Science & Tech
Can a chatbot preach a good sermon? Hundreds attend church service generated by ChatGPT to find out
By Kirsten Grieshaber — June 12, 2023
FUERTH, Germany (AP) — The 40-minute service — including the sermon, prayers and music — was created by ChatGPT and Jonas Simmerlein, a theologian and philosopher from the University of Vienna.
What is ‘ethical AI’ and how can companies achieve it?
By Piers Norris Turner and Dennis Hirsch — May 30, 2023
(The Conversation) — Companies that want to avoid the harms of AI, such as bias or privacy violations, lack clear-cut guidelines on how to act responsibly. That makes internal management and decision-making critical.
Intel wins 2023’s most faith-friendly company as Fortune 500 warms to religious diversity
By Kathryn Post — May 22, 2023
(RNS) — 'The basic idea of religious freedom is that you're free to have a faith, change your faith or have no faith at all,' said Brian Grim, Religious Freedom and Business Foundation president.
Fewer evangelicals support public school childhood vaccine requirements, survey shows
By Adelle M. Banks — May 16, 2023
(RNS) — Significant majorities across religious groups say the benefits of childhood vaccines outweigh the risks from getting them.
Nurse-midwife Edna Adan Ismail, opponent of female genital mutilation, wins Templeton Prize
By Kathryn Post — May 16, 2023
(RNS) — She is the first African woman to receive the prize, which is valued at 1.1 million British pounds (over $1.3 million).
Raw materials, or sacred beings? Lithium extraction puts two worldviews into tension
By Mario Orospe Hernández — May 1, 2023
(The Conversation) — Lithium extraction in Bolivia poses more than environmental questions: It illustrates how notions about ‘raw materials’ can be at odds with Indigenous relations with the land.
In ‘God on Psychedelics,’ Don Lattin offers a roadmap of congregational tripping
By Yonat Shimron — April 10, 2023
(RNS) — The veteran religion reporter investigates how various religious groups are using psychedelics to inspire chemically induced mystical experiences.
Georgia may be turning purple. It’s definitely turning green.
By Marqus Cole — March 14, 2023
(RNS) — Georgia’s clean energy transition is doing what some may deem a miracle — getting Republicans and Democrats to agree.
Robots are performing Hindu rituals — some devotees fear they’ll replace worshippers
By Holly Walters — March 13, 2023
(The Conversation) — The use of AI and robotic technology in worship is raising profound questions about its long-term consequences. Will it lead to the betterment of society or replace practitioners?
Asteroid named after pope behind Gregorian calendar reform
By Associated Press — March 2, 2023
ROME (AP) — Pope Gregory XIII, the 16th century pontiff responsible for the Gregorian calendar, now has another celestial claim to fame.
Could churches be prime locations for EV charging stations? One company thinks so.
By Amethyst Holmes — February 23, 2023
(RNS) — Churches, with their large parking lots that often sit empty during the week, could help provide a solution to the growing demand for electric vehicle charging stations.
Christian climate activist challenges church to take action
By Kathryn Post — February 17, 2023
(RNS) — Kyle Meyaard-Schaap's 'Following Jesus in a Warming World' is a field guide for Christian climate action.
Chaplains offer more than prayers: New study confirms impact on ICU families
By Kathryn Post — February 15, 2023
(RNS) — One research chaplain called the new data ‘a V8 engine for the kind of work we do.’
Buying Starbucks with gold? A halal investing app is making it possible.
By Kathryn Post — February 3, 2023
(RNS) — Wahed, an Islamic fintech company launched in 2017, now offers brick-and-mortar banks and gold-backed debit cards.
Christian educators: Don’t be afraid of ChatGPT
By Brian Paige — January 20, 2023
(RNS) — Emerging technology causes us to wrestle with issues of the heart.
