In an era where technology reshapes nearly every facet of our existence, a new frontier has emerged in religious content creation. Pray.com, a prominent online platform for faith and prayer, is leveraging artificial intelligence to produce animated biblical narratives, aiming to modernize engagement with sacred texts. This innovative approach, transforming ancient scriptures into visually captivating short films, has garnered significant attention, particularly among a younger demographic. However, it also ignites a spirited discussion about the intersection of faith, entertainment, and digital innovation, prompting questions about the reverence and interpretation of religious material in the digital age.
A notable example of this trend is an AI-generated video from Pray.com's “AI Bible” YouTube channel, which vividly depicts scenes from the Book of Revelation. This eight-minute feature showcases apocalyptic imagery—collapsing structures, terrified figures, and mythical creatures—rendered through artificial intelligence. The video seamlessly blends elements of high-budget cinema, video game aesthetics, and fantasy art, captivating over 750,000 viewers within two months of its release. Ryan Beck, Pray.com's Chief Technology Officer, notes the positive reception, particularly among viewers under 30, who report profound spiritual and mental impacts from these re-imagined stories.
This pioneering use of AI in religious content is not without its detractors. Theological scholars express reservations, fearing that transforming the Bible into action-packed entertainment diminishes its profound spiritual essence. Brad East, a theology professor at Abilene Christian University, lamented that such an approach reduces the Bible's power, viewing it as spiritually unedifying. Similarly, Jeffrey Bilbro, an English professor at Grove City College, argued that packaging the Bible as mere entertainment risks undermining its role as divine revelation intended for life transformation. These critics emphasize that the sacredness of scripture lies in its capacity to challenge and guide, not simply to amuse or titillate.
Conversely, advocates of this technological integration argue that it represents a logical progression in Christianity’s long history of embracing new communication tools. Historically, Christians were early adopters of bound books over scrolls and later utilized the printing press to disseminate the Bible widely. John Dyer, a Dallas Theological Seminary professor and author, points out that evangelicals, in particular, have a pioneering spirit when it comes to technology, viewing any tool that connects people to the Bible as beneficial. Max Bard, Pray.com's Vice President for Content, believes AI provides unprecedented tools to bring biblical stories to life, likening their initiative to creating a “Marvel Universe of faith.”
Pray.com's creative process involves a blend of cutting-edge AI tools and human input. They utilize platforms like ChatGPT for conceptual development and initial visual rendering. The team then records live-action videos, mimicking the desired movements, which are subsequently fed into video generators to transform human actions into animated biblical figures. This meticulous process, resulting in approximately two new videos per week, aims to strike a balance between entertainment and education, or “edutainment.” With millions of followers across various social media platforms, Pray.com’s AI-generated content has undeniably found a significant audience, demonstrating the profound potential and the inherent complexities of digitalizing spiritual narratives for modern audiences.
While some theologians question the interpretive choices, such as animating complex or debatable parts of the Bible like the Book of Revelation or the Nephilim narrative, others, like Rev. Dr. Paul Hoffman of Samford University, welcome anything that sparks interest in scripture. However, the core debate remains: whether the aesthetic of an "action movie trailer" truly serves the spiritual depth of biblical teachings, especially when narratives of humility or suffering might not translate into visually dynamic content. This ongoing dialogue underscores the challenges and opportunities as faith traditions navigate the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and digital media.