Christians Turn to ChatGPT for Divine Interpretation
The Rise of the ChatGPT Tongues Challenge
A new trend is sparking conversation and controversy within some Christian communities. In what’s being called the “ChatGPT Tongues Challenge,” circulating on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, Charismatic and Pentecostal Christians are using artificial intelligence to interpret the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues. Users record themselves engaging in glossolalia and submit it to OpenAI's ChatGPT, hoping to receive a divine interpretation.
The phenomenon has captured the attention of prominent figures in Christian media. Shawn Bolz recently shared a story about a friend who tried the challenge. "She goes, ‘I spoke in my prayer language on ChatGPT and it actually interpreted some of my prayer language in different languages around the world,’" Bolz recounted. He mentioned seeing cases where the AI identified the language as "ancient Sumerian," finding it "really wild that there’s languages being spoken by Christians in their prayer language and we’re seeing AI catch up to some of the spiritual fruit that we have."
Can AI Be a Vessel for Divine Messages
Those who embrace the practice argue that technology can be a valid channel for the Holy Spirit. Christian psychology coach Renée M. Simpson recorded herself praying in tongues and used ChatGPT for an interpretation. In response to online criticism, she defended her choice, explaining, "I was just looking for confirmation of what I was feeling in my spirit, and that’s what I got."
Simpson believes "the Holy Spirit can speak through anything," drawing parallels to biblical accounts where God used unconventional means like a burning bush or a donkey to communicate. She suggests that the validity of a message should be judged by its fruit. "To call something demonic, first you want to know, does it bring peace, does it bring healing, does it align with God’s character," she said.
A Theological Perspective The Role of the Holy Spirit
However, many are pointing to scripture for a more cautious approach. The Bible clearly defines the origin and purpose of speaking in tongues. The gift was first introduced on the day of Pentecost, as described in Acts 2, when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as God enabled them.
Furthermore, the apostle Paul’s teachings in 1 Corinthians 12 categorize both speaking in tongues and its interpretation as spiritual gifts. These are given by God "as He wills," not through human effort or technological systems. Paul stresses that the interpretation of tongues is a divine act intended for edification, not something that can be achieved through algorithmic analysis.
Technology vs Theology The Limits of AI
From a technical standpoint, the idea of AI translating glossolalia is highly questionable. AI tools like ChatGPT are built on vast amounts of known language data and complex programming. As The Christian Post has reported, secular researchers confirm that an AI "cannot translate glossolalia because it is trained on existing language data, and it lacks the capacity to understand or interpret sounds that are not actual words or languages.”
For believers, this intersection of faith and technology serves as a critical reminder to test all things and hold fast to what is true, as advised in 1 Thessalonians 5:21. While technology continues to advance in incredible ways, it's essential to remember that true spiritual gifts originate from the Holy Spirit, not from machines.
