AI-Generated Service at Finnish Church Explores Technology’s Place in Worship
Helsinki, Finland – St. Paul’s Lutheran church recently held a church service that was, for the most part, composed by artificial intelligence. This innovative event sparked conversations regarding the integration of technology, and specifically AI, into religious practices.
The service, held on a Tuesday evening, presented a unique blend of the traditional and the modern. The sermons and some of the hymns were generated by AI, complementing music composed by the same technology. Visuals included a dialogue between avatars: Jesus, depicted in the traditional robes and beard, conversing with a modern-looking Satan.
Over 120 people attended the service, a higher number than the church typically sees on a weeknight. Attendees came from different parts of Finland, and some were foreign visitors who admitted they didn’t understand all of the Finnish.
This experimental service was the brainchild of The Rev. Petja Kopperoinen, who collaborated with the Rev. Kari Kanala, the vicar at St. Paul’s, and Bishop Teemu Laajasalo of Helsinki.
The creation of the service involved several AI tools. Open AI’s ChatGPT-4o was utilized to write the sermons, while Suno was used to compose the music, which resembled pop music in style. The visual elements, including the avatars of the pastors and a former Finnish president, were generated by the Synthesia AI platform, using existing footage.
“Seeing myself onscreen speaking words I never said in real life felt ‘eerie’,” Kopperoinen stated.
While the event was generally well-received, some attendees expressed reservations. Some felt that the service lacked the emotional depth and personal connection of a traditional human-led service. “It was pretty entertaining and fun, but it didn’t feel like a Mass or a service. … It felt distant. I didn’t feel like they were talking to me,” said Taru Nieminen. The Rev. Kari Kanala echoed this sentiment, stating, “The warmth of the people is what people need.”
The service also highlighted the limitations of AI. It was not involved in forgiving sins and the Eucharist wasn’t performed. Kopperoinen stressed that human oversight is crucial, especially for fact-checking and editing, as AI can sometimes rely on stereotypes.
Despite its current limitations, both Kopperoinen and Kanala believe AI has a role to play in the church, with St. Paul’s already utilizing it for bookkeeping and sermon research. The experiment at St. Paul’s Lutheran church provides a glimpse into the potential intersections of faith, technology, and the ongoing human quest for spiritual connection.
