Welcome back to The Tamnation Gilsey Podcast, where we float upon the detritus of modern culture—sometimes with a life vest, sometimes just treading water. I’m James Mitchell, and today, we’re diving into a topic that’s, well, honestly, it’s a little wild even for me: artificial intelligence and the Bible. Yeah, you heard that right. AI isn’t just writing your emails or suggesting what show to binge next—it’s now reimagining scripture itself.Let’s start with something that made headlines not too long ago. PETA, the animal rights folks, decided to use ChatGPT to rewrite the Book of Genesis. Their goal? To make it more animal-friendly. So, in their version, animals aren’t “beasts” or “creatures”—they’re “beings.” And instead of animal skins, Adam and Eve get plant-fiber clothes. I mean, I get what they’re going for, but you can imagine the reaction. Faith communities, especially those who hold the text as sacred and immutable, were not exactly thrilled. Some called it a distortion, others just rolled their eyes, but it definitely sparked a debate about where the line is between interpretation and, well, rewriting history.And it’s not just activist groups. Yuval Noah Harari, the Israeli historian—he’s the guy who wrote Sapiens, if you remember—he’s been out there predicting that AI could soon generate entirely new religious texts. Not just translations or commentaries, but actual scriptures, written by what he calls “superhuman intelligence.” That’s a pretty loaded idea. I mean, for thousands of years, religious texts have been attributed to divine inspiration or, at the very least, human authorship. If an AI writes a new “bible,” who gets to say it’s sacred? Or even authoritative? It’s a question that, honestly, I find completely abhorrent and prophetic at the same time. You know, this isn’t the first time new media has rattled the faithful. I remember covering the early days of digital Bible apps—people were up in arms about reading scripture on a phone instead of a leather-bound book. There were debates about whether the “word” was still the word if it was pixelated. It’s funny, looking back, because now digital Bibles are everywhere. But the core anxiety hasn’t changed: when technology touches the sacred, people get nervous. And maybe for good reason.But let’s shift gears a bit. Not all AI and Bible mashups are about rewriting Genesis or inventing new religions. Some of the most interesting stuff is happening in the world of personalization and access. Take Rebind AI, for example. They’re building this interactive Bible platform where you can ask questions, get commentary from theologians and historians, and even journal your thoughts as you read. It’s like having a Bible study group, a seminary professor, and a therapist all rolled into one app. I mean, it’s a far cry from the old days of flipping through concordances and dog-eared study notes.And then there’s Revival AI. These folks are all about custom Bibles—pick your translation, your study notes, your cover design, even devotional materials. Their AI-driven software makes the whole process efficient and, supposedly, more accurate. It’s kind of like Build-A-Bear, but for scripture. I know, that’s a terrible analogy, but you get the idea. The point is, people can now create a Bible that feels uniquely theirs.On the translation front, organizations like Avodah are using AI to speed up the process for underserved languages. Traditionally, translating the Bible could take decades and cost a fortune—like, over a million dollars and 20-plus years. With AI, they’re aiming to get a full translation done in about four years, for half a million. The AI does the first draft, and then human translators step in to refine it. It’s not perfect, but it’s a huge leap forward for communities that have been waiting generations to read scripture in their own language.But here’s the thing—and I’ve heard this from pastors, scholars, and just regular folks—does all this personalization actually help people engage more deeply with their faith, or does it risk fragmenting tradition? If everyone’s got their own custom Bible, with their favorite notes and devotionals, are we still talking about a shared text? Or is it more like a spiritual playlist, tailored to your mood? I don’t have a neat answer, but it’s a question worth sitting with.Now, let’s talk about the folks on the front lines—pastors, study leaders, and, honestly, anyone trying to make sense of scripture for a group. There are tools like HyperWrite’s Bible Message Maker, which is basically an AI assistant for crafting sermons, devotionals, or Bible study messages. You plug in a verse, maybe a topic or a takeaway, and the AI spits out a message that’s supposed to teach, encourage, or even rebuke, depending on what you need. It’s aimed at making sermon prep faster and, maybe, a little less daunting.But, and this is a big but, there’s an ethical debate here. How do you balance innovation with the integrity and sacredness of religious texts? Is it okay for an AI to help write a sermon, or does that cross a line? Some folks see it as just another tool—like using a commentary or a concordance. Others worry it’s a shortcut that could water down the message, or worse, introduce errors or biases that go unnoticed.I heard about a rural pastor—let’s call him Pastor Joe—who started using AI-generated devotionals to reach his online congregation. He’s got a small church, but suddenly, his messages are going out to people all over the country. It reminds me of when I was reporting on the early days of televangelism. Back then, people worried that TV would cheapen the message, but it also brought faith to folks who couldn’t make it to church. Maybe AI is just the next step in that evolution. Or maybe it’s something entirely different. I’m, I’m not sure yet.So, as we wrap up, I think the big takeaway is that AI is shaking up the way we interact with sacred texts—sometimes in ways that feel exciting, sometimes in ways that make us uneasy. The questions about authority, authenticity, and community aren’t going away anytime soon. And, as always, we’ll be here to float along with the changes, trying to make sense of it all. Thanks for listening to The Tamnation Gilsey Podcast. We’ll be back with more detritus—and maybe a few life vests—next time.

Episodes

AI and the New Scripture