology and Religion

Heather Milquist Leto provides a critical perspective on how AI might alter the essence of religious communities. She underscores the importance of maintaining human connection and the inherently personal nature of spiritual growth, which AI cannot replicate.

• *[20:21] Dena Temple Raston: "...spiritual growth isn't usually fast. It's not clean, it's not automated. It's messy, really personal, full of doubt."

Meanwhile, Kenny Jang highlights how AI can enhance church efficiency without compromising the human touch essential to faith-based communities.

• *[17:41] Dena Temple Raston: "He also advises on the business of running a church because yes, churches have bills."

8. Conclusion: Balancing Technology and Faith

The episode concludes with a thoughtful reflection on the potential of AI to support and enhance religious practices while cautioning against losing the fundamental human elements that define faith communities. Heather Milquist Leto believes that technology can aid churches if used thoughtfully, ensuring that the sacred remains undisturbed.

• *[21:06] Heather Milquist Leto: "The thing that often concerns me about religion and technology is that technology is being used to replace some of the things that are perhaps most essential and valuable to religious practice or to any kind of social community."

Final Thoughts

"AI’s Divine Intervention" meticulously examines the symbiotic relationship between artificial intelligence and religious life, using Joe Suh's personal narrative as a compelling case study. The episode illuminates both the innovative possibilities and the ethical dilemmas that arise when faith intersects with advanced technology. Listeners are encouraged to ponder how AI can be harnessed to strengthen spiritual communities without diminishing the profound human connections at their core.

For those intrigued by the fusion of technology and spirituality, "AI’s Divine Intervention" offers a nuanced exploration of modern faith in the digital age. Tune in to Click Here every Tuesday and Friday for more stories that unravel the complexities of our cyber and intelligence-driven world.