Finnish church hosts country’s first AI-generated worship service, though reception iffy

Artificial intelligence is finding new territory in religious services, as demonstrated by Finland’s St. Paul’s Lutheran church, which recently hosted the country’s first AI-generated church service. This experimental fusion of technology and faith showcases AI’s current capabilities rather than future potential, raising important questions about the appropriate boundaries between human spiritual leadership and technological assistance in religious contexts.

The big picture: A Finnish Lutheran church service utilized AI tools to create nearly all elements of worship, including sermons, music, and visual representations of biblical figures.

• The 45-minute service at St. Paul’s Lutheran church drew over 120 attendees, significantly more than typical weeknight services.
• The event featured AI-generated imagery of Jesus and Satan on a large screen, along with virtual avatars of church pastors and even former Finnish President Urho Kekkonen reading scripture.

Behind the creation: Rev. Petja Kopperoinen spent weeks working with various AI tools to assemble all components of the service.

• The project utilized ChatGPT-4o for writing text, Suno for composing music, Synthesia AI for creating video avatars, and Akool for generating specific characters.
• “Usually when people talk about AI, they are talking about what AI can do in the future. But the future is now,” explained Kopperoinen.

Clear limitations: The experimental service maintained important theological boundaries, with AI excluded from core sacramental functions.

• The technology was not involved in forgiving sins, and no Eucharist was performed during the service.
• Kopperoinen acknowledged that AI output requires human fact-checking and often relies on stereotypes.

Worshipper reactions: Attendees found the service intriguing but noted it lacked the essential human connection of traditional worship.

• “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 attendee Taru Nieminen.
• Student Jeera Pulkkinen appreciated the “catchy” AI-composed songs but observed they “lacked the kind of soul the humans have.”

Where we go from here: Church leaders see potential for AI as a supplementary tool in religious settings while emphasizing its limitations.

• “The warmth of the people is what people need,” noted Rev. Kari Kanala, the vicar at St. Paul’s.
• Both Kopperoinen and Kanala believe AI has a place in church work but cannot replace human empathy and spiritual connection.