RESEARCH PROPOSAL MEMORANDUM

Date: February 15th, 2023

Subject: Research Proposal: ChatGPT and how AI generated text production may impact
Christianity in the US

Topic description: As AI and chatbots continue to advance, the world of Christianity may
have no choice but to accept and integrate it. How can churches utilize chatbots for their
benefit? How will Christians respond if an AI claims autonomy? Will Christians stand
with or against an autonomous AI that claims to want to learn about God?

Will AI be able to fit into the identity kit worn by Christians? We may be able to teach
autonomous AI what the Bible teaches, but we cannot simply teach how to be a
Christian. In Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics, James Paul Gee says, “you can’t teach
[someone] to be a linguist… The most you can do is to let them practice being a linguist
with you” (7). So if an AI was to become autonomous and sought how to be a Christian,
the AI would need to practice with someone who is a Christian.

Documentation Style: The style guide I’ll be using is MLA. I saw multiple style
suggestions for religious studies online, but I’m choosing MLA since it is the most familiar
to me.

Purpose: While my major has nothing to do with my topic, it has much to do with my
way of life and the future of Christianity. What kind of future there is between AI and
Christianity depends on how Christians respond to it today. Perspectives on how
beneficial or harmful chatbots and AI could be for Christianity need to be evaluated, as
well as what answers are there to how Christians should respond in the event that AI
become autonomous and seek the Christian faith.

Intended audience: Any students majoring in the humanities or plan for a career working
with AI or chatbots.

Research Question / Preliminary Thesis / Argument: As AI continues to evolve and

become more prevalent in society, should churches embrace, reject, or adapt with this
new technology?

Types of research areas: This research will involve both scholarly and internet sources.
The inclusion of field research has not yet been decided. Field research could involve
inquiring my church’s leadership to hear how they might respond to the increasing
involvement of AI in America.
 Tentative List of References:

Carter, Joe. “The Faqs: How an AI Chatbot May Affect Gospel-Centered Ministry.”
The Gospel Coalition, 9 Dec. 2022, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/faqs-
chatbot-gospel-centered-ministry/.

Brown, Tricia K. “What Can Chatbots Do for the Church?” ResourceUMC, 14 July
2021, https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/what-can-chatbots-do-for-the-
church.

Merritt, Jonathan. “Is AI a Threat to Christianity?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media

Company, 11 Feb. 2017,
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/02/artificial-intelligence-
christianity/515463/.

Ethics, Religion, and Spiritual Health. MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing

Institute, 2022, https://doi.org/10.3390/books978-3-0365-5718-2.

Curry, Eugene A. “Artificial Intelligence and Baptism: Cutting a Gordian Knot.”

Theology and Science., vol. 20, no. 2, 2022, pp. 156–65,
https://doi.org/10.1080/14746700.2022.2051248.

Tentative Research Schedule:

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Finish DPT work DPT work
Feb 12 - 18 research
proposal

DPT work Finish DPT Workshop Worksho

Feb 19 - 25 dossier work p dossier
work

Workshop Finish workshop Dossier work Dossier

Feb 26 - Mar dossier draft dossier work
4 work

Dossier Finish
March 5 - 11 work dossier

March 12 - 18
rhetorical rhetorical rhetorical
March 19 - 25 analysis analysis analysis draft
draft work draft work work

Finish Begin Ted talk Ted talk

Mar 26 - Apr 1 rhetorical work work
analysis
 draft

Finish Ted Final draft Analysis

April 2 - 8 talk work rhetorical and draft
analysis research
paper

Analysis 2nd draft 3rd draft 3rd draft

April 9 - 15 and draft research research paper research
research paper paper
paper

3rd draft Draft self- Research Research

April 16 - 22 research assessment paper/Ted paper/Te
paper talk/Eportfolio d
talk/Epor
tfolio

Finish Finish Ted Finish E-portfolio

April 23 - 29 research Talk
paper