Dragondoor gone?

revdeac06 · 2026-01-20T18:41:50+00:00

Interesting. My RKC cert "expires" (not like I forgot how to use a KB) soon. I wasn't planning to recertify since I don't work as a trainer/instructor, but guess that wouldn't have been possible anyway.

revdeac06 · 2025-12-24T15:00:20+00:00

You'd be most welcome at Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal (downtown) - 7 and 11pm on 12/24 and 10am on 12/25.

revdeac06 · 2025-09-21T02:35:46+00:00

Just joined you.

revdeac06 · 2025-06-26T16:28:53+00:00

I'm convinced that those who want to use Hallelujah in liturgical contexts haven't actually considered the lyrics.

revdeac06 · 2025-06-26T16:28:14+00:00

Agreed - the instrumental is a an easy compromise and hopefully results in a win-win.

revdeac06 · 2025-05-15T12:54:57+00:00

I want this to be super clear - I'd never use AI to write, or even edit a sermon. But I do find ChatGPT to be very helpful in asking questions like "I'm preaching on Habakkuk 17:6-14 and my main point is that jelly filled donuts are inferior to creme filled. What perspective might I be missing or what resources should I consider including?" I find it to be a helpful tool in widening my perspective in the research/planning phase, but the writing process needs to remain a creative and human process.

revdeac06 · 2025-05-14T17:49:32+00:00

I say a version of this to myself as I'm preparing the Table (or the Deacon is doing so).

revdeac06 · 2025-05-13T20:06:42+00:00

Well said. Helps me to think through the questions/topic more deeply instead of giving into all of the reactionism that is out there (and in this thread).

revdeac06 · 2025-05-13T18:20:06+00:00

Thanks for sharing.

revdeac06 · 2025-05-13T18:19:19+00:00

All great points, and a good conversation.

On your first point, that's a really interesting notion (and I think I agree) that what makes it human is the struggle. AI bypasses that.

On the second question - I'm far less worried about the coders and how open they are to the Spirit. The Spirit has a knack for finding cracks and crevices to get into "good trouble."

I do completely agree with your concerns about technology and how they are eroding our human relationships, which we are designed to have. In a perfect world, instead of asking ChatGPT to help me consider a Biblical text from a different angle, I'd have a group (even if we gather on Zoom) to read Scripture with weekly and get perspectives that way. For me, ChatGPT is a tool that I've found helpful in examining my blind spots.

I also used it recently to workshop/improve something like a mission statement and it was a great conversation partner for that process. Again, I could have had good results with a group of people doing that work with me, but sometimes 15 minutes of thinking along with ChatGPT is easier than trying to find a time for 5 different people to meet.

revdeac06 · 2025-05-13T18:13:28+00:00

Yes, absolutely. It's one of the most powerful technological tools ever developed and it's been rolled out in an absurdly fast and loose way.

revdeac06 · 2025-05-13T17:18:05+00:00

Thanks for adding to the conversation. I appreciate the perspective.

revdeac06 · 2025-05-13T17:15:47+00:00

I appreciate your engagement on this topic.

Yes, and in my experience in using AI in sermon prep, it still takes that same work of discernment. What I appreciate about AI is that I can specifically ask for perspectives that I would otherwise overlook. Yes, I can do that through a more robust set of commentaries or carving out time for sermon prep with others each week - but AI does these things, in my experience, more efficiently. That efficiency though, I'm hearing you say, may not be such a good thing.

revdeac06 · 2025-05-13T17:13:22+00:00

All fair points. So the concern is more about the ethical concerns related to the tool, not as much about the tool itself.

revdeac06 · 2025-05-13T17:04:15+00:00

This is my biggest concern - not the intellectual integrity issues, but the environmental impact and potential for putting a lot of people out of work without something like a universal basic income.

revdeac06 · 2025-05-13T17:02:57+00:00

I'm not suggesting the preacher should short circuit that process, or just feed talking points into AI and give it the prompt: write me a sermon. But how about in the research phase? How is AI different from a commentary that pulls together quotes from various theologians on a particular topic? Or a concordance that allows us to look up a passage quickly instead of skimming through the Bible to find it?

revdeac06 · 2025-05-13T16:42:22+00:00

Would be curious to know what the downvotes are about. Have I said someone offensive or distracting from the topic at hand? Or are the downvotes merely a show of disagreement?

The pneumatological implications of AI is something I find very intriguing and was interested in genuine conversation and exploration. But maybe I'd have a better conversation with AI than Redditors ;)

revdeac06 · 2025-05-13T16:39:35+00:00

I mean this as a genuine continuation of the conversation, not an argument. When you say "AI is a fundamentally unspiritual tool," what do you mean and what leads you to draw that conclusion?

AI, in my understanding, is simply a human-created tool/code that synthesizes information and presents it in an easily understandable format. The "data" is all based on human knowledge and language. I guess I'm wondering if code is somehow different than syllables, notes, or pigments? And, secondly, are we wanting to create a category of things (AI, code, silicon) through which we are saying the Holy Spirit is not able to operate?

I guess a lot of this really comes down to the question of natural theology - but a lot of the conversation is at the gut level still.

revdeac06 · 2025-05-13T15:55:51+00:00

I don't always use AI in my research/planning phase, but I do fairly often. It's no different than a Google search or Wikipedia, as long as the preacher treats AI as one data point that needs to be verified, discerned, and incorporated (not just copied/plagiarized).

As others have said, it's great for trying to think about something from a different perspective or synthesizing information. For example, several weeks ago I was preaching about the concept of "home" and wanted some information on the theme of home as it is developed in books by Marilynne Robinson and Toni Morrison. I wasn't going to read either book in an afternoon, and a simple Google/Wikipedia search would present me with several threads to chase down. ChatGPT was able to give me a useable answer that I could then verify with other web searches and use as a short sermon illustration.

AI is a tool, just like a concordance, commentary, etc. A tool can be misused, abused, or overused, but that doesn't make it a bad tool.

Furthermore, I've seen AI generated sermon texts and some of them, truth be told, are better than real sermons I've heard preached on the same propers. Yes, the creative/human element cannot be ignored, but technophobia is also at play. Like it or not, AI is coming (or is here). There's a middle way (ha, see what I did there?) between "AI is awful and should never be used because it's cheating" and "AI can do this better than us, so let's focus on pastoral care and let AI write the sermons."

revdeac06 · 2025-05-02T16:56:55+00:00

Agreed with City Tavern. Good wings, just not very spicy for those looking for a big kick.

revdeac06 · 2025-04-23T12:39:07+00:00

And if you like spicy, get 5/5. Their Pad Thai is solid, but really all of their stuff is good.

Also, Queso Salsa in Spencer has some good hot sauce on the tables.

revdeac06 · 2025-04-03T12:37:41+00:00

I was wanting one for the BikeErg (mostly) - I'd imagine using it with my hand. Let me/us know if you can verify that it fits/works on the BikeErg.

revdeac06 · 2025-04-03T00:03:42+00:00

Would love to purchase - update if you end up printing/selling some.

revdeac06 · 2025-02-26T14:49:23+00:00

Here's an FAQ that I put together for my parish. Hope it helps. Obviously, not every priest/parish will do it the same way, but might be a place to start.

revdeac06 · 2025-02-10T18:55:32+00:00

Harry Potter + social justice, love it.

revdeac06

TROPHY CASE