AI SEMINAR
St HILD CENTRE FOR BAPTIST MINISTRY
Wednesday 30 September 2026
10am - 4pm
Format: Sessions on Zoom, a lunch break, and opportunities for discussion.
What will the day cover?
An accessible introduction to AI and its growing impact on society and ministry
Theological and pastoral reflection on the opportunities and challenges AI presents
Practical guidance for thinking about AI use in church settings
Support in developing an AI policy for your local church
Opportunities to engage with fellow Baptist students and ministers in training in a thoughtful learning community
No prior knowledge of AI is required.
Today’s speakers bios: Revd. Chris Goswami | Revd. Charmaine Mhlanga
Today’s host: Revd. Dr. Nick Allan
Joining instructions
Zoom call. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81475960468?pwd=uPbwPeOT2ZKXXTGQwtp9yLwo2Ez7bV.1
Meeting ID: 814 7596 0468
Passcode: 464784
Agenda
10.00 - 11.15 SESSION ONE
Zoom call opens (09.50), call begins at 10.00 with introductions & participant poll (link below).
10.10 : Chris Goswami introduces topic
10.55 : BREAK
11.15 - 12.00 SESSION TWO
Scenarios in break-out rooms, followed by whole-zoom group discussion.
12.00 - 13.30 LUNCH BREAK
Zoom room will remain live, feel free to disappear as long as you come back again!
13.30 - 14.55 SESSION 3
13.30 : AI Guidelines for Churches (Chris Goswami)
14.15 : BREAK
14.30 : AI and the lived environment case study with Revd Charmaine Mhlanga.
14.55 : MINI BREAK
15.00 - 16.00 SESSION 4
15.00 : Open forum plenary hosted live by Chris Goswami (may use Mentimeter again, see link below)
15.45ish : Pray in breakout rooms
15.55: Final thoughts, next steps & further resources.
16.00 CLOSE
Mentimeter Voting
Open link here (new tab)
Scenario Cards (morning zoom session)
AI Guidelines for Christian Ministry:
https://aichristian.org/guidelines/ (enter email to download)
Pre-Reading & Resources
Theology & Contemporary considerations
Pope Leo XIV Encyclical Letter ‘MAGNIFICA HUMANITAS’ on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence. (it’s very good!)
Download PDF
AI and the Environment
Read the article on climate by Swedish Theologian Rikard Roitto: https://verbumexmachina.substack.com/p/are-ai-data-centers-worth-the-environmental?r=18m4oy&utm_medium=ios
AI and Discipleship / Spirituality
Bishop Steven Croft (CoE lead on AI) ‘Digital Discipleship’ blog : https://blogs.oxford.anglican.org/digital-discipleship/
Bishop Steven Croft ‘AI and our spiritual and cultural lives’ blog : https://blogs.oxford.anglican.org/ai-and-our-spiritual-and-cultural-lives/
AI and Personhood
Listen to these 2 episodes of Artificial Intimacy by the FT (Episodes 5 and 6)
https://www.ft.com/content/feea43cd-0b54-4029-918d-fea2c2405a8c?syn-25a6b1a6=1
https://www.ft.com/content/e46c0158-e0aa-4737-ab20-abd96b442128?syn-25a6b1a6=1
Read this article by Sally Nelson: